Synopses & Reviews
Perennial vegetables are a joy to grow and require a lot less time and effort than annuals. In this book Martin Crawford gives comprehensive advice on all types of perennial vegetable (edible plants that live longer than three years), from ground-cover plants and coppiced trees to plants for bog gardens and edible woodland plants.There are many advantages to growing perennial vegetables, for example:
- they need less tillage than conventional vegetables and so help retain carbon in the soil
- the soil structure is not disturbed in their cultivation
- they extend the harvesting season, especially in early spring
- and, of course, they are much less work.
Part One looks at why and how to grow these crops, and how to look after them for maximum health.Part Two features over 100 perennial edibles in detail, both common and unusual - from rhubarb to skirret; Jerusalem artichoke to nodding onions. This book offers inspiration and information for all gardeners, whether experienced or beginner, and also includes plenty of cooking tips with beautiful color photographs and illustrations throughout.
Review
Library Journal, starred review-"Gardeners looking to expand their edible plantings beyond the usual tomatoes and peppers will find a bounty of possibilities in these pages. Crawford's (dir., Agroforestry Research Trust; Creating a Forest Garden) first two chapters introduce the types of perennial vegetables (trees, shrubs, tubers, etc.) and provide general information on why and how to grow them. The remainder of the book is an alphabetical list, by common name (and cross referenced), of more than 100 plants, ranging from familiar favorites to many that will be new to even the most adventurous gardeners and eaters. Each plant profile includes botanical and common names, a brief description of the plant, its hardiness zones, cultivation instructions, and culinary uses. A list of seed and plant suppliers in Europe, Canada, and the United States is also included. Throughout, Crawford emphasizes sustainable, organic gardening practices, and he includes many plants that can be grown in the shade. Culinary and cultivation information is useful but brief, assuming basic horticultural and cooking knowledge. With an index by botanical name. VERDICT: This inspiring book is highly recommended for experienced gardeners who wish to broaden their horticultural and culinary horizons."
Review
“Martin Crawford is a frontiersman, a pioneering teacher and an inspiration. Both his work and his garden are national treasures.” —Chris Nichols, Director of the Ashridge MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility
Synopsis
Perennial vegetables are a joy to grow. Whereas traditional vegetable plots are largely made up of short-lived, annual vegetable plants, perennials are edible plants that live longer than three years. Grown as permaculture plants, they take up less of your time and effort than annual vegetables do.
Martin Crawford's book outlines the benefits of growing perennial vegetables:
- Perennials provide crops throughout the year, so there's always something that can be used in the kitchen. You avoid the hungry gap between the end of the winter harvest and the start of the summer harvest of annual vegetables.
- Perennial vegetables are less work. Once planted, they stay in the ground for many years. They are the classic plants for no-dig gardeners.
- Unlike annual vegetables, perennial vegetables cover and protect the soil all year round. This maintains the structure of the soil and helps everything growing in it.
- Humous levels build up and nutrients don't wash out of soil. (Cultivating the soil for annuals exposes this humous to air on the surface, causing the carbon to be released as carbon dioxide.)
- Mycorrhizal fungi, critical for storing carbon within the soil, are preserved. (They are killed when soil is constantly dug for annual vegetables.)
- Perennial plants contain higher levels of mineral nutrients than annuals because perennial vegetables have larger, permanent root systems, capable of using space more efficiently, and they take up more nutrients.
How to grow perennial vegetables gives comprehensive advice on all types of perennial vegetable, from ground-cover plants and coppiced trees to plants for bog gardens and edible woodland plants:
- In Part One Martin Crawford outlines why we should grow perennials. He then explains where and how to grow them in perennial polycultures, in forest garden or aquatic garden settings. He outlines how to propagate them, how to look after them for maximum health and how to harvest them.
- Part Two is a plant-by-plant reference of over 100 perennial edibles in detail, from familiar ones like rhubarb, Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes), horseradish and asparagus to less common ones such as skirret, nodding onions, red chicory, Babbington's leek, scorzonera, sea kale and wild rocket.
With beautiful colour photographs and illustrations and plenty of cooking tips throughout, this book offers inspiration and information for all gardeners, whether experienced or beginner.
Synopsis
How to Grow Perennial Vegetables gives comprehensive advice on all types of perennial vegetables, from ground-cover plants and coppiced trees to plants for bog gardens and edible woodland plants.
Perennial vegetables are a joy to grow. Whereas traditional vegetable plots are largely made up of short-lived, annual vegetable plants, perennials are edible plants that live longer than three years. Grown as permaculture plants, they take up less of your time and effort than annual vegetables, and extend the harvesting season - avoiding the hungry gap between the end of the winter harvest and the start of the summer harvest of annual vegetables.
Unlike annual vegetables, perennials cover and protect the soil all year round, which maintains the structure of the soil and helps everything growing in it. Humous levels build up, nutrients don't wash out of the soil, and mycorrhizal fungi, critical for storing carbon within the soil, are preserved. Perennial plants also contain higher levels of mineral nutrients than annuals because they have larger, permanent root systems, capable of using space more efficiently
Written by gardening expert Martin Crawford, this book gives comprehensive advice on how to grow and care for both common perennial vegetables like rhubarb, Jerusalem artichokes, horseradish and asparagus and unusual edible plants such as skirret, red chicory, nodding onions, Babington's leek, scorzonera, sea kale, wild rocket, coppiced trees and aquatic plants.
With plenty of cooking tips, colour photographs and illustrations throughout and an A-Z of over 100 perennial edibles, it is an inspiration for all gardeners.
About the Author
Martin Crawford has spent more than 20 years in organic agriculture and horticulture, and is director of the Agroforestry Research Trust, a nonprofit charity that researches temperate agroforestry and all aspects of plant cropping and uses, with a focus on tree, shrub, and perennial crops. The Trust produces several publications and a quarterly journal, and sells plants and seeds. He is the author of several books, including Creating a Forest Garden and A Forest Garden Year.