Planting Veg that can reproduce on its own.

[jansman]

All of the above! You seem to have most of the perennials that will grow, covered. I have a perrenial garden here at home and I grow all of the things everyone has mentioned. The advantage of what you are suggesting is that the average person who stumbles across your place would not recognise many plants in a "wild" setting. Especially if they are spread and mixed.

From my pov in my garden this system looks "scruffy" in the conventional sense,but as I said this would be a positive in a shtf scenario if gardens were being robbed. It is also VERY reliable, nature does her stuff. Drought resistant,disease and pest tolerant,mostly and no concerns that next year there is no seed in the garden centre.

All in all a good win-win situation for any gardener I reckon. Thanks for starting a good thread,and good luck with your planting.

[tfish]

Thats great to know....

Messy is good

[maddriver]

My garden must be very good!

[jansman]

Just looking at the garden,the perennials are doing well,far better than the annuals. The garden needs sun,lots of it. I think I will expand on this next year. Better production,less work.

[PrepperVicky]

Hi, There are lots of wild edible plants such as fennel, wild garlic, jack by the hedge, sorrel etc. I have a small piece of land that is under very strict planning rules so I can not do anything with it other than plant things. I gather wild edible seeds and roots and scatter them every now and then. Its not going too well as there are rabbits and cattle get in through a broken wall. However, at least im not putting a lot of effort into it so im not too bothered. I also planted some jeruselam artichokes but they seem to hve been eaten.

[Plantiejo]

Great thread! Perennials are very useful. I use a book called How to grow perennial vegetables by Martin Crawford.
His website is http://www.agroforestry.co.uk/ (A non-profit making charity).
He supplies all the plants/trees and shrubs too. You can also visit and take a tour with Martin to see the mature plants and trees in their mature state. One of his areas is a nut plantation. Just email him if you are interested, his email address is on the ART website (above).

I do not see rabbits and deer coming to eat the plants as a problem, I see it as a benefit, because I eat meat! Plant some stuff deliberately out in the open or on the edge, to attract them. They will only eat so much, then you can eat them.

In a retreat situation with an acre or so (wouldn't we all love to have that!) one idea is to plant a couple of walnut trees, in advance, (a couple so they can ensure better pollination of each other) to ATTRACT the squirrels (for eating). Planting Walnuts ensures that squirrels will visit from the whole surrounding area and they do not seem to learn that it is a shoot area.

One year ago I planted 1 x Fernette and 1 x Fernor, they were 4 year old trees when they went in. Sourced from http://www.walnuttrees.co.uk/.

Lime trees too, Tilia Cordata, (not the 'citrus' style of lime), sourced fro ART, for £2.50 each as small trees. Grow them on and Pollard them just above deer grazing height, so about 1.8m. The mass of leaves that grow make great greens to eat raw/bases for salads.

[Plantiejo]

Hi Diamond Lil, Nettles do work! then you can selectively eat the nettles too, very good for you.

[BelfastGranny]

I am looking to sow various vegetables at my BOL. Not to harvest any time soon but to leave alone to be used when I am there or to supply food and seeds if I ever relocated there permanently.

I’ve done a quick search and I think the following falls into this bracket.

Horseradish
Rhubarb
Asparagus
Radicchio
Jerusalem Artichoke
Artichoke
Sorrel
Cardoon
Welsh Onion
Egyptian Onion
Garlic
Sweet Potato / Yam
Pepper plants
Arugula (rocket lettuce)
Taro (source of Hawaiian Poi)
Waterchestnut
Ginger
Sea beet
Sea kale


If anyone has any advice or knowledge on the subject jump in.

Pepper plants cannot be grown as a perennial in the UK because of our climate, so are treated as annuals.

However as long as the seeds are not F1 hybrids they will of course produce fertile seeds which can be saved and planted the next year.

The only edible pereninial I have grown is MINT it takes over your garden. How nice to know if the SHTF I can at least leave this life with fresh breath what with the lack of tobacco and a garden full of rampaging Min t.

(plant it in a bucket to stop it taking over your garden! )

[Cocotte]

The only edible pereninial I have grown is MINT it takes over your garden. How nice to know if the SHTF I can at least leave this life with fresh breath what with the lack of tobacco and a garden full of rampaging

Sounds like the real problem you have is lacking a supply of rum and lime juice (mojito!)

But isn't mint good for keeping pests away? Same for marigolds which can made into basic medicines. Can't remember if it's antiseptic or anti-inflammatory. Although I don't think marigolds are perennials.

[essgee23]

tomatoes!!!

i had dumped some dead plants into my composter, theyd all rotted down nicely, used some on my veg patch a year later.

was growing beetroots, onions, runner beans etc, and several tom plants grew and thrived without any intervention at all, in an unsheltered outdoor plot.

will see if they turn up again this year...

free toms - thank you very much mumma nature