The way I understand it if you leave the roots in the ground (in moderate climates only it appears) they will re-sprout the following year and you will get beans earlier than you would by planting new seeds. One of the places I read said that the crops on the renewed vines aren't as heavy, but that they will come back for a number of years.

I don't have anything terribly exotic yet but, since moving here last fall, we've been working hard to get a variety of "permanent" fruits & veggies going. So far, we have various fruit & nut trees, blackberries, raspberries, a few varieties of asparagus and rhubarb, sunchokes, assorted herbs, Alpine strawberries, walking onions (and wild onions), and garlic.

For next year, we're planning on adding more (larger) strawberries, cherry trees, more rhubarb (love that stuff!), and... I don't yet know. This winter, I'll be researching more things to add to the perennial areas. I love hearing what you all have tried.

This guy has some videos of Tree Collards and Walking Stick Kale (plus other edible perennial vegetables)
YouTube embed isn't working
Maybe this link will work
[URL]http://www.youtube.com/user/growingyourgreens/videos?query=tree+collards[/URL]
He has about 600 videos not all about edible perennial vegetables
[URL]http://www.youtube.com/user/growingyourgreens/videos[/URL]
[B][SIZE=1]How to Over Winter Your Scarlett Runner Beans & Best Source for Seed [URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQvO4-VVAjw&feature=plcp&context=C450e36bVDvjVQa1PpcFMDffvQ0swoNQbRt8Bo6KZID9UYcKlf5oc%3D"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQvO4-VVAjw&feature=plcp&context=C450e36bVDvjVQa1PpcFMDffvQ0swoNQbRt8Bo6KZID9UYcKlf5oc%3D[/URL][/SIZE][/B]

[SIZE=1]Scarlet Runner Beans - Growing and Harvesting [/SIZE][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBhOxmm_xdA&feature=plcp&context=C4732ecaVDvjVQa1PpcFMDffvQ0swoNdFOH-R1Xc_q1rOf2CkEaOY="][/URL]

Tree Collards

Walking Stick Kale and Tree Collards

[B][SIZE=2]Yield 8 Pounds of Edible Sunchoke Tubers from a 3 Gallon Nursery Pot[/SIZE][/B]

Thanks, \I have seen his videos before.

Adding to my earlier post in which said I had ramsons and rampions imported from Germany, the ramsons grow happily under trees so they being planted direct in to the place under my grape vine.They are sharing it with Wils English Bluebells ,

The Rampions I have decidee not to sow, I have found it is ivasive and need to be put in a wood or something or in wild flower garden. If anyone would like them please PM me.

I have brought fruit bushed to day coming in the mail, blackcurrantsm gooseberries, redcurranys,raspberries and blueberries, with strawberries and rhubarbthis will give me a soft fruit garden,asparagus should be here any day too,

I had some chou Daubenton plants sent from overseas but they didn;t make it. They rarely set seed so was surprised to see the UK seed savres offering them, I was lucky and one of the few who got them. I have them up about 1 inch now. This is a prennial cabbage so am finally thrilled I have it. my deleway cabbage is going in soon, it is also perennial.

Still hoping to find soem cuttings of the perennial collards

XX Jeannine

I actually just picked my first asparagus today! I went out to check how my snap peas were coming along and realized that there were several stalks over a foot tall. Had to snap a few off and munch right then and there! Yum.

Have to say, those are shaping up to be a good investment. Putting in the bed took a lot of time. (Removing all of the grass, digging a 5' x 20' space down to 18" with a shovel and mixing in batches of compost didn't sound that hard until I actually had to do it by myself. LOL) But once it's done, it's done and it's so great to go out on a Spring day and cut a few stalks.

I have several fruit trees, grape vines, and perennial herbs, but the asparagus is the only perennial veggie so far.

Are the perennial collards and Kale as tasty as the annual kind? If so, that would be wonderful. You gotta love food that just pops up on it's own!

I wish it was cold enough here to plant rhubarb. I love, love, love rhubarb.
I have an amazing kale plant, just one, that survived the hottest summer in Phoenix last year, lasted all winter and is still going strong. I also had a chard go 2 1/2 years before dying during a week of 120 degree days, planted where it got heat soaked by the house, although it had a lot of shade.
I'm moving in a year so won't do a lot of perinniels until after our move. Hope to start a real orchard then. This year, though, I am planting plenty of herbs and a pomegranate tree. I will plant asparagus, rhubarb and stone fruit trees as soon as we move, hopefully somewhere with a colder winter and milder summer.
We do have a nice old Meyer lemon which gives is tons of sweet lemons and an orange smelling zest.

Tracy, Do you keep your Meyers Lemon inside over the winter?

No, my Meyer lemon is a huge, old tree. In the ground and has been through quite a few freezes, down around 20-25 degrees. It has a concrete wall for protection but everyone in my area has citrus trees in-ground, orchards everywhere. The air is so sweet smelling with citrus blossoms in Mesa right now.

That sounds so wonderful! My grandparents lived in Winter Haven, Florida for many years. They had a grapefruit tree and a kumquat tree. We loved going out and picking our own grapefruit for breakfast. The smell in Spring was great, as I recall.

I believe that some people do grow a dwarf container version of the Meyers lemon, so that's why I was asking. I just wondered how much sun they need if they are kept indoors. (Not that I need anything else to water! lol)

Yes, you can grow Meyer lemon in a pot and bring indoors for winter. I think they do well in pots. Take it outdoors for spring,summer and fall.

I just bought a couple of Meyer Lemons at Stark Bros this weekend, along with some Key Limes, a Tangerine, and a Valencia Orange. All will live in pots and be brought inside for winter. (I grew lemon & lime before indoors and they did okay... until I killed them when life got hectic. Oops.) I also fell sucker to Baker Creek's Orange Pomegranate and Pink Banana seeds that I'll soon get started and overwinter in pots for winter.

I have started increasing my perennials this year: Good King Henry and French Sorrel, along with more rhubarb and asparagus.

Jeanine, I would love to know how the perennial cabbages do for you. I'm trying to add a few more perennials each year and those would definitely be at the top of my list if they do well.

Owiebrain- with the pomegranate, it's a true desert plant. I would plant it in a cactus mix and keep it dry, dry, dry. The citrus like good drainage and not too much water, once established, although I've not ever grown them in pots. Not too much fertilizer but a bit of organic stuff. Mine get some chloriosis so I have to give them iron every once in awhile. Pomegranate likes an alkaline soil so they shouldnt need iron too often.
I haven't tried bananas, yet. I just bought some giant bird of paradise, which look like bananas but are ornamentals, growing to 15 feet and beautiful flowers for hummers.
I'm trying to sit on my hands and not plant too many perinniels this year, although my chard and kale act perinniel. I did plant strawberries and I'm going to bring them indoors this summer, under lights, because I was really late starting them. Next year, I should have a bumper crop of strawberries!

I am sooooo excited.

Part of my story is a repeat........

I have wanted Chou Daubenton a perennial cabbage for two years. It rarely puts out seeds and has to be propogated by cuttings.

A friend sent me some cuttings from the UK but they diidn't make it....

I bought plants in France,had them sent to my son in Holland who sent them to me, they took ages and were in a very bad state, we babied them and finally got them into the ground last year but I guess they were not strong enough as they diidn;t make it. I was gutted.
I am a member of HSL, the UK seed savers. We can''t buy seeds through them as such but with our membership we get 6 packets of seeds free. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the Daubenton offered. We have to choose 6 vareties of seeds and give a 2nd and 3rd choice, then we wait with fingers croseed to see if we get our first choice. Knowing how rare these seeds are I didn't hold my breath but....I got them !!!

Then it is said that even if the plant makes seed it is often not viable so the pressure stays on. I sowed them 2 weeks ago and I got super germination . They have just been potted on so feel safe now

I can't believe I am finally growing them.

Just a cabbage.....................but I am so excited that this rare French plant will be joining my perennial veggies garden.

I also ordered fruit bushes this week. Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Redcurrants, Gooseberries,Raspberries and also Strawberries and Asparagus. The rhubarb I grew fron seed two years ago has formed good tubers so it looks as though the fruit garden will be complete this year, there is already a big grapevine there and I am sowing my Rampsons around the base of it as they like to be under s trees I am told..

XX Jeannine


Just for the record, when my Daubenton plants are big enough I will take cuttings and have no problem sending them into the US if anyone wants them. I know how hard it is to get some things and have every intention of sharing my Daubenton around.

Wow! How exciting!

So how does a perennial cabbage work? When you cut out the center, do yo leave some foliage on the outside to keep it going? Does it form little baby cabbages to the side?

Just wondering.

It doesn't have a centre like a usual cabbage, you pick the leaves. I have never grown it before so it is learning journey for me too but there is bits and pieces on the net.

Basically it is French cabbbage and popular there. I belive there is a varigated form too which is interesting. ! of my babies is much lighter than the others, in fact it is almost yellow. I thought it was sick but it is growing just the same as the others. It may die but I will try to keep it.

I have just ordered Jerusalem Artichokes and Chinese Artichokes.

Oh and I have Babbington leeks to plant now, a firend sent them from the UK, I may have mentioned I was getting them. They are perennial.

So my perennial bed is fast getting very interesting. I can't wait for it to start producing.

How is everyone else doing?

Owiebrain, I will keep the info coming and if I get cuttings from my Daubenton further down the road I will share.

XX Jeannine