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Siege Gardening
Scenario:
	"The Regime" allows you food rations that wouldn't keep your pet schnauzer healthy. 
	In fact, Woofey is starting to look pretty darned tasty. You have some heirloom seeds 
	that should supplement calorie intake in 30-90 days, provided you can put them to use...
The Most Nutritious Plants
According to "Health Magazine" and Dr. C. Everett Koop, broccoli, spinach, Brussels sprouts, lima beans, peas, 
asparagus, artichokes, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and carrots are the 10 most nutritious vegetables in the world. 
Nutritionists know that green vegetables have exceptionally high vitamin, mineral, fiber and phytonutrient levels.
All of these may easily be grown in small backyard plots or rooftop gardens. I'm going to do some research on 
each of these plants to find out what they need in the way of water and sunshine, as well as their growth period 
and techniques for obtaining seed.
Anyone who wants to help, feel free to jump on in... I'm surprised to see that regular old potatoes is not on the list.
One trick I do know already is to use old tires for root crops. Different crops require more or less tires, but the 
principle is the same. You stack the number of tires to a bit more than the depth your root crop requires. Then 
you fill with soil and plant your seed. When harvest time comes, rather than breaking your back to dig up the crop, 
you simply tip the stack (or remove one tire at a time, if you are picky) and the crop practically jumps into your 
hands. This is, basically, container gardening for root crops and will help to conserve water loss greatly. The tires 
also have a decent insulation factor against unexpected frost.
Response:

Check out our latest podcast on organic gardening, hydroponics, and non-gmo seeds.
Steve Spence
Reply:
Wow, Steve! Nice blog. . . And I hate blogs. They are usually just fluff sites - like chap books used to be. All ego 
and no info. But yours is VERY nice. Impressive amount of information and really well laid out. Nice job!
How to Cultivate Habanero Pepper Plants in an Earthbox From Seedlings
	http://www.ehow.com/how_4531587_cultivate-habanero-pepper-plants-earthbox.html 
Earthboxes are a simple though very effective means by which to grow finicky or difficult plants and vegetables. 
An earthbox is a rectangular container identical to a window box, that also contains an irrigation system and 
reservoir for water. What this does is ensure that as long as the reservoir is full, the plants in the earthbox will 
always have enough water available to them, but because the plants themselves are the ones taking water from 
the reservoir, they can never be over watered. This is ideal when trying to grow habanera peppers, which require 
a good deal of water, but are notoriously prone to mildew and other diseases that are caused by standing or 
stagnant water.
Peppers - any kind of peppers - will make a great barter item in times of trouble. Most of our spices come from 
overseas, a fact which will become abundantly and woefully clear if/when it all falls apart. What are some other 
plants than can be reasonably grown to use for flavoring/spicing/bartering?
Urban Survival Patio Gardening
This is a 4 part series on YouTube, using those plastic Rubbermaid containers.
   	1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2MMxCMIqqo 
   	2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4sYfVuMscc&feature;=channel 
   	3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9owJuzLG_Y&feature;=channel 
   	4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_Y0XhNns4c&feature;=channel 
8 Easy Perennial Veggies Anyone can Grow 
	http://green.yahoo.com/blog/anyone-can-grow.html 
* Asparagus: Grows best in full sun and non-soggy, somewhat sandy soil. I like it cut into one-inch pieces and stir 
fried raw with sesame oil and a little sliced ginger (top with toasted sesame seeds). Or, brush with olive oil and 
crushed garlic and grill whole spears on the bar-b.
* Bamboo Shoots: We have a good sized stand of bamboo that was on the property when we moved here, so I 
guess bamboo will be my contribution to the lineage of Yeager Roots. Not all varieties of bamboo shoots are edible
(or tasty), so do your homework first. We boil ours to remove the bitterness, then sauté them in butter and a little 
sherry or sweet vermouth for flavor. Also, be advised that many varieties of bamboo are highly invasive and can 
be toxic if eaten in large amounts.
* Bunching Onions: This is a variety of onion that grows in clumps and multiplies on its own, and they are hardy 
in the ground even in fairly cold climates. The bulbs themselves are fairly small and pinkish in color (at least the 
ones I grow). I like to pickle them as something a little unusual for the relish tray...or in the martini glass.
* Garlic: As the saying goes, "If your lover doesn't like garlic, get a new lover." Garlic is a healthful perennial, 
although it's often grown and harvested as an annual. Here's how to keep it coming back every year. I like to rub a
whole head of unpeeled garlic with olive oil, wrap it in aluminum foil, and stick it in the oven or on the grill for an 
hour or so when I'm cooking something else; squirt the warm, creamy pulp of each clove onto a cracker or piece of
bread for a heavenly appetizer.
* Horseradish: As long as you harvest just the side roots, horseradish taproots will continue to produce a new 
harvest every year. To use as a condiment, clean and peel roots; cut into small chunks, and grind in a blender or 
food processor with a little water to the desired consistency. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt for each cup of blended 
horseradish, and 2 or 3 tablespoons of white vinegar; seal and store in the refrigerator.
* Kale and Collard Greens: Perennial varieties will grow in many climates, and are among the healthiest of all 
vegetables. I eat greens at least once a week, and find that the secret is to not overcook them. Chop greens into 
half-inch strips and plunge into a pot of boiling, salted water for 10-15 minutes; remove and dress with butter/olive 
oil, vinegar/lemon juice and salt or feta cheese. And you thought you didn't like greens.
* Radicchio: Think you can't grow any perennial vegetables in your garden? Don't be radicchio! Seriously, 
radicchio (aka "Italian chicory") will come back every year in most climates if you don't dig it up for blanching, as 
some chefs do. I like to add young, raw leaves to spice up a tossed salad, or grill older bunches (brushed with 
olive oil) to remove some of the bitterness.
* Rhubarb: Prefers colder climates, well-drained soil, and part-shade. Strawberry-rhubarb pie is hard to beat, but 
I also like to make rhubarb sauce instead of apple sauce: Cook two cups of inch-long pieces of cut up rhubarb 
stems in one-half cup of water until totally broken down, then add sugar and cinnamon to taste. 
Growing Amaranth and Quinoa (Dan's Scoop)
There are so many similarities between quinoa (keen' wah) and amaranth that it seems appropriate to describe 
them together. Quinoa, however, is a cool weather crop and amaranth is a warm weather one.
Quinoa and amaranth are two very old, high-protein plants that hail from South America. They were held sacred in
ancient Inca and Aztec cultures. Both now hold great potential for self-sustaining gardens in the northern 
hemisphere. They grow as easily as their weedy relatives (pigweed or lamb's-quarters) and the quality of food 
they offer far surpasses that of our common grains.
Traditional hand-harvesting methods can obtain bounteous harvests.
Quinoa and amaranth are treated as grains although they have broad leaves, unlike the true grains and corn, 
which are grasses. Their leaves are among the most nutritious of vegetable greens, but it is their fruit that is 
usually meant when these plants are referred to as "crops." And that fruit or grain is quite special. The protein 
content of these two foods has a essential amino acid balance that is near the ideal.
They both come closer to meeting the genuine protein requirements of the human body than either cow's milk or 
soybeans. They are high in the amino acid lysine, which is lacking in most cereals such as wheat, sorghum, corn 
and barley.
Both quinoa and amaranth are quite adaptable, disease-free and drought-tolerant plants. They thrive in rich soil
—as long as it is well drained—but both will, once established, produce abundant harvests under dry conditions.
The wild relatives of both amaranth and quinoa have long been familiar to North American gardeners and are 
often called by the same name of pigweed. The pigweed that is related to quinoa is also called lamb's-quarters 
(Chenopodium album), while the ancestor of amaranth is known as red-rooted pigweed or wild amaranth 
(Amaranthus retroflexus). Both pigweeds have the amazing ability to flower and go to seed at any stage of their 
growth and both will cross with their cultivated progeny. The grower who wants pure strains of either quinoa or 
amaranth must therefore pay close attention to weeds.
Most cultivars of amaranth and quinoa grow four- to eight-feet high and, when in flower, are majestic plants whose 
presence emits a special radiance in any garden. Quinoa's unique flower hues are most striking at a close 
distance around dawn or dusk, while amaranth's flamboyant bronze and burgundy tones are dazzling in bright 
sunshine. Smaller ornamental amaranths such as Love-Lies-Bleeding and Prince's-Feather have been listed in 
garden catalogues for hundreds of years.
Soil Preference. Quinoa and amaranth are responsive to nitrogen and phosphorous. Plants grown in average 
garden soil will be four-feet to six-feet tall, while those grown in rich soil or compost may reach over eight feet. 
Optimum soil is a well-drained loam but both plants will do well in all but poorly aerated clay soils.
Varieties. Named varieties of amaranth and quinoa are increasingly available from seed companies. Most North 
Americans would be hard-pressed to describe the subtle differences in flavour between cultivars. Black-seeded 
varieties of amaranth stay quite gritty when cooked, so it is best to use these varieties just for their leaves. All the 
golden and light-colored amaranths I've tried are excellent cooked as whole grains and all have delectable greens.
Planting Times. Quinoa grows best where maximum temperatures do not exceed 90°F (32°C) and nighttime 
temperatures are cool. For most southern Canadian and northern U.S. sites, the best time to plant quinoa is late 
April to late May. When soil temperatures are around 60°F (15°C) seedlings emerge within three to four days. 
However, when quinoa seeds are planted in soil with night-time temperatures much above that, quinoa, like 
spinach, may not germinate. In this instance, it's best to refrigerate seeds before planting.
Amaranth is a warm season crop that requires full sun. Best germination occurs when soil temperatures range 
from 65 to 75°F (18-24°C). For southern Canada and the northern U.S., this usually means a late May or early 
June planting.
Sowing. The small seeds of amaranth and quinoa will germinate more successfully with a finely prepared surface 
and adequate moisture. Seeds should be sown no more than one-quarter inch deep in rows one and a half- to 
two-feet (45-60 cm) apart or wide enough to accommodate a rototiller between the rows without damaging the 
plants. Planting can be done by hand or with a row seeder. Plants should eventually be thinned 6 to 18 inches 
(15-45 cm) apart. (Thinnings make great additions to salad.)
One gram of seed will sow 50 feet (15 m) of row. An acre requires about one pound of seed.
Maintenance. Quinoa resembles lamb's-quarters and amaranth resembles red-rooted pigweed, especially in the 
early stages of growth, so it is best to sow seed in rows to make weeding less confusing. Sowing amaranth 
cultivars with purple leaves also simplifies weeding. Since seed is small, you can avoid considerable thinning by 
mixing it with sand or radish seed before sowing, as is sometimes done with carrots. Amaranth and quinoa are 
low-maintenance crops but weeds, especially at the beginning, should be discouraged by cultivation or mulching.
Soil moisture is probably sufficient until early June to germinate the seed. Given good soil moisture, don't water 
until the plants reach the two- or three-leaf stage. Quinoa and amaranth appear slow growing at first but both are 
extremely drought tolerant and do well on a total of 10 inches (25 cm) of water or less. As the plants reach about 
one foot in height, they start to grow very rapidly, the canopy closes in, weeds are shaded out and less moisture 
is lost through evaporation.
You may have noticed occasional lamb's-quarter or amaranth weeds succumbing to munching by insect larvae in 
the flower heads and the same is sometimes true of their cultivated cousins. This won't have any serious impact 
on the harvest.
Harvesting. Quinoa is ready to harvest when the leaves have fallen, leaving just the dried seed heads. Seeds 
can be easily stripped upwards off the stalk with a gloved hand. Quinoa resists light frosts especially if the soil is 
dry. So long as maturing seed is past the green stage, frost will cause little damage and harvesting can be done a 
day or two later. Extreme hot weather and warm nights inhibit fruit set. It is important to watch the weather when 
quinoa is ready to be harvested: if rained on, the dry seed can germinate. If the heads are not completely dry, 
harvest them when you can barely indent the seeds with your thumbnail. They should then be thoroughly dried 
before storage.
Amaranth keeps on flowering until hit by the first hard frost. Seed will often ripen many weeks before that, usually 
after about three months. The best way to determine if seed is harvestable is to gently but briskly shake or rub the
flower heads between your hands and see if the seeds fall readily. (Numerous small and appreciative birds may 
give hints as to when to start doing this.) An easy way to gather ripe grain is, in dry weather, to bend the plants 
over a bucket and rub the seed heads between your hands. My own preferred threshing method is to rub the 
flower heads through screening into a wheelbarrow and then to blow away the finer chaff using my air compressor.
Cutting and hanging plants to dry indoors does not work very well: the plants become extremely bristly and it is 
difficult to separate the seed from the chaff.
The best time to harvest amaranth commercially is in dry weather three to seven days after first frost—a condition 
not easily met in many places. Most presently available varieties maintain too high a moisture content to be 
harvested mechanically before a killing frost.
Clean quinoa and amaranth with screens, by winnowing, with a fan or other blowing device. After harvesting, it is 
important to further dry your crop to ensure it won't mold in storage. It can be left on trays in the hot sun or placed 
near an indoor heat source. Stir occasionally until it is as dry as possible. Store seed in air-tight containers in a 
cool dry place.

Threshing. Unlike beans or true grains, quinoa and amaranth have no hulls to remove. However, quinoa is 
covered with a bitter substance called saponin, which birds and deer won't touch. Because of this coating, quinoa
requires thorough rinsing before cooking. One method is to put the grain in a blender with cool water at lowest 
speed, changing the water until it is no longer soapy. It takes about five water changes to achieve the desired, 
non-frothy result. Another way is to tie the desired amount of quinoa in a stocking, a loose weave muslin bag, or a 
pillowcase and to run it through a cold water cycle of an automatic washing machine. You can also get away with 
less or no rinsing by mixing quinoa with other grains or pulses, rendering the saponin hardly noticeable.
Commercial quinoa has had the saponin removed.
Amaranth has no saponin and no hulls, so can be cooked without additional preparation.
Yields. An ounce or two of seed per plant is common but you can easily get over six ounces per plant grown in 
your best compost. Normal commercial yields for amaranth and quinoa are 1200 to 2000 pounds (500-900 kg) 
per acre. Agricultural combines are still being adapted to the lightness of the seed, and full harvest potential is yet 
to be realized. Much higher results are obtained from labour-intensive harvesting: yields of over 5,000 pounds per 
acre have been reported from Central and South America.
Cooking. Basic recipe: Bring equal volumes of amaranth/quinoa and water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, 
and cook until all water is absorbed. Amaranth takes about 10-12 minutes and quinoa 12-15 minutes. For a more 
porridge-like consistency, use a greater proportion of water. Experiment to find the texture you prefer.
Quinoa and amaranth both contain about 16 percent protein, E and B vitamins, calcium, iron and phosphorous. 
They are easy to digest and have wonderful flavour. Their simple distinctive taste gives them great versatility for 
cooking purposes. They can be substituted for other grains in many recipes, though they are much more filling. 
Because they are not true cereal grains, they can be eaten by people who suffer from cereal grain allergies.
Young quinoa and amaranth greens make tasty salad material and are high in vitamins (especially calcium and 
iron), minerals and protein. Carrots juiced with a small amount of either leaves make a most invigorating drink.
Older greens are wonderful steamed, stir-fried or incorporated into curries or casseroles. Some varieties have 
better greens than others and are usually so indicated in seed catalogues. One of the tastiest amaranths grown 
for greens is called Tampala. Amaranth is also called Chinese Spinach because of its popularity as a green 
vegetable in that country.
Amaranth seed is often ground into flour; it contains more gluten than that of quinoa and combines well with 
traditional flours in the ratio of one part amaranth to four parts other grains.

Saving Your Own Seed. Amaranth and quinoa cross with their wild relatives, so it is important to weed out 
red-rooted pigweed and lamb's-quarters if you want to maintain pure seed. Amaranth cultivars will cross with each 
other as will quinoa cultivars, so grow only one kind of each or separate cultivars by as much distance as you can. 
Certain varieties, such as purple-leaved amaranth, are easier to select for than others. Lamb's-quarters has a 
greater branching habit than quinoa and smaller flowerheads.
Outlook. Quinoa and amaranth have exciting possibilities for the home gardener looking for hardy, easy-to-grow,
high-protein foods. They have higher food quality than our common grains such as wheat and oats, and they 
don't have hulls that need to be removed by machinery prior to cooking. Instructions on most commercial 
packaging to cook these grains for 30 minutes might be hampering their popularization: 15 minutes simmering is 
long enough to provide soft but non-mushy grain. From my own success with growing amaranth and quinoa over 
many years, I would say that the difficulties in cultivating and preparing these two grains are relatively minor and 
that the pleasures obtained in growing and eating them are definitely major.

Salt Spring Seeds' Varieties. For both quinoa and amaranth I've tried to maintain a good land race mix rather 
than focusing on varietal differences. This has been because I haven't noticed significant flavour differences in 
the cultivars that grow the best here. Multi-hued Quinoa has unique flower tones of mauve, purple, red, orange, 
green and yellow. They are not flamboyant but have a subtle brilliance: they need to be absorbed for a while, 
especially in morning or evening light, to be fully appreciated. Amaranth Mix has spectacular flowering heads of 
purple, red, bronze, gold and green. Purple Amaranth has purple leaves and deep burgundy flowers.
	http://www.saltspringseeds.com/scoop/powerfood.htm 
He's in Canada and doesn't send seed to the USA but I liked the write-up. As in the web address - between the 
Leaves and the Seed / Grain it is quite the Powerfood.
The Quinoa and Quinoa Leaves also sounds good.
Amaranth Nutrition
	http://www.livestrong.com/article/88302-amaranth-nutrition/ 
Chart at the bottom after all the pictures.
	http://www.delange.org/Amaranth/Amaranth.htm 
Plants that Grow in Well in Partial Shade
The below mentioned link briefly discusses vegetables that grow well in partial shade. Three to six hours of 
sunlight per day.
	http://www.inthegardenonline.com/picks_10vegforshadeC21.htm 
Included on their list were:
	1. Salad Greens, such as leaf lettuce, arugula, endive, cress, and radicchio
	2. Broccoli
	3. Cauliflower
	4. Peas
	5. Beets
	6. Brussels Sprouts
	7. Radishes
	8. Swiss Chard
	9. Leafy Greens, such as collards, mustard greens, spinach, and kale
	10. Beans
I have one area near an apple tree that is ideal for these vegetables, but I had already planted my beets, turnips, 
and radishes at the 1st of the month. So, I will reserve this area for my cauliflower, broccoli, chic peas and spices. 
Not sure about the spices, but it is worth a try. I already had ginseng planted there.
In separate areas, I got 22 more Virginia Ginseng seed, strawberry and blueberry seed planted this morning.
No matter how much you think you know, there is always more to learn. Have fun.
Seed Storage Suggestions 
Three Sisters:
Many of the nations of the First People (AKA Native Americans) based their food on squash, corn (maize) and 
pole beans, called the Three Sisters. This forms the basis of our seed storage. Look up their nutritional values. It 
is pretty impressive from where I'm sitting.
It gets rather boring eating the same foods every day (unless that is all you have available). Even using the same 
pattern of squash, corn and beans you can get any number of different flavors, textures and styles of meals. 
There are incredible numbers of bean cultivars. There aren't as many kinds of squash, but it can be impressive. 
Although there isn't that much to choose from as far as corn goes, but the corn can be ground and in the form of 
corn bread, tortillas, fried corn, corn on the cob, dried corn, popped corn, creamed corn, corn based casseroles,
corn chowder and on. 
For your seed storage, remember that open pollinated, heirloom seeds are what you're looking for because 
hybrids do not reproduce true. Most catalogs let you know if the seed is hybrid right off, but I've found some that 
don't come right out and tell you. If a seed has F1 (F sub 1) in the name, it is a hybrid. If you're just planting that 
seed once, a hybrid is fine, just remember that you won't want to store the seeds. On the other hand, you want to 
store every heirloom, open pollinated seed you can. But if you find a good deal on seeds, say a dime a package 
or so, but they are hybrid, buy them anyway but remember to also buy heirloom, open pollinated seeds. Make 
sense?
There are literally hundreds of heirloom, open pollinated cultivars of beans and almost as many different ways of 
preparing them. Not all beans take a very long time to grow. Sprouts are ready in days and still pack a lot of 
protein for their weight. You don't need the large multi level sprouter. The multi level sprouter is great if you aren't 
on the move, but rather difficult to carry around if you're carrying it on your back. The Easysprout sprouter takes 
up about the size of a 16 ounce water bottle. The downside is that it doesn't hold a lot at one time but even the 
smaller amount of beans adds some protein to your diet. Take Herb has it for a good price. Here's the link:
	http://www.takeherb.com/product.asp?PID=38284
There aren't as many kinds of squash out there, but probably more than immediately come to mind. They are 
edible gourds, including summer squash, winter squash and pumpkins. Even if you aren't a huge fan of squash, 
experiment with different recipes, ways of cooking and adding other vegetables, meats, spices and herbs. My kids 
never knew that a stuffing casserole they liked had squash in it. 
Summer squash, like yellow crookneck, yellow straight neck, pattypan and zucchini, do not store well or for very 
long. Winter squash is an excellent storage food and with proper storage it can often last until your new crop 
comes in. Pumpkin also stores well and not only can you eat the flesh of the pumpkin, you can cook and serve 
casseroles or soups in the shell. Mashed cooked pumpkin with maple syrup (or sugar, honey) and spices added 
tastes like pumpkin pie and does a good job filling your stomach.
Corn – what's there to say? Good stuff you can make many different ways. Take corn off the cob, roast it and you 
can easily carry it in your back sack and eat it while walking. The downside to roasted corn is that you just might 
break a tooth on it. I have. 
Next I add seeds for tomatoes, eggplant, cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, sweet and hot peppers, broccoli, peas, 
cucumbers, root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, onions, celeriac, kohlrabi and herbs. 
Lettuce and radishes are way down at the very bottom of my list of seeds because of their low nutritive value (in 
my opinion.) I don't plant head lettuce because neither of us particularly like it. I know there are other vegetable 
seeds on my list but none of them are coming to mind. 
I plant every fruit I can find seed for. We have dozens of wild blackberry bushes on the property. The current fruit 
seeds in our storage includes strawberries, blackberries, figs and melons (Chanterais, canteloupe, crenshaw, 
canary, watermelon and every other melon seed I can find). If we can find the funds, we'll be putting in some 
raspberry bushes and grape vines. 
Here is how I store my collected seeds. They are well cleaned and dried then sealed in heavy weight plastic using 
my Seal A Meal. I write the name of the seed, date of seed collection, cultivar and growing instructions with a 
permanent marker on a piece of masking tape on the seed packet. Then the packet is rolled, secured with a 
rubber band and put into a glass canning jar with a desiccant packet like silica gel. Each jar has packages of 
beans, corn, squash, assorted vegetables and fruit. Additionally every jar has a label on it with a list of what is 
inside. Example: Squash (type), corn, beans (type), tomatoes, onions, carrots, peas and fruit (type). Each year 
stored changes the number of seeds which germinate. Seeds stored in the dark, very dry and with all air removed 
will have a higher germination rate.
I like Uline for a number of storage supplies. They sell office supplies but have a surprising number of things 
which can be used in your storage. Ask for a catalog and they'll send one. It is huge. 
	http://www.uline.com/Grp_21/Desiccants?pricode=WE449&gclid=CPKtsMvBh6ECFQpgswodUzgHOA
Hope this helps. 

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