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Welcome to Incredible Vegetables… We grow perennial vegetables

Mandy Barber and Julien Skinner of Incredible Vegetables. Two people, a field and a passion for perennial vegetables.
OUR ONLINE SHOP IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS. We are still sending out orders normally through Royal Mail and Parcel Force. Orders are taking about 3 working days to process, we will email you when your order is on the way. We are following strict safety protocols when handling and packaging orders. We send our best wishes at this difficult time and hope that you all keep safe and well.

Perennial Vegetables are our passion! We grow perennial vegetables and unusual edible plants using organic methods in Ashburton, Devon and have set up a fledgling perennial vegetable nursery and sell our plants, tubers & seeds in our online shop.  We also carry out plant research and are members of the Guild of Oca Breeders ocabreeders.org  Mandy Barber gives talks about growing perennial vegetables and has spoken at Toby Buckland’s Garden Festival, the EDIBLE GARDEN SHOW and the South West Permaculture Convergence www.permaculture.org.uk  We are members of South West Seed Savers network supported by the Gaia Foundation Seed Sovereignty programme. Sign up for our Incredible Vegetables NEWSLETTER HERE

Perennial vegetables and future food crops an article for The Organic Grower

This article published in The Organic Grower (No 50 Spring 2020, pp. 20 – 23) was written by Mandy Barber, who describes herself as “a grower, researcher of perennial edible plants, budding plant breeder and seed saver. In this article, aimed at smaller scale farmers and market gardeners, she describes some of her favourite perennial leafy greens, roots and alliums, including some guidelines for growing and the different ways in which they can be used. You can download the pdf and read the full article by visiting the www.agricology.co.uk website

Mandy Barber with her perennial Nine Star broccoli seed crop
Summer 2019, Mandy Barber in her field of perennial Nine Star broccoli just before the seed harvest. She talks about this project and the many perennial vegetables she grows and research she does in this article for ‘The Organic Grower’

Our documentary about perennial vegetables…The Incredible Vegetable Show

Filmed in the long hot summer of 2018 with sw1tv this half hour documentary takes you on a tour of Incredible Vegetables permaculture garden. Learn about perennial vegetables, our plant breeding projects and lots more. Includes an interview with Caroline Aitken of Whitefield Permaculture. Click on the image and video will open up in a new tab.

documentary permaculture perennial vegetables
A 30 min documentary with Mandy Barber of Incredible Vegetables filmed in her permaculture garden in Devon.

Hopniss harvesting – read all about our Apios americana project

Apios americana or Groundnut, Hopniss
Apios americana also known as Groundnut or Hopniss, freshly harvested tubers. These were planted in spring 2018 and harvested in autumn 2019. Tubers will be available again in autumn 2020.

Perennial leeks for perennial geeks! Poireau perpétuel bulbils – available now

Perennial leeks
Poireau perpétuel perennial leek bulbils in stock now. Babington leeks back in stock in autumn 2020. Easy to grow and delicious!

Warp Factor Nine Star – engage! – Project Nine Star underway. Read more about our first venture into plant breeding

Perennial Nine Star Broccoli
Perennial Nine Star Broccoli feld trial underway with Mandy planting out the young Nine Star plants

Purple Tree Collards – read more

Purple Tree Collard
A majestic Purple Tree Collard approaching 2m tall underplanted with perennial leeks.

Get ready to sow Hablitzia – seeds available now

Hablitzia plants in pots
Sow Hablitzia outside over the winter to germinate or sow seeds and place in a plastic bag in the fridge for ten days. Once large enough, Hablitzia tamnoides seedlings can be pricked out and raised in small pots before planting out in the spring.

Day of the triffids! A little sprinkling of rain and look what happens to Hablitzia…

Hablitzia Tamnoides
A profusion of edible tasty dark green leaves from our rampant Hablitzia plants which were grown from seed four years ago.

Skirreting times – harvesting our three year old skirret plants

Skirret three year old plants
Skirret with some good eating roots from three year old plants. Left to develop undisturbed, these skirret plants have matured nicely. You can see the offsets at the top which can be pinched off to propagate new plants.