Just imagine if you could plant vegetables once, and also enjoy them year after year. The good news is, you can! Perennial vegetables are a great way to boost your food supply while also taking some strain off your weekly food budget.
Just like perennial flowers, perennial vegetables can be planted once and enjoyed for multiple seasons, making them a valuable addition to your garden. Gardeners have been growing them for centuries, as they are ideal for most growing conditions and climates.
If you are curious about learning more about planting perennial vegetables, you have come to the right place. Below you will learn about which vegetable plants are perennials and how to grow them.
1. Radicchio
Radicchio looks much like purple cabbage and can be used in many of the same ways. It can add color and flavor to almost any dish and is often used in soups and stews.
There is no need to start radicchio seeds indoors. Instead, you can plant them outdoors once the threat of frost has passed. Choose an area that offers well-drained soil and full sun.
Simply sow the seeds about ⅓ of an inch below the soil and cover with a light blanket of additional soil. It is best to plant radicchio in rows, and you are welcome to thin seedlings as they start to sprout two weeks later. Radicchio will benefit from 1 inch of water per week.
2. Asparagus
Who doesn’t love asparagus? Asparagus can be steamed, sauteed, or added to casseroles. Asparagus can be expensive to buy fresh, so growing your own is a budget-friendly option.
It is best to grow asparagus is from crowns. Avoid planting seeds or seedlings. Crowns are the best and easiest way to give your asparagus a strong start. Asparagus crowns will thrive in a full sun area where the soil is nutrient-rich and given a compost boost.
To plant your crowns, dig a trench that is at least 12 inches wide. Each trench should be 6 inches in depth. It is best to soak the crown in a water and compost mix for a half-hour prior to planting.
Then, simply drop the crown in the trench, 2 feet apart, and top them with loose soil. You want to add more soil every few weeks until a mound forms. Feed with 2 inches of water per week.
3. Kale
Kale is considered a superfood because it is rich in many of the vitamins and nutrients your body craves. It is simple to grow, and can even be grown and harvested in the cooler fall months, making it the perfect perennial vegetable for all growing seasons.
You can grow kale from seeds or seedlings with little trouble. If you wish you can plant kale in the early spring, and again in the late summer for a fall harvest.
Kale can be planted by seed or seedling even before the threat of frost has passed. You can sow seeds or seedlings as early as 4-5 weeks before the last frost of the season and they will survive.
Choose a spot that is full sun, although some light shade is sufficient. Make sure you have nutrient-rich, as well as nitrogen-rich. Soil should drain well.
Seeds should be planted ½ an inch deep and thinned 12 inches apart. If planting seedlings, 12-18 inches apart is ideal.
4. Garlic
If you love to cook, garlic is a must for your perennial vegetable garden. Garlic is quite versatile and can be used to add flavor to your everyday dishes.
Garlic is one of the easiest perennial vegetables to grow! You should pick a space that has well-drained soil, as wet or muddy areas can quickly cause the garlic to rot.
Choose an area that provides full sun, and make sure space has not been exposed to other onion plants in the last few growing seasons.
You want to plant garlic from bulbs. You can also plant individual cloves. Plant the bulbs/cloves in early spring or even early fall for a late harvest.
You should plant garlic cloves 4 inches apart, about 2 inches deep. Provide weekly 2-inch waterings, and give the plants a fertilizer boost once foliage starts to grow.
5. Artichokes
Artichokes are a delicious perennial vegetable and one that can add so much flavor and fun to your everyday recipes. You can get several artichoke heads from one plant, giving you some bang for your buck.
Artichokes are typically grown from crowns. If you do buy a plant, make sure it is a mature plant that is at least two years old.
This way, you will experience growth that you can harvest as soon as possible. A globe artichoke variety is perfect for growing on your own!
You can plant artichokes in mid-spring or early fall. You want to choose an area that gets full sun and only full sun. The soil should be loose, well-draining, and nutrient-rich.
Plants should be spaced at least 4 FEET apart, while crowns should be planted at least 4 inches in depth.
Artichoke plants need lots of water. You should water your artichoke plant at least 2-3 times per week, giving it two inches of water directly at the base with each feeding.
Giving a fertilizer boost every few weeks will help, as will compost or mulch around the base of the plant.
6. Horseradish
Horseradish is a spicy root that can be used in canning and cooking. Planting your own horseradish is simple, but it does spread quickly so consider planting it in roomy containers or in a secluded gardening area.
Horseradish is grown from the root. To plant horseradish, place the roots in a gardening space that is full sun and nutrient-rich.
Horseradish is quite forgiving, so if you only have a pace that is part sun it will still survive, but may not thrive as much as it would in full sun.
Find the top of the root or crown, and place it 3-4 inches below the soil. If planting multiple roots, be sure to space them 2 feet apart.
Give the root some support by adding some compost, then cover with soil and water.
As the root starts to sprout foliage, you can cut the leaves back. This will help encourage the growth of the root.
Continue feeding with watering the plant at least 2 inches of water per week until harvest.
Having fresh herbs on hand to flavor your perennial vegetables with is always ideal. Growing perennial herbs is just as easy as growing perennial vegetables, as you can plant them once and enjoy them returning year after year. Here are some of the best perennial herbs to grow in your garden this year.
7. Rosemary
Rosemary can be used to flavor vegetables as well as chicken and fish. It can be grown in pots as well as in your garden beds, and its deep green foliage makes it ideal for decorative borders and even window gardens.
Start rosemary seeds indoors 4-6 weeks prior to the final frost of the season, or plant seeds or seedlings directly in the ground once the threat of frost has passed.
8. Basil
Basil can be used in homemade sauces and even on pizza. You can choose from all sorts of various basil varieties, some spicier than others. Basil can be grown in pots or does well when grown in garden beds.
Start your basil seeds indoors 4-6 weeks prior to the final frost of the season, or plant seeds or seedlings directly in the ground once the threat of frost has passed.
Basil can grow tall, so be sure to space it well and keep it away from plants that may otherwise shade it.
9. Dill
Dill is excellent for seasoning fish or for pickling vegetables. If you like to can your produce, dill is a great herb to keep on hand. Dill offers beautiful green foliage as well as light yellow, airy blooms that can add interest to any garden bed.
Start dill seeds indoors 4-6 weeks prior to the final frost of the season, or plant seeds or seedlings directly in the ground once the threat of frost has passed.
Dill does tend to grow tall and bushy, so be sure to space your seeds and seedlings by at least 8-10 inches.
10. Oregano
Oregano is ideal for seasoning sauces and vegetables, and it can even be added to the pizza. It does well if grown in pots, and can even be added to borders and window sill gardens.
Oregano can be grown year-round indoors, so if you want a small countertop herb garden, grab some oregano seeds.
Are you ready to grow oregano? Start oregano seeds indoors 4-6 weeks prior to the final frost of the season, or plant seeds or seedlings directly in the ground once the threat of frost has passed.
While oregano isn’t notorious for spreading, it can stretch out almost like a ground cover. Keep it away from plants that may grow tall and shade it.