The Secret Food Garden

[TwoDo]

I thought I would post this as a new thread topic. In another thread, a poster mentioned that an edible garden might not be much use post SHTF as everybody would see you growing food and hop over the fence and steal it. Plus they might also invade your house as well in the thought that you might have food. There is some merit to this idea - you definitely do not want rumours circulating that you have something to eat when everybody else is hungry.

So, as a thought experiment, what sort of edible, useful, easy to grow plants might you grow in your garden that do not look edible to the average joe? This will preserve your anonymity while still making some emergency rations available if needed. I'll kick it off with two ideas

Perennial
Jerusalem Artichoke: Looks like a tall weed, has nutritious root, rapidly multiplies and keeps coming back year after year like potatoes. A patch of this at the bottom of the garden will just look overgrown and uncared for - when SHTF you just get out the shovel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_artichoke

Annual/Biennial
Angelica: Looks like a tall weed and is really tough. Is biennial hence you get two years from one planting. Will grow readily from seed and can selfseed too. Again most people will not recognise this as an edible plant so your garden again looks like a patch of weeds. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelica

[skippy]

Nettles
Sorrel
duck weed (if you have a pond)
rhubarb (everyone overlooks it as a food)
Plaintain (medicinal)
dandelion
Kale
Oxeye daisy
Fennel

[KalPrep]

Kale is great, grows like mad, tastes great as an addition to stews, curries etc and is not something the regular joe would consider. I would also consider a good herb garden, not only for taste purposes but also for some of the more beneficial herbs and roots.

[diamond lil]

Second that - hersb are a must. And nettles and kale yes - taste godawful but keep you healthy

[Rosesandtea]

I like nettles but kale, not so much. I'm letting my chickens eat a lot of the kale in the garden now, but will rescue some of it to eat for ourselves. Nettles are great put into things, although I like them I don't think I'd like a plain portion of cooked nettles. I use them in quiche for one thing.

[diamond lil]

In soup R&T This year I'm planting kale for the chickens. We can have some if we in danger of developing scurvy. Otherwise NOWAY

[Triple_sod]

You don’t have to limit it to your garden either....

[diamond lil]

True, if you havent got a garden, you can plant edibles anywhere and then hope that nobody else notices it

[Triple_sod]

True, if you havent got a garden, you can plant edibles anywhere and then hope that nobody else notices it

I think there’s a pretty good chance they wouldn’t

Sadly (or maybe luckily).... we live in a country where people will pay a couple of quid for a little bag of chestnuts, while down the road there are literally tones rotting on the forest floor.

[mongrel]

Funny idea that, I had to split the rhubarb up this year, just to much of it. well anyway was wondering what to do with the unwanted roots. Anyway on my wifes idea I stuffed them in a rucksack along with a spade and planted them well away from prying eye near a small stream up a local glen, hopefully next year can fill the same rucksack with my secret supply.

makes you wonder what else you could plant out like that?

Mongrel