This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Do you want to have a vegetable garden that produces year after year without having to replant everything every spring? Perennial vegetables, that’s what you need! And fall is definitely an excellent time to plant the ten edible plants presented here in your garden.
1. The Egyptian onion
Easy to grow, this vegetable plant produces stems about 60 cm high at the end of which flowers appear in July which then turn into small onions. It is also called walking onion, since the bulbils that fall to the ground can take root and form new plants if they are not harvested when the stems dry up, towards the end of summer.
2. Chervis
Similar to that of parsnip, the white root of chervis is elongated and has a sweet taste. This perennial prefers light, loose and cool soils, located in the sun or in partial shade. When harvesting, take care to leave some roots in place so that the plant regrows the following year.
3. Rhubarb
Although easy to grow, rhubarb requires rich, moist soil to perform at its best. Be sure to place it in a sunny or lightly shaded spot and provide it with a few shovelfuls of compost when planting it. Do not forget that rhubarb is an imposing plant and that it must be granted a space of almost one square meter.
4. Sea kale
Also called maritime crambe, sea kale is a perennial plant whose leaves, fleshy and curly, have a concentrated taste. In addition to sporting grayish-blue edible foliage that resembles that of kale, this plant presents a pretty white bloom in early summer.
5. The crosne of Japan
Cultivated for its small, white rhizomes, which are vaguely corkscrew-shaped, this perennial, a close relative of mint, loves the sun and adapts to most well-drained soils. Harvesting can be done in the following spring or fall. Don’t forget to leave a piece of plant in place to ensure its longevity.
6. The fake-rocket diplotax
This perennial arugula has characteristics similar to those of the typical arugula. However, it is easier to grow than the latter and adapts well to our climate. Installed in full sun in clay soil, it gives excellent results and is little attacked by insect pests.
7. Marjoram
With delicious aromatic foliage, marjoram bears pretty pink or white edible flowers all summer long. Very hardy in our climate, it reaches 60 cm in height and 80 cm in width.
8. Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke roots have a taste reminiscent of artichokes and are a wonderful substitute for potatoes. But as this very vigorous perennial is particularly aggressive, you will want to plant it in a large pot buried in the ground or surround it with a border to prevent it from invading all the available space.
9. Sea mertensia
In addition to producing a pretty blue bloom during the summer, sea mertensia has edible bluish foliage whose flavor is curiously reminiscent of that of oysters. A wonderful accompaniment to fish, it can be eaten raw, cooked or preserved in vinegar. Very hardy and easy to grow, this creeping perennial tolerates drought well and grows easily in poor soils.
10. Asparagus
Of all the perennial vegetables, asparagus is probably the best known. Generally sold in pots or as bare roots in garden centers, asparagus can be planted in full sun or partial shade in loose soil amended with compost. However, asparagus roots are only available on the market in the spring, while potted plants can be planted in the fall. In order to give the plant the necessary time to establish itself well, the first harvest will not take place until two years later.