Seed Stocks

[sc1]

One of the areas I've been looking at recently is seeds. In a SHTF situation I think it will be vital to start production of sustainable foods asap. I want to have a supply of seeds in reserve that will allow me to start growing enough food for me and my family. Space is limited for me at home. I have a small garden and a larger paved area that I can build raised beds on if I needed to. Looking longer term I would need to "acquire" a secure piece of land to grow on. What seed stocks are you building up?

[Kenneth Eames]

Thanks SC1, I like your ideas. I aim to grow lots of vegetables hidden in areas less frequented by people and hidden behind hedges and wild scrub. There will be wild plants that I know are edible, wild mustard, Red Orach, etc.. There will be many medicinal herbs as well. This will be spread over a very wide area including forest. Several plants grow in forest, ginseng is one herb I aim to plant in the forest as it is a woodland herb. Probably the area I would cover would be one or two square miles. Plants would be smaller than in a garden but we can still live on them and their vitamins. Kenneth Eames.

[Skean Dhude]

I'm looking at getting a plot of land with woods on and planting a forest garden. Kills seeral birds with on air rifle pellet or something.

[Kenneth Eames]

Thanks SD, renting woodland is one option but buying is another, if you can afford it. I have been watching prices over the last three years. The prices differ from area to area. The lowest I have seen has been just under 20k for 2.5 acres. If you have that sort of money or a little more there is a website you should be looking at, it is -www.woodlands.co.uk. Kenneth Eames.

[Skean Dhude]

Ken,

I look at it every now and again but I'm going to wait until I get some cash before I start looking seriously.

[Reality Jones]

There is no chance on gods green earth that I'll ever be able to afford my own piece of this green and pleasent land, and so with that in mind I have kind of hijacked a small woodland several miles from where I live.
I started to plant my own herbs there several years ago along with some fruit trees and so far things are doing ok. The woods are used by a lot of people for recreational purposes and I think they are owned by the national trust, so WTSHTF I may be able to just move in and plant veg all over the place.

I think we spend a lot of time wishing we had 'land' on which to grow our perfect veggie patch and herb garden. well we do! It's all around us, spread your garden out and hide it in plane view, most people today wouldn't know a carrot top sticking out of the ground if they tripped over it.
As for starting a seed bank? This is also something I have been doing for some time, by keeping the seeds of the fresh fruits and veg that I buy every week or so from my local super market, as well as hierloom varieties from the local garden centre.

[Kenneth Eames]

Reality Jones, Thanks for your input, you have the right idea. Use as much land as possible even if it doesn't belong to you. It amazes me how much land is unused. The common market actually pays land owners subsidies not to grow food. What a rediculous situation this is. Get yourself some wheat seed and scatter it, as you say, to most people its only wild grass. "They do not recognise the wood from the trees". The leaf litter is great compost. I have started to keep cherry seeds etc., recently. I haven't done this for many years. Spread out and grow more. Before the event try to sell some to enable you to buy other goods you cannot grow. Ken Eames.

[Bald Carl]

Practice growing veg now whilst you can still buy it in the shops and don't need to go hungry if blight gets your spuds and tomatoes etc. learn when to plant and when to harvest your crops. There are plenty of books and websites with info.

Research locations of allotments in your local area too

If it ever does kick off, you needn't worry about finding £000's for an acre of land

[mikebratcher69]

Allotments would be prime targets unless hidden away...
You tend to drive past a lot of allotments, so hungry troops etc driving by and youve lost your food,
I like the hidden harvest idea i.e. odd crop plants in semi secret locations in bushes etc...

[Prep Girl]

I get my seeds here
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/
they come with all the info, when to sow and so on.
My first attempt at growing was this year, thought as I can't even keep house plants alive I'd best have a practice, I got over 30 Tomatoes from a small plant, peppers, spuds, and my chillies are still growing, all in pots and bags with no effort at all, going to plant the veg in spring, tried a coffee plant but no luck.