A survival garden is an edible garden that will feed you and your family during difficult times – whether that’s due to economic hardship, an emergency situation, a natural disaster, or general food scarcity.
If you are growing crops to help support yourself and your family then planning a survival garden should be at the top of your to-do list.
21 Survival Crops for Your Prepper Garden
When planning a survival garden, it’s important to carefully choose a variety of crops that will fare well under harsh conditions, produce abundant crops, and provide vital nutrients, vitamins, and minerals for your family.
These are some of the best survival crops to incorporate into your survival garden.
1. Beans
Beans are a must-have survival crop. Proteins, calories, and nutrients are just some of the amazing benefits that beans offer.
Proteins in particular are a vital part of the human diet, and when combined with grains like rice, corn, and wheat, it is considered a “complete protein” according to the Michigan State University extension.
Complete proteins contain all nine types of essential amino acids.
There are three varieties of beans – pole, bush, and runner beans – that you can choose from, depending on your climate and how much space you have in your survival garden.
2. Beets
Beets have been a staple crop in multiple countries for centuries, and are packed with nutrients and antioxidants.
They can be stored in root cellars for long periods and can be sauteed, boiled, roasted, freeze dried, and added to soups and stews.
An excellent biennial crop, beets thrive in moderate climates and can be grown in both spring and fall.
Beets are easy to grow and especially well-suited for cooler climates, where they can tolerate periods of frost.
3. Buckwheat
Buckwheat is an unfamiliar grain – or ‘pseudograin’ – to most Americans, but it is absolutely one that should be on your radar if you are planning a survival garden.
It is a hardy and fast-growing crop well-suited to temperate regions, and though it is native to southwestern Asia it can be found growing around the world.
It also produces seeds faster than any other grain crop.
Buckwheat kernels can be roasted and used as a porridge and rice substitute, and can also be milled into a gluten-free flour.
4. Cabbage
A fast-growing cool-weather crop, cabbage is a must-have vegetable for your survival garden.
Not only will a single cabbage last for as long as three months in a root cellar or similar conditions, but it contains plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is especially high in vitamins C and K.
One of the most valuable uses for cabbage is as a fermented product like sauerkraut and kimchi, both of which are rich in probiotics that are amazing for your gut health, and can be preserved for long periods.
5. Carrots
Another staple vegetable your garden can’t do without is carrots, which are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, potassium, and beta-carotene which is converted into vitamin A.
There are plenty of varieties of carrots to choose from, including varieties like “Danvers,” which have an especially long shelf-life compared to other carrot varieties.
6. Corn
One of the most useful and versatile crops you can grow on your property is corn.
It has a plethora of uses – not only can it be grilled and boiled and used for popcorn, but it can also be dried and ground into cornmeal to make cornbread, muffins, stuffing, crackers, and more.
Like carrots, corn has a long shelf life and is an excellent source of essential carbohydrates.
7. Cucumbers
Despite being made of mostly water, cucumbers are a healthy and nutritious vegetable that is easy to grow in most climates.
While fresh cucumbers won’t last long off the vine, they can be pickled and lacto-fermented and turned into a delicious ingredient that will last for months in the jar.
While they taste great fresh, the ability to pickle cucumbers is their best feature as a survival crop.
8. Garlic
Garlic has been an important medicinal plant for centuries and should be one of the first crops you plan to grow. Its value goes far beyond being a delicious seasoning.
Modern science has long since confirmed these health benefits, including the reduction of cancer and cardiovascular disease risks, detoxification of foreign compounds, and lowered cholesterol.
It is a must for any survival garden.
9. Jerusalem Artichoke
The Jerusalem artichoke, also known as sunchoke, is a tuber more like a potato than a normal garden artichoke. It is an incredibly easy and unfussy plant to grow, able to be planted almost anywhere in your garden.
These tubers are relatively calorie-dense and packed with prebiotic fiber and other vitamins and minerals, providing a plentiful and low-maintenance source of food during hard times.
10. Kale
It may not provide a lot on the calorie front, but kale has plenty of benefits as a survival crop – namely, how well it complements other ingredients, and its extensive nutritional value.
Its thin leaves are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K.
In certain climates, kale can also be grown year-round and in others, it is self-seeding making it a convenient and low-maintenance crop.
11. Mixed Herbs
A combination of edible herbs will be an essential part of the plan. Herbs are typically quite low-maintenance and provide essential seasoning for meals – a survival diet doesn’t have to taste bland and flavorless!
Many herbs also have well-established health benefits and medicinal qualities.
Some of the best herbs to consider planting in your survival garden:
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Spring onion
- Basil
- Oregano
- Calendula
- Mint
- Chamomile
- Borage
- Marjoram
12. Potatoes
Potatoes may just be the best survival crops you can plant because they could technically sustain you for weeks at a time if you have nothing else to eat.
It wouldn’t be a complete diet, but a potato diet would give you the energy you need to survive for a long time. You can also easily grow potatoes in a simple 5-gallon bucket!
Potatoes contain carbohydrates, protein, and amino acids, and they can be grown in a wide range of climates and soil types.
13. Onions
Easy to grow and essential in the kitchen, onions should be a pantry staple whether you are in a survival situation or not. They offer amazing flavor and nutritional and medicinal value.
If you are able to cure and store onions correctly they can also last in storage for 6-8 months, meaning you can have these valuable alliums in stock nearly year-round.
They also don’t take up a lot of space, so you can plant plenty of them each growing season.
13. Radishes
If you want some super fast-growing crops in your survival garden, consider radishes. Because of their short growing time and their suitability to temperate conditions, you can grow radishes twice a year.
They are also a “catch crop,” small enough to fill the space between larger plants, maximizing space in the garden.
Radishes are low-calorie but rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and potassium.
14. Malabar Spinach
While it may not be as popular as its mainstream cousin, Malabar spinach is a powerhouse crop that is well worth considering for your survival garden.
It is a versatile green that can be eaten raw in salads or added as a thickener to soups and stews. When cooked it has a similar texture to okra.
Best of all, it contains high amounts of soluble fiber, and vitamins A and C. Malabar spinach is easy to grow and produces abundantly.
16. Mustard Greens
It may not be the first leafy green you think of planting, but mustard greens are plants you will want in difficult times. They are extraordinarily easy to grow from seed and grow rapidly.
The plants can also thrive in less-than-ideal conditions and are self-seeding. Essentially, you have food that requires little to no effort!
Mustard green plants produce tender, slightly spicy leaves that are packed with exceptionally high levels of vitamin A, K, and copper.
17. Squash
Mature squash plants can produce several pounds of food per plant every season, making them an invaluable survival crop. Most squash varieties are packed with fiber, minerals, and vitamins A, C, and K.
Winter squash in particular can be safely stored for months at a time, making it an ideal crop to get you through the harsher winter months.
18. Sweet Potatoes
Like regular potatoes, sweet potatoes are a super filling and nutritious tuberous root vegetable that can sustain people during times of extreme food scarcity.
Also similar to potatoes, they are fairly easy to grow and produce abundantly.
Keep in mind that sweet potatoes grow best in consistently warm climates.
If you live in a northern state, you will want to choose more cold hardy varieties like the Beauregard and Centennial, among others.
19. Swiss Chard
This next survival crop candidate will grow prolifically and is incredibly easy to maintain, perfect for survival situations where you constantly have your eyes and hands on multiple tasks.
Swiss chard is nutritious, versatile, and can be grown in a variety of circumstances.
Swiss chard typically goes to seed at the end of its first year and will self-seed the next batch of Swiss chard, saving you the time and effort of germinating your own seeds and replanting next year.
However, if you live in a cold climate they may not go to seed.
20. Tomatoes
Tomatoes may not be as nutrient-dense as other survival crops when compared to the effort and water usage they need, but they do have some major benefits that make them worth considering.
When planted in the right conditions and adequately fed, tomato plants are heavy producers with enormous versatility.
They are flavor bombs that can be added to soups, stews, juices, sauces, and more.
21. Vegetable Amaranth
Unlike the amaranth species that is grown for grain, vegetable amaranth is a tall, warm-weather plant that produces an abundance of edible leaves that can be used as a substitute for spinach.
These leaves provide calcium, magnesium, iron, and other vitamins and minerals.
Vegetable amaranth is also convenient as a self-seeding plant, and its green and purple leaves, flowers, and seed stalks can add ornamental beauty to your survival garden.
