Beginner Mistakes in Survival Gardening
Avoid the common pitfalls that destroy 80% of first-year gardens. Don't panic-plant. Plan with precision.
Failure is Expensive
In a hobby garden, failure is annoying. In a survival garden, failure is hunger. Here are the most common mistakes we see.
1. Planting Too Much, Too Soon
The Mistake: Tilling up 1,000 sq ft and planting it all in one weekend. The Reality: By July, the weeds will overwhelm you. You will burn out. The Fix: Start with 100 sq ft. Master it. Then expand.
2. Ignoring Water Access
The Mistake: Planting at the back of the property, 200ft from the nearest hose. The Reality: You won't carry buckets that far daily. The plants will die. The Fix: Gardens go where the water is.
3. Mono-Cropping Without Rotation
The Mistake: Planting potatoes in the same spot every year. The Reality: Creating a buffet for potato beetles and blights. The Fix: Rotate crops. Legumes (beans) fix nitrogen. Roots (potatoes) eat nitrogen. Swap them yearly.
4. Buying Hybrid Seeds
The Mistake: Buying cheap seeds from the dollar store. The Reality: They are likely F1 hybrids. You cannot save seeds from them. You are dependent on the store. The Fix: Buy "Open-Pollinated" or "Heirloom" seeds only.
5. Harvest Waste
The Mistake: Growing 500 lbs of zucchini with no canning jars. The Reality: It rots on the counter. The Fix: Buy your canning jars and pressure canner before you plant the seeds.
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