permaculture veggie patch

[demi]

anyone got any suggestions on what perennial veg i can grow?
so far iv got asparagus and rhubarb.

suggestions please

[boboff]

Babington Leaks, Globe Artichokes, Turkish Rocket, Herbs, Jerusalem Artichokes, Horseraddish, Strawberries, Good King Henry, currants berries and brambles.

You might want to try some nuts in the mix too.

[demi]

yes, we already have a mixed fruit and nut orchard and about 50 square meter strawberry patch and we just bought some raspberry plants and iv got all my herbs planted.

just the veg i want more of.
i will try the artichokes, although iv never eaten them before.
i didnt realize leeks were perennial?
and iv got these scorzonera seeds which are perennial too.

im looking for low maintenance veg which i can just plant once and it will keep coming back every year without needing to collect seeds or take cuttings for the next year. like asparagus.

[baldybloke]

A good reference book is Plants for the Future by Ken Fern. Definitely worth adding to the library.

[Thomzo]

Perpetual spinach. Self seeds like mad, mind. I've ended up with a lawn of the stuff.
Sorrell, you may already have it in your herb bed.
Tree onions. I've just invested in one and will let you know how I get on.
Dandelions, they were eating dandelion and onion bhajis on Countryfile just now.
Sea kale, (Crambe maritima), I'm into my second year with mine and I harvested the first leaves today.
I'm not a big fan of green-leaf vegetables but I quite like the perpetual spinach and the sea kale, they have a bit more body to them.

Zoe

[demi]

i found this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/pl ... lways.html

but what i really want is a list of all the perennial vegetables.
everything iv read so far just mentions a few things.

but i never realised you can grow garlic as a perennial.
and also this Egyptian walking onions ( never heard of them, will try to find seeds )
we've got some perpetual spinach planted and we're currently harvesting it now. does it survive extremely cold winters? iv a feeling it would die here as it goes down into the -20's for a few week every winter.

[gregorach]

It's worth considering stuff that is self-seeding rather than strictly perennial... I've got American Land Cress self-seeding like crazy around the herby permacultury bit of my allotment. Nasturtiums are another classic.

[piglet]

I've just bought Martin Crawford's new book 'How to Grow Perennial Vegetables' - would definitely recommend this, it's not exhaustive, he does say he doesn't include everything, just those he thinks are worth growing, but it's a really decent list with good growing instructions. Lots of things in there I'd never even heard of, including all sorts of tubers (they aren't strictly perennial either as need to be dug up, stored and replanted, but some really interesting potato alternatives in there).

[safronsue]

parsnips, apparently. as they have come all over the place here. flat leaf parsley has been growing here for 3 years.

[British Red]

i
and also this Egyptian walking onions ( never heard of them, will try to find seeds )

Egyptian walking onions and tree onions are the same thing - not strictly perennial but self replicating

These are them


Tree and Potato Onions 22-4 by British Red, on Flickr

They throw up a big flower spike that holds several onion "sets" (or bulbules). When the top growth ties back, it falls to the side, the bulbules root and off you go again


Tree Onion 2 by British Red, on Flickr

Welsh onion is a brilliant perennial - like a cross between a chive and a spring onion


Welsh onion by British Red, on Flickr

Also consider potato onions - like huge shallots

Red