Permanent Crops

There are certain crops that need to have their roots remain where they were planted. These remain in the same spot for several years. Therefore, they should be planted where they will not be disturbed. An edge of the garden is usually preferred. This is especially true if your garden is fenced in, which is advisable. Most permanent crops grow too tall to plant toward the center of the garden. We’ll talk about the growing characteristics of four popular permanent crops. Hopefully, this will help determine the best location for your particular situation. We will discuss planting requirements later.

My favorite is asparagus. Asparagus is usually started by planting roots in fairly deep trenches. That is a clue that you don’t want to plant it every year. Another factor is that asparagus doesn’t produce the first season and not a full crop even during the second season. The good news is that from the third season on, you’ll have good eating for several years. Asparagus needs the summer to grow its stalks to nourish itself for the next spring harvest. These stalks grow four to five or more feet tall and thus shade any crops that are on the north or west of them. It’s probably not the crop to plant in center row of the garden.

Horseradish is my second favorite permanent crop. It is planted using the top inch of a root along with part of the stalk and leaves. Horseradish is best given a full season to mature. It too will last several years if cared for properly. Horseradish leaves can grow to over knee high. It can shade lower growing crops planted in the rows north or west of it. Horseradish will spread to unwanted areas if disturbed by tilling. The root parts form new plants and since they grow deep into the soil, they are hard to get rid of. Also, horseradish roots should only be harvested in months that contain an R. This means that at the height of the gardening season horseradish is refueling itself for September through April. You have to work around it all summer.

I like strawberries but not enough to plant them. I graduated from three universities but the birds and other varmints outsmart me every time I try my luck at strawberries. Strawberries are started from plants. They also don’t produce a full crop the first season. Gardeners usually pick off the blossoms the first season to allow the plant to strengthen itself to produce fruit and send out “runners” the following seasons. The runners are the plants that are used for future plantings. Expect a crop the second season and several seasons to come, if you can out fox the enemies. Strawberry plants are low growing so they probably won’t pose a shad problem for other crops. They might work out well away from the edge of the garden.

Rhubarb is another permanent crop that produces high and large leaves that will crowd out others crops. Rhubarb is a rather rapid growing plant, so it might shade other crops before they get a chance for a good growth start. It too is a crop that is planted as a root. Rhubarb, if well nourished, can last for several years. It’s another crop that is best planted on the garden’s edge. Eat the stalks but not the leaves. The leaves will give you a belly ache.