practical perennial veges

Browsing nursery catalogs I have come across various perennial vegi crops. Does anyone have direct experience with these?

Thanks!

Jon

Tree collards are one of my favorites. They are extremely hardy and extremely nutritious- with lots of vitamins, protein and calcium. They are one of the few veggies that will grow during Oregon's wet, cloudy winters. I've got several big plants that about 7 or 8 years old now in my garden. Other perennials I like include asparagus (Purple Passion from seed), Egyptian Walking and Multiplier onions, Purple Sprouting broccoli, various kinds of garlic (for greens), Giant Musselburgh leeks (harvest only the top), Moss Curled parsley, Red Russian Kale. I also have a bunch of other brassicas that have lasted for years- including January King cabbage and Thompson broccoli- just prune off all the flowers before they open and keep them well-fertilized with compost and lime. Territorial Seed Company also has several seed mixes that often naturalize, over-winter and self-seed in Oregon's climate- including Wild Garden Kales, Wild Garden Lettuce and Wild Garden Mustards. I also have made Utah Celery and Bright Lights Chard last for three years. However, I have had bad luck with Jersey Knight asparagus and Green Globe artichokes, they donot seem to like our climate.

Of course it depends on your climate, but I second the Egyptian walking onions: really handy and super tough.
Jerusalem artichokes are incredibly productive. Be aware that wherever they are planted is basically where they will always be :
Rocoto chillies. Perennial high-altitude chilli. Gangly plant, almost 'viny'. Loads of fruity, yet hot pods like Chinese lanterns.
Garlic's a perennial if I forget one or two and leave them in.
Do herbs count as veges? Thyme, sage, chives, mint, Vietnamese mint, oregano, rosemary, bay..
Rhubarb's a plant we think of as a fruit rather than a vege; whatever I call it, my 'Glaskin's perpetual' produces fat red stems and giant leaves all year round
Most of my veges aren't actually perennials, but generous self-seeders. Parsnips, rocket, upland cress, siverbeet, lettuces, salsify, coriander and many more.

I would add sweet cicely, lovage, and skirret to that list

i have trying to find order info on skirret and sweet cicely as I would love to have both.

Here I have experience with rhubarb, asparagus, horseradish, jerusalem artichokes, multiplying onions... as well as a lot of so called ornamentals that are edible like daylillies

I also have ordered several new ones to start this year..very interested in good king henry..

I have good luck with herbs and a lot of the greens I plant come back year after year or self seed, the easiest one here is swiss chard so far..it is very good at returning, chicory also returns here.

I'm sure there are others that have returned, but right now I can't remember..

Stinging Nettle! Watercress! Both highly nutritious.

You might think about how to "perennialize annuals."
Find some plants that will reseed themselves readily, and you will have them again next year without much work.
But I'm interested in perennial veggies, too.

@ Brenda:
Skirret is available from Amishland Seed

and JL Hudson has sweet sicely (Myrrhis odorata)

I love my reseeders - cress, lettuces, dandelions, and most especially CORN SALAD!!! It's the first thing I can eat in the spring (besides dandelions). I'm growing it on top of half my asparagus bed this year - we'll see how it does! I've never had enough corn salad, but perhaps I will this year.

And no one's mentioned purple sprouting broccoli. Is it just especially long lived, or is it perennial? Mine seems to just keep going and going!

We have gotten volenteer potatos once or twice. If it was warmer in the winter I do believe that we culd have a permanant potato patch that never needed planting.

We do have perennial asparagus.

thanks for the skirret and sweet cicely info...yes I get volunteer potatoes nearly every year any more..as well..just leave a few when you dig...

Parsley is good for two years in my climate. I follow Bill Mollison's advice and let it go to seed and shake
the seeds out where I want them. I also tried one of his suggestions with peppers and potted a couple and
put them in the garage over winter. Then I plant them back into the garden in spring. I have a pepper plant
that is 3 years old. This gets us eating peppers at least a month earlier than my regular crop. Bill Mollison is
in a different climate but what he says usually works for me.

I like lovage as alternative to celery. And as greens I particularly like nettles.

Also love Egyptian onions as perennial onions, ramps and chives too (and will try to get some multiplier onions as well).

Root-wise, I like yacon (more as a fruit) because it produces so much.
Sunchokes are very productive and strong but still not my adquired taste. But its a practical plant.
I also tried skirret and scorzonoreras, easy to grow and nice taste.

Fruit-wise: most fruit trees are very worth to grow, if you have space and time to wait. Figs come to my mind. Pomegranates too.
Berries are a quick answer, I find raspberries easy to grow and delicious. No worries with it. Strawberries (the wild type) are also another practical plant: grow quick, make a ground cover and delicious fruits.

Herb-wise: I like making peppermint tea, and cooking with marjoram.