SHTF: What Would You Grow In Your Garden?

[xplosiv1]

heres a little follow up on my previous post regarding the water required to produce certain foods

Typical values for the volume of water required to produce common foodstuffs
Foodstuff Quantity Water consumption, litres

Beef 1 kg 15,415
lamb 1 kg 10,412
Pork 1 kg 5,988
Cheese 1 kg 3,178
Olives 1 kg 3,025
Rice 1 kg 2,497
Apple 1 kg 822
Banana 1 kg 790
Potatoes 1 kg 287
Cabbage 1 kg 237
Tomato 1 kg 214
Olives 1kg 4,400
Mangos 1kg 1,600
Peaches or nectarines1200
Maize 1kg 900
Bananas 1kg 800
Apples or pears 700
Oranges 1kg 460
Dates 1kg 300
Potatoes 1kg 250
Cucumbers or pumpkins—240
Cabbage 1kg 200
Tomatoes 1kg 180

the formatting went out the window as soon as I submit it but you can still read it, all values are in litres for 1kg of each food type.

[Deeps]

That's interesting, its also quite scary, you don't think about it, especially in a soggy place like here.

[Arwen Thebard]

Interesting numbers but a lot would depend on how that quantity of water was applied to the plants surely? Drip fed via a seaper hose or getting it straight down to the roots via a funnel next to each plant would be far more efficient and use much less than spraying by hose or watering can for example. If top mulching was used that would greatly reduce surface evaporation and different soil types would effect water drainage and retention.

The quantities required for meat production are astounding. Maybe that's the time to go vegetarian?

[xplosiv1]

Interesting numbers but a lot would depend on how that quantity of water was applied to the plants surely? Drip fed via a seaper hose or getting it straight down to the roots via a funnel next to each plant would be far more efficient and use much less than spraying by hose or watering can for example. If top mulching was used that would greatly reduce surface evaporation and different soil types would effect water drainage and retention.

The quantities required for meat production are astounding. Maybe that's the time to go vegetarian?

yes not only that but more importantly it would depend on the average ambient temperature, im sure you could have doubled some of those number this summer to keep crops alive.

I'm pretty sure the numbers above are typical averages for the UK, good food for thought though when planning a garden

the numbers for meat are alarming but when you think about the time frames it makes sense, take for example corn, from planting to harvest its usually 60 - 100 days where as beef cattle are normally 18 to 24 months old before they're on your plate.

[jansman]

As a Butcher, I can see the input figures would make the idea of vegetarian diets more attractive. However, many parts of the country are only suited to livestock production ( the Dales or Scottish Highlands are sheep production areas). It is all about balance. My wife and eldest daughter are virtually vegetarian. That’s cool.

We need a certain amount of protein in our diets. Right now we eat too much ( or many folks do), so a reduced- meat diet does no harm. Vegetarian diets will do this with beans. However, we can only grow so many here in the U.K. A little meat will do this for most omnivorous people. Every area of the U.K. can contribute in it’s own way.

[Deeps]

As a Butcher, I can see the input figures would make the idea of vegetarian diets more attractive. However, many parts of the country are only suited to livestock production ( the Dales or Scottish Highlands are sheep production areas). It is all about balance. My wife and eldest daughter are virtually vegetarian. That’s cool.

We need a certain amount of protein in our diets. Right now we eat too much ( or many folks do), so a reduced- meat diet does no harm. Vegetarian diets will do this with beans. However, we can only grow so many here in the U.K. A little meat will do this for most omnivorous people. Every area of the U.K. can contribute in it’s own way.

A good point, we can cherry pick our diet now, whether its vegan, veggie or whatever but if things are tough people might have to compromise their ideals. My missus has accepted that in the really unlikely event that we end up living off the 'zombie stores' she might have to eat meat based products, I do prep for her veggie requirements but not to the same level as the rest (its not exactly 50/50 although she doesn't do too badly). Not a problem for this greedy boy right enough.

[PreppingPingu]

I have been looking at micro green https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00784vv and square foot gardening with the looming price rises in mind. We have just made a large raised bed on our patio area about 1 & half meter by 3. We have been digging out soil for a conservatory to go on the back of our house and I needed to dispose of a lot of soil so about half of it went in the bottom of the raised bed area which I then topped up with compost from the compost bins. I have stuck in some peas for pea shoots, kale and winter lettuces as well as replanting the herb bed I had to dig up to make way for the new conservatory. I was watching a series of programmes on tv - "The Edible Garden" with Alys Fowler which inspired me to try to plant edibles as garden bed that both looks good and is useful too. It's not on BBC player atm but I saw it on one of the satellite channels and hit record. Good resource for producing food ideas in both SHtF and self sufficiency terms.

[Deeps]

We do have some produce in the garden but since getting the allotment Her Maj has put in more flowers and shrubs. She has gazillions of seeds and stuff so if need be I can turn it into a veggie plot to supplement the allotment. If things got that bad we have a front garden that could be utilised too I suppose. At least she has the know how and the seeds and gear to make it happen, along with a donkey to do the heavy stuff.

[jansman]

If you can only grow herbs on a windowsill,it is a start.My eldest girl lived in a flat for two years,and grew chillies in pots on the windowsill.She missed the garden.Now she has one,but if you don't,all things horticultural are possible.