Crop rotation will profit vegetable crops in two methods: first, it can stop the build-up of soil-borne pests and illnesses; second, it can permit for the replenishment and environment friendly use of soil vitamins.
Crop rotation is the apply of rising completely different crops, somewhat than the identical vegetable or members of the identical household of greens, in the identical place every year.
To reduce pest and illness issues and to assist renew soil vitamins, members of the identical plant household shouldn’t be planted in the identical a part of the backyard greater than as soon as each three or 4 years.
Vegetable insect pests are inclined to feed on comparable crops and members of the identical plant household. For instance, an insect pest that assaults and eats cabbage will lay its eggs earlier than it dies. If cabbage or a member of the cabbage household is planted in the identical spot the subsequent 12 months, the eggs of the insect will hatch and the pests will discover precisely the meals they should proceed the pest life cycle. Soilborne illnesses–fungi, micro organism, and viruses–additionally could be hosted by particular crops as properly. Eradicating host crops or alternating unrelated crops into the backyard can break the cycle of pests and illness.
Crop rotation additionally helps stop soil vitamins from being depleted. Greens draw on a variety of soil vitamins for development: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the important thing or main soil vitamins. Members of the identical vegetable household normally draw the identical vitamins from the soil.
Crop rotation will stop the soil from sporting out: heavy nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium-feeding crops akin to tomatoes are rotated with soil-building crops akin to beans which add nitrogen to the soil, after which with light-feeding crops akin to onions.
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Main Plant Households and Crop Rotation
• Onion Household (Amaryllis Household, Amaryllidaceae): Garlic, onions, leeks, shallots. These are mild feeders. Plant these after heavy feeders or after soil enrichers akin to beans.
• Cabbage Household (Brassica, Cruciferae): Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese language cabbage, collards, cress, kale, kohlrabi, radishes, turnips. These are heavy feeders. These crops ought to observe legumes. After these crops permit the backyard to go fallow for a season or plant a canopy crop or add loads of compost and natural matter to the backyard.
• Lettuce Household (Composite, Daisy Household, Asteraceae): Artichokes, chicory, endive, lettuce. These are heavy feeders. Comply with these crops with legumes.
• Beet Household (Goosefoot Household, Chenopodiaceae): Beets, spinach, Swiss chard. These are heavy feeders. Comply with these crops with legumes.
• Grass Household (Graminae): Grains–corn, oats, rye, wheat. Comply with these crops with members of the tomato or Solanaceae household.
• Bean Household (Legume, Leguminosae): Beans and peas, clover, vetch. These crops enrich the soil and soil builders. Plant these crops earlier than or after another crop household with one exception–don’t plant beans after onions.
• Tomato Household (Nightshade Household, Solanaceae): Eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes. These crops are heavy feeders. Plant these crops after members of the grass household. Comply with these crops with legumes.
• Squash Household (Cucurbitaceae): Cucumbers, melons, summer season and winter squash, pumpkins, watermelon. These crops are heavy feeders. Plant these crops after members of the grass household. Comply with these crops with legumes.
• Carrot Household (Umbellifer Household, Umbelliferae): Carrots, celery, anise, coriander, dill, fennel, parsley. These are mild to medium feeders. These crops can observe another group. Comply with these crops with legumes, and onions, or let the backyard sit fallow for a season.
You should utilize the notes above to perform crop rotation or you may simplify the rotation as follows:
Easy 4-Yr Crop Rotation Plan
To observe a easy four-year crop rotation, divide your backyard into 4 areas or plots: Plot One, Plot Two, Plot Three, and Plot 4. In every of the subsequent 4 years, develop a special crop or completely different members of the 4 crop households in a special plot following this rotation:
• Plot One: Tomato household (12 months 1); Others–see record beneath (12 months 2); Bean household (12 months 3–however keep away from planting beans the place onion household crops have simply grown); Cabbage household (12 months 4).
• Plot Two: Cabbage household (12 months 1); Tomato household (12 months 2); Others–see record beneath (12 months 3); Bean household (12 months 4–however keep away from planting beans the place onion household crops have simply grown).
• Plot Three: Bean household (12 months 1–however keep away from planting beans the place onion household crops have simply grown); Cabbage household (12 months 2); Tomato household (12 months 3); Others–see record beneath (12 months 4).
• Plot 4: Others–see record beneath (12 months 1); Bean household (12 months 2–however keep away from planting beans the place onion household crops have simply grown); Cabbage household (12 months 3); Tomato household (12 months 4).
This four-year crop rotation intersperses members of the opposite vegetable households amongst members of the Tomato, Bean, and Cabbage households, and Others. Right here is how they’re grouped:
1. Tomato Household and others (Solanaceae household)
Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplant
Potatoes
Beets
Carrots
Celeriac and celery
Parsnips
Salsify
Scorzonera
2. Bean Household (Leguminosae household)
Peas
Broad (fava) beans
French (inexperienced) beans
Runner beans
3. Cabbage Household and others (Brassica household)
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbages
Calabrese (Italian sprouting broccoli)
Cauliflowers
Radishes
Rutabagas (Swedes)
Turnips
4. Others
Candy corn
Squashes, zucchini, and pumpkins (marrow and courgettes)
Lettuces
Garlic–keep away from planting beans in the identical location after garlic
Leeks–keep away from planting beans in the identical location after leeks
Onions–keep away from planting beans in the identical location after onions
Shallots–keep away from planting beans in the identical location after shallots
Perennial Greens:
Not included in crop rotation are perennial vegetable crops that develop in the identical spot for a number of years in a row. Perennial crops embrace:
Asparagus
Globe artichokes
Jerusalem artichokes
Perennial herbs
Rhubarb
Seakale
Small backyard crop rotation:
No backyard is just too small for crop rotation. A easy backyard map exhibiting the place every crop is planted will assist you plan and plant a special crop in that spot subsequent 12 months. To plan crop rotation in a small backyard, map outstrips or blocks–rows or sq. toes–and keep away from planting greens from the identical crop household in that spot greater than as soon as each three years.
Associated Articles:
Crop Rotation in Small Vegetable Backyard
Extra Crop Rotation Assets:
Vegetable Backyard Almanac & Planner
