Dumb question?

Sorry all of you long time veggie gardeners, this is probably a dumb question, but this is my first time, and I am just curious to know if any veggies are perennial?? (I have Zucchini, Tomatoes, Pumpkins, Cucmbers, Carrottes, Jalepeno's and Habanero's, you know, just the common stuff)
Also wondering which method is preferred, from seed or store bought starters?
Thanks for any help or info for the newbie :-)

This message was edited Aug 5, 2005 9:30 AM

No stupid question..Yes some types of veggies can be perennial. Not the ones you listed but..*G* Pacific spinach, sweet potato and others but most vegetables are annuals.

As far as which method is preferred that's a tad more tricky. Starting from seed allows you much more variety as well as allows you in some cases to avoid some of the diseases you can pick up from green house plants. In the end it will have to be a personal choice. No right or wrong just what is best for you.

Some are perennials in their native climates, But have to be grown as annuals in temperate climates. That includes sweet potatoes, lots of peppers, even some tomatoes. Others are biennials, that are grown mostly as annuals except when you want seed. That includes beets, cabbage etc. True perennial vegetables grown in temperate zones include Asparagus and rhubarb.

True and I should have mention climates. Iluv meet Dill...he's an expert on veggies and is always fast to answer a question and has a vast store of info he can link you to.

Hey Iluvmygarden;
Wow, what a view!

That person from down texican land way sho-nuf be-rite!
"No right or wrong just what is best for you"

However;
Did I understand "bought starters"?
The best sets, or starters are tha ones grown in your local area.
Speaking of which;
There are many folks here on DG from tha northland, various areas, zones.

Personally I'm a seed kind of guy. DW, that's what's her face started these for me May 24th. Lol should be in tha ground huh! A second group Jul30th.
See pic......
I don't find so many strangers when I do seed. Haha sometime ya do!

When a Light is needed I use a simple shop-lite. I don't believe a special grow-lite is needed. JMO!
Light is close to began with. 4" for me.
-
I have heard and believe a single 60W regular lite-bub (incandescent) in the area is a big help. (not close) Flourescent lacks a certain, something.
_____________

Newbie huh!
After near 60 yr a-gardening, I'm a newbie

Check this source for seed at a great price.
I did!
http://405.scifstore.com/module/store/

&
you're welcome too


edit here:
Farmerdill; Yep!
I thought of him when I read yur post.
Check out Plant Files. That's how I found this place.

This message was edited Aug 4, 2005 12:21 PM

Wow! Thanks everyone for the fast replies and great info! First time on the Veggies Forum, and I have found you all very helpful, so thanks again....
Hey Charlie, you really should have those in the ground :-) (Although they do look pretty happy right where they are!)

Hey! Another perennial veggie is Jerusalem Artichokes. I bought the eyes from Johnny's Select Seeds. They are like potatoes but don't have as high a sugar content. The plants are 6-7 feet tall and look like little sunflowers! They are quite hardy however and Johnny's recommends you 'plant in a permanent location.' Which I also take as hard to kill!

I have eaten a few (only had them 2 years) and they are quite good! I also have asparagus and recommend you get at least 25 plants if you want to get much of a yield. I got those from Johnny's as well.

Good luck!

Nicole

NC do you happen to know if the Jerusalem Artichokes would do well here? They sound fantastic and I'm off to google em now.

They are a sunflower, Grower stores sell them as sunchokes. I have not seen anywhere they would not grow. They will out grow ragweed.

Neat...I found several sites with some good recipes. Lets just keep the "grow like ragweed" between us..no reason the DH need know that.

Buy a couple at the grocery store and try them first. To me they taste sort of like an Irish potato, treated with tincture of iodine.

icck! i had heard they wre yummy & nutrtios, but depends on how they are grown i suppose...

LOL I'll have to see if I can find some when we go to Austin cause no way is anyone around here gonna carry em.

yeah, SOC didn't even have em!

btw, saw in an old gardening book some "pepper trees." they brought in their pepper plants during the cold weather, then put them back out the next year!

Interesting, Most of the grocery stores on the east coast carry them. Labeled Sunchokes in the exotic fruits and veggies section. Main reason I suggest to taste them first, is because they are very persistant once established. I f you don't like them, you have to work to get rid of the plants. Of course they make a pretty background flower also.

I'll try them first, I can't imagine the DH wouldn't like them (he eats raw rhubarb *yuck*) As I said I'm sure I can find them in a larger market than ours. Orange, TX kind of reminds me of South East Georgia, around the Brunswick area. Small mill town with lots of swamps and nothing else.

Saint

ILuv, I have been in Hope, BC many times, I guess a couple hundred miles from here. Nice area. For us as everyone has already told you not many veggie garden plants are perennial. I grow one large clump of really pretty red rhubarb and a few clumps of asparagus, and artichokes.

the way I like the chokes best is fresh dug, brushed and washed, slice thinly and spread with peanut butter. If you want a start of any of the above come down and see me. DonnaS

Altho might be a problem taking across the border.

Just a note, I used to work for Dept. of Agriculture in Nova Scotia (Canada) and Jerusalem Artichoke is considered a "noxious weed" there and it's illegal to grow it on your property. Maybe that doesn't apply anywhere else, but one might want to make sure before growing them. Datura (jimsonweed) is also illegal there but I see a lot of people grow it here at DG, so clearly it's not illegal everywhere!

I doubt that a lot of people deliberately grow Jimson weed, It is a prevalent weed on the east coast. If you don't use 2-4D amine, it will grow in the borders of the field. Even in the field. I let some of it grow in areas around the fields because it an excellent trap plant for leaf footed bugs. But if I did not have it, I would not grow it. I expect tighter restrictions on it any time now, because its hallucinagetic properties are being publicised on TV.

Wow, both good things to know......

Hi Araness! I was out of town so couldn't reply for a bit! Glad you got some good information on JA's! One thing I don't like about them is late summer they tend to fall over. Since they are quite tall it can be annoying! I just cut them off with the clippers but when I got home last night a bunch had fallen again. I boiled the few I've tried so far and put butter and sour cream on them like a baked potato. I liked it!

Nicole