I've been reading several sources about crop rotation and there doesn't seem to be consensus as to what type of vegetables are grouped together and what group follows what each year. Does anyone have some advice on how to group the following veggies and what follows what: Kale/Swiss Chard/Tomatoes/Peas/Onions/Zucchini/Potatoes Thanks.
This should help to explain a few of your questions. http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/homes/story.html?id=24af8bc4-5277-4464-a89b-259bc0e79874 It's a pretty good article and may help to explain some of the questions you have. Cheers Kim
Here's my first attempt at a crop rotation chart. I'm trying to keep it fairly simple for my first structured veggie garden. Does the grouping and sequencing look okay?
From personal experience I can safely say: don't follow potatoes with onions! I had a disaster with this, as the potatoes that remained in the bed came up and the onions were buried in leafy potato growth. Having said that, the potatoes were great - in fact, they had virtually no scab compared to the newly planted ones. Sometimes a disaster turns out quite well! Also, make sure you use dolomite lime, (not hydrated lime) to add calcium to your tomatoes.
Thank you for all your great links and tips. I am keeping it really simple this spring. I have a crop rotation plan with four sections: kale, zucchini, peas and tomatoes. If the kale is finished by late May, I will plant scallions there. If the peas are finished by early June, I will plant swiss chard there.
To keep things easy... roots:.... onions, potatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, etc leaves:.. lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, greens etc seeds:.... peas, beans, zucchini, melons, tomatoes, peppers etc The rotation: the 'roots' where the 'leaves' were. the 'leaves' where the 'seeds' were the 'seeds' where the 'roots were I am not saying this is the best way, but it works for me and is very easy to remember. I am not a 'production' gardener, but I have good results and haven't had pest problems or other troubles. Cheers, Tamara
Re "seeds" following "roots", tomatoes and peppers should never follow potatoes, since they are all in the same family and susceptible to the same diseases.
This is a very informative website regarding crop rotation: http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/factsheets/gg19.php