Skip to main content

The low-maintenance vegetable garden: 5 unique perennial vegetable plants that produce year after year

Amazing perennial veggies to plant in your vegetable garden

Person holding produce in a bowl over a vegetable garden
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re looking to plant a vegetable garden that’s low maintenance and sustainable, incorporating perennial vegetable plants is a great idea. Many of them are packed with nutrients and can offer visual interest and other benefits to your garden. Let’s explore the upside of growing perennial vs. annual vegetables, discuss which ones to plant, and the delicious recipes you can make with each of them.

Recommended Videos

Benefits of perennial vs. annual vegetable plants

Perennial vegetable plants are plants that live for more than two growing seasons and continue to produce edible parts year after year. There are a ton of benefits when it comes to perennial vs. annual vegetable gardens:

  1. Low maintenance: Perennial vegetable plants don’t need to be replanted every year. This saves time, effort, and money in the long run.
  2. Sustainability: These plants are more sustainable because they require less water, fertilizer, and other resources over their lifetime. They also help to build healthy soil and reduce erosion.
  3. Longevity: Perennials can live for many years, which means you can enjoy a consistent harvest without the need for replanting. This also reduces the risk of crop failure due to weather or other environmental factors.
  4. Nutritional value: Did you know that perennials often have higher levels of nutrients and minerals than their annual counterparts? This is because they have more time to establish strong roots and absorb nutrients from the soil.
  5. Multifunctional: Want more diversity in your garden? Perennials come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and you can use them in a range of recipes. They also serve multiple purposes in your garden, as they can improve your soil, keep pests at bay, and even provide hedging in some cases.

Overall, perennial vegetable plants offer several benefits over annual vegetable plants, making them a great choice for a sustainable, low-maintenance garden.

A basket of fresh asparagus
DUSAN ZIDAR / Shutterstock

5 perennial vegetables your garden needs

So, which perennial veggies should you start with in your garden? We’ve got five amazing options, and we’ll also discuss which delicious recipes you can make with them.

Asparagus

Asparagus is a nutrient-rich perennial vegetable that produces a harvest year after year with low maintenance. It usually takes around two to three years before you can harvest this veggie, as it needs time to establish strong roots before it can produce a good harvest. But once it gets going, you’ll have a delicious side dish for your steak or a nutritious addition to your fresco pasta.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb also takes a couple of growing seasons to be ready for harvest, but it’s packed with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s also a versatile ingredient that’s great in deserts, such as rhubarb pie, and can be used to make jams, jellies, and even glazes for savory meat dishes.

Artichokes

Great in dips, pasta, pizza, and even as a tasty side dish, artichokes are extremely versatile. Growing them is simple, and they’re a great addition to your vegetable garden. Artichokes are great companion plants, they’re drought tolerant, and they have a unique, ornamental appearance.

Horseradish

With its unique, spicy flavor, horseradish can up your culinary game in sauces, dips, and even homemade condiments. Growing this perennial root vegetable is simple, and it even serves as a pest deterrent in your garden.

Berry bushes

What’s not to love about fresh, homegrown berries? Eat them raw, add them to your waffles or oatmeal, or make sweet homemade jams. Berry bushes are low maintenance, provide the benefit of hedging your garden, and some varieties even deter pests.

Incorporating perennial vegetables into your garden can offer a wide range of benefits. They require less maintenance, are more sustainable, and can give you a reliable source of food year after year. By planting perennial vegetables, you can create a sustainable and enjoyable garden that provides beauty and nutrition — without all the work.

Veronica Sparks
Veronica Sparks is a writer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who loves writing about gardening, home décor, and DIY life. She’s…
The best spring fruits to grow: Add these to your garden
Plant these fruits this spring for a tasty harvest
Ripe blackberries on the bush

Spring is a favorite season for many gardeners, and for good reason! The plants begin to wake up, the ground thaws, and you can begin planning and planting your next garden. There are plenty of plants to choose from, but there's nothing quite like fruit fresh from your own garden. From sweet figs to tart blackberries, there are many incredible fruits you can grow. To make the most of your garden, here are some of the best spring fruits you can plant today.
Blackberries

Ripe, juicy blackberries are a delicious treat, and they’re easy to grow. Plant these fruits in early spring and make sure they’re in full sun. Blackberries do best in rich, well-draining soil. Mixing compost into your soil can help significantly. Blackberries need roughly an inch of water each week, and they thrive in soil that is consistently moist but not soaking wet. Most blackberry varieties are ready for harvest in mid to late summer.

Read more
Are peppers fruits or vegetables? Here’s the final answer
Everything you need to know about pepper classification
Pile of bell peppers

Whether you prefer mild bell peppers or spicy ghost peppers, most people can agree that peppers make for a colorful, flavorful addition to meals and gardens. They aren’t difficult to grow at home, and there are so many different kinds of peppers to experiment with. While we call peppers vegetables, you may have also heard people call them fruit. You may have even heard people call them a spice! If that's left you confused, then this is the guide for you! We'll explain what the difference is between fruits, vegetables, and spices, which one peppers are, and how that impacts the way they're grown and eaten.
What is a fruit?

Fruit is a botanical term for a specific part of the plant. They form from flowers, typically after the flower has been pollinated, and carry the seeds of the plant. Fruits that form without pollination will usually be seedless. There are different types of fruit, such as berries (like blueberries), drupes (like peaches), aggregate fruits (like raspberries), and multiple fruits (like pineapples).

Read more
Dragon fruit plant care: How to grow this tropical beauty
Grow fresh dragon fruit at home
Ripe dragon fruit

Growing your own fresh fruit is a fun way to increase the amount of tasty, healthy snacks in your home. There are tons of delicious fruits you can grow, from classic blueberries to the more unusual strawberry tree. Dragon fruit is one fruit you might not have considered growing at home. These unique-looking tropical fruits are delightful, but are they easy to grow? They’re tricky, but not impossible! If you want a steady supply of fresh dragon fruit, here’s everything you need to know about planting and caring for dragon fruit plants.
Planting dragon fruit plants

The best time to start planting dragon fruit plants is in early to mid-spring. While you can plant them later, they won’t have as much time to grow during the year. If you plan on starting with seeds or a small sapling, you can start your dragon fruit plants indoors during the winter and transplant them in the spring to speed things up.

Read more