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If the garden failed .... well, it was slim pickings during the winter months.

This is why I recommend Shark Fin Squash and true potato seed for survival gardens.

Shark Fin can be stored in the shell for a remarkably long time. Some reports say up to 7 years! Although I haven't been able to test that yet. I have some in the basement right now that were grown in 2019. The first few months after picking, I would occasionally find one that softened and had to be eaten right away, but after a certain point they just stopped. The ones downstairs are just as solid as they were when fresh-picked. If I were relying on my garden for survival, Shark Fins would be high on the list of things to grow.

True potato seed (or TPS) is the seed that forms in the little green "potato-berries" at the top of the plant. Once clean and dry, they can be stored for years, just like tomato seeds. They're grown the same way tomatoes are, too. The downside is that every plant grown from seed will be different, so results aren't exactly predictable. But, if something wipes out your potato crop one year, TPS gives you a way to rebuild.

Thanks for the info! I’ll have to do some research now.

Based on your recommendation, I am (trying) to grow Dragon Egg cukes this year. DiW recommended several cukes as well & of those, I chose ‘Diva’. I found both seeds at one place on the east coast & ordered, along with ‘Dazzling Blue Kale’. My dad is on a kale ‘kick’ & I liked the name/description.

Both cukes (2 of each) have come up & have their first 2 leaves. Waiting for 4-6 leaves before I put them in the garden.

If anyone is interested, I ordered from ‘Pinetree Garden Seeds’, website: superseeds.com They are in Gloucester, ME