Fueled by concern over all kinds of different disasters, a new group of people called "preppers" are emerging in Australia. This group of people are committed to being ready lest the worst should happen, and one area to which they must pay critical attention is gardening. If you are a self-defined prepper and you want to ensure you have the ability to garden through virtually anything, you need the right supplies.

When you are creating your stockpile of lawn and gardening supplies, here are four essential tips to keep in mind:

1. Look for tools that don't require fuel

When buying regular lawn supplies, shoppers often focus on powerful tools such as ride-on lawn mowers or tools that just make the job easier such as gas-powered push mowers. It is fine to have these items on hand, but if the world shuts down and you have no access to petrol, all your petrol-powered tools are going to become useless.

Instead, you need tools that work without power. For example, you may want a push mower that has blades that spin as you move the mower. However, when thinking about the best tools to own after the meltdown of civilisation, you have to think outside the box. Do you really want a push mower to keep your lawn trimmed? Or, would it be better to have a machete in the event that you need to move and clear weeds off land when you get there? When thinking about what you need, consider questions like these.

2. Remember to properly store extra soil, seeds and water

Regardless of how great your tools are, they are obviously worthless if you don't have soil, seeds and water. Unfortunately, if chemical warfare ends up happening, your existing soil may become toxic. So that you can safely garden in spite of that fact, you need a few bags of soil on hand. Do not store the soil in the bags in which it comes – that can allow toxic air and microorganisms to get into it. Instead, dump the soil into waterproof, airtight plastic containers. Seeds can also last for years if stored in airtight containers.

When it comes to water, there are several different opinions on how much water preppers should store, but when researching your anticipated water needs, make sure you consider that you need extra water for gardening in addition to water for consumption.

3. Consider the bug-out potential of your gardening tools

When you are buying lawn and garden supplies, make sure you also think about the possibility of bugging out. Your main gardening supplies, seeds and other stockpiled items are great if you can hold your ground. However, in the event that you need to hit the road, you need to be prepared.

In your bug-out bag or vehicle, pack a few essential seeds and some gardening tools. You can obviously fit a few basic full-size gardening tools in your bug-out vehicle, but if you want some in your backpack as well, you should look for things like shovels with collapsible handles or multi tools that take up little space but can tackle a range of jobs.

4. Practise gardening now before you have to live off your skills

Do not wait for a doomsday type scenario to start using your lawn and garden supplies. Instead, make sure you practise as much as possible before disaster strikes. By honing your gardening skills now, you ensure you have what it takes to survive and be sustainable off the grid, and you also give yourself the chance to build up your food stockpile.

If you want to build up your stockpile with items you have grown in addition to regular canned foods, many plants such as herbs, brassicas, root crops, nuts and some fruits respond well to storage.

For more information, contact a company like Associated Turf Growers & Suppliers.