There are many things we can do to help our garden. We can get soil tests, add compost, fertilize, and water. Another way to help our garden is to rotate our crops. I try to practice this, but I sometimes get a little lazy, and my crops suffer.
I knew I would eventually start to have problems when I planted potatoes in the same spot year after year, but it was the best place to put them (I could still get the tractor and disc into the rest of the garden, so when it warmed up and more weeds were poking up, I could hit them one more time before it was time to plant the rest of the garden). Not surprisingly, around the 3rd year, my potatoes didn't do very well. They had more than the usual scab and I was constantly battling potato beetles.
This highlights two main reasons for rotating crops: lessening the concentration of soil-borne disease and overwintering pests. A third benefit is that the deep roots of carrots, beets, and tomatoes help break up the soil and bring minerals to the surface. Next year, when you plant something different in that spot, the new crop can take advantage of the work those deep-rooted plants have done for you.
There are several different ways to rotate your crops. They range from the simple 3-year rotation, where you plant a heavy feeder such as corn, tomato, or cucumber the first year; the second year, plant a low feeder such as carrot, spinach, or beet in that spot; finally for the third year, plant a giver, such as bean or pea. You could also practice a 3-year rotation using roots (carrots, beets), leaves (lettuce, cole crops), then fruit (Tomato, squash, corn, or bean).
I'd always looked at crop rotation on a row-by-row basis. I tried to keep what I knew of the plant families in a certain area and plant something different in the general area of that row next time. After researching this article from Farmer's Almanac [1], I've discovered another way. The Almanac proposes dividing your garden into quarters. Plant the same vegetables in a quarter but rotate the quarters every year.
If you feel like this is getting more scientific, rotate according to plant family. You can also extend the rotation to 5 or 6 years. Adding a cover crop or a rest period is also an option. I'm considering a hybrid plan, using the plant families I like, and the Almanac's 4-quarter idea. That may not work, however since I try to plant my long rows with plants with similar watering needs. Take your garden size and preferences into account and come up with a system that works for you!
No matter how you rotate your crops, you need to know where everything is. Write it down in a notebook or take a picture! A quick internet search for gardening applications will bring up results if you feel like going the technical route.
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References and Resources:
[1] "Crop Rotation Chart for Small Vegetable Garden: Four-Bed Rotation Plan," by Henry Homeyer, posted on the Farmers Almanac Blog February 21, 2024, available at https://www.almanac.com/crop-rotation-chart-small-vegetable-garden.
"Wyoming Vegetable & Fruit Growing Guide," University of Wyoming Publication B-1340, November 2021, available for download from https://www.wyoextension.org/agpubs/pubs/B-1340.pdf.
"Crop Rotation in the Vegetable Garden," by Aaron Steil, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, posted May 2023 at https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/crop-rotation-vegetable-garden.
"Understanding Crop Rotation: The Basics and Beyond with Jack Algiere," Joe Gardener Podcast, posted April 11, 2019, available for viewing at https://joegardener.com/podcast/crop-rotation-basics-and-beyond/.