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- Newly Registered
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 12:38 pm
- Location: Humboldt County, California
how important is crop rotation in a backyard vegie garden?
this is my 2nd year with my backyard vegie garden. a few years back, I made my first, somewhat successful attempt in a smaller area - but when the kids finally outgrew the trampoline and I had some room, I got a little more serious and last year I had a great garden. when I originally started a few years ago, I grew some tomatoes and they did great for a while and then suddenly fell ill - my neighbor, who's been gardening a long time said it was most likely a virus in the soil. so when I started my garden last year, I built two raised beds 4'x5' each. I grew my tomatos in one of those and they did great. I have strawberries in the other. In addition, I have two plots: one is approx 10' x 15' and the other is 6' x 12'. I had corn in the 6'x12' area and zucchini, pumpkins, cucumber, lettuce, and green beans in the other. This year, I want to grow all of those things plus some onions and potatoes. I'm aprehensive about moving the tomatos out of the raised bed for fear of the dreaded virus...
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- Green Thumb
- Posts: 354
- Joined: Sun May 30, 2010 4:57 pm
- Location: central Kansas
When I gardened in the ground, I faithfully followed what my grandmother had taught me and rotated my tomato plants with my bean plants every year. Then, I began gardening in containers, and for some reason, got the idea that I didn't need to bother with crop rotation anymore ... until the year arrived when I lost every tomato plant I planted. Ever since then, I use new soil each year for my tomatoes.
As hit or miss stated, some people seem to get along just fine without crop rotation. I learned the hard way that I'm not a member of that lucky group.
As hit or miss stated, some people seem to get along just fine without crop rotation. I learned the hard way that I'm not a member of that lucky group.
My garden is relatively small and I do my best to move things from row to row over the years. This year I have tomatoes planted where I had eggplants planted last year. I have 2 trellises I use for pole beans and cucumbers and rotate the crop from year to year, beans one year, cucs the next. My soybeans for edamame are in a different row that last season, etc.
The only thing I plant in the same spot every summer is Okra. I've been growing it in the same 2 partial rows for years now and it never ceases to amaze me with the amount it produces.
The only thing I plant in the same spot every summer is Okra. I've been growing it in the same 2 partial rows for years now and it never ceases to amaze me with the amount it produces.
I have 4 raised veggie garden beds with an herb area in the middle. The perennial herbs are there, but I relocate the annuals.
I rotate the vegetables for the same reasons as Jal. The strawberry bed stays there 3 years of production, but then I relocate it, too.
Looking for some sun and heat so we can actually get the garden going.
I rotate the vegetables for the same reasons as Jal. The strawberry bed stays there 3 years of production, but then I relocate it, too.
Looking for some sun and heat so we can actually get the garden going.
- rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Try typing crop rotation or rotating crops in the Search the Forum key word box to find lots of information already here about it. Here's some samples:
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=156611&highlight=rotate+crops#156611
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28928&highlight=
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=161136#161136
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=156611&highlight=rotate+crops#156611
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28928&highlight=
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=161136#161136