2022 Doomsday Prep Buyer’s Guide: Seeds Edition

There’s no more practical approach to growing your own food than planning a garden for the end of the world. It’s not just about having a variety of plants in your arsenal—it’s about having the right plants. And if you’re taking that step from growing a few of your favorite vegetables to creating a garden that will provide you with the essentials, you’ll need a balanced selection that provides nutrition, energy and makes sense for the garden you’re working with. Here are a few of our favorite doomsday veggies that will get the job done. 

1. Potatoes

   There are few foods more reliable than potatoes when it comes to survival gardening; they’re packed with carbohydrates, making them a reliable provider of energy. They’re also a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and potassium. They’re an easy, low-maintenance food to grow, and if you don’t harvest all of them, you can expect them to continue to grow back in future years as well. Try these hybrid potatoes in your garden this year!

2. Beans

   Nutritional value should always be top of mind when you’re living mostly off your own yields, and that’s what makes beans a go-to staple crop for survival gardens everywhere. They’re highly storable, nutritionally rich, and can be grown on in multiple ways. Consider whether pole beans or bush beans will make more sense for your garden, then add this staple crop to your list. There’s no shortage of varieties to choose from.

3. Kale

   Kale is considered a superfood due to its high nutritional density. Rest assured you’ll be getting healthy doses of vitamin A, B6 and C, along with potassium and calcium. It’s a pretty versatile staple food, ideal for soups and salads, and will survive cold winters unlike almost any other plant. Make sure you plant it 3-5 weeks before the last frost of the winter.

4. Corn

   Corn is another go-to food for survival gardens. It’s high in fiber, and you can count on your kitchen being stocked with cornmeal if you grow it in your own garden. Corn can also benefit your crops as a natural trellis for pole plants like beans. Sweet corn is a popular vegetable for home gardens, but if you want to be able to store corn meal for a wide variety of recipes, dent corn may be a better option.

5. Squash 

   This nutrient-rich fruit has both summer and winter varieties and is high in calcium, iron, Vitamin A and magnesium. Butternut, acorn, and spaghetti are just a few popular types that you can experiment with. Plus, you can prepare it in a variety of delicious ways, from chili to pies to your favorite pasta dish. 

   These are just a few of the many veggies that would be great for your doomsday survival garden. Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach and cabbage are strong candidates as well when it comes to nutrient-rich foods that are easy to work into all kinds of recipes. It can also be helpful to mix some herbs into your garden to add some flavor to the core vegetables in your doomsday garden.

These are just a few of the many veggies that would be great for your doomsday survival garden. Carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach and cabbage are strong candidates as well when it comes to nutrient-rich foods that are easy to work into all kinds of recipes. It can also be helpful to mix some herbs into your garden to add some flavor to the core vegetables in your doomsday garden.