Top 10 Seeds to Hoard

Have you ever thought about which plants to focus on for long-term survival? If food supplies were to run low, what could you grow to provide a large amount of food, calories, and nutrients to help your family stay full and healthy? Just as important, though, are plants that are easy to grow. Your survival seed storage should also include produce that is high in calories. (You can read more about the importance of calories in this article.)

From my experience, the following foods are easy to grow but can provide a lot of food and are nutritious. Stock up on the seeds of any of these you believe will be good investments during tough times.

Top Ten Seeds to Have on Hand

Kale

This hardy plant can grow late in the fall when it’s cold. It is a superfood and can provide a tremendous amount of nutrition.

Carrots

Carrots can be grown around other food and can also stay in the ground for a long time, only picking when ready to eat, and can be grown into the fall as well. They’re versatile, and it’s easy to preserve them for long-term storage.

Tomatoes

While tomatoes need to be watered just right, one plant can produce many very versatile tomatoes. Learn more about the amazing health benefits of tomatoes! For long-term storage, tomatoes can be dehydrated, canned, freeze-dried, and can be used in recipes that are easy to can, such as salsa and marinara sauce.

Parsley, basil & other herbs

For an herb, parsley is a fast-growing plant and can be dried out easily for use throughout the year. Basil can be used as a seasoning, or it can be used in a salad or pesto. Pinching back the flowers while it grows can give you a very large plant. Whichever herbs you choose to grow, have a plan for drying and storing them for the long term.

• Herbs are also used for medicinal purposes.
• Have you ever wondered how to get started herb gardening? Let us help you get started!

Growing herbs is a great skill for space-constrained urban/suburban homesteaders!

Peppers

Peppers like the warm weather, but you can plant a variety of green bell peppers to spicy habaneros. They’ll provide you with loads of nutrients and can easily be freeze-dried or dehydrated.

Corn

While only a few ears of corn grow on a stalk, corn can be eaten or dried and ground into cornmeal. If you have the room to grow a lot of corn, it can be very worthwhile, but since corn is pollinated by the wind, you’ll need to plant them close together to allow for this.

Potatoes

While not seeds, a large number of seed potatoes stored in a dark, dry, and cool location can be stored for a year. If you plant a crop of potatoes yearly, you’ll always have a new set of seed potatoes. Don’t start this process with grocery store-purchased potatoes, as they have almost certainly been treated with chemicals that will hinder any sprouting. Start with organic potatoes or USDA-certified seed potatoes. More information about storing seed potatoes at this link.

Moringa

The moringa plant grows fast and the leaves, bark, and seeds can all be eaten. It has a lot of nutrition as well. The more you learn about moringa, the more you’re going to want to grow it!

Stevia

While sugar is easy to store, it’s also difficult to home-grow sugar cane. Therefore, you may want to grow stevia, a plant whose leaves can be ground and used as a sweetener. Once the sugar and honey are gone from your food storage, you’ll be glad to have a few stevia plants around and their seeds for future plantings.

Conclusion

Seeds can be stored long-term in a cool, dark place. Putting them in the refrigerator or freezer in air-tight bags can also extend their lives. To test a seed’s viability, you can germinate it on a wet paper towel. Try growing each type of fruit or vegetable you store seeds for so you know how each plant grows before you’re in a stressful situation and become experienced in savings seeds with these tips.

What seeds do you recommend having on hand?