Self-sufficient gardening is developing skills and implementing systems to help your garden thrive with less dependence upon other sources and less influence from outside forces.

A self-sufficient garden means you don’t have to run to the store whenever you need seeds, compost, or fertilizer. Learn more about how to make your garden (and you!) self-sufficient with these 10 tips. 

10 Tips for Having a More Self-Sufficient Garden

These ten tips aren’t in any particular order, but the more of these suggestions you implement, the more self-sufficient your garden will become. 

1. Learn how to save seeds

Saving seeds is not complicated; it is often straightforward. Learn about the crops you are growing and see if it is possible to save seeds from them. Learn the best time to harvest seeds, and store them properly. (This blog post tells you how.) Properly-saved seeds will last for years.

An added advantage to saving seeds is that seeds you save from crops that grow well in your garden are adapted to your garden’s unique growing conditions. 

I go into detail in this blog post and in this video about the specifics of saving seeds, but the bottom line is that YOU CAN LEARN TO DO IT! 

2. Plan and grow your own “seed” crops

When you think of seed saving – think outside the box a little. There are many crops that, if you save bulbs or learn how they propagate, you can grow enough to consume and set aside some to replant the following season. 

For example, save your best cloves of garlic to plant the following season. Because I have two planting windows for potatoes, I can save some of my spring potatoes to plant out in the fall. Save a couple of sweet potatoes and grow slips to plant next spring. This blog post tells you how.

3. Learn how to start from seeds (indoors and out) 

Learning how to grow crops from seeds successfully is a valuable skill. It can require practice and the right equipment if growing indoors. However, the initial outlay in time and money will be well-paid over and over in the number of transplants you don’t have to purchase from the garden center. 

Although prices have gone up, the price of a packet of seeds is usually a few dollars (free if you save your own), and within that seed packet, there are usually dozens of seeds. If stored properly, seeds will last many years and give you more transplants than you probably need.

On the other hand, a six-pack of vegetable transplants (the price for these has also gone up!) is usually considerably more than the price of a package of seeds. 

The added benefit of learning how to start from seed is the wide variety of fruits and vegetables, flowers, and herbs that are now accessible for you to add to your garden. 

4. Learn which perennial crops grow well in your zone and area

Perennials are a sure way to become more self-sufficient in the garden.

Perennial crops come back season after season, with just a little seasonal upkeep or maintenance needed from you. Good examples of perennial crops to consider adding to your garden are asparagus, strawberries, artichokes, rhubarb, perennial kale, Jerusalem artichoke, I’itoi onions, longevity spinach, and peppers. 

5. Plant fruit trees suited to your climate zone

Learn which types of fruit trees grow well in your zone and add them to your garden. Learn how many chill hours your area receives and pick fruit trees that require that number (or less). For example, where I live, citrus grows well and thrives in our native soil, as do varieties of peaches, figs, and pomegranates.  

Fruit trees not only provide an abundance of fruit, but many are deciduous, and their leaves are valuable additions to the soil and compost pile.

Don’t forget other fruits like blackberries, raspberries, grapes, goji berries, etc. Learn what grows well in your area and plant it! 

6. Learn how to propagate plants

Adding perennials can be a substantial investment, but there is another way to add perennials. Learn how to propagate and multiply your existing plants (or others’ plants). There are many methods: 

• Cuttings 
• Division
• Air or ground layering
• Grafting

7. Learn how to compost 

Compost is a mixture of ingredients that would otherwise be in the landfill used to fertilize and improve the soil. Adding compost to your garden at the beginning of each season is the best way to prepare your soil for spring, summer, and fall planting.

Compost:

• Adds organic matter to the soil to improve the texture.
• Fresh compost contains billions of living microorganisms.
• Improves plant health and production.
• Protects plants from certain diseases.
• Helps moderate soil pH. 
• Supports the beneficial microbes already in the soil.  

With so many reasons to add compost, learning how to compost should be high on your list of ways to become more self-sufficient in the garden. 

I compost my garden waste using traditional composting methods and my kitchen scraps using in-bed vermicomposting. I have articles and videos on YouTube about both processes. 

8. Create your own fertilizer for self-sufficient gardening

Feeding your soil with compost is essential, but you may sometimes want added fertilizer boosts. There are a couple of ways you can produce some of your own: 

Chickens or other livestock produce waste that is high in nitrogen that can be added to compost and then fed to your plants.

Grow comfrey. Comfrey leaves are high in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and many trace elements. Comfrey leaves decompose into a liquid rather quickly and make an excellent liquid fertilizer.

Gow cover crops. Some cover crops can help increase the nitrogen in the soil or be used as green manure.

In this article, learn more about using cover crops during summer to improve garden soil.

9. Learn how to collect and use rainwater

Collecting and saving rainwater for use in the garden makes sense and was a common practice by our ancestors. 

Benefits of saving rainwater include:

• Water conservation.
• Saves money on utility bills.
• Access to water during a drought.
• Rainwater contains fewer concentrations of dissolved minerals like magnesium and calcium.
• Unlike tap water, rainwater isn’t treated with chlorine, minerals, and salts.

Before collecting rainwater, check your local laws and regulations to make sure it is legal in your area. 

10. Maximize your garden space for self-sufficient gardening

There never seems to be enough room in our gardens (no matter how large they are) to grow everything we want. Using your area efficiently will help you become more self-sufficient in the garden. Methods that maximize garden space include: 

Vertical gardening is better for plants and gives you more room to plant! Read this blog post to learn more.

Extend the seasons with shade, hoop houses, crop covers, etc. Read this blog post to learn more.

Succession planting. Don’t leave empty areas in the garden. When a spot opens up, plant something! Learn more about succession planting in this guide.

Find creative ways to use your garden harvests around the house. Try growing loofah, a plant that not only thrives in the heat but also helps create a more sustainable kitchen with natural scrubbers.

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A couple of crucial considerations before keeping chickens in hot summer climates:

• Choose chicken breeds that have a higher heat tolerance. Heat-tolerant breeds are less likely to die or overheat in hot weather. Some heat-tolerant chicken breeds are Orpington, Barred Plymouth Rock (the breed I have), and Austrolorp. (Information from “The Beginner’s Guide to Raising Chickens” by Anne Kuo.)
• Choose the proper coop/run placement in the yard. Look for areas that receive shade naturally. An ideal spot in Arizona has natural afternoon shade along with grass or other vegetation.
• There is no substitute for attention. If you will be out of town during the summer, have someone put eyes on your chickens at least once a day. They can ensure water levels are full, timers are working, and your flock is healthy. 

Here are five things I do to help keep chickens cool in hot summers

1. Provide shade for their coop and run to keep chickens cool in hot summers

Consider the sun’s angle at different times of the day. Then, add shade to provide relief from the sun during the hottest times of the day. Get more tips for surviving a heatwave in this guide.

There are many ways to add shade to the coop and run.

• Select an area that receives shade naturally from a house or tree.
• Add shade cloth to the top and sides of the coop and run.
• Plant sunflowers along the outside of the run.
• Add vining plants – but do a quick Google search first to ensure they aren’t poisonous for chickens. I added passionfruit vine, lady banks rose, and skyflower around the perimeter of my chicken run. 

Wondering if your garden really needs shade? In Why Add Shade to Your Garden in Summer, I share how shade protects plants and the coop, conserves water, and extends your growing season.

2. Install a mister set to a timer that goes off every afternoon to keep chickens cool in hot summers

A mister cools the surrounding air significantly. I have a battery-operated timer connected to a hose, a water filter, and a mister.  Adding a water filter keeps the mister from getting clogged as quickly.

The chickens congregate in the cooler air while it is running. I run the mister from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm each day when the temperature is over 100°F (37.7°C). After the mister finishes, the chickens still enjoy the run’s damp and slightly cooler area. 

3. Give chickens watermelon, cantaloupe, and other foods to help keep them hydrated

Summertime means abundant harvests of Armenian cucumbers, cantaloupe, and watermelon. My chickens love these high-water foods almost as much as we do. Feeding some of these to the chickens helps keep them hydrated and takes care of any extra-large Armenian cucumbers we didn’t spot in time. 

4. Provide access to clean, cool water

Chickens should have access to clean water throughout the day, especially when it is hot. Chickens need more water in hot weather, and they will drink up to twice as much water when it’s hot. Make sure the water is always cool—not warm or hot—and add ice cubes if the temperature allows for it. ⁣⁣This is the waterer I use. It doesn’t clog, and the chickens can’t get the water dirty or tip it over.

5. On extra hot days, give chickens an ice block to stand on

One way chickens cool off is through their feet. Providing a block of ice cools the chickens a little bit. Freeze a gallon-sized ice cream tub that is ¾ full of water at least overnight (longer is better) and dump out the ice block inside the chicken area. 

The longer the ice is frozen, the longer it will last in the heat. Once you dump the ice out, fill the empty container with water and put it in the freezer for the next hot afternoon. 

You can also freeze a 2-liter soda bottle filled with water and put it in the coop; the birds will stand on it and nestle on either side of the frozen bottle to cool off.

Learn other ways to become a self-sufficient gardener in this article.

Are you thinking about raising chickens? Find out how to get started in this blog post.

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Here are the 8 essential chicken supplies for young chicks:

1. Brooder box

The chicks will stay in a brooder box until they are old enough to move into the chicken coop. Use a galvanized tub, wooden box, plastic tub, or cardboard box. 

The brooder box should have 1 square foot of space per chick. It’s best not to have any holes that chicks could escape out of. 

2. Heat source

Newly hatched and unfeathered chicks cannot regulate their body temperature; providing a heat source is essential. 

• A heat lamp with a red heat lamp bulb is an inexpensive option for providing heat. Use care when using – bulbs get very hot and can be a fire risk.
•  Brooder heating plates are more expensive, but are a safer alternative.

Hang heat lamps above the brooder box (take care not to put it near the edges if your brooder box is plastic – it will melt). There should be enough space in the brooder box for the chicks to escape from the heat. 

The heat lamp should keep the temperature at the ideal range for chicks (90-95°F for the first week). Each week, raise the heat lamp a little bit to raise the temperature by about 5°F. Remove the heat when the chicks are feathered and the temperature in the brooder is 65-70°F. 

Pay attention to your chicks (they use the lamp to regulate temperature). If they are huddled together under the lamp, they are cold. If they are far away from the light, it may be too warm. When the temperature is just right, the chicks will be evenly distributed within the brooder area, softly chirping and pecking around. 

3. Water

Chicks (and chickens) need constant access to water. Very young chickens need chick waterers designed for young chickens. Keep the water fresh and clean. 

As the chickens grow, transition to a larger waterer.

4. Food

As with water, chicks and chickens need constant access to food. Use small feed containers for small chicks and move to a larger feeder for larger chicks. 

Nutrition needs vary depending on the age of your chicks. Until chickens begin laying eggs, feed them an organic chick starter grower. Starter feed has at least 18% protein for the first 18 weeks. 

 Once chickens are ready to lay eggs their nutrition needs change. When chickens are 18 weeks old transition them to an organic layer feed. Wait until 18 weeks to give any treats (scratch). 

At this point they will also need access to crushed oyster shells (for calcium) and grit (for digestion) in a separate feeder so they can regulate their intake. 

5. Bedding material

Add bedding material once chicks are a week old. Common materials for bedding include wood shavings or chopped straw. Change the bedding material out often. Chopped straw is a good choice for organic gardeners – add it to the compost pile when you change it out.

6. And of course, chicks!

Research breeds that do well in your area and have qualities you are looking for in chickens. Some have higher cold or heat tolerance. Some lay more eggs. Other breeds are broody more often and different breeds have different temperaments. 

I chose Plymouth Barred Rock chicks for several reasons. They are very heat hardy, and are excellent layers. Barred Rock are also friendly and good foragers – I want them to track down the roaches and scorpions in my garden. 

What about chicken supplies for older chicks?

Here are some additional chicken supplies you’ll need:

7. Chicken Coop

A chicken coop provides shelter and protection from predators. If your birds have access to an outdoor run, give a minimum of 2 to 3 square feet per bird inside the coop. A coop should also contain 1 nesting box for every 3-5 hens and roosting bars. 

When chicks are about 6 weeks old, they are fully feathered and ready to transition from the brooder to the coop if the outside temperature is warm enough (above 65°F). 

8. Chicken Run

A chicken run provides an additional protected area for the chickens to stretch their wings. It gives them space to scratch, peck, dust-bathe, and be chickens. A run should have between 5-10 square feet per bird. The bigger, the better.

Other Chicken Supplies: Climate Considerations

 If you live in a hot or cold climate, there are additional chicken supplies needed for survival in your climate. For example, here in the low desert of Arizona, during the summer months I provide shade, a mister, and frozen ice blocks for my chickens. Check with local breeders to see what accommodations are needed in your area.

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