preparedness
Best Plants For Your Bucket Garden
Growing your own groceries in buckets is the perfect way for urban homesteaders to live a more self-reliant style. Urban gardening requires preppers to take advantage of every inch of space available. Planting crops vertically, indoors, and in stackable containers allows you to do just that.
Even if you live in the suburbs, a small town, or out in the country, container gardening still has many benefits. Cultivating crops in containers allows you to keep the survival food source close to your home and makes it a portable garden. If a bugout situation becomes necessary, a container garden is highly portable.
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Starting a container garden does not need to be an expensive endeavor. Every garden supply store and online retailer sells all manner of single, stackable, and vertical gardening containers. You can also upcycle common household items and find deals at flea markets to use for starting a garden on a patio, screened-in porch, or wall in your home that gets good sunlight.
I am going to let you in on a little secret…you can grow any plant in containers. Yes, even corn, rice, and wheat. But — and it is a big but, fellow preppers — some crops are far better suited to it than others.
If you have never grown your own groceries in containers before, or are a novice gardener in general, it is best to stick to plants that commonly thrive in a container environment — whether grown indoors or out.
24 Best Crops To Grow In Buckets
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Collard Greens
- Dwarf Banana
- Dwarf Orange
- Eggplant
- Garlic
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Mustard Greens
- Okra
- Onions
- Peas
- Peppers
- Potatoes
- Radishes
- Rice
- Strawberries
- Sweet Corn
- Swiss Chard
- Tomatoes
Upcycled Garden Container Suggestions
Always drill or poke holes in the bottom of all growing containers for water drainage.
- Plastic food tubs
- Pet food sacks sewn into pouching to use as hanging or vertical planters.
- Old boots
- Aluminum cans
- Tin cans
- Trash can – drill holes on the sides for small plants to grow out of.
- Plastic storage tubs
- 5-gallon buckets
- Plastic drinking cups
- Water or soda pop bottles – with the top middle cut out and a hole drilled near the end so it can have rope threaded onto each end and hung like a planter.
- Milk and juice jugs
- Laundry detergent jugs
- Liquid dish soap bottles – great for herbs
- Milk and juice cartons
- Egg carton – for starting seeds and growing herbs
- Cardboard shoe and shipping boxes – lined with plastic with tiny pin holes poked in it
- Laundry basket
- Wicker baskets
- Plastic 55-gallon drum
- Hanging shoe organizer
Container Garden Space Allocation
Before starting a container garden, you must determine your intentions for the harvested crops so you can adequately determine how much space you will need. Once the decision about what to grow has been made, you will know how much space each plant container will take up on your patio, porch, or inside your home.
Ask yourself these questions before buying plants and creating containers:
- Will the crops be my sole source of food during an SHTF scenario, or will they serve only to supplement the long-term food storage pouches — buckets and pantry items I have stockpiled?
- How many people will need to be fed solely or in part from the survival container garden?
- How many calories per day will each adult or child need to survive?
- How many of the crops will require space-consuming trellises or stakes to help them grow to maturity and support the weight of the produce they create?
- How many containers will be portable and fit inside the available vehicle(s) if I have to bugout during a long-term disaster?
- How many of the crops can be grown year-round either indoors or out, in any climate?
- Will medicinal plants or herbs be a part of the urban container garden?
- Will the crops I have chosen to grow fulfill the basic nutritional needs for myself and my family?
Benefits Of Growing Dwarf Fruit Trees In Containers
Growing dwarf fruit trees in containers will allow you to garner the nutrients from citrus fruits, apples, and other fruit varieties the body needs, no matter what climate you happen to live in. These types of plants can be grown outdoors most places during the summer months and then moved indoors as the temperatures dip too low.
Even if a fruit-producing bush or tree is native to your area, growing a standard version of it in an urban environment will not likely be possible. A dwarf apple tree, for example, could be grown in the ground if enough space is available — they take up only as much ground area as a standard 5-gallon container, or placed in a container and left outdoors on a balcony or porch year-round if using such ground space is not an option.
For more information, check out my article on fruit trees you can grow in buckets.
Note: When growing indoors on a wall or a table, installing a grow light above the container crop area might be necessary to provide enough artificial sun and heat for the crops to mature and produce — especially if cultivating non-native plants.
How Much Food Is Needed To Feed A Family Of Four?
Growing enough groceries to feed the family need not take a lot of space, just proper planning. When dividing up the available space to grow a survival garden indoors and out, remember to leave ample room for plants with a high protein count.
Living through a long-term disaster is likely going to involve a lot more manual labor and physical strain than most folks are used to. The body will need plenty of protein to fuel it and maintain strength and good overall health.
Crop | Plants Needed |
---|---|
Broccoli | 22 |
Cabbage | 27 |
Carrots | 48 |
Cauliflower | 24 |
Cherry Tomatoes | 35 |
Cucumbers | 14 |
Garlic | 32 |
Green Beans | 150 |
Kale | 4 |
Lettuce | 42 |
Onions | 96 |
Peas | 90 |
Peppers | 15 |
Potatoes | 100 |
Strawberries | 23 |
Summer Squash | 14 |
Tomatoes | 39 |
Benefits Of Growing Herbs In Containers
Cultivating herbs takes up a minimal amount of space. You could grow small sets of herbs in aluminum cans that are nailed to porch support posts or mounted on a board and placed on an exterior wall.
Herbs can be grown indoors not only in window sills, but on small decorative shelves inside the apartment or home. Incorporating an apothecary patch into your container gardening patch will allow you the chance to grow your own natural remedies as well. Many of the same herbs that can add bountiful flavor to a bland meal during a survival situation are also heralded for their natural healing powers.
Container Garden OPSEC
Hiding the fact that you have a porch, patio, or small yard full of food is incredibly difficult in an urban environment — or even a suburban one. In addition to strongly urging all preppers to move to a rural area for a copious amount of survival reasons, there are a few things you could and should do to hide your container garden.
- Purchase or paint containers in a color that blends in with the landscape — whether that landscape is a natural or man-made one.
- Conceal the fact that you are growing groceries by using high traffic areas to cultivate medicinal or edible flowers instead of plants that are easily identifiable as food.
- If possible, put up some type of privacy fence, canopy, or decorative screen to hide the container garden — but without casting shade on your survival growing operation.
15 Best Medicinal Herbs And Plants To Grow In Containers
These herbs and flowers boast a plethora of anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Many of the herbs and flowers on the list also help boost the immune system and can help fight fever naturally or treat diarrhea during a survival situation when calling 911 is not possible.
- Calendula
- Chamomile
- Echinacea
- Feverfew
- Ginger
- Holy Basil
- Lavender
- Motherwort
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Southern Ginseng
- Spilanthes
- Thyme
- Turmeric
- Yarrow
All of these herbs and flowers could be cultivated indoors or out. Grow these natural medicinal crops in either individual containers or small pots that can be toted with you during a bugout situation. Herbs and flowers, just like the traditional crops you will grow in containers, should be preserved to ensure there is food to put on the table during the winter months.
Preserving food does not require a lot of equipment or substantial expense. You can make your own solar dehydrator and use the sunshine to dry the herbs, flowers, or crop produce.
Food, herbs, and flowers can also be preserved with an electric dehydrator that is used indoors and by either water bath or pressure canning. A residential grade dehydrator typically runs between $75 to $150 per unit. Home canning equipment needed to use both the water bath and pressure method of preserving food will generally cost about $200.
When storing preserved food in either Mason jars or vacuum-sealed bags, attempt to place no more than one meal’s worth in a container. The more you open a storage container, the more the food inside is exposed to moisture — reducing its longevity.
Hopefully, you are now clear about the options available to you when it comes to growing a survival garden in buckets. For more info on individual plants, check out our list of fruits and veggies you can grow in buckets.
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This article first appeared on urbansurvivalsite.com See it here

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preparedness
4 No Cook Meals For Surviving The Pandemic And Food Supply Shortages

When it comes to your food supply, you just can’t risk not having enough. These no cook meals will be a great addition to your food supply planning. Check out the recipes below!
No Cook Meals to Help You Through the Pandemic
As of the writing of this article, there are 20 meat processing plants that have been shut down due to COVID-19 infections. We have been worrying about these types of effects on our food supply for months now, and this is the first real sign of how infections can affect the food supply.
When you walk into a supermarket, you might not see all the choices you had in the past. An empty meat case is a humbling thing for your eyes to fall upon. It’s the shocking realization that the seemingly infinite supply of chickens, pigs, and cows that are butchered for us has begun to run dry!
To deal with this issue, we are going to present four no cook meals that will help you create dinners at home that will feed your family without worrying so much about what’s available, or unavailable, in the meat case.
1. Smashed White Bean, Avocado and Salted Pork Sandwiches
As preppers we get beans. There are a bunch of ways to use beans and this a great example of how you can pack a sandwich with great nutrition and protein.
Serving: Makes 4 sandwiches
Ingredients:
- Can of White Beans
- Olive Oil
- 1 Avocado
- 8 Slices of Whole Grain Bread
- 8 Slices of Salted Pork (Prosciutto, Ham, Virginia Ham)
Instructions:
- Begin by draining your beans in a colander then smashing them up in a bowl add a few glugs of olive oil, salt, pepper. This little mix is delicious. If you add some minced rosemary, you can even turn this into a delicious dip.
- Pit your avocado and cut it in half and then quarters lengthwise. Leave the skin on.
- Lay the bread out on a clean work surface for assembling the sandwiches.
- Spread your mashed bean mix onto one side of the bread.
- Peel your avocados and slice 1 quarter for each sandwich. Spread slices over the bean spread.
- Add a few slices of your pork to over the top of the avocado.
- You can finish this sandwich with some lettuces, fresh sprouts, or just eat it as is.
2. Delicious Crab Salad
Canned crab is a protein option that will likely be around through much of this meat crisis. It does have to be kept in refrigeration, but it’s delicious and this chipotle mayo salad is great in the spring and summer.
Ingredients:
- 1 Can of Crab Meat
- 1 Bunch of Asparagus
- Chipotle Mayo
- 1 Bunch of Green Onions
- 1 Bunch of Cilantro
Instructions:
- Drain your crab in a colander and set it in the sink.
- Slice your asparagus into 1-inch pieces. Throw them into a bowl.
- Thinly slice your onions and your cilantro and throw that into the bowl, as well.
- Gently toss in the crab meat.
- Squirt on enough Chipotle mayo to coat everything and toss gently not to break up the crab meat.
- Chill in the fridge and serve.
3. Simple Greek Salad
The combination of simple summer ingredients makes for an incredible quick salad that you could add other proteins, too, if you wanted. These could be canned meats.
Ingredients:
- 2 Large Tomatoes
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 Red Onion
- ¼ Cup of Feta Cheese
- A Few Sprigs of Fresh Mint
- ½ Cup of Kalamata Olives
- Balsamic Dressing
Instructions:
- I like to cut the tomatoes in large chunks and have them kind of be the main course in this salad. Peel and slice your cucumber in half. Remove the seeds and either dice or slice in half-moons.
- Peel and slice your red onion in half. Julienne your, or thinly slice, your half onion.
- Add all these ingredients to a bowl. Finely slice your mint.
- Add your olives, crumbled feta, and mint to the bowl and add enough dressing to coat everything.
- Stir it up and allow this to chill for at least an hour for the flavors to really blend.
4. Mediterranean Tuna Lettuce Wraps
Using some similar ingredients and adding a protein like tuna, you can create some delicious lettuce wraps. The key to a good lettuce wrap is to have most of the items around the same size. So, consider that when you are preparing this dish.
Ingredients:
- Iceberg or Butter Lettuce
- Canned Artichokes
- Canned roasted Red peppers
- Fresh Cucumber
- Feta Cheese
- Minced Olives ¼ Cup
- 2 Cans of Tuna
- Green Onions
- Basil
Instructions:
- Start by peeling all the full leaves from your lettuce. Set them on a plate either cover them with a wet paper towel or put them back into the fridge.
- Dice the peppers, artichokes, and cucumbers into cubes. Go no larger than ½ an inch.
- Thinly slice your green onions and basil and add them to a bowl with your diced vegetables. Add your loves to this bowl and mix them thoroughly.
- Crumble your feta cheese over the mixture.
- Drain your tuna thoroughly and then add that to the bowl, as well.
- Gently toss this mixture. Try not to break up the tuna and the cheese too much but incorporate it thoroughly.
- If you want, you can add some olive oil to the mix or a few glugs of balsamic vinegar. It’s also delicious just how it is.
- Scoop a few tablespoons into a lettuce leaf, wrap it up and eat up!
These no cook meals should help lessen the stress you feel when thinking of what to feed your family. If you don’t have the specific ingredients, use your creativity, and use what you have. You might discover a new recipe while you’re at it!
What’s your favorite no cook meal recipe? Please share it with us in the comments section!
Up Next:
- Essential Survival Fuel: No-Cook Overnight Oats
- Dehydrated Foods to Try This Weekend
- 13 Dried And Canned Foods With The Longest Shelf Lives
This Article Was First Found at survivallife.com Read The Original Article Here
preparedness
Billionaire Whistle Blower: Wuhan Coronavirus Death Toll Is Over 50,000

- Exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui recently revealed leaks from Wuhan crematoriums. He claims based on the number of bodies their furnaces are burning, the death toll could be as high as 50,000.
A Chinese billionaire and whistleblower who lives in U.S. exile says Wuhan crematoriums have burned 50,000 coronavirus victims. | Credit: Chinatopix via AP
- The official coronavirus death toll in China is a little over 800. But an exiled Chinese businessman says crematoriums are leaking the real figure.
- A billionaire whistleblower alleges Wuhan has crematoriums working 24/7. He claims they’ve cremated some 50,000 coronavirus victims.
- Guo Wengui is a Chinese billionaire living in exile in the United States.
The official coronavirus death toll is some 800 people in China. The current official death toll worldwide, outside of China, is 774. But a Chinese billionaire with a history of blowing the whistle on his former government says the real figure is much higher.
Exiled Chinese businessman Guo Wengui recently revealed leaks from Wuhan crematoriums. He claims based on the number of bodies their furnaces are burning, the death toll could be as high as 50,000. Wengui made the bombshell allegations in an interview with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.
Whistleblower: 1.5 Million Coronavirus Cases In China, 50,000 Coronavirus Deaths In Wuhan
He also claims to have inside information that there are 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases in China. Wengui is emphatic that these are not merely quarantined or “under observation” but confirmed cases of coronavirus infection:
China has struggled to contain the coronavirus. But it has also struggled to contain public outcry against censorship and tight control of information. Dr. Li Wenliang, who sounded the alarm about the disease, succumbed to an infection and died this week. The Chinese government arrested him for blowing the whistle.
Then officials tried to suppress news of his death. Afterwards, millions of Chinese citizens saw the hashtag #IWantFreedomOfSpeech on Mandarin language social media. But the Chinese government censored that too.
Are Wengui’s Crematorium Claims Credible?
Watch VICE’s 2017 profile on Guo Wengui. At the time, he published bombshell documents alleging corruption in the Chinese government. He got the attention of the media and reportedly the U.S. State Department.
preparedness
5 Types Of Ammunition To Stockpile For A Collapse

Every prepper knows it’s a great idea to stockpile ammunition when preparing for a major disaster.
You can use it for hunting, self-defense, or barter.
But which types of ammo should you stockpile?
If you plan on bartering, then you don’t want a bunch of calibers that nobody wants. And that’s just one consideration.
In this video, Reality Survival & Prepping talks about what he thinks are the 5 best types of ammunition to stockpile for a collapse.
Here are his picks:
- .22 LR – Very common, good for hunting small game, very light and small.
- 9mm Luger – Great for self-defense, fits in a wide variety of handguns.
- 5.56×45mm or .223 Remington – Also very common, cheap and effective.
- .308 Winchester – Widely used, works in AR10 and bolt-action platforms.
- 12 Gauge – You can do a lot with it — hunt, defend yourself, etc.
In the video below he makes a much more detailed case for each caliber. What do you think of this list?
This article first appeared on urbansurvivalsite.com See it here
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