By rotating your crops annually or even semi-annually you can reduce the number of pathogens and pests that can occur when one species is continually cropped. Crop rotation can also improve a soil's fertility by alternating shallow and deep rooted crops. It can also help with soil erosion and who doesn't want to save their soil?
However, did you know that the crop that was there previously can effect the success of the next crop? It can be very confusing. So where does a newbie veggie gardener like me start? With the very basics, of course. Here is my basic Veggie Two-Step Rotation Chart. I hope you find it useful too.
10 comments:
Okay, I like this. Some of it makes obvious sense. carrot by dill because of family, but the rest is a little fuzzy. This is like the opposite of companion planting. I would like more info. I am at debskidsandflowers@gmail.com
This isn't about what to plant together. It's about what to plant in the same plot after your current veggie. That way the next plant won't use the same nutrients from the soil as the plant from the previous season. And the pests won't find the same crop where they found it last season. I hope I explained it a bit better this time.
Yikes, how can I remember all this. Mostly we have only grown tomatoes and peppers, a little lettuce in the way of veggies. We are trying to plant lots more this year. I know about not planting the same thing in the same place all the time, but what about the don'ts? What is it about garlic and onions with the beans for instance? Help!
Frances at Faire Garden
I had heard that farmers rotate crops and even plant soy to regenerate the soil. I didn't know clover was so good for the soil but if you turn it over and let it compost, it puts nitrogen back.
One day ... when we win the lottery ... and I can have more space in a HUGE garden ... I swear ... I am going to do vegetables !! really ... I mean it ...
For now .. hubby and I were fascinated by that upside down kit you can grow tomatoes, peppers etc .. from .. it looked so COOL !!!
CJ .... I can hear you laughing : )
Good post! Another reason to rotate your crops is that diseases that may have affected one plant might be lurking in the soil for the next year. If you move the plants to another plot of dirt for a while (2-3 years) most of those diseases will have faded away from the original plot of dirt. The nutrient reason you gave is also very very important!
I like how the blogroll shows the current post for each of the blogs. Great idea!
Frances~I think I've made it more confusing than it needs to be. Check out Storey's Basic Country Skills for more (and less confusing) info.
Nancy~Thanks. I'm glad you found it helpful.
Anna~It makes sense that different types of plants use different nutrients. So I guess it makes sense that they also produce different "waste" nutrients. At least that's my take on it.
Joy~I don't laugh at anyone's attempts at gardening. No matter how weird! Matter of fact, I love weirdness~Just look at my hubby. LOL.
Dave~Thanks for noticing the new blogroll. I'm LOVING IT! Your a fellow Blogger user so if you connect to Blogger using Blogger in Draft you can add a new element. Once the Add list pops open there is 4 or 5 new Elements that you can choose from. Because they're still in "development" you can only find them through Blogger in Draft. It was a very cool find!
This is SUCH a good post! I have sent several non-blogging gardeners to read it and keep your chart for their own use! (I tried to post this comment the other day but Blogger attacked me and bit my ankles when I hit publish. Bad Blogger!
Oh my goodness, I just love those floral bags with the wood handles.Very cool! Great blog!
my heart skipped a beat! these are soooo beautiful! they aren't my fave style, but what you did with them is incredible. you are seriously talented, and never undervalue yourself just to make sales- know your worth in this world! the right customers always do come along, given time. and don't you want your pieces to go to the right people who will LOVE them and appreciate them like you do? of course ya do.
Susan Graham
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