Even if you love gardening, it’s no secret that it can be a lot of work. That’s why it’s nice to have at least a few perennial plants in your garden that come back every year, without you having to re-plant them all over again. Here are 10 delicious fruits & veggies that you can plant once and enjoy for years to come!

When planting perennials, it’s important to choose a spot where you won’t need to disturb them, as many of them don’t care too much for being moved once they are established. You will also want to prepare the soil very well, being sure to add lots of compost and other required amendments, since you won’t be able to work things deeply into the soil once the plants have taken root.

For ongoing maintenance of perennial plants, you can top-dress them with mulch and compost,  make sure to give them plenty of water, and keep an eye out for pest or disease problems.

Try adding some of these perennial options to your garden, and you can enjoy recurring harvests without as much work!

1. Asparagus

With tulips and crocus, asparagus shoots are often one of the first noticeable signs of spring. The first year of planting asparagus, none should be harvested. Each year after, though, some can be harvested provided you leave plenty of shoots behind to flower and become the harvest for the next year.

Asparagus grows well across the U.S. except for warmer zones like 8 and above. In those climates, the plants aren’t allowed to go fully dormant in the winter, so they fail to maintain hardiness.

2. Fennel

Like celery, this perennial plant provides aromatic seeds and thick bulbs. The seeds are commonly used as a seasoning, particularly in sausages and stews while fennel bulbs are common either raw in salad or grilled and roasted.

Fennel can survive winter conditions and be a true perennial between growing zones 5 and 10. If planted as an annual, it’s recommended to always start with Florence fennel bulbs.

3. Rhubarb

Rhubarb leaves are rich in oxalic acid and shouldn’t be eaten. The tart and colorful stems, however, make wonderful pies, jellies, and more! Rhubarb grows best in climates where the ground usually freezes in winter. You will see the stalks in early spring, and will grow hardy as far south as Zone 7.

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5. Strawberries

There really is no substitute for the richness of home-grown strawberries. Unlike store-bought varieties which are generally picked unripe, strawberries grown in your garden will likely be among the best you will ever have.

Typically, strawberry foliage dies back in the winter and starts growing again in spring. Depending on your climate, you can generally have these fresh berries available between February and June. After they start to produce berries, some types of strawberry plants will produce runners which will replant themselves if left alone. To increase berry production, however, you should snip off some of these runners.

For more perennial garden favorites, see the full article at HomeAndGardeningIdeas.com…