Calorie Garden Planner
Design a garden optimised for calorie production — not salads and garnishes, but the staple crops that actually feed a household. Most home gardens produce wonderful fresh eating but would not sustain a family if supply chains failed. This planner helps you calculate what you need, select the right crops, and design a layout that maximises calorie yield per square metre. This is Principle 3 — Obtain a Yield — applied to survival.
Version History
Version 1.0 Current
Effective: 2026-03-31Initial version
Procedure Details
Be realistic about your growing capacity. A calorie garden supplements but rarely replaces all food needs in the first year. Plan for a ramp-up over 2-3 seasons while maintaining other food sources.
You will need:
- Your household size and approximate daily calorie needs (~2000 kcal/person/day)
- Your available growing space measured in square metres
- Your local frost dates and growing season length
- Calorie yield data for staple crops (provided in the lesson)
- Your site assessment and soil health check results
- 1-2 hours of planning time
Procedure Steps (Version 1.0)
Calculate your household's total daily calorie needs — household size multiplied by 2000 kcal.
Measure and record your total available growing space in square metres.
Select calorie-dense crops suited to your climate — potatoes 3-6 kg/m², sweet potato, winter squash, dry beans, corn — highest calories per area.
Plan protein sources — legumes are essential. Dry beans, broad beans, peas, lentils — aim for 15-20% of planted area.
Plan micronutrient sources — dark leafy greens (kale, silverbeet, spinach) plus root vegetables (carrots, beets).
Design your bed layout to maximise productive space — wide beds, narrow paths, intensive spacing.
Plan seasonal succession for year-round production — spring greens, then summer staples, then autumn roots, then winter brassicas.
Estimate total calorie yield based on crop yields per square metre and planted area.
Identify gaps — where calories fall short, plan for trade, storage, or supplementary sources.
Record your complete plan with crop list, areas, planting dates, and expected yields.