Welcome to the channel.
This came about because of, well, a number of experiences I've had, but particularly a conversation I had with a relative who spent years feverishly researching the most efficient ways to garden, which is what I've been doing now for the past couple of months. He gave me a few nuggets of valuable information, which I think put me ahead of most gardeners in some respects, even though I'm just starting out. My experience thus far has been limited to growing sunflower microgreens (which I recommend), and bumming around on organic farms here and there while traveling.
Normally, I'd have been practicing guitar for hours a day the past couple months, but that's taken a backseat as I attempt to become expert in the science and practice of growing food.
We can define food as calories and nutrients. Some plants have high calories and low nutrients, some have the opposite. The ideal survival crop would be something with high calories and high nutrients.
That's the other thing that inspired me creating this channel. I've spent a lot of my life learning about health. I have a pretty significant wealth of knowledge in that regard, and I was even planning to make a living sharing it, before I realized that may not be an option after I got in trouble with the Big Tech hall monitors.
I've come to realize that if you want the best nutrition, you have to grow it yourself. Freeze dried powder isn't the same as something that was just in the ground a minute ago. And that stuff can cost a lot of money.
But the most important consideration in a survival crop is calories. That's why my favorite survival crops are tubers (mostly the purple varieties): yams, potatoes, sweet potatoes. According to David the Good, if you're in Florida, yams are best, but north of Florida, potatoes should be your staple. Yams can be grown north of Florida, but the rhizomes may need to be taken inside when it's cold, or you can simply eat them and preserve the "head." Another interesting survival crop is edible canna, which is apparently more productive than potatoes. Sunchokes are worth looking at as well. There's lots of links on the channel for each of these things if you do a search.
In order to have healthy plants, which in turn will make you healthy, you need healthy soil.
Two main ingredients: organic materials (compost) and rock dust.
Why rock dust? It's small, so microbes can use it. A mixture of different rocks is usually best. Azomite is a good brand (it stands for A-Z of minerals including trace elements).
Other things to know about:
Mulch. Mulching has too many benefits to name. It's like skin for your soil. If you have a small garden, you should probably be mulching. Shredded leaves are one of the best options. In big gardens or commercial operations, you might simulate mulch with tarps.
Vermicomposting, aka worm composting. This is an ongoing source of nitrogen and other nutrients. There are a number of videos on this if you search the channel.
Wicking containers. Far superior to conventional container gardening in my opinion. Prevents over- or under-watering, and in most conditions, only requires filling once a week or so. For some plants, you may want to use coir and/or sand to help with the wicking action. I'll be experimenting with some different setups, mostly involving sand as a base layer.
IMO/Indigenous Micro-Organisms. Collecting bacteria and fungi from the local ecosystem and introducing them into your garden. The more varieties the better.
Russian comfrey. The #1 permaculture plant. Not edible.
Aerated compost tea. We want aerobic bacteria and fungi in our soil. Aerobic means they like air. So when we aerate compost tea, we're creating the conditions they like. You know how when you leave a tuna sandwich in the car in the morning on a hot day, and when you come back at lunch, it's rotten? That's because anaerobic bacteria have been multiplying in there. The same thing will happen to aerobic bacteria in a bucket with air bubbles and vegetation. Search my channel for the vortex aerator.
