The majority of perennial vegetables give an annual harvest of bulbs, flowers, tubers, roots, fruits, stems, and leaves, but most food gardeners often concentrate on annual vegetables like lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Perennial veggies also enrich soil, are simple to grow, and are pest- and disease-resistant.
Because they are dependable, perennial vegetables form the foundation of permaculture farming. Common vegetables quickly perish, whether after being gathered or when the weather turns chilly. Perennial plants need less work and can be harvested for many years, making them the easier type of crop to grow. Continue reading if you're interested in a harvest that requires little care, delicious tubers, and leafy greens.
Why You Need More Perennial Veggies
Perennials require little upkeep. There is no need for sowing, pricking, or transplanting throughout the spring, and they don't require as much feeding and watering.
Disease and insect resistance: Compared to annual vegetables, perennials are far more hardy and are better equipped to fend off disease and pests.
Savings: You won't have to spend as much money on seeds to grow more veggies because they require less care, less food, and less time to sow and prepare the land, allowing you to concentrate on other vegetables that will boost your profit margins if you intend to sell them.
Care Instructions for Perennial Plants
Before choosing which perennials to plant, do some homework because like all crops, they require varied appropriate environments to develop. While some thrive well in a forest or a shaded location, others do better in broad sunlight.
Know before you grow! Because these plants remain in the same location for decades, a little more soil preparation is necessary before planting. Add amendments to the soil, like old manure, compost, and organic fertilizer, worm castings, kitchen scraps, egg shells and coffee grinds.
For the first year, give your plants a substantial amount of water to help them establish themselves. In the years that follow, top dress the area around the plants with compost and fertilize once a year with granular organic fertilizer. Mulch always helps!
Perennial Vegetable Drawbacks
The primary challenge in growing perennials is the lengthy harvesting period. Usually, it takes two to three years, but once it does, you'll have access to an endless supply of crops for decades. Additionally, you must make sure they are grown in the proper location.
Growing Perennials As Annuals
Due to their easier management as annuals, several perennial crops are planted as annuals. For instance, although potatoes are technically perennials, we cultivate them as annuals in North America due to the high pest and disease pressure there.
On the other hand, several of the annual plants we grow, like kale, which gets lanky but overwinters well, do quite well as perennials.
10 Perennial Vegetables To Plant Once For Years Of Food
1. Blueberries, raspberries, and other "bush" fruit
2. Kale (usually grown as an annual
3. Garlic (typically cultivated as an annual)
4. Radicchio (typically cultivated as an annual)
5. Asparagus
6. Globe Artichokes
7. Lovage
8. Watercress
9. Horseradish
10. Rhubarb
Final Seeds
The idea of having to wait more than two years for the harvest may not appeal to novice vegetable gardeners. The benefits, however, outweigh the drawbacks.You'll benefit from a longer harvest season, improved soil health, and time and money savings. You can plant once, and feed your family for years to come!
Read and adapted from: Gifford, D {blog post} https://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/20-perennial-vegetables
Comments / 40