An excellent introduction to survival gardening and the importance of being prepared. Looks at what to do in the first five days after a disaster, the next five weeks and long-term preparation for survival.

This is a very detailed guide to growing a garden in an emergency situation. It covers lots of topics like quick crops, humanure (it’s what it sounds like), seed saving and much more. The one thought I had a lot was that you had better have this stuff in place ahead of time though, since he calls for buying a lot of stuff. A lot of times his recommendations call for things like electricity that I don’t know would be available in many real catastrophes. The final page covers radiation in one page and says once you know the level of radiation then here’s some crops that help remediate, and then to test the soil for pH and quality, but not how you know the radiation level or how you test your soil quality after a nuclear disaster or how long it would take or really what to do. There’s often quite a lot of equipment and supplies called for, so this is best suited for creating your garden ahead of an emergency. I would also like suggestions for where to buy all these supplies and seeds in the event of an emergency of this magnitude, if you have to stockpile seeds ahead of time then how to store them, how to water and such without running water (he talks about irrigation systems, another thing you may not be able to do in a real emergency). Thorough, good information though.

I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.

I like this book. It had a lot of good tips and information on gardening and what crops would matter most. There were lots of tips and tricks that I never would’ve thought about. This book was of course, a survivalist book which was a bit eerie, but other than that it was good.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

I rated this at its level due to the requirement of the nature of this book. As someone who lives in an urban space and without access to a plot of land, this is highly difficult. It is currently also difficult to acquire that even with the means. This book does not feel accessible to a large amount of the population. Most of the materials, time and effort required are large . It just does not seem feasible, but the goal and a message is present

"Survival Gardening: Grow Your Own Emergency Food Supply, from Seed to Root Cellar" by Sam Coffman is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in learning sustainable gardening without the intense "prepper" mindset. Coffman provides clear, practical advice on growing your own food for resilience and self-sufficiency, focusing on essential techniques like seed saving, soil health, and storage methods. What I loved most is how it empowers readers to garden for both everyday use and emergency preparedness, all while maintaining a balanced, down-to-earth tone. A solid 5-star guide for those wanting to build a garden with purpose!


***Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for gifting me an eARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Rather an interesting book. Something different and includes some fascinating tips! Thank you #netgalley for the opportunity to read it.

#survivalgardening # gardening

Survival Gardening by Sam Coffman is a book everyone should have on their bookshelf, and not just for emergencies. Page after page I was amazed by the amount of information included in this guide. Coffman covers everything from plants that can be grown to meet immediate food needs to setting up a garden for long-term supply needs. He lays out options and techniques for creating a garden that works for you.

I really enjoyed the content of this book. You’ll find helpful tables showing how long you can expect sprouts and microgreens to grow, step-by-step instructions for growing and storing mushrooms, and how to choose nutrient-dense crops. Coffman doesn’t just stop at growing food though, he also talks about garden bed methods, compost options, pest management, even how to build a root cellar. He also touches on how to set up a garden for small spaces, so no matter what type of space you’re working with you can implement the strategies from this book.

You don’t need to be a prepper to reap the benefits from this guide. It never hurts to be prepared for emergencies beyond our control and food security should be a top priority.

I’ve been reading this book off and on, just trying to deepen my knowledge of gardening and this book? 10/10 AMAZING!! So many things I’m definitely going to try! It has DIY, It has hacks, information about all the plants and pictures of them and even how long they take to sprout and how to get them there! So much knowledge and advice for one book! No regrets I think everyone should read!

This is a great foundational read for anyone curious about what it would take to survive in a world where we don’t have access to mass produced food. Full of very useful information and I will be buying myself a copy.

If you want the encyclopdia of how to start a survival garden, this is it!
You will learn how to research what kind of soil you have, what crops grow best in your area and how to start a microgreens garden so you have something to eat in a short period of time!

You will also learn how to make compost, how to use human manure if you have to and how to build a rain collecting device if your state allows it!

You will even learn what foraging plants are available in your area and which insects are safe to eat and some recipes that use them!

In a time when the cost of living is rising, and food security is becoming increasingly important, Survival Gardening by Sam Coffman is a no-nonsense guide that offers practical advice on growing your own food, ensuring both a steady supply of fresh produce and potential savings.

This book covers various topics, from growing microgreens to harvesting fast-growing vegetables in as little as five weeks.

It's packed with valuable information that applies to gardeners in various climates. I found the water conservation section particularly useful, as I live in a very hot climate. The tips provided have given me the knowledge I need to implement effective strategies for my garden.

I plan to implement the section on quick-growing vegetables during the next growing season. Knowing I can harvest vegetables within five weeks offers a practical solution for anyone looking to achieve quick results in their garden.

Overall, Survival Gardening is a fantastic reference for anyone looking to grow their own food. It's full of essential information and easy to navigate, making it a resource you'll return to time and time again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storey Publishing for gifting me an e-book ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a great book about growing food (and it doesn't need to be for an emergency). I'm a gardener already, and particularly liked the section on plants that grow super quickly, and plants that produce very good yield in small amounts of space. Both are useful for any gardener and I'll be referencing the yield section often.

Survival Gardening is an absolute game changer. Learned SO much! Will be purchasing, no hesitation.

4.5 / 5.0

I am not a prepper or a survivalist (furthest thing from it I love my creature comforts) but I do want to have a better garden. This book really provided useful information in a clear manner. Once it is available in physical format I will have it on my shelf, right next to the deer-proofing and zone planting guides, and hopefully my garden continues in improve.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for access to the eARC.

a little doom preppy but I really enjoyed the formatting and information in this book from what to plant first if in an emergency to how to rotate crops correctly and store long term. definitely a book to keep on hand!

This book is an absolute essential. It shows us how to grow for survival or rather to be self- sufficient and has many handy tips to help you succeed. With the cost of living, world on the brink, we need this more than ever. I’ll most certainly be applying this to my garden and have started making plans using the book as a guide.

Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas (in January 2025)

My family likes to be well prepared on our homestead. We already have a container garden and plan to have a large one next year. We keep rabbits for meat and garden fertilizer, chickens for meat and eggs as well. So a lot of these tips we implement but I still learned quite a bit in regards to foraging and saving seeds. In this book you'll have guidance for as growing your own food and gardening strategies.

Every single person needs this book. Can you imagine the impact that it would make on the world, if everyone had access to a survival garden? I love the layout of this book, it's easy to digest and will become to your go-to book for a life changing garden.

With food costs increasing, I believe that gardening can help supplement our tables with nutritious and safe food. I read this book as a casual gardener who wanted to expand my knowledge of gardening. The layout of this textbook is very well done and easy to follow, which are characteristics that I prioritize in a hobby-craft book. There are a lot of gardening books and magazines out there but I find it is nice to have something like this book that summarizes that information and makes it accessible.

This excellent book on survival gardening covers seasonal planting, seed selection, composting, water management, dietary recipes, and includes a chapter on foraging.