15 Best Vegetables to Grow in Your Survival Garden

The point of survival gardens is to cultivate as much sustainable food as possible and make it last. You never know what’s around the corner, but with enough food, you’ll be ready for anything. 

If survival is on your mind, give up the novelty herbs and the hardiness zone-pushing tropical fruits. You’re going to need easy-to-grow staples that contain carbs, fats, proteins, and nutrients. These plants also have to be tasty or you’re going to have trouble eating them. 

You’ll want to plant fruits, herbs, and flowers to attract pollinators and make medicines and flavorings. However, the bulk of your crop should be vegetables. These plants contain the nutrients, carbs, proteins, and fibers that will keep you and your family healthy. 

Let’s dive into the 15 best survival garden vegetables to grow this year. These plants will produce all the food you need to survive almost any situation. 

Bush Bean

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Contender Bush Bean Seeds

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Sweet Corn

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True Gold Sweet Corn Seeds

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Beet

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Early Wonder Beet Seeds

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Potatoes

	botanical name Solanum tuberosum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Potatoes should be the cornerstones of your survival garden. Ancient Andean societies, like the Inca, cultivated and hybridized them over millennia to thrive in some of the world’s most inhospitable climates. Today, there are over 4,000 varieties, each with their own unique characteristics. 

These incredibly durable plants are packed with carbohydrates, vitamins, and potassium. They’re also delicious, making them perfect staple crops for picky eaters and kids. Besides their nutrition and flavor, they’re some of the easiest crops to grow. 

Try growing these excellent survival crops in grow bags like these. Grow several varieties in succession to get the most out of your yields. This way, you’ll harvest diverse suds long into the fall. Once harvested, potatoes will store safely for months in a cool, dark place that stays below 55°F (13°C). 

Corn

	botanical name Zea mays
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 5-8’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Corn is another must-grow staple vegetable for your survival garden. It’s one of the ‘Three Sisters’ crops, along with beans and squash. Corn provides a trellis for beans to grow on while shading the squash below. 

Plant your corn in the soil after the threat of frost has passed. Try successive planting throughout the late spring and early summer to get staggering harvests late into the year. 

Try growing several varieties, including sweet corn and flour corn. You can dry out flour corn, grind it into a powder, and add an alkaline base like lime (calcium hydroxide). This process, known as nixtamalization, draws out nutrients from the corn flour and forms the base for corn tortillas. 

Squash

	botanical name Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita moschata
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 25’
	hardiness zones 3-10

Along with corn and beans, squash plants play an important role in a sustainable garden food system. They grow quickly and provide water-saving ground cover with their massive leaves. They also produce tons of delicious, carbohydrate-rich fruit that can be preserved to last for months. 

There are two types of squash to grow in a survival garden: winter and summer squash. Summer squash includes zucchini and straight-neck squash. These species mature quickly and are ready for harvesting within a few months of planting. 

Winter squash, like acorn squash, pumpkins, and butternut varieties, should be planted in the spring with summer squash. These plants take a lot longer to mature and start producing food from late summer into the start of winter. 

Beans

	botanical name Phaseolus vulgaris
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 2’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Beans make the fourth survival garden vegetable you should be growing. They form a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria and infuse nitrogen into the soil. They’ll climb corn plants and feed the squash growing around them with their nitrogen. 

These legumes are incredibly easy to grow. Sow them directly in the soil after the last frost date. The soil’s temperature should be over 60°F (16°C). 

There are several varieties, including edible green pods and dry beans like kidney beans. Once dried, they have a very long shelf life that can last for over a year if you store them well. If you don’t eat them, you’ll have more seeds to plant the following year. 

Cabbage

	botanical name Brassica oleracea var. capitata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Cabbages are wonderful annuals to grow in your survival garden. The earliest maturing varieties are ready for harvesting in as little as 60 to 80 days. Other varieties take a little longer. 

These vegetables are easy to grow, thrive in multiple soil conditions, and can stand up to cold weather. They’re also full of nutrients like vitamin C, calcium, and fiber. 

Another reason why these vegetables are survival garden essentials is their storage ability. Try fermenting their leaves in sauerkraut or kimchi. Use them in stews, soups, salads, or wraps to add crunchy texture and garden-fresh flavor. 

Sunflowers

	botanical name Helianthus annuus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-12’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Sunflowers are native North American plants that serve multiple uses. Their mature flower heads produce edible seeds that are full of rich oils, protein, and nutrients. The flower petals are also delicious and highly nutritious. 

These fast-growing plants grow to be upwards of 12 feet high. They’ll provide shade and natural trellising to many garden staples. 

Another great benefit to sunflowers is their ability to attract helpful pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Grow them as barrier crops or fencing, and you’ll set up a thriving ecosystem of food. 

Carrots

	botanical name Daucus carota subsp. sativus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height Up to 1’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Carrots are incredible vegetables able to feed an army or a hungry family. They’re cold tolerant and can survive periods of frost late into the season. 

Their roots contain an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. Their highly nutritious greens make excellent additions to stews and sauces like pesto and chimichurri. 

Sow them in the ground when the soil temperature rises above 40°F (4°C). Space them out and give them plenty of water. Within 65 to 100 days, you can start harvesting. Try succession planting multiple species throughout the year for the ultimate harvest. 

Garden Peas

	botanical name Pisum sativum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height Up to 6’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Garden peas are super delicious and easy to grow. The peas, the leaves, and the flowers are edible. From Chinese stir-fries to Irish staples, these gorgeous legumes are worth growing. 

They are some of the most nutrient-dense vegetables you can grow. Just a half cup of cooked peas contains upwards of 12 grams of carbs, 4 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber. If you’re spending all day toiling the earth or fighting a zombie apocalypse, peas may be the perfect food. 

Spinach

	botanical name Spinacia oleracea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-6”
	hardiness zones 2-11

Spinach is an essential leafy green vegetable for any survival garden. They provide an abundance of nutrients, higher than most vegetables. In 100 grams, there are almost 3 grams of protein and over 2 grams of fiber. You’ll also get tons of calcium, vitamins A, C, and K, and iron. 

This leafy green is also remarkably easy to grow, no matter your gardening skill level. Sow it in the ground as soon as you can work it. Give it enough nutrients and water, and enjoy flavorful leaves in 28 to 48 days. If you’re looking for a long-term garden staple, it’s hard to top cold-tolerant spinach.

Tomatoes

	botanical name Solanum lycopersicum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-8+’
	hardiness zones 3-11

Tomatoes add a ton of options for your survival kitchen. Add them in stews or sauces, or leave them out in the sun to dry and preserve. If you’re cooking for an emergency, why not grow vegetables packed with umami and nutrients you’ll never grow tired of. 

Try starting your tomatoes indoors by seed and grow continuous rounds of them in succession planting. As the seasons progress, you’ll never run out of fresh tomatoes to enjoy.  

Nasturtium

	botanical name Tropaeolum majus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height Up to 12’
	hardiness zones 9-11

Nasturtium is a flowering vegetable that’s one of my favorite survival crops. Its edible green foliage and flowers taste like onion or garlic. You can also cook its young stems in stir-fries or try deep frying them in tempura. 

These vines are also high in nutrients and antioxidants. They contain micronutrients like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. They also pack more macronutrients like copper, zinc, and iron than many other foods. 

Even if you’re a newbie gardener, it’s pretty hard to kill these tough plants. They’ll survive difficult climates and growing conditions. When they’re watered well and have plenty of nutrients, they’ll produce cancer-fighting food for your entire neighborhood. 

Oh, did we mention they’re beautiful too? Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds will flock to their colorful yellow, red, and purple blooms. 

Beets

	botanical name Beta vulgaris
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 2-11

Beets are nutrient-dense vegetables that are full of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and carbohydrates. From their succulent roots to their flavorful greens, beets are the perfect vegetable to grow if survival is on your mind. 

These cold-hardy plants can handle cold temperatures and germinate in the soil as soon as it can be worked. Cold snaps and blustery storms are no match for these culinary favorites. 

There are several varieties to choose from. Try growing several in your garden to add diversity and improve your seed stock for next season. 

Jerusalem Artichokes

	botanical name Helianthus tuberosus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height Up to 10’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Jerusalem artichokes, or sunchokes, are super easy to grow. They’re related to the sunflower and produce exciting pollinator-attracting flowers in your garden. 

Once they mature, you can harvest their nutritious and flavorful tubers from the ground. They take 110 to 150 days to harvest, and when you do, you’ll have carbohydrate-rich food for months. 

They grow up to 10 feet tall and resemble wild sunflowers. If you’re a good cook, you’ll find plenty of epic recipes for these tubers. If you can’t finish them, they’ll store like potatoes in cool, dark spaces. 

Garlic 

	botanical name Allium sativum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height Up to 2’
	hardiness zones 3-10

Garlic is a staple vegetable for any garden, especially if you’re in a survival situation. Besides being highly nutritious, this member of the onion family packs tons of flavor. To be quite honest, if I had to face the apocalypse without it, I’d be in a lot of inner turmoil. 

You can grow and propagate it easily. Once harvested, the bulbs will last for a long time, especially in cool and dark places. Use its greens for salads and soups, or try fermenting them in kimchi. 

If that’s not enough reason to grow them, try making any dish without fresh garlic. Sushi is the only thing that comes to my mind. 

Chili Peppers

	botanical name Capsicum annuum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 3-4’
	hardiness zones 3-11

Chili peppers contain massive amounts of vitamin C and tons of other nutrients. They attract pollinators and grow remarkably easily, even for beginners.