Remember those old Ronco infomercials? “Set it and forget it” was the theme I think…that’s kind of the way I feel about perennials, a little work up front and then you just forget about them.
Incorporating perennial vegetables into your garden is pretty simple. The key is making sure that you take care of the dirt. The year after you plant, you want to add a little compost and mulch. Do that yearly, and those bad boys will literally do all of the rest of the work for you. The beauty of veggie perennials is that they have varying needs for sun, so if you don’t have a bright sunny spot, you may still be able to find one that will work.
Not sure which veggies are actually perennials? Here is a quick guide of veggies you can choose from:
- Globe artichokes. Yep, if you treat them right in the winter by cutting them back in the fall and then covering them with straw, they will produce year after year.
- Asparagus. Asparagus is one of those plant it and then wait. It takes a full 3 years to get a crop from them, after that though, they are rather prolific and you’ll have asparagus every spring. {Remember to let them go to flower at the end of the year so that they have a chance to come back.}
- Rhubarb. Rhubarb, once established will produce for you for a lifetime. Seriously, I know people who got their rhubarb from their grandparents. It just needs a sunny locale to be happy.
- Sorrel. This is an herb, actually, but a lot of times you will get it in upscale restaurants in a salad. It kind of has a lemony flavor.
- Onions. If you don’t harvest all of the onions each year, you can leave them in the ground and they will survive some pretty cold conditions. That way, you can juts pop outside and pull them as you need them.
- Horseradish. As long as you only harvest the side shoots, horseradish will continue to produce year after year.
- Kale.
GrossSuper healthy kale will literally keep producing all winter long. It doesn’t mind the cold, and with regular pickings, you can get quite a few seasons out of it. - Radicchio. Like kale, radicchio can survive harsh winters and produce for several seasons, provided that you just pick the young new leaves.
- Garlic. Most people dig garlic up year to year, but you can leave some in the ground and let them die back just as you would bulbs. They will divide their own bulbs with time.
Just like all perennials, vegetable perennials can vary by region, so make sure to double check that your region can support whatever you choose. Whichever perennial you choose, take a minute to celebrate that at least there are still some super reliable and simple food sources left in life.
~Mavis
Sue says
Mavis, what happens to the need to rotate crops if you make things perennials? Are the crops you listed that can be pushed to be perennial (garlic, for example, or chard/kale) less susceptible to bugs and soil issues?
These are the kinds of things that confuse me about garden planning — which is the highest priority — crop rotation vs. companion/neighbor planting vs. shade issues (ie putting the tallest plants in the northernmost beds and getting incrementally shorter as you move southward)?
If crops don’t need as much rotation as we’ve been told, that would make things much easier for me.
PS — I am in zone 5 which is kind of severe, but I do know folks here to manage to keep artichokes for longer than one season. Would love to try it with garlic too!
Mavis Butterfield says
You don’t need to rotate perennials…though, you will need to divide some of them after they start to get too dense, or you won’t get as good of a product. They are still susceptible to soil/bug issues, so you will have to likely fertilize more, and add compost to the area to try to enrich the soil. Rotating crops kind of does all of that naturally for you. If I were going to rank importance, I would say number one is making sure you have high quality soil {you can do that tons of different ways crop rotation, amendments, etc.}. Then sunlight–making sure the plants are rooted in a place with appropriate light for their requirements. Finally companion planting. Companion planting is a more organic way of making sure the plants provide each other with some layers of protection. It is not absolutely essential–as evidence by mono-crop style agriculture, but it does make it so you spend less of your time fighting off pests and other issues.
Stephanie Keenum says
Hello my mom told me I need to tie my cabbage heads. How do I do it
Mavis Butterfield says
I would just use twine. Wrap it around the base of the cabbage and then gently shimmy it about half way up the cabbage, then tie it off. The goal is to essentially close the cabbage to keep pests out and moisture in,.
Jennifer Meyer says
what is that plant with the giant leaves that you’re standing next to in the bottom picture?
Mavis Butterfield says
Rhubarb!
Hillari says
What’s the minimum sun required for rhubarb? I have some that I want to move. Wondering if I can get away with morning sun/afternoon shade. It’s in hot afternoon sun now and insists on bolting. Yours is lovely!
Same for artichokes. Looking to start some this year, and wondering if they would take a bit of shade as well.
Thanks Mavis!
Mavis says
Artichokes and rhubarb prefer full sun, but neither like to get too hot. So if you live in a climate where full sun will overheat the soil too much, plant them in partial shade and you should be just fine. They do need to be somewhere they can get a daily does of sun, though. Hope that helps.
Carole Collins says
Mavis, you can also try Sun chokes and ostrich ferns(fiddle heads).
Mary says
You made me laugh with your assessment of kale! Gross is correct! Do you ever watch One Yard revolution on yout7be? Patrick does some awesome overwintering growing.