My Roots Run Deep: Perennial Gardening for a Bigger Future, Not Just Bigger Harvests

Hey Growers – James here.

When I planted my first asparagus bed back in 2012, I didn’t fully understand what I was starting. I was just excited to grow food. But what that plant taught me over the next 12 years? That’s the message I want to share with you today.

“My Roots Run Deep” is more than a saying—it’s a mindset. It’s about slowing down. Thinking long-term. Honoring the ground beneath you, the time it takes to grow something real, and the value of consistency—season after season.

If you’ve ever felt like progress is slow in your garden (or in your life), I want to show you why that might be the best sign you’re doing something right.

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🌱 The Power of Patience: What Asparagus Taught Me

Asparagus was the first perennial I ever planted. It takes at least two years before you get a real harvest—sometimes three. But when it finally arrives? It gives back every year. No reseeding. No replanting. Just a reward for your patience.

I’ll never forget that first harvest. I ate the spears raw right out of the garden—so sweet, so juicy, they dripped as I bit into them. They tasted like nothing I’d ever bought from a store.

The longer you wait, the deeper the roots—and the sweeter the reward.

That asparagus patch still produces to this day. And that’s when it clicked: I wasn’t just growing food. I was growing a legacy.

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🧑‍🌾 My Asparagus Growing Story (and How You Can Start Yours)

To get started, I planted 1-year-old crowns in a trench 12 inches wide and 6–8 inches deep. I made a small mound in the bottom, placed the crown on top, and spread the roots over the sides. Then, I covered them with a couple inches of soil, watered them in, and added more soil every two weeks until the bed was full.

Want to go next level? Grow asparagus from seed. Why? Because male plants yield better than females—and when you grow from seed, you can identify and remove the female plants early.

Watch this tip on male asparagus plants at 01:56 in our perennial video

That’s how I built a high-yielding asparagus patch that still feeds me over a decade later. And it taught me that the best things in life—like gardens, health, and growth—aren’t rushed. They’re rooted.

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🎥 Perennials That Feed You for Life — and Root You for the Long Haul

If you’re ready to garden with legacy in mind, I want to share one of my most practical and important videos:

📺 5 Perennials You Plant Once and Harvest for Life

In it, Tuck ❤️ and I walk you through the 5 powerhouse plants that build food security and long-term abundance right into your garden.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

🥦 1. Asparagus

Learn how to plant crowns, build your bed in layers, and select only the male plants for bigger, longer harvests.

🍓 2. Strawberries

My favorite varieties? Shuksan and Albion. I show you how to plant them with a center mound, rehydrate roots, and train them to fruit for years.

🌿 Bonus: use strawberries as a living mulch under fruit trees.

🌿 3. Brambles (Raspberries & Blackberries)

Grow like weeds (in the best way). Learn pruning tips to get loaded side-branch harvests and which varieties grow best in pots.

🌱 4. Perennial Herbs

Oregano, thyme, rosemary, and mint all come back strong each year. Minimal maintenance, big impact.

🌿 Caution: Grow mint in pots unless you want it taking over!

🫐 5. Blueberries

Hands-down my favorite crop. Learn how to acidify soil with pine needles, and why planting two cultivars together is the key to fruit.

“Annuals are great—but perennials work in the background, always producing. Even when you’re not looking.”

That’s the perennial mindset. And it’s a key part of why my roots run deep.

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🌾 Rooted Practices That Strengthen Your Garden (and Your Life)

If you want to create a garden with long-term impact, here’s where to start:

1. Plant One Perennial This Season

Start with asparagus, strawberries, or herbs. Pick just one and commit to the long game.

2. Document the Journey

Take photos. Keep a garden journal. Look back every season—you’ll be surprised by how far you’ve come.

3. Think 5 Years Ahead

Most people plan a garden one season at a time. But when you think in terms of years, your choices shift. You invest in soil. In structure. In systems.

Plant your future today. Literally.

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👣 What’s Your Garden Rooted In?

Whether you’ve been gardening for 12 weeks or 12 years, your roots matter. Every seed you sow and every lesson you learn builds something deeper—something lasting.

So I ask you:

👉 How long have you been gardening, and what’s one thing it’s taught you about life?

Drop your story in the comments. I want to read it.

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👕 Rep Your Roots

If you felt this message, if it reminded you why you grow—wear it proudly.

Check out our limited edition “My Roots Run Deep” merch at TeamGrow.us.

It’s not just a shirt. It’s your garden story, in print.

Whether you’ve been growing for 12 days or 12 years, your roots matter.

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Thanks for being part of this journey with me.

Now let’s get outside, get our hands dirty, and keep those roots running deep.

— James Prigioni 🌱