How to reap the rewards from a small amount of effort for years to come.
Although perennials are often slow growing, once established they can just about take care of themselves. Most species are low maintenance. But when I say low, I don’t mean no maintenance. Every planting requires thought and care. Slowly becoming WILD AND FREE if not maintained. Luckily these tips will assist in taming your backyard garden and growing organic vegetables with very little effort.
- Once a lengthy period of observations has been considered (6 months to a year preferably), the creation of your design is ready to happen. Keeping in mind the extremely important seasonal observations and the water reticulation sorted, one of the FIRST THINGS I usually advise my new gardens, friends and family, is to plant PERENNIALS. These plants are often left to the last, or forgotten entirely as the excitement of starting a new journey/garden/season often tends to have fast growing quick return, instant gardens. Whilst PERENNIALS are slow moving, quiet and for some, hasting the impatience and annoyance of long term life plantings.
- Annuals as the name suggests, typically live for only ONE SEASON. Whereas BIENNIALS grow ONE YEAR AND FRUIT THE NEXT and, PERENNIALS/EVERGREEN live TWO OR MORE YEARS- even for LIFE.
- Each species has a time of the year when they are ready to supply your kitchen with fresh produce, flowers, pollination, deterrents, fragrances, colours, textures, sounds even. Continuous giving throughout the year. IRIE!!!
- A small amount of research on when each perennial will be ready to plant and harvest or perhaps be alive and life giving while other annuals are gone or deciduous trees/shrubs/plants are dormant, will result in there always being something available to eat and to continue to sustain life in your backyard.
- As these suggested trees develop and mature over the years, they provide a canopy for layering and support species, soil building biomass and protection for your understory plantings. With this layered approach as seen in forests and bushlands, the need to LOOK AFTER THEM dissipates as the canopy grows. Along with SELF SEEDING and LOW MAINTENANCE, every GENERATION of plants allowed to go to seed, teaches the NEXT GENERATION of seeds, via DNA CODE SHARING/GENETIC CODING and CONDITIONS ITSELF TO YOUR ENDEMIC MICROCLIMATE AND NEEDS. These plants sure are handy dandy and so very beautiful.
There are many examples of perennials, annuals and biennials here at ONENESS FARMS in PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA. Below are some of the perennials that SUBURBAN FARMER uses and suggests with bespoke consideration to your specific parameters:
Herbs:
Chives
Fennel
Dill
Coriander
Edible Chrysanthemum
Mint
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Lemon Balm
Vegetables:
Asparagus
Artichoke
Rhizomes and Bulbs
Rhubarb
Silverbeet
Spring Onion
Sweet Potato
Potatoes
Pumpkins and Gourds
Taro
Ethiopian Cabbage
Burdock
Vetiver Grass
Fruits: REMEBERING DORMANCY IN SOME SPECIES
Apples
Tomatoes
Cucumbers/Melons
Apricots
Pear
Avocado
Banana
Plantain
Papaya
Passionfruit Parcha
Berries (Blackberries, Blueberries, Rasberries, etc)
Citrus (Lemon, Limes, Oranges, etc)
Pineapple
Fig
Grapes
Strawberries
Flowers/Tree’s:
Achillea
Violets and Daisys
Artemisia
Bacopa
Coleus
Bromeliad
Lavender
Sage
Cone Flower
Valerian
Gerbera
Begonias
Hibiscus
Sapote
Soursop
Pink Guava
Star Fruit
Dragon Fruit
Moringa
Elderberry
Salt Bush
Mexican Marigold
Bolivian Sunflower
Castor Oil Plant
Acacia Saligna or Cyclops
Royal Poinciana/Flamboyanes
Rose of Sharon
Shampoo Ginger
Qld Arrowroot
Cassava
Pigeon Pea/Gungo Pea