P EREN N I AL FOOD PLANTS

Selections for the Southeastern U.S. grown using a! natural methods

by : Duane Marcus
The Funny Farm
http://tinyurl.com/funnyfarm

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 W H AT IS A PERENNIAL FOOD PLAN T ?
A perennial food plant is one that produces food year after year without the need to replant. They can be
trees, shrubs, vines or herbaceous plants (lacking a woody stem.).

TREES

TYPE BOTANICAL VARIETIES NOTES

NAME
Apple Malus spp. Arkansas Black, Freedom, Golden require 2 compatible varie-
Delicious, Granny Smith, Pristine ties for cross-pollination -
Rome, Red Delicious use dwf or semi-dwf root-
stock
Cherry Prunus spp. Bing, Black Tartarian, Rainer require 2 compatible varie-
ties for cross-pollination
Nanking Prunus tomentosa self-fertile. Small semi-tart
cherry cherries. Very prolific.
Pawpaw Asimina triloba native, tastes similar to ba-
nanas
Pear Pyrus spp. Ayers, Bartlett, Blake’s Pride, Se- require 2 compatible varie-
kel, Turnbull, Moonglow, Le Conte ties for cross-pollination
Pear, Asian Pyrus pyrifolia Hosui, Shinko, Shinseiki require 2 compatible varie-
ties for cross-pollination
Persimmon Diospyros kaki Fuyu, Eureka, Tamopan Sweet asian variety
Pineapple Feijoa sellowiana flowers must be hand-
Guava pollinated
Plum Prunus spp. AU Rosa, AU Rubrum, Black require 2 compatible varie-
Ruby ties for cross-pollination
Serviceberry Amelanchier spp. Grandiflora native with small sweet red
fruits

"Organics is not a fad. It has been a long-established prac-

tice - much more firmly grounded than the current chemical
flair. Present agricultural practices are leading us downhill."
J.I. Rodale

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SHRUBS

TYPE BOTANICAL VARIETIES NOTES

NAME
Bay laurel Laurus nobilis the leaves are bay leaves
Blackberry Rubus spp. Triple Crown, Ouichita Triple crown is trailing &
thornless, Ouichita is up-
right & thornless
Blueberry Vaccinium spp. Tiftblue, Brightwell, Powderblue require 2 compatible varie-
ties for
cross-pollination.Tophat is
self-fertile 3’x3’
Fig Ficus carica Celeste, Alma Protect from freezing for the
1st 3 years
Kiwi Actinidia deliciousa need a male and female vine.
Keep well watered during the
summer.
Muscadine Vitis rotundifolia Perfect flowers -Triumph, Cowart, ones w/ perfect flowers are
Southland. female - Supreme, Fry, self-pollinating- females re-
Black Fry quire pollinating by ones w/
perfect flowers
Pomegranate Punica granatum Angel Red, Grenada keep pruned to access fruit
Raspberry Rubus spp. Autumn Bliss EB UP, Nova EB= everbearing UP= upright
THLS, Heritage UP EB, Dorman THLS= thornless
Red TR, Red Wing UP

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 TYPE BOTANICAL VARIETIES NOTES
NAME
Asaparagus Asparagus officinalis Jersey Knight, Millenium, Purple Start harvesting the 2nd year
Passion
Allium Allium spp. Leeks, Welsh onion, Chives, Gar-
lic chives, Walking onion
Daylily Hemerocallis spp. any tubers, new leaves, flower
buds and flowers are edible
Hosta Hosta spp. any young leaves and flowers are
edible. grows in shade
Strawberry Fragaria ananassa Camarosa, Chandler don’t get everbearing varie-
ties, renew beds yearly
Sunchoke helianthus tuberosa Grows tall, requires staking

HERBACEOUS PLANTS

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ASPARAGUS
Dig a trench 8 inches deep and wide enough to accommodate the outspread roots (about 10 inches), then
space the asparagus 18 inches apart. Leave four feet between rows. Cover the roots with two inches of soil,
and continue to fill in the trench as shoots grow. Be sure never to bury the green shoots completely. The
trench can usually be filled by the end of the first growing season, but if not, simply continue to work on it
the second year.

Don't cut any spears until the third year after planting. It's important for asparagus to develop a large,
healthy root system the first few years. Begin by cutting for only a few weeks in March and early April.
Then gradually increase harvest time to six weeks.

Cut spears when they grow about 6 to 8 inches tall; their tips should still be tight. Take only thicker spears;
spindly ones should be left alone. Snap asparagus off at the soil line, or use a sharp knife to slice through
the spear at an angle an inch or two below the soil surface. Be careful not to damage spears not yet
emerged from the soil.

All spears that come up after July 1st must be allowed to mature into ferny growth. It is the tall, green
ferns that gather energy during summer to be stored in the roots, ready to ensure another good crop the
following spring. Allow the ferns to remain over the winter to catch and hold snow, protecting the below
ground portions of the plants. Remove the debris early enough in spring so it isn't in your way when it's
time to start cutting asparagus once more, in March.

Each spring before spears appear, work a balanced organic garden fertilizer into the soil at the rate of ap-
proximately 1 to 1½ pounds per 100 square feet of garden. You can also add some well-rotted manure or
compost.

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BLACKBERRIES & RASPBERRIES
Blackberries and raspberries are grown using the same methods. Both have either upright or trailing varie-
ties. Either form requires a trellis system for support. Trailing varieties are planted 10’ apart. They will
spread 10’ in each direction so you need 20’ for one plant. One plant can produce up to 20 pints of fruit.
Upright varieties are planted 6’ apart. They will spread 3-5’ in each direction so you will need 10’ for one
plant.

Before planting prepare a 3’ wide bed and as long as required to accommodate the number of plants you
want to grow. Loosen the soil 18” deep. Incorporate 3” of good compost and 1” granite sand into the row.
Plant in Late winter or early spring. Spread 1 lb. organic fertilizer around each plant in a 24” diameter cir-
cle and mix lightly into the soil. Each year apply 2 lb.per plant in a 36” diameter circle each February.
Mulch with hay, straw or wood chips.

Tie the canes to the support as they grow. Spread them out in a fan shape. The idea is to get them as
evenly spaced as possible it let in light and maintain good air circulation.

They fruit on canes that in their 2nd year. In the summer new canes grow form the base of the plant to
replace the current year’s canes. In July remove the canes that you harvested fruit from to encourage vig-
orous growth of next year’s fruiting canes. Tie the new canes to the supports as they grow. As lateral
branches grow out tie them to the support as well.

In the fall you can let some of the canes of trailing varieties grow down and come in contact with the soil
where they will grow roots. In late winter you can cut the rooted tip from the vine, dig it up and expand
your bed or give it to a friend.

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 SOIL FOOD WEB DIAGRAM

PLANTS
RELEASE NUTRIENTS
FEED BACTERIA & RELEASE NUTRIENTS
IN FORMS PLANTS FUNGI IN FORMS PLANTS
CAN USE CAN USE

ORGANIC MATTER
-LEAVES
-FRUIT & SEEDS
FEED EXUDATES
BACTERIA IN
-ROOTS FEED EXUDATES
RETURN FOR -STEMS FUNGI IN
NUTRIENTS -BRANCHES RETURN FOR
NUTRIENTS
-BARK
CONSUME SOFT STUFF CONSUME TOUGH STUFF
LIKE LEAVES, FRUIT LIKE BARK, WOOD

BACTERIA FUNGI
EXTRACT STORE NUTRIENTS STORE NUTRIENTS
NUTRIENTS
FROM SOIL
EXTRACT
NUTRIENTS
CONSUME BACTERIA, FROM SOIL
NEMATODES & CONSUME FUNGI
EACH OTHER CONSUME BACTERIA
& FUNGI

PROTOZOA
(FLAGELLATES, NEMATODES MITES
AMOEBAE, CILIATES) RELEASE
RELEASE NUTRIENTS
RELEASE NUTRIENTS
NUTRIENTS

PREDATORY PREDATORY
LARGER NEMATODES MITES
PREDATORS RELEASE RELEASE
WORMS, SOW BUGS, NUTRIENTS NUTRIENTS
ANS, MILLIPEDES,
SPIDERS
RELEASE NUTRIENTS