Survival Plants for the Garden

If you have a garden or the ability to plant after an apocalyptic event or catastrophe then there are some plants you should consider putting in the ground because you can use them like you would commercial produces.

Consider planting Soapwort which is a clumping perennial half of a foot high. The leaves and roots have a cleansing action when chopped up and simmered in water. Two handfuls of crushed plant to three cups of water is usually enough to make a couple of bottles of soap. Store this in a cool place or it will grow bacteria and lose its cleaning abilities.

Believe it or not there are two different kinds of plants that are actually also known as being “toilet paper” plants. These are the Arla bush (Tihonia) which grows 1 to 3 metres high and has white daisy flowers, and Blossom bouquet bush (Dombeya burgessiae). Both plants have large soft leaves that make a nice substitute for toilet paper.

You can also grow Loofahs. These are also known as dish cloth gourds. You have probably seen these sold in stores like the body shop for scrubbing your back. You can eat these gourds which taste like zucchini. However the idea is to let them grow very large and then leave them on the vine to dry until they feel like big sponges. You pick the sponge and clean the seeds out of the inside and the sponge is ready to use to clean anything including dishes, floors or people.

Aloe vera is known as the First Aid plant. When you get a cut, burn or sunburn you simply split a leaf open and apply the gel to your skin to soothe it. Aloe Veras are very hardy and easy to grow.

Comfrey is another useful plant to grow. It can be used as a poultice to relieve pain. You can eat it too as it is a rare source of vegetarian B12. Farmers make fertilizer from comfrey by soaking the leaves in a bin of water and covering them for about three weeks.

You can also try planting what the Greeks call a horta patch. This is a patch of land with all kinds of different lettuces including amaranth, chicory, cress, endive, pursuance, garden cress, kale, lamb’s lettuce, mibuna, mizuna, mustard greens, rocket, spinach, sorrel, tatsoi, and shungiku.

It is also a good idea to keep a stockpile of seeds on hand and also books to do with identifying and eating wild plants and on identifying seeds. This can help you identify plants and theirs seeds so you can grow them in your garden if you have to in the future.

Making Your Own Herbal Teas

Herbal teas are medicinal, soothing and tasty. They are next to free to make. You can grow herbs now and stockpile herbs that will last for years.

There are many different ways to make your own tea. You can pack away the tea loose, which is very easy or you can buy empty tea bags and fill them with your own mixes. It is also handy to buy an infuser style of teapot that is designed for making tea with herbs.

An easy tea to make is chamomile tea. It can help digestion and sleep. This can be a valuable tea to have if your nerves are shot thanks to a disaster. All that you need to do is dry your own chamomile flowers and buds. The tea is ready after steeping fifteen to twenty minutes.

Mint tea is easy to make as well. Simply pick the leaves and store them. All mints taste great, are soothing and cheap to make. Mint is also a very hardy herb that grows in many types of soils which might be useful in a post-catastrophe gardening situation. Peppermint tea can help relieve the symptoms of the common cold.

Feverfew is another herb earth many medicinal properties. If you get a migraine from stress, this is the tea to drink. It also has value in relieving the pain of arthritis. Steep dried feverfew in boiling water for at least ten minutes. The tea is better so it needs honey (also keeps well) to sweeten it. Do not give Feverfew to pregnant women or children because like aspirin it can cause Reye’s syndrome.

Lavender is quite hardy and is known to help with stress, anxiety and depression. It can also treat insomnia and increase your appetite. Steep the flowers in one cup of boiling water to make the tea.

Eucalyptus tea helps clear your nasal passages, calm our cough and reduce fevers. Let it steep for ten minutes every night to get a good night’s sleep.

It is also quite easy to make a tasty Orange and Ginger tea. You can steep dried orange slices and dried ginger in a tea pot and let steep for at least fifteen minutes. This mixture can also be augmented by a clove bud or a bit of cinnamon. Be sure to strain this tea well before you serve it.

When it comes to storing your own teas you should also pack silica gel to absorb moisture so that the dried herbs do not grow mold.

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