Twenty vegetables that grow annually and should be included in your garden:
Go big on sustainability and perpetual harvests with these badass perennial veggies! These superstar crops mean you plant 'em once and reap the benefits for years – no need to start from scratch every season.
Asparagus
Tough-as-nails asparagus reigns supreme in USDA zones 3-8, taking a leisurely three years to mature from seed. Short on patience? Up the ante by starting from crowns (it'll shave a year off the grow period). Once mature, these spear-worthy plants pump out fresh spears that can be eaten, pickled, and frozen for a decade or more.
Rhubarb
Roll up your sleeves for rhubarb, a zesty stalky hero in zones 3-8 grown from seed. Or, opt for crowns to harvest within a year of planting. This toxic leaf removal candidate will stand tall for over a decade (if not more).
Artichoke
Artichokes, often grown as annuals in North American gardens, can be transformed into perennials in zones 7-11 if insulated with straw and covered. Northern gardeners, take note: these suckers only last about five years.
Jerusalem Artichoke (Sunchoke)
Jerusalem artichokes, or sunchokes as they're called, are a feisty, perennial tuber in the sunflower clan. These ginger root impostors are grown for their edible tubers and can become weedy nightmares if not properly contained in zones 4-9. Leave a few tubers in the ground each year, and they'll regrow indefinitely with a vengeance!
Horseradish
Horseradish is a chilly hero in the Northern gardens, growing best in zones 2-6. It's virtually maintenance-free and can be harvested after the first year. This tenacious root can be a bit of a hardhead when trying to axe it from your garden, so it's best grown in containers.
Sorrel
Not as long-lived as rhubarb, sorrel can be grown as a perennial if you let some plants die back in the fall instead of harvesting all of them. Hardy in zones 3-11, these acidic greens are often grown as an annual but can spread and bulk up just like rhubarb does.
Kale
Some varieties of kale can be perennial, offering a continuous supply of tough-as-nails greens. Shop for cuttings from side shoots of existing plants in different zones for the best results. A hardy perennial that will last around 5-6 years.
Chinese Artichoke
These minty veggies, known as Crosne in France, are grown for their tubers. Hardy to zone 5, the plants will die back, but the tubers are quite hearty and can be harvested anytime after they go dormant in fall and winter. Their minty tendencies make them prone to overtake an area, so beware!
Egyptian Walking Onion
Aptly named, these perennial wanderers can be harvested the following year when planted in summer before the first frost. It's super simple to contain these guys by yanking out any that wander into unfriendly territory. Hardy from zone 3 all the way up to zone 10 – these onions got legs (and keep 'em for decades).
Welsh Onion
These non-bulbing onions produce spring onions in large clusters and are best sown indoors in March in USDA zones 6 and colder. They can also be harvested from their first year. Hardy to zone 6, with the help of row covers and other season extenders, these bad boys can handle colder climates too.
Garlic
Most people grow garlic as an annual, but it's actually a perennial. In zones 2-6, hardneck varieties can be grown, and softneck varieties can be grown in zones 6 and above. Growing garlic is incredibly easy, and growing it as a perennial is even simpler – just leave some of the garlic behind in the garden bed.
Watercress
This semiaquatic plant is a powerhouse in wet environments. You can propagate your own watercress crop by finding some wild growing nearby or purchasing seeds or bare-root plants from nurseries. Hardy in zones 3-11, this herb provides harvests in as little as seven weeks.
Scarlet Runner Beans
Typically grown as an ornamental annual, these varieties are edible and can be grown as a perennial in warmer zones 7 and above. Or, bring the roots indoors in colder climates and replant once the weather warms up.
Yams
These bad boys produce edible tubers and edible aerial bulbils, making them a double threat in the veggie game. Typically grown as an annual, they can be easily grown as a perennial with the right support.
Sweet Potato
While sweet potatoes are typically grown as annuals, they can be grown as perennials in warmer climates. The downside: they don't tolerate frost, so when the vine gets frost damage, the tuber will also suffer from decay and rot. If you're in zones 8 and up, these delicious vining tubers can be grown as perennials.
Water Chestnut
Easily grown as a perennial in any zone in containers or ponds, water chestnuts are semi-aquatic plants similar to watercress. They provide a nice addition to a food forest or permaculture garden and are beautiful to boot.
Miner's Lettuce
Native to a large portion of the western United States and Canada, this shade-loving vegetable can be propagated in your garden and grown as a perennial in zones 6-9. Its tangy flavor makes it a delicious addition to salads.
Ostrich Fern
Another shade-loving plant, the ostrich fern produces the deliciously sought-after fiddleheads in the spring. They're not fast spreaders, but they are easy to grow and very winter-hardy. Add these guys to your food forest or permaculture garden – they're beautiful and delicious.
Other What to Grow Posts to Check Out Next:
- 10 Easy Vegetables to Grow for Beginner Gardeners
- 10 Essential Crops for a Self-Sufficient Garden
- 20 Best Pollinator Plants for the Vegetable Garden
Share your favorite perennial veggies in the comments below and follow me on *Facebook and Pinterest for more gardening inspiration!***
- Adopt a home-and-garden lifestyle focused on foraging by including these perennial veggies in your garden: asparagus, rhubarb, sorrel, kale, garlic, watercress, miner's lettuce, and ostrich fern,making one-time planting contribute to perpetual harvests.
- To increase your self-sufficiency and enhance your gardening, consider growing these perennial veggies for a continuous supply of fresh produce: artichoke, jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke), chinese artichoke, egyptian walking onion, welsh onion, yams, sweet potato, water chestnut, and scarlet runner beans.
