Don’t want to wait for homegrown fruits? Plant these 20 fast-growing fruits for quick harvests! When you’re starting a food forest or edible garden from scratch, it can feel like the SLOWEST waiting game for your fruit trees to grow and start producing fruit…or just survive their first few summers!! That’s why I love planting fast-growing, early-yielding fruits and perennials that bring quick shade, soil life, and harvests while the slower long-term trees mature.
After 10+ years of gardening in a hot climate like Perth, I’ve learned that success comes down to three simple things:
🌿 Plant densely 🌿 Focus on perennials 🌿 Grow living shade
Because when plants are left exposed and spaced too far apart, they struggle. But when you fill your garden with layers? Everything grows faster, healthier… and with far less effort. And what do I mean by fast? Fruiting within 12 – 24 months! This guide is based on what I grow in my urban food forest here in Perth, Australia, which is a zone 10b.
Why Fast-Growing Fruit Trees Matter in a Food Forest
In a natural system, bare soil doesn’t last long. Something will always move in to cover it, whether that’s grass, weeds… or plants you actually want. Fast-growing fruiting plants act as your “in-between” layer while your main trees establish.
They help to:
Shade the soil and reduce water loss
Protect young trees from harsh sun and wind
Feed the soil through leaf drop and chop-and-drop
Attract pollinators and beneficial insects
Think of them as your support system…not just quick fruiting plants (but yay bonus!). Many of these are temporary or short-term plants in your garden.
You can: 👉 Chop them back 👉 Take cutting or seeds, then move them 👉 Or remove them completely
…once your long-term trees take over.
20 Fast-Growing Fruit Trees and Plants for Quick Harvests
These fast-growing fruit trees and plants are perfect for filling space in a young food forest while your long-term trees establish. Many will start producing within the first year or two, while also helping to create shade, build soil, and support the overall system. Some will become permanent features in your garden, while others can be pruned, moved, reproduced, or replaced as your space evolves.
1. Banana or Plantain (Musa spp.)
I LOVE growing Bananas in my edible garden. Bananas create an instant canopy and lush tropical vibes within months. They love warm conditions, and their large leaves provide shade, living mulch, and plenty of biomass for chop-and-drop. With the right moisture and feeding, you can harvest fruit within 12–18 months of planting. I prefer to grow smaller semi-dwarf varieties (dwarf ducasse, dwarf red dacca, and dwarf cavendish) that produce quicker and don’t grow as tall to get damaged by the wind. My plantain Bananas (Pacific Plantain) took exactly 2 years for their first bunch, but that clump will produce much faster now that there is an established rhizome.
2. Papaya (Carica papaya)
Papayas are your value-for-money fast-growing fruit! They start producing quickly, often producing ripe fruit in just 9–12 months from seed. They produce A LOT OF FRUIT on a single plant, and you can regrow 100s more from the seeds. I have grown all mine from seed! The fast, upright growth provides light shade for young understorey plants. Perfect for filling sunny gaps while your long-term trees mature. I call these myumbrella plants! And having umbrella plants for a HOT SUMMER here in Perth is crucial! Plus, you can eat the fruits green like a vegetable or ripe as a fruit. I have found the key to success with Papaya is strength in numbers. Planting from seed means you may get bisexual, female, or male plants. They can also be fickle and die off over winter, so having more options means you have backup.
3. Tamarillo (Solanum betaceum)
These fast-growing fruit trees will produce in as little as 12- 18 months and adds a splash of colour with its vibrant red or golden fruit. Tamarillo isn’t a fan of super hot sun and is best as a middle layer – so it’s great to grow under the dappled light or larger trees such as Mulberry or Banana. Or if you have a shady part of the garden and you are not sure what to grow! I also grow these from seed so that I can have backups. They are very easy to grow from seed, just like their family members – the tomatoes. Cold snaps or extreme heat can kill off plants quickly. Tamarillo is also known as the tree tomato. Their tart fruits can be eaten fresh and are delicious with ice cream, yoghurt or in an apple crumble! They can also be used savoury in fresh chutneys and sauces. I love growing fruits that can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. This helps a food forest be twice as productive!
4. Mulberry (Morus spp.)
Mulberries are absolute powerhouses of rapid growth and heavy yields, and are perfect for planting over chicken coops. They grow easily from cuttings and often fruit in their first season. Mulberries fruit in Spring, which can be a lean time for fruits. Their broad leaves create valuable summer shade. Mulberries are deciduous, so they drop their leaves in winter for lots of garden mulch. As a result, they are often grown next to animal paddocks and chicken coops to offer summer shade and a bonus food source.
🚨 Mulberries do grow rapidly and have large, vast root systems, which can be hard to maintain in a small urban garden. I have used these as quick shade to help my gardens establish and then removed within 2 years (not easily with large roots!).
5. Cape Gooseberry (Physalis peruviana)
A quick win for any garden, these fruit in as little as 4–6 months from seed. Cape Gooseberry self-seeds, is easy to grow, and thrives in hot, dry climates. They produce golden, tangy berries that are perfect for snacking or jam-making. But…mostly, they don’t make it out of the garden! The plants are compact and usually stay under 1m tall.
6. Passionfruit (Passiflora edulis)
Passionfruit are rapid growers! Racing up fences and trellises to provide privacy and summer shade. If you purchase a plant from cuttings (most store-bought are from cuttings) they can fruit in their first summer, if not the second! Seed grown will usually be 2-3 years to fruit. Passionfruit are ideal for utilising vertical space to grow more fruits. There are many different varieties, and having different types can extend your season. I always suggest AVOIDING GRAFTED VARIETIES. Especially here in Perth. They are not needed, and the rootstock can easily get away from you and send up suckers 100s of metres away.
A fast, compact shrub that usually fruits in the first year from cutting grown. Producing bright red berries packed with vitamin C and can produce multiple sets of fruit throughout the year. Drought-tolerant once established and great for small gardens or food forest edges. A great option for a tropical cherry-like fruit in warm climates. They have beautiful pink flowers that are amazing for attracting pollinators, too. They are easy to grow from cuttings to add in hot spots of your garden to get quick shade and fruit!
8. Brazilian Cherry (Eugenia uniflora)
This tough, evergreen shrub grows quickly, and with glossy, dense leaves, it would make a beautiful edible hedge. Fruits within 1–2 years, often multiple times a year in warm climates. The deep red fruits are tart-sweet and a magnet for birds and bees. It can also be grown as a middle-layer shrub. They grow easily from seed or cutting to multiply throughout the garden.
9. Guava (Psidium guajava & Psidium cattleyanum)
A resilient, quick-establishing fruit tree that’s highly productive within 1–3 years. Guavas handle pruning well, making them easy to shape for compact gardens. They are hardy, and their dense canopy provides valuable shade and leaf litter for mulch. Great for making smoothie bowls or fruit leather!
🚨 In some states and countries, Psidium cattleyanum (cherry guava)self-seeds easily and is spread by birds and are considered a pest. That is not the case here in Perth, but check with your local biosecurity.
10. Feijoa / Pineapple Guava (Acca sellowiana)
This Kiwi’s favourite fruit! Feijoas are both ornamental and edible with silver-green foliage, stunning flowers, and delicious autumn fruit. The KEY is choosing a named variety/ grafted variety for quality fruit that starts producing in the first year. They are fast to establish and low-maintenance, and they make excellent edible hedges. They are also said to have fire-retardant qualities. Usually, they fruit abundantly within 2–3 years. I prune these back by 1/3 each year to create mulch for my garden. The seedling “generic” ones can take more like 5-6 years to fruit.
11. Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)
A hardy evergreen and fast-growing fruit tree (especially grafted trees). Loquats flower in late winter and fruit in early spring, bringing colour and food in an “in-between” time. Their lush canopy and year-round foliage make them excellent habitat trees. They do grow very quickly and very large, so they can be hard to maintain in an urban garden. I’m growing mine in a pot, but it would be best to keep them small and well-pruned so you can bag or net the fruits. The fruits are sweet and taste kind of like a mix of pear, mango and apricot!
🚨 In some states and countries, theyself-seed easily and are spread by birds and are considered a pest. That is not the case here in Perth, but check with your local biosecurity.
12. Fig (Ficus carica)
Few fruit trees grow faster and produce more than figs. They can bear fruit in their second year and love hot, dry conditions. Their dense canopy provides shade in summer, and being deciduous, their leaves provide organic matter. One thing that surprised me about figs is the huge range of flavours with different varieties. From the sweet, honey-like yellow figs to the strawberry jam flavours. SO MUCH BETTER than any store-bought fig. Figs also grow well in pots and containers for urban gardens. They can have very strong root systems, so it is important to consider that when planting. Avoid planting them close to structures or pavings.
13. Ice Cream Bean (Inga edulis)
A nitrogen-fixing, fast-growing fruit tree that grows incredibly fast, adding instant shade and biomass. They produce long, sweet pods filled with cottony, vanilla-flavoured pulp. Ideal as a pioneer species to improve soil fertility, create quick shade and microclimates. Ice-cream beans are fast growers and can grow to 8m, so they can be better suited to those with plenty of space or who are happy to regularly prune for garden mulch.
14. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa)
A classic quick win for any edible garden! Strawberries fruit within months and spread easily to fill bare soil. Perfect as an edible groundcover or on the edges of your garden beds. They help to shade the soil and retain moisture. Their flowers attract pollinators and their fruit… make the best garden snacks! 🍓
15. Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus spp.)
A fast-growing climbing cactus that can start fruiting within 1–2 years in warm climates. It’s perfect for growing vertically on a trellis, fence, or post, helping you maximise space in a young food forest. Dragon fruit comes in many colours and flavours, making it a collector’s dream! It is important to have a sturdy trellis ready for these fast growers.
16. Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa)
A fast-growing tropical plant that produces edible calyxes within just a few months. Rosella thrives in warm climates and is perfect for teas, syrups, and jams, adding both colour and diversity to your garden. It also grows into a productive, shrubby plant that helps fill space and build biomass. Part of the hibiscus family it is both ornamental and edible!
17. Melons (Watermelon, Rockmelon, Honeydew)
Melons are fast-growing, sprawling plants that can produce fruit within a single season. They quickly cover bare soil, helping to suppress weeds and retain moisture while your garden is still establishing. In hot climates, they thrive with plenty of sun and make a rewarding, high-yield addition to summer gardens. You can also grow melons vertically to save space and add more shade to your summer gardens.
18. Blackberries / Brambles (Rubus spp.)
Blackberries are vigorous, fast-growing brambles that can produce fruit within their first or second season. They spread easily and can quickly fill vertical space along fences or trellises, creating a productive edible barrier – it is important to grow them in contained beds. While they can be a bit wild if left unmanaged, regular pruning keeps them productive and makes harvesting much easier. If you choose a thornless variety like “Chester” or similar, they do not sucker or send runners as vigorously as the traditional blackberries.
19. Lemonade Tree (Sweet Lemon Variety)
A lemonade tree is a great option if you want a citrus that produces in abundance at a young age! and more reliably in warm climates. These sweet, low-acid lemons can often fruit from a young age, especially when grafted, and are incredibly productive once established. They also add structure to your garden while still giving you relatively quick harvests compared to other fruit trees.
20. Pepino Melon (Solanum muricatum)
This low-growing perennial fruits within months, producing juicy, melon-flavoured fruit. It’s perfect as an understorey groundcover or filler plant in young gardens. Quick to root from cuttings and thrives in partial shade beneath taller trees. 🚨Here in Perth, they are a host plant to spider mites (that thrive in hot, dry climates), so always be wary when purchasing them and keep an eye out in your garden. Unfortunately, they are no longer something I grow due to this, but I do love them!
Fast-Growing Fruit Trees Are the Key to a Thriving Food Forest
If you’re starting a food forest, it’s easy to feel like everything is taking too long, but the secret isn’t to wait…. it’s to plant your way through that waiting period. Fast-growing fruit trees and plants aren’t just about quick harvests; they’re about building a system that supports itself over time. They create shade, protect your soil, and help your long-term trees establish faster, and before you know it, what once felt slow starts to become abundant, layered, and productive.
The key to success in my high-density gardens is to give my long-term crops, such as Mango and Avocado, the most amount of space. Then I go in with these fast-growing fruit trees and plants so that I can offer shade and protection, as well as eventually mulch when I prune them or chop them out completely.
I hope this list offers you some ideas and inspiration to add to your garden for some quick wins! Are you growing any of these in your garden? I would love to know.
Grass is one of the biggest challenges when turning a backyard into a productive food forest. Instead of constantly fighting it, I’ve developed a simple strategy to stop grass growing and gradually transform the lawn into thriving garden spaces. If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing because grass keeps popping up in your garden beds… you’re not alone. When I first started gardening, I thought success meant having perfectly clean, grass-free beds. But over time, I realised something important:
👉 Grass isn’t the problem …it’s actually playing an important role.
And once you understand why it’s growing, you can actually make your garden a place where grass struggles… and your plants thrive. In this post, I’ll show you exactly how I’ve gone from grass-filled garden beds to low-maintenance, mostly grass-free systems…without chemicals or constant weeding or chemicals. I’ve managed to get two of my garden beds to be pretty much grass-free from this strategy. So, I want to share it with you so that you can start working on it in your garden as well, and not feel like you are failing. If you prefer to watch, check out the full video below.
Why Grass Keeps Growing in Your Garden Beds
You may be able to see in some of my videos or photos that I do have grass growing in some of my garden beds. And it’s not something I’m worried or stressed about because I know I’ve got plans in place that are going to help me manage that long term. I have transformed two of my main food forest garden beds from half-full of grass to almost zero grass!
It’s really important to figure out some of the key factors on what grass needs to grow and thrive so that we can flip that and make it a less desirable environment for grass to grow, so that we can slow it down while we wait for our long-term strategy to kick in.
Grass is a pioneer plant. It shows up first. It covers the soil to try and protect it, try and get things to grow. So it does have an important role in the garden. Grass likes two key things: SUNLIGHT & FREE DRAINING SOIL. My hot, open front yard is prime growing conditions for grass to thrive! So if we know what grass likes, we can FLIP IT and make a less desirable environment for grass.
Roots in the ground are always better than dry, bare soil. Grass is quick to turn sunlight and water into available sugars as well as provide shade and habitat for beneficial soil microbes and insects. But some of us do prefer grass-free garden beds…so how do we start to slow down the grass growth and eliminate it FOREVER? 👉 Let’s talk about my 2-phase grass suppression strategy.
My Easy Two-Phase Grass Suppression Strategy
Stopping grass growing in your garden beds isn’t going to happen overnight, but with a plan and some patience, you can have grass-free gardens bursting with edible plants. There are TWO key parts to the plan!A long-term strategy and some short-term solutions to get started with while you wait for the long-term strategy to kick in. They both work together to create one solution: no grass in your garden beds!
1. Long-term Strategy to Stop Grass
We know that grass likes sunlight, so the long-term plan is to block all sunlight reaching the ground level of your garden beds. We do this by:
Growing a tall dense canopy – this is your long-term tree crops, for me this is Avocado and Mango, but for you, it could be whatever tall trees your heart desires! These trees can take YEARS to reach a height and size that will block light to the ground, which is why we also have our short-term solutions (which we will touch on soon).
Growing multiple layers of plants – To help block the light from getting to the ground, you can create layers like a forest does. Grass rarely grows in a forest, and if it does, it is usually where tall canopy trees have fallen or been removed to let sunlight in! This means planting shorter shrubs and ground covers to add more density and let less light to the ground level.
Build rich organic soil – have you ever noticed grass or weeds come out much easier in good soil than hard or dry compact soil? Grass is not only easier to remove in rich soil, but it can also slow down the growth.
2. Short-term Solutions to Stop Grass – fast
Once we have our long-term strategy in place and our tall canopy trees planted, what can we do quickly to slow down and suppress grass growing while we wait for those trees to grow? The key is to ALWAYS COVER AND SHADE THE SOIL.
What are effective and quick ways to cover and shade the soil to suppress grass?
Use cardboard (with no sticky tape), newspaper or other natural products to cover the soil. This is something I would only do when starting a brand-new garden from scratch. It gives your plants time to grow before the grass gets through.
Layers of mulch – different types of mulch will break down at different rates. I often use two different types of mulch to add nutrition and suppress grass. Options like pea straw and lupin will break down fast, so these usually get added first, then a harder woodchip type mulch on top of that.
Chop & Drop – putting mulch on once and then leaving it will almost always result in the grass growing through. That is why I love using plants in my garden to regularly “chop & drop” to add new layers. In summer, I use quick-growing plants like Queensland Arrowroot, Autumn is when I prune many of my fruit trees and turn this into mulch, then in winter i use brassica leaves or bug-eaten leaves from my annual veggie patch. Using different plants will help give a range of nutrients to your soil. Adding layers of mulch and chop and drop will not only suppress the light but also start building rich organic soil to help your main plants and trees thrive and outgrow the grass!
Add barriers or edging – this can slow down the grass, especially if your garden borders on to the lawn. There is a huge range of things from hardscape elements such as bricks, pavers and metal edging to natural elements such as clumping grasses or plants, logs and even banana trunks!
Grow groundcovers – planting dense and hardy ground covers will act as another layer to block the light. Hardy ground covers are best so that you can add extra mulch or chop and drop straight on top of them and not worry about killing them off.
Outplant it with high-density planting – this is my favourite way to suppress grass! In my annual raised veggie patch, I will plant out my main crops first with enough space, e.g., broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower etc then I will go in and sprinkle seeds in ALL OF THE GAPS! Things like lettuce, radish, carrots, herbs and edible flowers don’t need as much light and can be grown in tight spaces. This blocks the light from reaching the soil and slows down grass and weeds. I take this same approach in my food forest and edible gardens by planting short-term crops in all the gaps. These will be things like: herbs, flowers, Queensland arrowroot, papaya, banana or pigeon pea.
Stop grass from going to seed – regularly trimming the edges and maintaining the grass BEFORE it goes to seed will help stop grasses or weeds from spreading further and making your job harder than it needs to be.
Removing runners and grass periodically – Removing grass or trimming before adding fresh mulch can be a good idea, especially in a young garden. Grass that has not gone to seed can be cut using a whipper snipper or weed eater to create mulch too!
In a natural system, grass is just the beginning…not the end
If there’s one thing to remember, it’s this: Stopping grass in your garden beds isn’t a one-time job… It’s a long-term strategy.
You’re not trying to remove it all at once with nasty chemicals. You’re slowly changing the conditions, so it no longer wants to grow there. Every layer of mulch, every plant you add, every bit of shade you create… it’s all part of that bigger plan. And yes… it takes time. But while your trees establish and your system fills in, your short-term actions are already making a difference. You’re slowing the grass down, building better soil, and making it easier to manage along the way.
So don’t worry if your garden isn’t grass-free yet 👉 It doesn’t have to be perfect… it just has to be moving in the right direction.
Your home garden can do more than just look nice… You can grow your own groceries and boost your homegrown food security!
With rising food prices and a growing desire for self-sufficiency, growing your own groceries has never been more important. Keep reading to see what to grow in your home garden to replace supermarket staples, from natural sweeteners, salt and pepper, protein-rich legumes, to fresh herbs, healthy fats, and easy-to-harvest fruits and vegetables.
Whether you have a small balcony, a suburban backyard, or a larger food forest, these plants will help you create a homegrown, chemical-free supply of staple crops to grow your own groceries! This guide is based on my garden in Perth, Australia, in a warm climate (zone 10b). :
Your Grow-Your-Own Grocery List
🍬 Sugar and Sweeteners
Instead of buying refined sugar, these plants naturally sweeten your food. They’re easy to grow and provide fresh, chemical-free sweetness straight from your garden. Most ripe fruits will offer you natural sugars, but below are some of my top picks!
Plants to Grow for Sugar and Sweeteners:
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) – accounts for about 80% of global sugar production. You can grow sugar cane at home and start producing juicy stalks of sugar!
Sugar Beets (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris) – a cool-climate option for natural sugar; roots can be processed into sugar. Like a white beetroot but super sugary! BONUS: Leaves can also be used as a green.
Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) – a perennial herb; leaves can be used fresh or dried as a natural sweetener.
White Mulberry (Morus alba) – ripe berries taste like honey and sugar combined!
Yellow Figs (Ficus carica, Honey Fig) – yellow figs particularly are super sweet, soft, and perfect fresh or dried.
Bananas (Musa spp.) – ripe bananas can sweeten baking or be frozen and blended for natural ice cream.
Grapes (Vitis vinifera) – homegrown grapes are naturally sweet, like nature’s candy.
Pineapple (Ananas comosus) – homegrown pineapple is so sweet! Plus, they grow well in pots or indoors near a sunny window.
Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) – extremely drought-tolerant and produces sweet apple-like fruit that dries naturally into date-like sweets.
Melons (Cucumis melo / Citrullus lanatus) – if you have ever dehydrated watermelon, you would know just how sugary sweet it is! Vine-ripened watermelon, rockmelon, or honeydew melon are all very sweet options.
🧂 Salt and Pepper
Yes! You can grow your own salt and pepper in the garden! These plants add salty or peppery flavour while being easy to grow.
Plants to Grow for Salt and Pepper:
Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) – hardy Australian native with silvery leaves that are naturally salty! Excellent in salads and cooking. Hardy an ddrough tolerant shrub.
Seaberry Saltbush (Rhagodia candolleana) – red, slightly sweet and salty berries and salty leaves; great for cooking.
Peppervine (Tasmannia lanceolata) – produces Tasmanian peppercorns; berries can be harvested at different stages and dried for red, white, or black pepper.
Kawakawa (Piper excelsum) – NZ native; leaves and ripe orange (female) seeds can be dried for pepper!
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) – edible flowers and leaves with a natural peppery bite. The leaves pack more of a spicy punch, and the flowers have a nice, mild pepper flavour. The green seed pods can be pickled and made into “poor man capers”.
Rocket / Arugula (Eruca vesicaria) – fast-growing leafy green with a strong peppery flavour.
💪 Protein-Rich Plants
Legumes and other protein-rich plants are essential for a self-sufficient garden. They are easy to grow, nutritious, and have the added bonus of naturally improving soil fertility – to grow more food!
Plants to Grow for a Source of Protein:
Bush Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) – fast-growing, compact, and perfect for vertical gardening.
Perennial Beans / Madagascar Bean (Phaseolus coccineus) – also called the seven-year bean; keeps producing for many seasons.
Edamame / Soybean (Glycine max) – high protein with 12g of protein per 100g, similar to two eggs.
Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) – edible pods can be eaten green or dried; nitrogen-fixing for healthy soil. One of my top support plants in the garden for mulch and food!
Peas (Pisum sativum) – eat pods and shoots; excellent garden snack for the cooler months.
Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum) – dry and store for long-term use.
Lentils (Lens culinaris) – nutritious and easy to store.
Broccoli and other Brassicas (Brassica oleracea) – surprisingly high in protein compared to many vegetables.
🍎 Snacks and Fruit
Swap packaged snacks for fresh, garden-grown fruits. I love nothing more than a wander through the garden to find snacks!
Plants to Grow for Snacks:
Lemon Cherry Guava (Psidium cattleyanum) – sweet and compact. I love the yellow variety with sweet snackable fruit!
Berries – give us all the berries! Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwiberry, the list goes on!
Apples (Malus domestica) – a versatile staple base crop
Bananas (Musa spp.) – come with natural packaging, and homegrown bananas are so delicious!
Passionfruit (Passiflora edulis) – robust skin, easy to take with you on the go.
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) – sweet, tangy fruit – tastes like a mix of apricot, pear and mango.
Mulberries (Morus spp.) – prolific and easy to harvest. Eat fresh off the tree as a garden snack.
Snap Peas (Pisum sativum) – crunchy and great for snacking. These never make it out of the garden! They are too delicious.
Carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) – long-lasting root crop. Great to eat with some homemade hummus using your legumes!
Lebanese Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) – Snack- sized cucumbers are usually sweeter and crisper than store-bought ones because they can be harvested and eaten immediately.
🥑 Healthy Fats
Healthy fats from plants are easy to grow and replace processed oils.
Plants to Grow for Healthy Fats and Oils:
Avocado (Persea americana) – high in monounsaturated fats. Delicious substitute for butter in many meals. I feel like having an avocado tree in the backyard is living rich 😆
Macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) – slow to mature but productive for years.
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) – seeds for snacking, butter, or oil.
Almond (Prunus dulcis) – nutrient-dense and versatile.
Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) – peanuts are so fun and easy to grow in warm climates. They can also be grown in a pot or a container.
Olives (Olea europaea) – can be pressed for oil; collaborate with neighbours to share processing costs.
🥬 Greens and Salad
Leafy greens are one of the easiest edibles to grow at home and replace pre-packaged salads! You don’t need a big garden, pots and containers work great too!
Plants to Grow for Greens and Salads:
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) – cut-and-come-again varieties for continuous harvest. Let one lettuce go to seed each year, and you will have an endless supply!
New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) – great edible ground cover, drought-tolerant, self-seeding greens. Great for soups, stir-fries, and curries.
Chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla) – nutrient-dense and versatile. I love growing chard, especially rainbow chard, in my kitchen garden. The colours brighten up a winter garden! Plus, make easy one-ingredient preservative-free wraps!
Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) – robust, flavorful leaves. Kale gets a bad rap, but it is easy to grow, and its rough leaves and curls are amazing at holding on to flavour. So the key is to cook it or massage dressing into it for a salad!
Longevity Spinach (Gynura procumbens) – perennial, nutrient-rich, especially good for warm climates. Known for managing blood sugar and reducing inflammation.
🍠 Carbs and Staples
Processed carbs aren’t necessary when you can grow your own and boost your homegrown food security. Root crops are one of the highest accumulators of herbicides and pesticides because they spend their whole life in the soil that is commercially sprayed with nasties. So if you want to replace supermarket food with spray-free veggies, I would have these high on my “to grow list”.
Plants to Grow for Carbs:
Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) – one of my top edible plants, it is sooo easy to grow, and once you grow sweet potato, you literally will never have to buy another plant ever again. To get started, you can grow from a store-bought by either placing it in soil or a jar of water to sprout. The leaves are also edible, which is always a bonus when talking about food security.
Pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) – the great thing about pumpkins is that you can grow a bunch and then dry or cure them for long-term storage and use throughout the rest of the year.
Queensland Arrowroot (Canna edulis /indica) – another core plant in my garden because of the multiple uses! As a carbohydrate, it grows rhizomes under the ground that can be used as a substitute for potatoes. A perennial potato! You can also make flour to use in cooking and baking. But it is also great at providing shade, wind protection and the water-filled stems make amazing chop and drop mulch to feed the garden.
Potato (Solanum tuberosum) – a classic staple – you don’t need a lot of space to grow potatoes; they can be easily grown in tubs and containers. Perfect for small gardens.
Papaya (Carica papaya) – It is a nutrient-dense, low-calorie fruit, with most of its calories coming from these healthy carbohydrates. The amazing thing about papaya is that you get two options to eat it: green as a vegetable or ripe as a fruit, two for the price of one space in the garden!
Plantain (Musa paradisiaca) – offering a sustained energy release due to its high resistant starch and fibre content. Also, ripe plantains can still be eaten as bananas; they just aren’t as sugary.
🌿 Flavour and Herbs
Instead of buying lifeless flavour from jars, grow your own and give your meals real freshness straight from the garden 🌿
Plants to Grow for Carbs:
Herbs – herbs are a powerhouse flavour enhancer. Fresh herbs are stronger and have more nutrients than the plain, processed dried herbs found in stores. Go outside and pick what you need fresh for each meal, or dehydrate and make your own natural blends of dried herbs.
Chilli (Capsicum spp.) – versatile flavour with a wide range of flavours and varieties. Also, make your own green and red curry pastes.
Onion (Allium cepa) – foundational flavour in so many dishes. Can be dried and stored.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) – very medicinal and packs a punch of flavour. You can grow an amazing amount in a tub or container, too.
Garlic (Allium sativum) – staple culinary flavour! You can grow a bunch and dry to use throughout the year, or grow perennial forms of garlic flavour with garlic chives or society garlic flowers (Tulbaghia violacea)! for a year-round source of garlic in the garden.
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) – a fragrant addition to many dishes and teas!
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) – both medicinal and culinary uses. Like ginger, turmeric can be grown in small gardens and containers. freeze or make a dried powder to use throughout the year.
Spring onion (Allium fistulosum) – easy to grow and just cut at the base, and they regrow! Such an easy swap to make! Sprinkle plants or seeds throughout your garden to fill the gaps.
🍃 Medicinal Plants
Grow natural remedies for common ailments. Many medicinal plants have multiple functions in a garden, including medicinal, culinary, pollinator and wildlife habitat.
Skip the microplastic tea bags and grow your own herbal teas.
Lemongrass Cymbopogon citratus) – easy to use and full of flavour. Simply tie a bunch of leaves in a knot and add to hot water.
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) – I love lemon balm in teas and infused into a lemon and honey drink. Lemon balm has calming properties.
Mint(Mentha spp.) – strong flavour and an insane amount of types of mint, such as apple mint, orange, ginger, and chocolate – just remember this is one you really want to keep contained away from your garden.
Rosella (Hibiscus sabdariffa) – the calyces make a vibrant, tart and cranberry-like flavoured tea or drink. mix with honey for sweetness. packed full of vitamin C. They can also be used to make jams, syrups and chutney.
Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) or Cinnamon Myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia) – Are Australian natives that are full of flavour.
Holy basil (tulsi) (Ocimum tenuiflorum)– a great natural sleepy tea or anti-anxiety tea for a relaxing evening brew.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)– full of flavour and immune qualities for a health-boosting tea
Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) – sweet, fragrant tea herb with pineapple scent and flavour. The red flavours are popular with small birds or great for flavour and garnish.
Start Building Your Homegrown Supermarket
Growing your own food and boosting your homegrown food security does not have to happen all at once. Actually…The most sustainable gardens usually grow slowly over time. Start with a few staple plants that you already use in your kitchen, herbs for flavour, leafy greens for salads, or a fruit tree for snacks and expand from there.
One of the biggest benefits of growing your own groceries is freshness and no nasty chemicals! Fruit and vegetables picked straight from the garden are often sweeter, more nutritious, and far more flavourful than produce that has travelled long distances to reach the supermarket. You also gain the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly how your food was grown.
For gardeners in warm climates like mine in Western Australia, many of these plants thrive with very little input once established. Hardy staples such as sweet potato, pigeon pea, mulberry, lemongrass, and arrowroot can produce food, mulch, and soil improvement all at the same time. Over time, these plants start to form the foundation of a productive backyard ecosystem. Food security does not mean growing absolutely everything yourself. It simply means bringing more of your food supply closer to home. Every herb you harvest, every fruit you pick, and every staple crop you grow reduces your reliance on supermarket supply chains.
Start with one plant, then another, and before long, you may find that your backyard begins to feel less like a garden and more like a small, living supermarket.
Edible ground covers are a crucial element in any permaculture or food forest garden. They serve as living mulch, protect and feed the soil, suppress weeds, and give you more food in less space. Whether you’re growing sweet potatoes for stir-fries or nasturtiums for a colorful salad, there are so many ways to make your ground layer both beautiful and functional.
Tired of weeding and bare soil? These low-growing edible plants cover the ground, feed your soil, and you!
By layering your garden with diversity in plant heights, root systems, and edible yields, you’ll create a more balanced, resilient system that supports you and the ecosystem around you. Let your mulch work to feed your soil and your family at the same time!
Welcome back to my garden! Today, we’re diving into edible ground covers that I use in my urban permaculture garden as living mulch. Creating layers in a food forest system helps you grow more diversity (and food) in a small space. Edible ground covers help suppress weeds to create a low-maintenance, sustainable garden that feeds us year-round and doesn’t demand daily upkeep.
We love to go camping, and that means I often leave my garden for days at a time. While I still love growing annuals like tomatoes and cucumbers, they require more hands-on care and come with a higher risk if I’m away. I’ll still grow them, but I want to shift the balance toward a more resilient garden using perennial plants and edible ground covers that do more of the heavy lifting while I’m off exploring.
Watch or read more below
Top 10 Edible Ground Covers for Living Mulch
So, what exactly are edible ground covers? These are low-growing plants that serve multiple functions: they protect the soil, retain moisture, reduce weeds, prevent erosion, and provide food for both humans and beneficial wildlife. In a food forest-style garden, ground covers are just one layer in a multi-tiered system that also includes tall trees, shrubs, flowers, and root crops.
Below are 10 of my favorite edible ground covers that are beautiful, functional, and delicious!
1. Sweet Potato
Sweet potato is hands-down my favorite edible ground cover. Its thick, lush vines protect the soil from the harsh sun and help retain moisture. The leaves are edible and can be used like spinach—sautéed with garlic, tossed in soups and curries, or even made into green wraps. And of course, the roots themselves are a delicious, substantial food source for both sweet and savory dishes. Sweet potatoes are also a haven for beneficial insects and frogs (yes, frogs!). I often find them nesting among the vines, even without a pond nearby. They’re super easy to propagate, making them perfect for sharing, selling, or expanding your patch.
2. Nasturtium
Nasturtiums are another edible ground cover that, once you plant them, you will have forever! Their bright flowers and peppery leaves are both edible and beautiful. I use the leaves in salads and as mini wraps, and the flowers as edible garnishes or pesto ingredients. They self-seed prolifically, meaning once you plant them, they often come back on their own every year. This means they can easily take over parts of your garden, so it’s important to keep them pruned if you want them to remain in one area.
Nasturtiums attract beneficial pollinators and act as a trap crop, luring pests like slugs and snails away from other plants. You can prune back areas to feed to your chickens as a natural pest management system. Even their seed pods are edible—you can pickle them to make homemade capers!
Naturtiums die off during the hot summer months, and so I pair these with sweet potato, which has an opposite growth pattern. Sweet potatoes thrive in summer and die back in the cooler months. These two work well to keep the soil covered all year round.
3. New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides)
New Zealand Spinach is one of my go-to ground covers, especially in warmer weather when traditional leafy greens struggle. It spreads beautifully and creates dense, weed-suppressing coverage. The leaves are succulent and can be eaten cooked, much like regular spinach. It’s drought-tolerant, hardy, and perfect for low-maintenance edible landscaping. Due to its ability to self-seed easily, it can be a good idea to keep it contained.
4. Sweet Violet
Sweet violets (Viola odorata) make a lovely ground cover for shady areas, which become more common as fruit trees mature and cast more shade. They have heart-shaped edible leaves and delicate purple flowers that make beautiful decorations for cakes and salads. While I usually use the flowers more than the leaves, the entire plant helps retain soil moisture and suppress weeds, making it an excellent living mulch.
5. Strawberries
Strawberries are a classic edible ground cover that needs little introduction. They spread easily, especially alpine varieties, and can handle partial shade. While their leaves and flowers are edible, the fruit is the real star. Just note they do better in sunnier patches of your garden.
6. Prostrate Rosemary
This low-trailing form of rosemary hugs the ground and is well-suited to hot, dry, sandy, or rocky soils. It’s evergreen, hardy, and incredibly useful in the kitchen. I love having rosemary nearby to flavor dishes, and the edible flowers are great for attracting bees. It also has a host of medicinal benefits—anti-inflammatory, digestive support, and calming properties.
7. Thyme & Oregano
Thyme and oregano are aromatic culinary herbs that make wonderful low-growing ground covers in sunny areas. Their spreading habit helps protect the soil, and both are drought-tolerant and resilient. These herbs can be used fresh or dried for flavoring food, making teas, and for natural remedies. Their tiny flowers also attract pollinators to your garden.
8. Yarrow
Yarrow is a powerhouse plant often overlooked as an edible. While the leaves can be used in teas or medicinally (always research before consuming), their greatest strengths in the garden are as a soil protector with dense fern-like leaves and a pollinator magnet. It has deep roots that help break up compacted soil and draw nutrients up to the surface, improving fertility over time. It sends runners underground, so it’s a good idea to treat this plant like you would mint and keep it contained to one area.
9. Chamomile
Chamomile creates a fragrant, low-growing cover that’s sometimes used as a lawn substitute. It’s most well-known for its daisy-like flowers, which are harvested for calming teas that support sleep and digestion. It thrives in sunny areas and adds a beautiful, soft texture to garden beds.
10. Red Clover
Red clover is one of those quiet achievers in the garden, it’s beautiful, useful, and so easy to grow. I love using it as a living mulch in my food forest because it grows low to the ground, helps suppress weeds, and is constantly feeding the soil with nitrogen through its roots. The bees absolutely adore the flowers, and if you’re into herbal teas, the blossoms are edible and can be harvested and dried too! It’s the kind of plant that gives so much without asking for much in return—perfect for filling in those bare spots while still being productive and pretty.
Many common weeds are edible and make great opportunistic ground covers. Purslane, for example, has succulent leaves rich in omega-3 fatty acids and grows rapidly to fill bare spots. Chickweed and dandelion also have edible and medicinal parts. While these can spread quickly, learning to identify and harvest them helps you turn a problem into a resource.
Living Mulch: Edible Ground Covers That Feed You and Your Garden
Start small by adding one or two edible ground covers to your garden beds or under fruit trees, and watch how quickly they transform the space. These hardworking plants not only fill gaps and reduce maintenance, but they also invite more life into your garden, as a wildlife habitat. Whether you’re building a full food forest or just looking to get more out of your patch, edible ground covers are one of the simplest ways to grow smarter, not harder.
Are you growing any edible plants as living mulch? Let us know below 👇
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Edible Climbing Vines help maximise growing space and double the amount of food in each garden bed or container. One thing that I think is so underrated is the ability to grow food up 👆 This list of edible climbers to grow in your garden will help you utilise vertical space and create shade and protection. These 10 edible climbing vines are perennials,which means they will produce more and more food each year without us having to replant them! There are so many incredible reasons you should be growing food vertically. Not only to maximise space but also to increase airflow to reduce rot or disease, strategic shade, or like me, to reduce some of the heat in my garden by covering my ugly fences!
Annuals vs Perennials 🌿
Annuals will allow you to still change up your garden beds each season and have the flexibility of space. Whereas perennials (which grow for longer than 2 years) will allow you to get a crop established and provide long-term protection, and produce more and more food each year.
Click to watch for bonus Planting Tips 👇
10 Perennial Edible Climbing Vines
1. Passionfruit
Passionfruit is one of my favourite fruits to eat, and the main reason I am growing this edible climber in my garden. They are also evergreen, so it has leaves all year round to create shade and protection. Passionfruit have thick, lush leaves, so they work perfectly to cover fences or create screens to block out unsightly structures or areas. Watch the video above to see how to plant passionfruit from a store-bought fruit!
BONUS TIP: Purchase a passionfruit plant that is NOT grafted. Grafted passionfruit needs to be carefully maintained or the rootstock can quickly take over and become invasive with no fruit.
2. Choko /Chayote
Choko is a quick-growing, vining edible plant that can make great summer shade to protect your summer garden. They will often die back over winter but will pop up and regrow each spring. Any fruits left on the ground will also easily regrow. Choko are similar to a large zucchini or marrow and can be used as a substitute for potatoes or even apples to bulk up pie recipes.
3. Sweet Potato
Growing Sweet Potatoes / Kūmara (Ipomoea batatas) in your home garden is a great step toward self-sufficiency. They are my favourite permaculture plants and are an easy crop to grow for beginner gardeners. It is important to grow plants that support and encourage other plants and beneficial insects in your garden. Creating a cohesive ecosystem that promotes the growth and success of your garden’s health and supports abundant harvests. Sweet potatoes send out runners and can easily be trained up a vertical trellis. Plus, many people do not know that the leaves of the sweet potato plant are also edible.
4. Grapes
The great thing about growing grapes as edible climbers is that they are deciduous. This means they lose their leaves in winter, so you can plant grapes strategically to provide shade in summer and let light through in winter!
5. Malabar Spinach
Malabar spinach is a fantastic edible climber for warm or tropical climates. It thrives in summer during warm weather when most other spinach and leafy greens die off. This can help fill the gaps in your seasonal harvests. Malabar spinach can be grown in pots or containers. It has succulent-like leaves, so it can handle hot weather, but it can be frost sensitive.
6. Butterfly Pea
If you love colour, then this edible climber will be perfect for you! With bright blue-purple flowers, the butterfly pea is a striking addition to an edible garden. The flowers can be used as a natural food colouring or infused in teas or cocktails. Plus, if you add acidity such as lemon juic,e the colour will transform to hot pink! Such a fun plant to grow.
7. Kiwifruit
Kiwifruit can be grown over structures to create great canopy shade. They are prolific producers and the fruit can be eaten fresh, frozen for smoothies, made into jams and even dehydrated for naturally sweet treats. You will need to have both a male and a female plant for pollination.
8. Kiwiberry
Kiwi berries have a similar taste to the kiwifruit, but are much smaller, around the same size as a grape. Kiwi berry vines grow really well in containers or urban gardens.
9. Nasturtium
Nasturtium is often known for its wild rambling nature but it can be trained vertically as an edible climber. The whole plant is edible, including the leaves, flowers and seed pods. Nasturtium has a strong peppery taste and can be used in salads, flavoured salts, pickles and many other recipes. Here in Perth, my Nasturtium dies down in summer but will pop up and regrow by itself in Autumn/winter.
10. Scarlett Runner Bean
Scarlet runner beans are also known as the 7-year bean because they pop up and regrow each year (for about 6-7 years). Beans are a great addition to an edible garden and can easily be cooked or frozen to preserve.
Annual Climbing Vines 🌿
Annual climbers are also great because they don’t need dedicated space, so you can grow, harvest and remove them to grow something different each season! Having a mix of annuals and perennials will help you grow more food all year round. Annual climbers can be plants such as Cucumber, Squash, Tomatoes, Pumpkin, and Melons.
Fruits that Grow on Vines
Want to grow more fruit without taking up extra ground space? Climbing fruits are a great way to grow more varieties without taking up more garden space! Check out these 17 fruits that grow on vines to get more fruiting plants in your garden.
