THERE are plenty of plants which will either grow all year round, or that will rise again each spring to provide food – and some are plants known more traditionally for their beauty. PHOTO: HEATHER CARSTON
AS we approach the middle of autumn, now is a good time to look at vegetables that will survive the colder period of winter and beyond – particularly those that are perennial, and or those that will rise again each year.
There are several that can be planted, both in gardens and pots, that will see your family through.
The first is silverbeet and spinach and the cut-and-come-again lettuces – these great plants grow well in pots, bags and in gardens and provided you take leaves judiciously from them, in other words, grow two or three and spread out the cutting so the plant survives well, will give you nutritious greens all year round.
Silverbeet and spinach do tend to go to seed quicker from the second year on, but if you rotate your plants, that is grow a new one every six months or so, you won’t run out.
Next is asparagus. This is a great plant which needs its own quite reasonable sized patch and to basically be left alone to do its thing. Crowns bought from a nursery are best to buy, because it will take three or four years to get the spears if growing from seed.
While you won’t want to plant these just yet – July to December is best for them, although if where you live in the King Country is prone to heavy frosts, not until September.
Preparing their bed now though is a good idea. Do this by raising it higher than your other vegetable beds and preparing the soil with plenty of compost, sheep pellets, a bit of blood and bone and turn on a regular basis until it’s time to plant.
There are several varieties, but all produce well once they begin.
Autumn is the time to cut back the fernery and the plants will be dormant until spring – and the spears – arrive each year.
Kale is another great superfood. There are ornamentals which are used in flower gardens and while these can be eaten, they are often bitter, requiring boiling twice or sauteing with oil. The usual dark green or purple kale used for cuisine is a better bet, and like silverbeet and spinach, will grow all year.
In a similar manner, artichokes are also perennial, growing for at least four or five years, and the tubers will give you future plants.
Now is the time for harvesting with autumn being the traditional time.
Celery is another that if cut by the stalk instead of the entire plant, will last a lot longer than you think.
In an odd twist, hostas also provide a good food source. The spears which they produce prior to dying off for the season, are quite edible as are the leaves, although they are best when young and still tightly curled. These, according to food foragers, have the taste of mild lettuces and the curled leaves retain a slight crunch.
There are any number of plants which as well as being beautiful in your garden, can be nutritious when used in cooking.
