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01-04-2003, 07:56 PM

(Frogleg) wrote in message ...
On 31 Mar 2003 08:01:30 -0800, (simy1) wrote:

(Frogleg) wrote in message ...
On 17 Mar 2003 19:57:04 -0800, (moya) wrote:

I'm interested in a low maintainence vegi garden

I was tempted to say "there ain't no such animal," but if by "low
maintainence" you don't mean "no work," meticulous preparation will
help. Prepare the soil; mulch for weed surpression; erect supports for
plants that need 'em; arrange for easy irrigation; fence against
rabbits and deer, and give everything enough room. Stock up on
controls for beetles, catepillars, fungus, mildew, and birds. And
you'll still have to weed (some always get through).

1) emphasize "perennial" vegetables/herbs/berries

*Are* there any perennial veg? Well, I'm sure there must be, but the
ones I'm familiar with are annuals. This is something I always mention
about herb gardens -- one doesn't want to plow up the perennials, nor
try and replant annuals within a perennial bed and disturb those good,
productive plants.

Yes. All herbs are perennial, and that takes already quite a way down
the road. You can have a herb pesto with your store bought potatoes
nine months a year.
Here is a short list of perennial veggies for, say, Zone 6,

- asparagus
- jerusalem
- perennial chard
- good king henry

There are also annuals that turn into perennials if you have the
space. Arugula, tatsoi and mache turn up everywhere in my beds,
specially mache which by now has its own bed (in shade, where other
veggies don't make it ). They reseed so profusely that weeds are
outcompeted. A neighbor has a spot along the fence where she harvests
lettuce and cherry tomatoes every year. She only does a bit of
weeding, but they come back naturally. If you have the space, you
could have a lot of vegetation come up year after year. But the
production per sqft is low.