> The year of 1817 was called "the year without a summer". The
> temperatures didn't warm up very much, some places saw snow in July,
> and crops failed worldwide. The cause was a volcanic eruption and the
> weather didn't fully recover for 2 - 3 years. Millions died. The
> "Little Ice Age" is a more prolonged event believed to have been
> caused by volcanic eruptions. But whatever the cause, cold happens.
> So, in the interest of survival, the purpose of this project is to
> develop a seed bank for a garden that will survive, and hopefully
> thrive in such an environment.
>
> The list below includes some of the more common plant seeds that have
> characteristics which make them suitable for an emergency garden. Some
> can be planted as soon as the ground thaws, some have very short
> growing seasons, some can be harvested after a heavy fall frost or
> snowfall, and some can be planted in summer or late fall and
> over-wintered for an early harvest in the spring. All of these will
> grow in cold weather and can tolerate light frost, however some
> require warm soil for germination. In the latter case, the use of
> raised beds, cold frames or a greenhouse may be needed. Selecting the
> proper varieties is also important for season length, disease
> resistance, storability and seed propogation (always use
> open-pollinated seeds; never use hybrids because they will not
> reproduce true-to-type).
>
> Note: 'Days to Harvest' represents the wide variations between
> varieties, not any specific variety. Consult your favorite seed
> catalog for specifics.
>
> Veggie           Days to Harvest
> ================================
> Beets            50 - 85 (greens as early as 35 days)
> Broccoli         50 - 120
> Brussel Sprouts  80 - 120 (best after heavy fall frost)
> Carrots          45 - 90
> Cauliflower      70 - 90
> Chard            50 - 70
> Collards         55 - 80
> Fava Beans       65 - 140
> Garlic           highly variable
> Kale             55 - 65
> Leeks            75 - 135 (tolerates heavy fall frost)
> Lettuce, leaf    35 - 45
>   "    , head    45 - 60
> Parsnips         90 - 130 (best after heavy fall frost)
> Peas             50 - 90
> Potatoes         highly variable
> Radishes         25 - 70
> Spinach          40 - 60
> Turnip           45 - 85
>
> Many uncommon plants can be added to the list. Many common plants were
> intentionally -not- included for various reasons, such as corn, beans
> and tomatoes (not cold hardy), soybeans (narrow temperature range),
> onions (day length issues), etc. Such seeds should be stored, but not
> used until the climate is suitable for their growth.
>
> The garden diet may not be nutritionally complete and so should be
> supplemented with local wild flora and fauna. However, it should be
> noted that, with good gardening skills and good weather, a single
> pound of seeds can grow enough food to feed a family of four people
> for an entire year without supplements. And with a couple more ounces
> of herb seeds the diet can be quite tasty.
>
> For an excellent website on cold weather and short-season gardening:
>
> http://humeseeds.com
>
> (I've bought seeds from Ed ever since they first hit the racks and
> I've never had a complaint. No, I'm not affiliated with them in any
> way. And be sure to check their links page for websites that take
> gardening to even more extremes -- i.e, Fairbanks, Alaska!!!)