Which THREE vegetables should I grow?

If you wanted to begin to decouple yourself from the grid, but for arbitrary reasons could only grow three vegetables, which ones would you grow and why?

For example, which would give you the greatest yield for the least effort, or could be grown the easiest by a total novice?

Which would be the most versatile for cooking, or which could be stored the longest so that you had vegetables outside of the growing season without having to go to the store?

I'm betting potatoes will show up on a lot of comments, but I don't know about the rest.

I personally only have fruit trees right now, mostly because they require almost zero effort if you're not looking to grow commercially, but have had everything from tomatoes to green beans. Mostly because of the lack of effort that it takes.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Well I would say in the UK you need all four.

Tory's are worse than sprouts they will lie and act all green but eat there lies and the smell will haunt you, still some are good for the soil.

Labour, to keep these from giving you a bad stomach you need to add some Liberal Democrats to the patch and to top it off some Green's, remember though just as with any harvest that is doomed from the start after the election head for the bunker.

Alright sorry I could not resist (I thought WHAT NO POLITICS).


Potatoes are a great high energy carbohydrate rich food, there are so many variety's that you will be sure to find some tasty kinds that will like the soil of your particular patch and the climate conditions were you live.

Carrots are a nice addition as well and onion's.

But if you have a green house or good growing conditions think about branching out into other kinds of green's, leafy salads etc, Tomatoes (Ok so really a fruit but most of us think of them as veg), lettuce and brassica's are great to have, perhaps some squash as well.
Courgettes and of course bean variety's.

After a while you will have a garden with salads in one corner, root veg in another and garlic etc along with other variety's that help to combat pests as well as adding spice to your life.

Good luck with this, I am by no means a horticulturist but there are quite a few on here, best add what kind of climate and growing season you have available and also your soil type (though you may use compost and growing bag's of course so these day's that's not such a Biggy for a kitchen garden) and if you have a greenhouse, patio, large garden etc, and how much light that space get's as some crops like shady areas and others love full sun.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Potatoes, just remember to Earth them up.
Swedes, will keep well into winter provided left in the ground.
Onions, store well for long periods

All three are easy to grow, don’t usually suffer from pests and store/keep well.
Look into preserving techniques if you want make your other fruit and veg keep longer. I have found despite trying to stagger things I get an abundance at harvest, so preserving is good advice.

Tomatoes are always a must, but looking at long term storage, potatoes are going to be high on the list. Butternut squash is another and years ago I discovered a trick to keep them from going bad. Fill your kitchen sink with a few gallons of water, add just a touch of bleach and scrub the squash. DON'T RINSE THEM. Let them air dry and they will store perfectly well for months.
Not only delicious but high in fiber and nutrients.

Potatoes , corn , and beans.
All the rest are just trimmings.
Those 3 are the stuff of meals .

potatoes , onions (winter ones ) and spring ones tend to spoil ( brown onions seem to hold up well, and if you can, Japanese pumpkin (seeds are plenty ) but you do need a lot of space.
I'm not familiar with green beans or others, but check into those

for wine making, watermelon, good to barter with

Mine would be tomatoes, summer squash, and melons.. oh wait! They already are!!! Funny you should post this today, since I'll be prepping and planting this weekend.

All of these grow easily here. Much might depend on where you are and how much space you have... although since you have fruit trees, you probably have more than enough space to grow what you want.

Herbs are always nice to stick among the veggies too. Some help act as pesticides too. The same for some flowers, like sweet alyssum and marigolds.

Of course the best things to grow in a political climate are circle jerkins.

3 different strains of weed....

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Kale.

Three different types of kale.

Tomatoes are easy. Potatoes if it's not raining too much. Beet, Celery, even Carrot leaves can be eaten through the summer and the root dried into chips later. I like to grow myself medicinal plants and superhot peppers so that I dont have to spend fortune buying it. I'd try to grow and stockpile myself a ton of beans and a ton of dry potato mash and moved on to something interesting like Tobacco.
It can be used, sold or exchanged for food. Buckwheat is popular in Siberia and similar northern countries but I'm unable to eat it for extended periods. Sunflower or Hemp for oily seeds full of protein that lasts for years. They are all good crops. Any crop is better than no crop.

Is it still off-grid when you have to pay property taxes? Will you be able to sell some or have a second job?

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: AaarghZombies

Kale.

Three different types of kale.

One for eating, one for juicing, and one ornamental?

It's like a macabre version of bang, marry, kill.

Hops, Barley, and Tobacco. The basic ingredients for beer and cigarettes, all good cash crops.

I would have said cannabis instead of tobacco, but everyone in Michigan grows that. If I could have more than three, I'd include anise, peppermint and other garden herbs primarily for the top flavor of the processed tobacco, but for seasoning as well.

These are all in my garden every year, except the anise and barley, which will be this year. These along with a big pumpkin patch, pumpkins did great last year, got huge and full of seeds.

ETA: This reminds me, I need to get my taxes done so I can get the seeds going on time for planting in May. I want them to be strong seedlings by the equinox, so I need to start at the beginning of March. The greenhouses should be getting started by now, the one guy told me Feb is when they begin.

a reply to: AaarghZombies

Radish are so easy and really quick to grow. Possible for multiple crops in a season too.

originally posted by: Ksihkehe
One for eating, one for juicing, and one ornamental?

It's like a macabre version of bang, marry, kill.

Exactly.

And to also make FCD loss his mind again.

originally posted by: MichiganSwampBuck
These along with a big pumpkin patch, pumpkins did great last year, got huge and full of seeds.

You, sir, are the reason they make aloe infused TP.

A patch worth of pumpkin seeds must scour you out pretty good.

Also, PM for you shortly about a thread of yours. Something that may interest you.

Corn, beans, squash.

3 sisters.

Indians knew what was up.

We freeze string beans and snap peas. We still Have acorn squash from last year that do real well in storage. Never tried potatoes.

originally posted by: AaarghZombies
If you wanted to begin to decouple yourself from the grid, but for arbitrary reasons could only grow three vegetables, which ones would you grow and why?

Spirulina and Chlorella. Those are the only veggies I eat.

If you want the absolute healthiest food on the planet, and in long term storage form that doesn't need refrigeration (just don't let it get hot), learn how to make pemmican, and make it with grass fed/finished beef and mix in some organ meats (mostly liver, but throw in some kidney and brain), and use grass fed/finished suet for the fat.

originally posted by: Ksihkehe

originally posted by: MichiganSwampBuck
These along with a big pumpkin patch, pumpkins did great last year, got huge and full of seeds.

You, sir, are the reason they make aloe infused TP.

A patch worth of pumpkin seeds must scour you out pretty good.

Also, PM for you shortly about a thread of yours. Something that may interest you.

Ah yes, toasted pumpkin seeds, that will scrap the polyps off. Pumpkin pie, umm, and food for the deer and other critters.