Nothing better than a garden that does not need replanted
4 Likes
We have some annuals that come back as perennials, Prickly Pear, and Rhubarb. Want Asparagus, Comfrey, Horseradish, Chives and walking onions. Okinawa Spinach. Some Mountain Spinach. Good King Henry. We have a ton of wild plants that are always present, if not perennial outright. Like Cattails.
6 Likes
Nothing for ever. However you seem to be on the right path.
What about skirret, purple Orach, salsify? Purple Orach is an annual, but it reseeds every year.
4 Likes
Rhubarb and asparagus are probably the two easiest wins if you haven’t got them already. Both basically look after themselves once established. I’d add sorrel to the list too, grows like a weed and comes back every spring without fail. Good King Henry is one I’ve been meaning to try, keeps hearing good things about it as a spinach substitute.
7 Likes
I planted $1 worth of leek starts 25 years ago. I have had all you can eat leeks since then. I only chop off the above ground, green parts of the plant. They grow back. It is the most nutritious part of the plant. I don’t even have to clean them because they arent’ in the dirt. Not only do they fight cancer, they annoy pests that are trying to eat your plants.
John S
PDX OR
9 Likes
Here’s a quickly threw together list of perrenial vegetables and herbs I made, of mostly things I wouldn’t mind trying eventually-
Sunchoke/Jerusalem artichoke
Crosnes
Earth chestnut
Oca
Fuki
Chinese toon tree
Mint
Oregano
Sage
Rosemary
Chives
Onions
Garlic
Yacon
Groundnut apios
Ulluco
Pennyroyal
Scallion
Chinese bugletuber
Valerian
Fish mint
Skirret
Sea kale & hybrids
Sea spinach
Asparagus
Rhubarb
Loveage
Good king henry spinach
Potato onion
Air potato
Potato
Horseradish
Broadleaf french sorrel
Oyster leaf plant
African Potato mint
Walking onion
Lemon balm
Goldenseal
Feverfew
Chamomile
Thyme
Lavender
Tarragon
Anise hyssop
Winter savory
Catnip
Echinacea
Bee balm
Sweet cicely
Raddicchio
Watercress
Daylily
Ostrich fern
Camas
Black salsify
Turkish rocket
Duck potatoes
Chinese yam
Giant Solomons seal
Ramps
Chicory
Salsify
Water chestnut
Bamboo
Comfrey
Korean celery
Jerusalem sage
Canadian ginger
Myoga ginger
Curly mallow
Elephant yam (konjac)
New Jersey tea shrub
Thicket bean cloud lima,
Apios priceana
Taro
Cinnamon vine
Chasteberry
Fairy potato
Prairie turnip
8 Likes
At a quick glance it looks like a great list.
2 Likes
so far we’ve got asparagus, rhubarb, lambs quarters, purslane, orach, lovage, all kinds of herbs, sunchokes, chicory, walking onions of two kinds, perennial kale of some sort, garlic, and sunflowers well established and returning every year. also potatoes in a patch that they do regrow out of every year somehow, not sure how they are making it through winter out front, but they’re doing it
i would love any kind of good grain or vegetable-category fruit that would go perennial here. i had high hopes when Matt’s wild cherry tomato came back on its own but that only happened one year. ground cherries do it but they’re fruit-fruit, not veggies.
2 Likes
Careful with fish mine/Houttuynia cordata. Good medicinal plant, but it will go invasive like crazy. I put mine in a raised bed and I still have to stop it from jumping out.
John S
PDX OR
2 Likes
walking onions have been the best addition for me in the last few years, almost zero maintenance and they just spread themselves around. skirret is one I keep meaning to try but never get round to. also seconding the warning about houttuynia, planted a small patch and it took over a whole bed in two seasons.
2 Likes
@resonanteye you might already be growing it, but sorrel does great for me. I planted this strain over 10 years ago - the kids love to graze on it with that lemony flavor.
1 Like