Most people grow annual plants. These plants die every winter, and they have to be replanted in the spring. However, perennials are plants that keep coming back every year. In this article, we’ve listed some of the most delicious perennial plants to grow in your garden.
But keep in mind, even though all these are perennials, not all of them will grow perennially in all locations. You always need to check for the compatibility with the place you live before you start planting.
1. Avocado
Avocado trees are native to humid and semi-humid tropical areas. It grows best in places that have moderately warm temperatures (60-85F) and moderate humidity.
And once it grows strong, the tree can tolerate temperatures as low as 28F with minimal damages. If you choose to purchase a tree, you can expect your first fruit 3-4 years after planting. If you grow an avocado tree from a seed, it could take between 5 to 13 years before your tree bears fruits.
These trees will give fruits for many years. The original Hass tree (1926) is still growing and producing fruits. Some wild trees in Mexico are older than 400 years, and they always deliver.
Best of all, an avocado tree can produce about 200 fruits once it’s five years old. But, the tree will not give the same amount each year. One year it may give you a more abundant crop, but the next may be smaller.
2. Asparagus
Asparagus shoots represent the first signs of spring. They often poke out of the soil alongside other perennial plants like crocus and tulips.
Asparagus is perennial, meaning you can grow this plant in your garden every year. However, in the first year, you should not havest any asparagus at all, and each year you will have to leave a lot of asparagus shoots behind, allowing them to flower and grow into next year’s harvest. Doing this will enable the plants to grow for many years, sometimes up to 30.
Asparagus grows well in all areas, except for the warmest parts, Zones 8 and higher. More temperate zones have milder winters, and in these areas, the plants will not go fully dormant. This means the plants do not get enough strength and eventually start to decline.
3. Sweet Potatoes
You can grow sweet potatoes very quickly. In fact, if you accidentally drop a plant on the ground, it will take off and grow!
Of course, this only happens if the ground is warm and moist. Plant your sweet potatoes 12 to 18 inches apart. Allow about 3 feet between the rows, so the vines will have enough space.
4. Onion and Garlic
Onions and garlic can survive even in cold winters. Plant garlic and onion cloves in the fall and just sit back and enjoy watching how the green shoots will poke out of the soil in the spring. Leave a few of these each year. They will eventually flower, seed themselves, and separate their bulbs. This process will provide you with next year’s crop.
5. Lemons
Lemon and other citrus trees grow well in tropical and subtropical areas. Sweet citruses require a warmer climate. But, sour citrus trees like lemon do not require high temperatures, meaning you can grow them even in cold coastal regions.
Plant your lemon tree in the spring. Spring planting allows the gree to establish itself before the start of winter and potentially affects the tree’s growth. Keep your lemon tree in a place exposed to the sun and one that drains well. Fertilize the tree every month from spring to summer during the first year by using a citrus tree fertilize enriched with nitrogen.
Once you get started, it’ll be easier to keep going. As Dr. Craig McDougall says, “Once you have more energy, have lost some weight, or your stomach pain has disappeared, then it’s easier to continue eating healthfully. One of the best motivators for people transitioning to plant-based eating comes from how great they feel and how much more than can do in their lives once they’re feeling healthier.”