Pros and Cons of Planting Survival Garden Crops in Containers
When it comes to your survival garden, one of the most common questions people ask is if it’s best to plant your heirloom seeds in the ground or in a container, as you would in a greenhouse. As with most things in life, there are pros and cons to both. It is our opinion, however, that there is one major advantage and one major disadvantage to planting in containers.
Pro: Plants in Containers Can Be Moved
The biggest advantage of using containers for planting is mobility. Unlike crops, containers can be moved about as needed. Circumstances that warrant a move include:
• Moving plants indoors or to a greenhouse when there is a freeze.
• Moving plants into shaded areas during hot summer months or to give them adequate shade/sun.
• Taking plants with you in the event of an emergency.
This last circumstance is an important one worth careful consideration. Survival gardens may be your best source of sustenance if a food shortage or disaster occurs. If you’re forced to relocate, you must leave behind the garden.
Helpful Tip: Mobility is meaningless without a method to transport the containers. A trailer or stacking shelves for your truck will prove invaluable if you ever need to transport your crops.
Con: Planting in Containers Means Limited Space for Your Crops
The advantage of mobility of planting containers comes at a cost – lack of space. If you’re only using containers for planting this means you will be limited in the types of plants you grow. The quantity of what you can produce will also be limited. You’ll want to plant enough to feed everyone in your family with a little extra left over. Depending on how many people you have to feed, this could require many large containers.
Because of this, it is generally recommended that you use both in-ground and container planting for your survival garden, for a more comprehensive emergency preparedness strategy.
Plants That Work Well in Containers
Of course, not all plants are suitable for containers. For instance, plants that need a large amount of space to grow such as corn simply would not thrive in a container. Instead, try the following heirloom vegetables and fruits when planting with containers.
• Heirloom herbs
• Tomatoes
• Strawberries
• Beans
• Carrots
• Beets
• Cucumbers
• Radishes
• Onions
• Peas
• Eggplant
• Peppers
• Swiss Chard
The key to growing plants in containers is proper soil, sunlight and watering. Understand how much of each different types of fruits and vegetables will need before deciding which ones you want to plant as a part of your survival garden.
Happy growing!
This article was originally published by My Patriot Supply
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There are new designs of containers, now being sold, that have features to ensure very efficient water usage for growing plants, which is great for situations where your water may be limited by factors you can,t control or change quickly.