The Best Survival Garden Seeds for Your Stockpile Donna Larson, December 28, 2023December 28, 2023 In recent years, we’ve seen a dramatic climb in those interested in gardening for food security. We’ve also seen a greater number of companies offering survival garden seed vaults to be shelved until they’re needed. So what are the best survival garden seeds for your stockpile? The Best Survival Garden Seeds The best survival garden seeds are essentially the seeds that you have when you need them. Let’s look at how you can determine which seeds are best for you. Choosing Between Survival Seed Kits When looking at purchasing a survival seed bank, you should consider: Cost Vs Benefit Plant Diversity Germination Rate Seed Type Cost There is a wide difference in pricing amongst these survival seed kits. Anywhere from $15 to $180 at last check. What is the real value in the cheapest or most expensive kit? Is it the total number of seeds that you get? Is it the overall number of varieties? You have to decide for yourself what you’re willing to spend on seeds that you may never need to use. Remember, though, that you can alway grow them and replace your seed bank by saving seeds from the fruit. Alternatively, you could also replace them with re-purchased seed one day. The Home Garden Seed Collection at Survival Garden Seeds is 30 seed packs of different varieties for $30. You can’t beat $1 per seed pack. Growing Varieties Look for survival seeds that carry a wide assortment of vegetables that you can live on. Calories Start with higher calorie crops. If you’re concerned with growing your own food for a survival situation, then you need to grow calorie and nutrient-dense foods. Winter squash and root vegetable would be the best primary crops to focus on. Butternut squash, turnips, rutabaga, and pumpkin are good examples of heavier plants that will sustain you. Furthermore, they work well for long-term storage until the next growing season. Nutrient Content Next, look to those foods that you can grow for vitamin content. What can you grow for Vitamin C? According to a Harvard publication, the best foods that you can grow for Vitamin C content are Citrus (oranges, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit) Bell peppers Strawberries Tomatoes Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower) White potatoes Useful Plants Third, grow the other plants that might be of great use to you. For example, it is wise to have plants grown specifically for medicinal use. Gather herb seeds like sage to use as an anti-diarrheal medicine, or toothache plant to numb a toothache. Other medicinal herbs you should consider growing are: arnica for wound healing and bruising calendula for antifungal properties and healthy lymphatic flow chamomile for inflammation comfrey for scrapes and burns/ skin healing, bruising, echinacea for wound healing and immune boosting properties feverfew to treat fever gingko for respiratory ailments horehound for digestive issues lavender for antiviral properties marshmallow as an expectorant Mullein for respiratory ailments oregano for antimicrobial properties rosemary for headaches sage as an anti-diarrheal Saint John’s Wort for antidepressant toothache plant to numb toothaches or mouth sores Tulsi for respiratory ailments Yarrow heals diabetes, anxiety, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, digestive problems Grow to Your Liking Last, include something that you like just because you like it. A moral boost might be a huge benefit when the world is otherwise falling apart. Tomatoes and cucumbers are an excellent choice to add variety and flavor to your diet. Last, don’t forget your favorite culinary herbs too. The Best Survival Garden Seeds that are Suitable for Your Climate Store the seeds that are appropriate for your local growing conditions. For example, a large tomato is difficult for me to grow here. They’re susceptible to disease and pest pressure, but a large red cherry tomato grows extremely well. Cherry tomatoes are prolific until frost, and happen to be one of my favorite homegrown fruits. They’re a definite addition to my seed bank. Don’t store seeds that require a lot of frost free days, such as sweet corn, when you live in northern climates. Perhaps you could look for a corn variety that is fast growing. This brings us to our next topic on the subject, seed types. Seed Type, What are The Best Survival Garden Seeds Let’s look at the different seed types that you should be aware of before deciding on the best option for you. Heirloom or Hybrids Heirloom and hybrid seeds are two different types of seeds for gardening. Each has its own characteristics and advantages. Heirloom Seeds: Heirloom seeds are open-pollinated seeds that have been passed down through generations, often for at least 50 years and sometimes for much longer. These seeds are known for their genetic diversity and stability, meaning that when plants grow from heirloom seeds, they typically produce offspring with characteristics similar to the parent plant. We say that they “grow true.” Heirloom varieties often have unique, distinct flavors, colors, and shapes, which many gardeners and farmers appreciate for their historical significance and taste. They also usually come with a story. They tend to adapt well to local environments over time and can sometimes be better suited to specific growing conditions in certain regions. Most of all, heirloom seeds can be saved and replanted year after year, allowing gardeners to maintain a continuous cycle of self-sustaining seeds. Hybrid Seeds: Hybrid seeds are produced by cross-pollinating two different parent plants of the same species to create a new plant with specific desired traits. For instance, they may be bred for characteristics like disease resistance, higher yields, uniformity in size, shape, or color, and sometimes longer shelf life. Hybrid plants tend to exhibit what’s known as “hybrid vigor” or “hybrid vigor effect,” where the first generation of plants (F1 hybrids) may show superior traits compared to their parents, like increased productivity or resilience. However, the seeds produced by hybrid plants do not reliably carry the same desirable traits in subsequent generations (F2 and beyond). Thus, gardeners typically need to purchase new hybrid seeds each year if they want to maintain the specific qualities of the hybrid plant. GMO Seeds: Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) seeds aren’t sold to the general public, so this isn’t something that you need to worry about. They are produced by laboratory engineering and are sold to farmers with extensive contracts. The good news is that you will not accidentally purchase GMO seeds. Conventional or Organic Seeds: Conventional Seeds Non-organic seeds are typically produced using traditional agricultural methods that may involve the use of synthetic chemicals, such as synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides during cultivation. These seeds may be treated with chemical coatings or fungicides to protect them from diseases or pests. The plants grown from conventional seeds might be exposed to chemical sprays and treatments throughout their growth cycle to enhance growth, control pests, and manage diseases. Conventional seeds might also be genetically modified (GM) in some cases, where their genetic material has been altered in a laboratory to exhibit specific traits such as resistance to pests or herbicides. Organic Seeds Organic seeds are produced without the use of synthetic chemicals, including synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Instead, organic farming practices focus on natural methods to promote plant health and protect against pests and diseases. Organic seeds are derived from plants that have been grown organically and are in compliance with organic standards and regulations. Organic seed production involves maintaining strict protocols to ensure that the seeds are not contaminated by synthetic chemicals or genetically modified organisms. Growing for Survival If I’m growing for survival, I want a mixed bag of seeds. It’s easy to demand non-hybrid non-gmo heirloom seeds in your own home garden while you have the safety net of the grocery store. As a survival gardener, I want to know that I have the best chance at producing a lot of fruit. I wouldn’t be too picky about having hybrid seeds or conventional seeds because eating foods from these seeds is better than starving. The best survival garden seeds will be ones that you have. Ultimately, I encourage you to store some hybrids for easier growing and some heirlooms for growing true. Also, conventional or organic seeds really don’t matter. Packaging / Storage Many seed companies offer their best survival seed kit with vacuum sealed seed packs, packaged in mylar bags. They guarantee viability and germination for 20-25 years. Store your seeds in a cool dry location to retain the best germination rates. Germination Rate Look for a company that guarantees the germination rates of their seeds, such as Johnny’s. High germination rates should be 85% or better of their tested seeds. Are Seed Banks Right for Beginning Gardeners? Seed banks are right for everyone. There are many good reasons for even the beginner gardener to keep a seed bank on the shelf. However, that doesn’t mean that growing your own food will be easy. It takes many seasons of experience to gain the wisdom to be a good grower. But you’ll grow something. I highly recommend learning now, before you have to. Teach your children and grandchildren, passing down the knowledge through the generations. At some point, there will be an entire people group who need it. Starting a Survival Food Garden Starting a survival food garden is likely no different than starting any garden. You’ll need good soil of course, and this might prove more difficult given the world circumstances. (I’m assuming that if we’re growing to survive, then the world must be in chaos.) Most importantly, choose a location in full sun. Then, double dig rows to plant in, add in material from a nearby forest floor, and water it well. Last, sow your seeds just like you normally would, following the directions on the seed packs. If you can’t run down to the local garden center for compost, you’ll have to produce it on your own. Using natural fertilizers like diluted urine and blood will help too. The Best Survival Garden Seeds for Your Own Heirloom Seed Vault Can you build your own seed vault? Absolutely. You’ll need to make sure that you store them appropriately as already mentioned. This is a really good way to save the seeds that you know you like. Saving your own heirloom vegetable seeds from your garden will ensure you have seeds acclimated to your microclimate. Perennial Fruits and Berries Don’t forget your edible perennials. These are great because you can start them once and get fruit year after year. Fruit trees and berries that are adapted to your usda hardiness zone would be of great benefit. Another perennial with high yield is the Jerusalem artichoke. They are calorie-dense and work well for food storage too. You almost can’t kill them, and they are good for animal fodder too. Annual Vegetables Your annual vegetables should follow those rules of (1) growing for calories, (2) growing for nutrients / vitamins, and (3) growing for your liking / flavor. Many of the kits that you can purchase probably don’t have enough seeds. You should really look at bulking that up by purchasing multiple kits, or adding to one with your own seeds. Summary of The Best Survival Garden Seeds In conclusion, the best survival seeds for your stockpile will vary by your needs and growing location. Consider growing out some of the seeds that you purchase in an original survival seed vault before you need them for survival purposes. Finally, practice growing those varieties now while it’s still okay to fail at the garden. Don’t forget to check out our Seed Starting Guide to help you get started. You’ll gain knowledge along the way that you’ll be able to employ when you need it. Happy Growing! Donna @ Hazel Belle Farm Donna and her family have been homesteading for most of their 20+ years together in some shape or fashion. She currently lives on their 20 acre farm where they grow as much food as possible. What started as a just a few laying hens, has grown into large gardens, pastured poultry, pork, and lamb. They are continuously evolving their small farm to not suit their family’s needs, but also providing to their local community. Donna’s favorite part of the family farm is her self-built micro-dairy, where she gets to love on dairy cows while serving her local community. Milking, cheesemaking, and processing dairy have become the soul of their homestead and the center of their farm. Gardening Homesteading homesteading