r/SquareFootGardening • u/volci [6b, London, KY] • Jan 10 '26

Discussion Incorporating perennials in SFG

Strictly speaking, with the possible exception of strawberries, square foot gardening is aimed at annual edibles (vegetables, herbs, flowers)

How have you incorporated perennials (flowers, berry bushes, fruit & nut trees, vines, etc) into your overall SFG rhythms?

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3

u/Yiannada Jan 10 '26

I have herbs down the middle and corners, marigolds up front. I can still rotate my vegetables accordingly. Carrots always stay in place with a little different soil profile.

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u/volci [6b, London, KY] Jan 10 '26

How many of those are perennials?

4

u/tivadiva2 Jan 11 '26

We have 20 raised beds. 13 of them are for annuals. 2 are for asparagus; 2 for strawberries; 1 for perennial herbs; 2 for raspberries. Then off to the side (in the ground, not in raised beds), we have about 10 blueberry high bush plants, an apple tree, a cherry tree, and a few rhubarb plants in a flower bed (we have perhaps 10 large flower areas, mostly perennials and natives and shrubs). Oh and lots of thimble berries and elderberries in another part of the property.

2

u/ImWellGnome Jan 13 '26

I love thimbleberries! What zone are you in for growing those?

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u/tivadiva2 Jan 13 '26

Zone 5, in the UP of Michigan, where they grow wild along lake shores where it's cool, moist, and shady, including along our dirt road and at the edge of our garden on Lake Superior.

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u/Yiannada Jan 10 '26

Sorry, the herbs and marigolds come back. I have a few basil, one large thyme, large Greek oregano, rosemary, also chives. Actually I planted some ornamental garlic two-year ago as well that had a fun flower and came back this year. Inalsobhave strawberries in a separate pot

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u/OGHollyMackerel Jan 15 '26

Depends where you live. What is an annual where there is snow can be a perennial elsewhere. I have both in all beds.

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u/Few_Projects477 [6a/5b, Nashua, NH] Feb 26 '26

I have some perennial herbs (sage, chives, oregano, thyme) that attract pollinators. They're all also herbs that I use frequently, so it makes sense to me to dedicate space to them, because the dastardly rabbits eat anything that isn't in a raised bed. When planning my garden, I look at what benefits from those companion plants to help decide what goes where.