I am NOT the best resource on the topic (I'm a long-time annual veggie gardener who now lives in a perennial-friendly climate and is trying to re-learn), but thought I'd chime in on what I do grow perenially. I inherited a garden with Jerusalem artichoke and asparagus. The J.Artichoke I kept because its rather foolproof, but I find the asparagus to be finicky, and it looks like it won't be coming back this year. I mostly added perennial herbs which most have mentioned above(like I said, still trying to learn), but I have had quite a bit of success with two plants - parsnips, which biennially go to seed and self-plant for me, and comfrey (bockings 14 sterile variety) which has become a nice perennial fixture and source of nutrient-rich green mass. I'm not sure if that would interest you or not though, as it needs to be hacked down periodically (at around 2') or it can grow quite large. What on earth is a potato onion?

Hello to you all My kids and I had to live on top of a hill surrounded by 100 or so acres (that belonged to my late ex husband's grandmother). We had no home, no money,nothing to our name except a car that eventually got taken back. We had a tent and an old run down camper that had been up there since my husband was a kid. Our kids stayed in that and we in the tent. Most of what we eat for that year came from what I could find in those woods that were edible. We did get foodstamps but when you dont have a fridge there aint much that you can keep for long when it is a hundred degrees out. We cooked on an open fire using my cast iron pans that my parents gave me when I first married. Alot of what I knew about living off the land came from what I had learned as a kid from my family and from reading. I am far from being a city girl and my anxieties make living where I am now hard especially being a single mom. My kids loved living up on that hillside. No electricity, no video games, just nature. My son was healther than he'd ever been. I finally broke down and using only a hand saw began cutting trees down to debark and build a cabin. It took me 6 mo. to do this with little help from my mother-in-law and husband. We lived a total of a year this way. Though my marriage wasnt great and he spent no time with our kids. My kids and I we happy. I homeschooled both of them during this time and they learned more then than what they are now in public school. I had a controlling husband who was controlled by his mother. My kids and I went through more mental and verbal abuse than any kid should. I finally got the courage up to divorce him when my 9 yr look at me and said, "mommy its time. Its not right how daddy treats us or you." By this time we had just bought a 60 acre farm and I found courage from my kids to tell him I wanted a divorce. I almost lost everything. When it was all said and done We had lost the farm for he wouldnt give me time to find a job ( stay at home mom for ten yrs). Our 9 yr old daughter lost her 2 horses, 6 dogs, and 4 cats. She took care of them her self. up 6 am feed them 1st then herself and would go out and spend time with all of them (rain, snow, sun, 12degree to 100 degree weather didnt matter.) I know what it is like to want to go back to that time on the hill. But we dont have the land nor the money. We still go through the woods with permission. We collect seeds to continue the growth of the wild and If there is plenty we will dig a plant or two up and replant them by the house. Most of my garden has come from the woods near by and the rd side. We still go out to find edible but we watch what we take and we try to give back to keep it going. So rembrance consider collecting a few of the plants (provided there is plenty and not endagered. with permission) put them in pots and grow your own. (easiest done with perenial plants) Collect seeds and start your own. Just a suggestion from three who enjoys being in nature and live the way we feel we were supose to. I am just glade to have my kids. The judge listened to what they had to say. As for the colledge degree, I dont even have a high school diploma. Though after my divorce I have been trying. One day My anxieties, panic attacks,and partial siezures will not controll me.

I'll be cursing in July, but it was beautiful here today, so of course I was out in the garden. I added on to my strawberry bed so it will be about 6x6'. It's somewhat lasanga-d with some fresh manure and scraps on bottom, then layers of topsoil and finished compost. I'm also building a U-shaped bed around a stump, with a plum in a tub on top of the stump. This bed will be for my melons and summer squash. I also put in another bed, about 8' long, and 3' most of the way, then tapering at one end. This will be for tomatoes, cukes, and probably peppers, eggplants, and okra, if there's still room (the bed will extend the other way another 8'. I'm planning a long, narrow bed to use up the remaining space, probably about 2'x10'. I'm thinking it will be mainly for cutting flowers this year (and to attract pollinators), and I may put in my perennial herbs there. The job for tomorrow is to haul slash wood out of the corner and dig it up for potatoes - blue and Yukon golds. My peas broccoli and cauliflower are doing well, and my carrots are coming up. I also found some volunteer lettuces from last year's beds, and transplanted them, so should be in salads in a few weeks. Outside of the garden proper, I'm sheet composting and will be tilling in OM for a 4x30' bed for 3 varieties of corn and sunflowers, with watermelon, pumpkin, and wintersquash rambling through them. Should make a nice screen until I can get a proper fence built along the alley.

Here is a list of screen names of all whom have contacted me...PLEASE CHECK AND MAKE SURE I HAVE YOU LISTED. Flwrs4ever sueirish poisondartfrog flwrs1 ishareflowers highalttransplant kamiljablo spookycharles wishdesign danette1980 stpehiinalta cottageflowers lhmkc grannieb vikingkirken candycow aproditelaughs riley17 daffodilady booberry85 nikkineel daisy_lee medontdo msmacgyver playintheyard greenthumbgrows peaches20 wenders67 carolynp micyrey carolinam quiltingfox mommyto2 ncgardengirl dirt_under_my_nails anadarko_rose dimples31312 nuthatch_mo ggwrn luvgardening2 dirtdiggin lisa627_ohio_z6 kimsgarden hmle2217 ptp813 nogmo jaleeeisa botanicalboi plant-one-on-me chellflower divahethr markcase1964 crisann margarita10 kiddo proudgm_03 debdov colcol wipe_yo_feet pumkingal scooter_wv puffie sheriannricherson velsgarden chitownladyd wind_red wishdesign danette1980 stephiinalta cottageflowers nlb52 threas zena2008 vic_zn5 michiganmama pife sunset_in rbrady spacetomato suze62 stevenwayne kerai mao_tse_mom isamae carol57078 seiko mpmom ilovefarac dirtduchess misskimmie dirtygert paulan70 vikingkirken dawnbrn intelkid appaloosa909 lindalana andreaz6wv kellycomposter plantman50 sybilkrizinski keeversgirl gimpytwice soonergrandmom retsec angelady christieb199 agirlsgirl greenbug fcofill james-in-lapine seedmama pseudacris_crucifer justonemorehosta louisianagirl patrushka daisy_lee dan_the_mail_man goldfishliberator princess_ariel thinking_stomach taz56 votetrapper shropshire_lad elf7 w9yards november_sky lois ohsillyme godsgardener morguegirl dancinginthegarden girlgarden2007 gmom2_6 boys pufftrinket crafting4goddess tergov erin_2009 piksi_hk hummy1 auntnawnee ak110682 chemocurl jworth gammy2 maemae0312 bonechickchris jas_il deeS perennialfan273 diggingdevil GROVESPIRIT PLEASE DO NOT POST ON THIS THREAD ANYMORE, GO TO THREAD 3...AND POST WHEN YOU MAIL, OR RECEIVE, AND KEEP CHECKING IN, WE WILL BE PLAYING SOME GAMES !!!!!!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!