Gardening: Some vegetables can be planted among perennials, in place of annuals

I started seeds of three kinds of onions and six of peppers last weekend.

The onions will be ready to plant out in early to mid-April and the peppers at the end of May. Peppers can take several weeks to germinate, so that’s why I started them now.

I’ll plant more varieties of vegetables in mid-March, early April, early May and end with basil in late May.

Therein lies a problem. I’m starting a lot of seeds, so where am I going to put them all in the garden come planting time? Answer: Plant some of them amongst the perennials in place of annuals. Here are some vegetable varieties that are pretty enough to join your veronicas, snapdragons, coneflowers and asters.

Eggplant is a striking plant with its sturdy, upright habit; fuzzy, gray-green leaves and purple flowers that turn into white or purple fruit. They can grow 18 inches to 2 feet tall and wide, making them perfect for the midheight part of the garden bed. They need full sun if you want them to fruit but can take light shade if you don’t care about fixing fried eggplant or a batch of baba ganoush. They will need regular watering and fertilizer to grow well.

Zucchini and summer squash with their big, broad leaves provide a bold texture in a garden bed that is hard to find in our region. Most perennials with large leaves aren’t cold hardy enough. They will need full sun, regular water and fertilizer to put on their best show. It’s better to plant them near a walkway so you can easily check them for ripe fruit.

Pepper plants provide a medium-textured leaf to a garden bed. Like eggplant, they are a sturdy, upright plant that can grow to around 2 feet tall and wide with a small white flower. The green peppers add an interesting texture and, if it’s a long, warm summer, a pretty red color to the bed late in the summer. They are somewhat drought tolerant but will need full sun and fertilizer through the summer.

Corn can be substituted for ornamental grasses in a bed. After all, it is a member of the grass family. Varieties can vary from about 5 feet to upward of 8 feet in height. If you want to pick ears of corn, you will need to plant it in full sun in a block of several rows as it, like other grasses, is wind pollinated. Corn is not drought tolerant and will need regular watering and fertilizer applications. The dead stalks can be left in the garden for fall decoration.

If you are interested in growing fruit in your flower beds and need some midheight shrubs, consider blueberry bushes. They have an airy leaf texture that can grow 3 to 5 feet tall in full sun and good fall color. They must be planted in acidic soil created with compost, sawdust and a healthy dusting of sulfur granules. Plant two varieties and keep them well watered.