Should More Perennials Be Grown In Vegetable Gardens & Allotments?
Should We Grow More Perennials In Our Veg Gardens & Allotments? Did We Grow More Perennials In the Past Than Today? Examine The Pros & Cons Here.
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We’ve grown perennial veg another edibles in our gardens since we first started gardening. It’s not a new fad. But in recent t years, for many sensible and understandable reasons, we have expanded the number of annuals grown, and reduced the number of perennials. So yes, I think we Should We Grow More Perennials in vegetable gardens and allotments. The main reason being because they are more sustainable, require less maintenance, and provide a longer harvest season.
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What Perennial Veg & Fruit Do We Currently Grow In UK Gardens & Allotments?
Chives are the quintessential garden perennial veg for all seasons, one of my 21 Herbs For U.K. Gardens.
It’s actually a longer list than many might think. Let’s start with fruits, from the more common … to the less common.
Fruits:
Fruit Trees: Apple, Pear, Plum, Cherry, Fig, Mulberry, Quince, Medlar.
Soft Fruits: Raspberry, Blackberry, Gooseberry, Currant, Blueberry, Strawberry, Loganberry, Tayberry etc. This is potentially quite a long list, there are others!
Vegetables:
Herbs: Chives, Mint, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage
Vegetables: Asparagus, Alexanders, Artichoke, Rhubarb, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichoke, Cardoon, Hablitzia, Sea Kale, Sorrel, Perennial Spinach. Again the list could be much longer.
Alexanders, Smyrnium olusatrum, is now often foraged.
Nuts:
Almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts.
What Perennials Do You Grow?
There are few gardens and allotments in the UK without at least one from these lists. And years ago it would have been a longer list.
Historically most people also grew many of the following …
Vegetables:
Good King Henry: A leafy green vegetable related to spinach that was popular in medieval times.
Sea Kale: A unique vegetable with a distinctive flavor that was once cultivated along the coast.
Samphire: A succulent plant that grows on cliffs and salt marshes, historically harvested and eaten as a delicacy.
Alexanders:Alexanders is another perennial I’ve written an article on.
Fruits:
I’ve mentioned these above but they were much more common in the past.
Medlar: A historical fruit that was once widely cultivated but has declined in popularity.
Quince: Another historical fruit that is still grown but less commonly than in the past. There are two sorts of “quince”, more on that in another article.
Perennial edible crops offer numerous advantages over their annual counterparts. Here are some key benefits:
Reduced Labour
Less Planting and Maintenance: Once established, perennial crops require less annual planting and maintenance, saving time and effort.
Lower Input Costs: Reduced need for fertilisers, pesticides, and water.
Improved Soil Health
Deep Root Systems: Perennials often have deep root systems that improve soil structure and fertility.
Reduced Erosion: The extensive root systems help to prevent soil erosion.
Increased Organic Matter: Perennial plants contribute to the soil’s organic matter content, enhancing its fertility.
Increased Biodiversity
Habitat for Beneficial Insects: Perennial plants provide shelter and food for pollinators and other beneficial insects.
Diverse Ecosystem: A diverse range of plants can create a more resilient and productive ecosystem.
Extended Harvest Season
Continuous Yield: Many perennial crops offer a longer harvest season, providing fresh produce for a more extended period.
Climate Resilience
Drought Tolerance: Perennial crops are often far more drought-tolerant than annuals. this is partly because eta tis their nature and partly because they have had time to get their roots deep in to the soil.
Adaptability: Perennials can adapt to changing climate conditions.
I believe that by incorporating perennial crops into your plot, you can create a more sustainable and productive food system.
Plant once, harvest forever.
Perennial offer an additional advantage. They can be used as the basis of a polyculture system that can be either based on a traditional allotment type garden or a food forest.
