CROPS FOR LIFE: 25 Perennials to Plant ONCE that GROW FOREVER!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- Each season, I aim to add more edible perennials to my garden. Where I live, we have very hot summers and mild winters, so the challenge is finding perennial crops that survive our hot, dry summers. Over time, I've curated this list of 25 edible perennials (we actually eat!) that thrive in the Arizona desert, transforming my garden into an edible paradise.
Unlike annual plants, which complete their life cycle in one season and must be replanted, perennials can live for many years. This means more food with less effort and expense.
An added benefit is that once established, most perennials have little upkeep-usually only seasonal pruning and amending with compost. And finally, many edible perennials are high-value crops that can be grown for much less than they cost in the grocery store.
Perennials are often defined in different ways. For this video, these are the criteria I'm using. A species that lives out its life cycle over 3 or more years. The ability to survive winter and summer
Harvest in a way that doesn’t kill the plant (Some of these root crops are plant/replant perennials, meaning they are dug up for harvest, but then some portion is replanted in the same or another hole, keeping the plant alive to produce again the following year.)
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You are my gardening hero!!!
I second that!!!
thank you! Fantastic video - concise, full of relevant information and very little waffle. Very much appreciated!! Cheers from perth australia probably similar climate with year round no frost gardening :)
Hello from Arizona!
I chopped my collard greens off at the base when it started getting hot this summer. Now that it has cooled off, they are growing back like crazy! Now, I have free collards that I did not even replant!! Who knew?! Thank you for your videos! They have helped me a lot over here in Florida. 🌺🦩💕
I’ll have to try that. Thanks
Mine lasted through the hot summer, over the winter and are still going strong. I did cover them during the winter with a mini greenhouse but other than that I've had greens and kale for 2 seasons!!
@@CherrieMcKenzie, What's a "mini greenhouse" pls? Clear storage tote turned over? I'd like to save crops over the winter, too. Thank you!
@@faithl4105 I did a video titled I did a video titled "A Cheap Mini Green house Without Building a Green house" It might not work for everyone but it worked for me.
Look into the Chaya Spinach tree, it grows fast here and can handle the heat. Taste like spinach.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Hi Angela! I love your channel 🩷😌
I live in Queen Creek and I’m finally “Growing in the Garden” instead of killing plants in the desert! 🌵 😅 thanks to your wonderful videos!
Thank you so much for the information!
That's great to hear. Thanks for watching!
Thanks so much for this video. Whenever a new Growing in the Garden videos drops I'm excited. Your content is so well done especially for us low desert AZ dwellers. I've been looking into pigeon peas- so cool you are growing them. Could you share when you got your seeds?
So nice of you, thanks. I got the pigeon peas in a seed swap.
Wow this was great! I’d love to plant more of these in our garden!
Hello from Zone 10 South Florida, Angela!🎄🌟
Hello from Arizona!
Do you know anyone who can help me transform my backyard like yours? From Gilbert Arizona.
Do you have a local source for pigeon peas? I am intrigued by these but wasn't able to find seeds last year. Also, if you were planting asparagus from seed (as I am - they are currently germinating) would you choose in ground or in a grow pot for the first year?
I got my pigeon pea seeds at a seed swap. If possible, I would put the asparagus wherever it's forever home will be and then you don't have to disturb the roots again.
You have the best garden videos! Thank you for sharing your knowledge 💕🦋
The title says 25, but when I wrote it down, there are 27. Who doesn't love bonuses?
YAY!! 🎉❤
Im in a rural town called Horsham in Victoria, Australia. Summer right now. Some days the hot sun just turns a lot of plants crispy! I grow organically. Whatever survives is worth the effort. I really appreciate all the fabulous info in your videos Angela. Thank you so much!
Thank you. Brutal summers are hard for sure. Hello from Arizona USA
I wish u teach us how to cook them too
Good idea!
Are your Blackberries in full sun or shade ? How much water ?
They get afternoon shade. Deep water about twice a week.
Loved this. I am 9b per this years map but with our microclimate 10a to 9b give or take. We have had some really hot summers with a dry north wind, so the actual temp was 117° with a real feel about 3 degrees higher. So thank you, good ideas as to what might survive here better. 🌷
Tree collards and new Zealand spinach does great for me zone 9
So glad I found your channel 😅❤
We have been reclassified here (at 4,000 feet in Las Cruces, NM) a half zone higher, though we are still in the zone 8 range. This winter I am pruning my chiles (in an elevated growing box) way back this winter and covering them, we will see if any survive to next year. We will likely get our first hard freeze this weekend, so we'll see!
If you delay pruning until after the cold weather, the plants can better protect themselves.
I'm moving to Las Vegas next summer so this is helpful.
I really appreciate all the valuable information you pack into these videos! I am hoping to finally start a garden in 2024. Do you have a video and/or blog post on how to develop a long-term plan for building up a garden for someone just getting started? I won't have the funds to do everything all at once, but I still want to be intentional and strategic about what I do at the beginning so I can add to it as I go.
If you go to my blog the getting started page lists the resources I have, that may be helpful for you. Best of luck to you! growinginthegarden.com/new-to-gardening-start-here/
@@GrowingInTheGarden Thank you! There definitely seem to be some helpful planning resources there. I’ll check them out! 😊
9B baby ❤
Mexican honeysuckle is a good one. Not necessarily edible. But I have seen the leaves made into a tea to help animals that are giving birth and having issues getting rid of the placenta after birth.
The branch’s look like they would be good for weaving baskets. Apparently the tea can be drank by humans as well, I have only seen it used with the animals though
Baker creek has seeds for huckleberry chichiquelite and several different varieties. How large does it grow? How do they taste? Most reviews said they were tasteless and even terrible even when cooked and sweetened. Wondering how you cook them.
They don't have a lot of flavor - we make jam with them mostly. It's not bad, but we don't like it as well as roselle jam.
i noticed the same thing, i was looking for huckleberries at baker creek, some people say taste is bad or flavorless, others say they like them.
it might depend on growing conditions, or on personal taste.
but for $3 per seed packet, it's worth a shot.
@@michaelgusovskyDid you harvest berries yet? If so how did you like them. Thinking to plant for birds.
@@ooulalah4333 i went with honeyberries and blueberries. might try the "huckleberries" later (there's some ambiguity in that name - apparently, "real" huckleberries like i've had at yellowstone need to grow at 5000ft altitude or higher and those taste awesome - the seed ones are vacciniium family, iirc, they are related, but they grow at lower elevations and are not quite the same)
Jealous of your perennial peppers, eggplant and tomatoes. 😉 Love the long list.
Now I don't feel bad that my asparagus are all flopped over. My first time growing them. Not sure if you have a video on them or not, but do I need to prune them back and if so, when do you prune. I'm in Murrieta, CA zone 9b. Hot summers, mild winters with occasional frost over the course of winter.
th-cam.com/video/8AmaCK2_C_0/w-d-xo.html
This video is exactly what I was looking for. I plan to keep watching you and learning. Thank you so much.
I have asparagus growing on my ranch in High Mohave in Arizona it's been producing for about 15 yrs. Asparagus will grow for about 25 -30 yrs if pruned properly. Great video right down to the information no wasted time on idle chit chat.
Love hearing that it can last so long. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the helpful tips. Which of these plants grow well in grow bags?
For containers/grow bags you could do the peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, i'itoi onions, chives, ginger, turmeric, cucamelon, potatoes, sweet potatoes, chichiquilette, and strawberries.
@@GrowingInTheGarden thank you so much!
You've got me thinking. I live in zone 8b/9a but our winters are unpredictable. How well do plants like bell peppers and eggplants perform after more than one or two years of production?
Best production is for the first 3 years.
Awesome video!.. been waiting For a Video made about this topic of perennials.
What about perennial placement With co pairing vegetables?
Thank you, Angela for all you do I appreciate you.
Good question. I tend to plant many (but not all) of my perennials in the ground, vs. raised beds. Some crops naturally go well together like the pairing of artichokes and sweet potatoes. You can read more in the blog post I just posted about this same topic - growinginthegarden.com/25-thriving-edible-perennials-in-my-desert-garden/
Wow! I find my plants do poorly because of the heat, and I'm in Ohio! How are you so successful with Arizona temperatures?
Focus on the fundamentals: soil, watering, sunlight and timing. Each area has different challenges for sure.
How about rhubarb or winged beans? How do you protect passion fruit from frost? Lotsa mulching?
Rhubarb does not flourish in the heat, it needs cold to be its best.
It's not cold enough here for rhubarb unfortunately. I haven't tried wing beans. Passion fruit seems to handle our minor frost events ok. There is some minor leaf damage but the roots are fine.
There are many others like ivy gaurd, kantola, kundru, mint , taro
What do you use to make TH-cam videos? I would like to learn how to start? Your voice/sound and videos are so clear. Thank you kindly, V
I have a videographer that helps me. He uses professional equipment.
This is an awesome information Angela!
This was fantastic information! I live in Palm Springs, which I believe is also zone 9b, and I have felt very limited by the edible plants that I can get to survive our summers. This has opened up a lot of possibilities for me. Where can I find these plants? I assume online, but if you could direct me to a specific site, that would be wonderful. Thank you for this video!
Learn more here: growinginthegarden.com/25-thriving-edible-perennials-in-my-desert-garden/
Hello Angela! Thank you for your wonderful content. My passionfruit still has fruit on it and I’m not sure if they are going to ripen or if we are delaying the spring harvest by leaving them on and should just cut them off? Thanks! I’m in CA zone 9b
I leave them on
For the tomato, during the cold season, do we need to cut them back or just let them flower and fruit?
I wait to prune back until after the cold temps and then give them a good prune and lots of compost and they take off.
@@GrowingInTheGarden Thank you for your tips, Angela. Let me try try this year❤
Do you do tours of your yard??? I am so inspired and want my yard to look like yours. I also live in Mesa.
None scheduled right now. Thank you!
If only we all lived in an area that doesn’t reach 4 degrees in the winter 🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
We don’t get as hot as your zone but my issue is too rainy. Do you think what perennials you showed will mostly still survive ? Zone 12. Great garden tips. Thank you.
Nice content, How long have you been growing?
Started growing in 2008
Appreciate this. High desert gardening is tough. You're dealing with tough summers. I'm zone 6 so hot but (not so hot summers) and colder winters. Some of these won't work but this is helpful anyway.
How do you deal with animals in the garden? Thank you!
I don't have a lot of issues with them - some problems with rats and birds. For those that do, it seems barrier methods are the most effective.
we're in the west phx valley and will try some in this list. we grow fig, mandarin, lemon, passion fruit, barbados cherry, mulberry, stokes sweet potato, tomato, onion and some other random items. going to try your straw bed method for potatoes soon.
Wow, this is a treasure chest full of new perrenials i can grow. I'm new to your channel this morning and you have a new subscriber.❤❤
How about sage?
Yes! Sage is a great perennial herb for sure. I have another video about perennial herbs here: th-cam.com/video/yiD8IdVR3GY/w-d-xo.html - this video is about other kinds of crops.
I didn't realize that eggplant was a perennial. I cut one back because it was sickly, and I thought it was done for the season. I never pull it, and it's growing back! 😊
@@Moon..Shadow As long as conditions are right (it doesn't freeze) it can keep going for several years. They are tough plants!
I’ve never heard of some of these. Do you grow them from seed or transplants?
Goji berries are not delicious, lol 😂
I like them - maybe I'm the only one. :)
Strawberries definitely last more than 3 years, something is going wrong there.
Not in the heat here - we are lucky if they last 3 years.
@@GrowingInTheGarden I'm happy if mine last more than a year in Buckeye, AZ
Is your garden south facing?
Great video Angela, thanks for the effort
Great content. Very helpful info
Your videos are amazing. Thank you so so much. You have revolutionized backyard gardening in the desert. Truly
So nice of you, thank you.
Where do you get tags from?
I use these labels from Amazon: amzn.to/4bcXT4L
With these markers: amzn.to/3P8IgC8
Love your channel. Why am I getting large grubs in my compost piles. Other than picking them out, what can I do?
Hand picking is my main method. The chickens love them :)
Thank you for sharing.
So fun to watch these plants.
I want to live in your climate! I’m in London, and we get heavy frost.. I want to live in a climate that gets mild but not frosty ❤
Love London! We spent some time there this fall. So many beautiful gardens. Our summers are so hot, you can grow many, many things that we cannot. Different challenges and benefits no matter where you live for sure!
Thank you #savesoil #Consciousplanet
Have you had any experience with gogi berry or blueberries?
I grow goji berries - they are in this video - but haven’t had good luck with blueberries - most types need a different climate and soil than I have
Thanks!
Thanks so much!
Sugar cane hau you first prepare to grow
Plant from a young transplant
@@GrowingInTheGarden can you put in film
Amazing variety - some of them I haven’t heard of! Can most of these also be grown in containers? I’m particularly interested in the grapes 🍇.
Thank you for your informative videos - I always learn so much!
Many can grow in containers very well (strawberries, eggplant, peppers, ginger, turmeric and more) but I would recommend the ground for grapes if possible. Their roots can go quite deep and will be happiest in the ground.
@@GrowingInTheGarden Thank you!
Wow so much to grow
Beautiful work. love it
When you plant perennials in this lovely AZ soil what amendments do you use? Just compost mixed with ground soil? Thanks for all you do! I learn so much from you.
Great question. In many areas I amend my in bed areas with wood chips and have for a few years. They have broken down and added organic matter to the soil.
I do a bit of fish meal blended in the top soil & add a thick cover of straw mulch and/or wood chips in the pathways.
Can you tell us who makes your overalls? Thank you!
These are from Duluth - love them!
This is a very interesting video.. did you start moringa and malabar spinach from seeds? If yes, can you please share where you got them?
They are both started from saved seeds. Not sure where I got the original ones.
@GrowingInTheGarden OK! I have been looking for those specifically since last year and was thrilled to see them in your video.. Thank you for getting back though!
Love your videos Angela! I’m in zone 9b as well but with very humid hot summers so I wonder if like you I could also leave tomatoes or potatoes in the ground (or containers) to see if in the fall they’d recover from the intense summer heat and are able to thrive and bear fruit again? The problem we have quite often here because of the high humidity and rain during the summer is all the fungus diseases that affect tomatoes and other crops but maybe I can look for varieties that are resistant to fungal diseases and try my luck😊 which variety of indeterminate tomatoes and potatoes do you grow as perennials?
It depends on the year. Sungold tomatoes have certainly been a favorite. and Yukon gold potatoes grow very well here. Different challenges with humidity for sure. Best of luck to you!
Thank you for your reply Angela😊 I have a packet of sungold tomato seeds so I’ll be starting them for this summer👍🏻
Thank you
Loved this!
Thanks this is awesome information,can you tell me what kind of tomato is best for year round
Indeterminate types will keep growing as long as they don't get diseased or freeze. They will slow down in the cold and the heat.
@@GrowingInTheGarden okay thanks so much I’ll look at my seeds and see what I have do you have a favorite though
chayote comes back for 3 to 4 years in hot climates depending on what insects or rodents they have to fight against.
I haven't had good luck growing it - it doesn't like our summers (I think) any tips to share?
How interesting that u haven't had success with chayote. They grow it in Mexico just south of Arizona for a market crop. It loves a trellis & creates its own shade for it fruit. How have u started it? Getting the chayote fruit & getting it to sprout is the best way to 'transplant' it. I would imagine u have plenty of chayote for sale in the markets in Arizona near u. The biggest trouble i have had where i live in Texas is that field rats & mice love to eat the chayote plant. I am surrounded by hay fields so i deal with a lot of mice etc during hay cutting times.
@@Kat-Knows I've sprouted it indoors and had it vining and growing successfully - and then it got hot (we had a very hot summer ) and it died. I tried a couple of other times too, but that was the furthest I'd gotten because I started it in the fall and it grew well through winter. Maybe I'll try again this fall.
@@GrowingInTheGardenmine was the opposite. It survived three seasons until it was cold then died. Bummer! I am trying again this year and see what happens.
What I really want is wild chayote - the one with little spikes on the skin. At times Mexican grocer has it but it is rare.
45 degree in Sydney
So hot! We had a lot of that last summer as well. Stay cool if you can!
Wow! First I've heard of this many perrenials - I understand I live in the high desert, so will have to look up and compare elevations.
I will be looking through your videos for uses of moringa.
Just found 17 new plants i need now 🙂🫠