Good King Henry, a Perennial Food Crop: Tips for Cultivation

Good King Henry is a perennial veggie grown for its shoots, young leaves, flower buds, and flowers. It is a traditional element in many permaculture polycultures. However, this plant is notoriously difficult to start from seed. I can't find anywhere to source divisions, so I'm going to give it a try from seed this year.
Here are my strategies for starting GKH, AND for successfully growing it on the very edge of its growing zone.
Fedcoseeds.com - my source for GKH
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[@blackwolf073]

Im in 5B in Canada. Just ordered my seeds this morning. Really excited to grow this plant.

[@maryhoffman9551]

I've ordered Good King Henry plants from Richters Herbs online (after failing with trying to grow them from seed). They ship their plants very carefully - definitely recommend them. Once I got my plants established in a mostly shady, moist area they lightly self-seeded. I didn't feel that it was weedy; in my garden there were just a few extra baby plants the following spring. Can't wait to see how your seed germination goes - I hope it works!

[@catejordan7244]

Great to read. I was just looking at them in their catalog and was trying to decide if I should get plants or seeds

[@havenpatorland]

I Just sowed the seeds in a shallow pot, watered it well and stuck it in the fridge a week. Then I put them outside, about two weeks before my last frost. I got a very nice amount of plants, about twice as many as expected.

[@mo59602]

Really good video. When I first tried to grow Good King Henry I failed several times. Then I sowed some seed in a plastic tub with some potting soil, stuck it under a deck and promptly forgot about it. A long while later I rediscovered it growing densely, a few inches high. I planted it out and now, a decade later it is everywhere, spreading far beyond the planned area. I can see why some people consider it a weed - but for us it works. We love it. SO do the sheep and goats. They eat it with enthusiasm. The poultry however, does not care for GKH. Mature plants dig and transplants really well here in 7A - but they do develop a huge root.

[@ingercesar5041]

In my Swedish foodforest i love Good King Henry, the flowerbuds are best, befor eating pore hot water over them and fry them with garlic and herbs. We never eat any part raw becuse of saponin although it is probebly ok when they are yong. The leaf I uses like spinach but they have a little bitter tast så best whit other foodforest greens ( bettet in shade). I think the seed is best sowd fresh and need some frezzing to grow. Good luck! Inger

[@paintedtongue]

I grew GKH very successfully by Winter Sowing it. It has come back this year very nicely.

[@aaron1143]

Hi. Had 100 seeds and have 22 germinated. Hopefully they'll grow on and I can put them in the ground later. Nottingham, UK.

[@WildernessTamed]

Hi, I live in north east England where we get this wonderful plant growing naturally in a few localised pockets. One great spot is in Teesdale, County Durham. A valley famous for its ancient glacial plant assemblage. The best spot I've found them is against a drystone wall facing east. They are obviously tolerant of shallow dry soils in this spot and growing against a warm wall in full sun. But Teesdale also gets colder winters than the rest of the area due to its altitude. I'm really keen to get some plants or seeds and give them a go. Thanks for the video.

[@julie-annepineau4022]

Have you tried Edible Acres for Good King Henry starts? I know they propagate them thru out the nursery.

[@tgardenchicken1780]

Thank you so much for all of your videos. I am inspired to try more options and methods as I continue to watch. Learning more all the time and loving it. BTW I love hearing the chickens when you are outside (miss my girls) and enjoy hearing the life around you.

[@lulabell3233]

I am growing GKH up in zone 8b in White Rock, BC. I got a division two years ago along with salad burnet. The salad burnet did not survive the first frost but the GKH is on its second spring here and has shoots up. I have mine in a raised bed with sorrel, walking onion, and Portuguese walking stick kale, and I interplant some annual veggies and flowers every year. It is partially shaded by the taller walking stick kale and has not shown signs of heat damage even in the heat waves last summer.

[@catejordan7244]

I am on Van Island. Where did you get your walking stick kale

[@HeyYouSA]

I grew from seed in Zone 5b by winter sowing in milk jugs. Set out in early February.

[@terachuu4077]

Love perenial greens,less hassle to maintain😊. Suits my very small garden😍. I 'd love to see another perenial veggies get more coverage. Cannot find these seeds in local shop though.

[@jordang7479]

I'm really enjoying this perennial crops series!

[@robertgulfshores4463]

Thanks again for another helpful video! I just discovered your channel, subscribed.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Thank you!!

[@anne-marietuikka3036]

Such interesting info on Good King Henry. My seed package only recommends sowing directly outdoors in the early spring. Maybe because springs are so cold in Finland ☺️

[@TheRoadprincess]

I have no idea if I will like it or not. I just love trying new things! Thank you so much!

[@tinnerste2507]

Out of 100 seeds I got one to germinate and it's just come up so it survived the winter! I started a few more seeds this week but it's hablitzia that won't germinate for me!

[@tinnerste2507]

Oh hey! One of the seeds I planted last spring just came up too I guess some may Just take a full season in the ground to sprout

[@gingerlily4404]

I’d love to hear an update on your results.

[@MsAusarian]

I wish that I could teleport plant starts to you. I have like 40+ perennial veg. And I have heard you mention a few that are stubborn.

[@Youdontknowmeson1324]

There is two other members of the blitum genus you could try like strawberry spinach and poverty weed blitum natt which I grows in deserts so probably more heat resistant and it probably is Perenial. Strawberry spinach is a annual but I think it more heat resistant.

[@TaxTheChurches.]

Good King Henry has a high level of oxalates, so the national institute of health (NIH) recommends you use it occasionally and cooked where the oxalate level can be decreased. I assume they mean boiling and pouring off the water. Oxalate is not an essential nutrient and if consumed in large amounts may cause kidney stones and liver problems. Also containing high oxalates: spinach, sweet potatoes, tea, rhubarb, beets, almonds and green leafy veggies. Low in oxalates: avocado, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, peas, white potatoes.

[@janxious]

I have some planted in the shadow of my house on the north side in 6a and it’s slowly getting bigger every year. Very tasty. It doesn’t have a lot of competition so it is slowly running into the hostas and ferns around it. I think the lack of light keeps it much lower to ground and slow growing.

[@jakelooter5139]

when you say "very tasty," what would you compare it to? I have it every where here but havent tried it yet, but choose chickweed and garlic mustard over fancy lettuce types, arugulas, mustards, kales, real spinach of various cultivars, and have for a long time. I am kind of excited I always thought you had to boil and throw away the water 3 times on this like pokeweed. low and behold either eat raw in salads as new greens or saute for older leaves? negligible toxicity factors? Thanks for the info in advance my friend!

[@janxious]

@@jakelooter5139 i don't like it quite as much raw, but sauted/wilted i would be hard-pressed to pick it apart from an annual spinach. good in bakes and and things too

[@jakelooter5139]

@@janxious Thanks by sauteed you mean well cooked in the pan or literally just wilted? I will be testing this out later and reporting my opinion back

[@janxious]

@@jakelooter5139 both! fried in oil or cooked into other things and wilted

[@jakelooter5139]

@@janxious Thanks bro. I did a quick garlic and oil saute yesterday and it was GOOD. Thanks for giving me the confidence to enjoy a perennial leaf vegetable that is established everywhere in my yard (my house is old and is in an area where colonists first came. there is a house near me from 1697. it turns out all these "weeds" were brought here with a purpose) and was previously only seen as a hard to eradicate bane. now it is food security and nourishment for myself and my family and friends. Thank you...

[@martibroekemeier2342]

Looking forward to all your recipe videos when you get the plant to grow. Show us how all the parts are edible please.

[@jakelooter5139]

this plant grows along the estuary from the cracks in the pavement at the end of my street, getting flooded by salt water frequently. it is NOT a picky plant in terms of culture. it is very very easy to establish. the issue w many trying and failing from seed is neglecting stratification or just being lousy growers.

[@permiebird937]

Good King Henry is on my to acquire list. I will be interested to hear about which propagation method works best. Good luck 🍀

[@da1stamericus]

BTW Angela, good king Henry is on the endangered list in the Netherlands.

[@Iris_van_Vulpen]

This plant is known for doing good near manure piles on farms. So I made a mount for it and ut seeds in. We'll see.

[@erikjohnson9223]

Lamb's quarters (Chenopodium album) self sows so readily (in the Midwest at least) that I am not sure I need a perennial Chenopod. What's the difference?

[@da1stamericus]

Thank you Angela. I have some good king Henry seeds. I keep forgetting to plant them. Have u heard of foino? It's great for dry locations. Or any other 🌾 or pseudograins?

[@juliewolfe7558]

Hey there Angela - thank you for the great info! I'm wondering if you have any updates on GKH? Did the seeds germinate? Does it like its spot? I'm going to give them a try this year. I'm going to try winter sowing some of the seeds.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Yes! A few did! I have four plants. They’re dormant right now but when they wake up this spring I will do an update. :)

[@juliewolfe7558]

@@ParkrosePermaculture Thanks Angela! Looking forward to it

[@christinaf4373]

Winter sow it

[@muffininorbit]

Planting Justice sells it, and lots of other perennial veg.

[@HavaWM]

I just looked and it isn’t showing when I do search for it on their site. 😔

[@muffininorbit]

@@HavaWM oh I’m sorry I was mistaken. I misremembered because they have a generally big perrenial veggie selection. I ordered their perennial broccoli and probably got that mixed up.

[@Permisiepl]

Interesting, GKH self seeds itself in my very poor, sandy, dry soil, so maybe you guys have soil way too good for this plant? ;) Just food for thought.

[@Ethan-vk6ny]

Get a plant and they will self seed out in part sun and come up even in clay soil perfusely in zone 6b

[@HavaWM]

If you manage to get this to grow, would you consider shipping it to customers? I’d love to grow Good King Henry but my style of gardening is much like yours, and if something is too fussy, I don’t want to mess with it. 😝 I’ve been watching this plant for a while but haven’t taken the plunge bc I’m too #lazy. 😏 Anyway, I live in Idaho - would you ever consider sending out starts in the mail? (I’d pay all shipping costs + pay for the plant itself, ofc!)

[@susankaempfer8427]

Have they sprouted yet?

[@gretayeadon]

Did it sprout???

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

I did an update in other video. They did. I got four and then transplanted them and two days later we had a freak snowstorm after our last frost date. 4 inches. Killed all of them and several other baby plants. I am trying again!