I'm excited to grow new perennial veg
I've found a rare French leek and Chinese artichokes to get going now
As you probably already know, I’m a big fan of perennial vegetables; those that you plant once and which crop for many years; to me they’re the ideal veg for gardeners with busy lives and those who don’t have the time or space to grow everything from seed in a greenhouse.
So, imagine my delight when I found some rare, French perennial leek
(Allium ampeloprasum) ‘Poireau Perpétuel’ bulbils for sale at www.incrediblevegetables.co.uk. Producing a slightly thinner leek than their regular, annual cousins, perennial leeks are grown from the bulbils that form on the flower spike of the plant when it’s left to bolt; in fact, they’re almost like a tiny onion set that you plant to produce the next plant.
Perennial leeks don’t mind if they’re interplanted with other crops, so with that in mind I’m thinking of having two rows in a raised bed and planting fast-cropping lettuce, radish, carrots and turnips in between them. By doing this I’ll make the most out of the space I’m using by getting quick ‘cash crops’ from the space between the leeks, while using them as markers so I don’t weed out the tiny new seedlings. You can plant bulbils straight out into the garden, but I’m starting mine off in seed pans to make sure I know how many will grow, then I'll transplant into the garden at a later stage.
I’m planting them around 2cm (¾in) deep with 2cm (¾in) between each one in the cold greenhouse, then when they’re large enough to handle I’ll pot on individually before planting out in May.
When growing perennial leeks you have to be aware that the plants go dormant and disappear for a month, normally around July. Don’t worry, you haven’t killed them, that’s just what they do! When harvesting, cut the leek off at ground level, leaving the bulb (which has grown from the bulbil) and the plant will re-grow to produce another leek. Or you can let them flower to encourage pollinators to their allium-like blooms and produce more bulbils.
Another unusual edible I’m growing this year is an artichoke, but not globe or Jerusalem, I’m talking Chinese artichokes (Stachys affinis). These funny-shaped tubers are part of the mint family, grow to around 45cm (1½ft) tall and produce tubers that have the texture of water chestnuts. Plant tubers around 7cm (2¾in) deep
and start them off in a cold frame or greenhouse, planting out after the last frost. They should form healthy ‘clumps’ pretty quickly.
A more commonly-grown veg is the sprout, yet there are differing types to try here; from the club root-resistant ‘Crispus’ F1 to kalette, which is a cross between a sprout and kale and looks like a mini cabbage. There is also nutty tasting, red-buttoned ‘Rubine’, which is a feast for the eyes and the plate. I’m sowing green and red sprouts and starting them now as some varieties benefit from a long growing season.
If you grow bay in containers, feed the plants if they’ve begun to develop yellow leaves. I’m giving mine a seaweed fertiliser to perk them up and help them
develop the lush green leaves I use for cooking and pickling.