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Why Plant perennial vegetables?
Most common food crops today are annuals or biennials. With these, you only get a good crop in the first year. Lettuce, for example, will run to seed within weeks or months even if you only harvest a few leaves at a time. Annual crops require the time intensive act of planting seeds each year and caring for delicate spouts as they go through their growth cycle. They also don’t have enough time to develop a substantial root system, then they die it starts all over again. In addition the soil usually needs to be turned/tilled for the next round of seedlings. Frankly…….this sucks.
On the other hand:
- Perennial vegetables don’t have to be replanted each season.
- Perennial vegetables usually withstand harsh climates and weather better than annuals.
- Perennial vegetables tend to be higher in nutrition than most vegetables.
- Perennial Vegetable are usually more pest and disease resistant.
- Perennial vegetables build strong and extensive root systems that not only prevent soil erosion, but build a strong drought resistant plant.
- Perennial vegetables often offer more than a single product for the table. Ex. sweet potato provides us with delicious starchy roots, but also offers a nutritious green vegetable. Moringa offers both edible leaves and pods. As you can see, perennial vegetables require less work and offer more benefit. This is especially true in warmer climates.
How Long Can Perennial Crops Continue to Produce
Short-lived perennials can live from three to five years before needing to be replaced. Whereas long-lived perennials can live five to twenty years, and sometimes a lot longer. Asparagus can live twenty or more years. Our moringa has been alive and producing for 8 years now. We have Katuk plants that lived for 7 years. Today, both plants continue to abundantly produce nutritious greens. These are just a few examples. Remember…..the goal should be to minimize input and maximize output.
Is there a list or resource to find good perennial species for my area?
I’m building a Survival Plant Database on this site and categorizing Perennial Vegetables, Medicinal Plants and Utility Plants.
This book changed my whole perspective on gardening and food security. It had many species for both temperate and tropical climates.
Perennial Vegetables By Eric Toensmeier
Below are a few of the PERENNIAL vegetables we grow in Costa Rica.
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