The Permaculture of Perennials

Photo: Asparagus between seasons in Texas.

The perennial blessing

Perennials become more established over time and build on their growth each year. even though most of our food comes from annuals vegetables, they are often heavy feeders that require the addition of compost or fertilizer to grow and produce both food and seed.

In terms of sustainability and food security, the seasonal vegetable garden should only be considered supplemental to what is possible through perennial cultivation. Not only do perennials keep coming back year after year, they also often put down deeper tap roots to bring up water and nutrients from the depths of the soil that annuals cannot reach because of their shallow seasonal roots.

Diversity leads to stability

The word perennial literally means “through the years.” So naturally, a perennial plant is one that survives all seasons in the geographical region where it grows. Perennials are the cornerstone of permaculture (permanent agriculture) cultivation because they are ever growing, producing, and giving back to the land. They are continuously intertwining with other features of an ecosystem and building interdependence among all species of inhabitants.

Perennials help build diversity, resilience, and stability in a garden space. They are a long term investment in the land and often increase in size, durability, and productivity year after year. Choosing the right perennials for your garden is a good way to cut down on seasonal maintenance and build long term, vibrant biodiversity. Apart from fruiting trees, some edible perennials you might be familiar with include asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.

Consider the community

Before ordering your perennials from the local nursery, consider the needs of your community in terms of food, fodder, fuel, medicine and supporting and encouraging wildlife. Think about where your long term additions should go with regard to accessibility.

What kind of soil do you have? How much sun does that area get during the day? What kind of perennials are recommended for your plant hardiness zone? A little research on plant hardiness will go a long way toward protecting your investment.

Perennial planting is one of the best ways to build food security, nourish the land, and  upgrade your property to a multigenerational heirloom.

Trees are the ultimate perennial! Check out the tree planting activity in Daniel’s book to “grow” your adventure!