Product Description

Imagine growing vegetables that require the same care as the flowers in your perennial beds and borders -- no annual tilling and planting. They thrive and produce abundant and nutritious crops throughout the season. In "Perennial Vegetables", author and plant specialist Eric Toensmeier introduces gardeners to a world of little-known and wholly under-appreciated plants. Ranging beyond the usual suspects (asparagus, rhubarb, and artichoke) to include such 'minor' crops as ground cherry and ramps and the much sought-after, antioxidant-rich wolfberry (also known as goji berries), Toensmeier explains how to raise, tend, harvest, and cook with plants that yield great crops and satisfaction. Perennial vegetables are perfect as part of an edible landscape plan or permaculture garden. Profiling more than a hundred species, with dozens of colour photographs and illustrations, and filled with valuable growing tips, recipes, and resources, "Perennial Vegetables" is a groundbreaking and ground-healing book that will open the eyes of gardeners everywhere to the exciting world of edible perennials.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #165613 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

About the Author
Eric Toensmeier calls himself a "socially engaged plant geek".
He has spent much of his adult life exploring edible and otherwise useful
plants and how they can be used in designed ecosystems. He is the co-author
of Edible Forest Gardens.

Customer Reviews

Perennial vegetables
This is the most complete book I have seen on perennial vegetables. The short general introduction is a summary of a few gardening techniques - see other books on permaculture and organic gardening for more detail if you are a beginner. The articles on each vegetable (over 100 of them) are the heart of the book and are thorough, interesting and often based on the author's personal experience. The book is very much centred on the USA and Canada but with occasional references to other countries. There is a leaning towards organic gardening but the book is not focused there. Many of the vegetables are tropical or sub-tropical so European readers will find a great deal of general interest, but will have to search for ones they can grow. I particularly liked and learned from the descriptions of water garden plants.