Crop Rotation
Why bother with crop rotation? It is a really effective way of controlling pest and disease problems. Some veggies are susceptible to certain types of fungi or bacteria and if you keep planting the same crop in one position it is only a matter of time before your crop is attacked. All the Brassica family (broccoli, cabbage,) is vulnerable to club root disease and cabbage white butterfly. Tomatoes are prone to getting wilt, root knot nematode and blossom end rot. By moving crops around and planting them among other veggies it lessens the chance of a disease getting hold and confuses pests.
The other factor to consider is that each type of veggie has different nutrient and water requirements. Most veggies grow in a neutral pH but peas and beans prefer dolomite lime in the soil prior to sowing. Beetroot needs boron added to get a good size beet. Crop rotation is particularly important when it comes to long-term crops like eggplant, potatoes, onions and garlic.
There are 4 different groups or “crops” of vegetables:
Crop 1: Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, leafy vegetables (brassicas)
Crop 2: Carrots, onions, garlic, beetroot, potatoes (root vegetables)
Crop 3: Peas, climbing beans, mung beans, snow peas (legumes)
Crop 4: Tomatoes, corn, eggplant, pumpkin, chilli, capsicum, zucchini (fruiting vegetables)
The crops must be rotated in order as follows:
|
Bed 1 |
Bed 2 |
Bed 3 |
Bed 4 |
Year 1 |
Crop 1 |
Crop 2 |
Crop 3 |
Crop 4 |
Year 2 |
Crop 4 |
Crop 1 |
Crop 2 |
Crop 3 |
Year 3 |
Crop 3 |
Crop 4 |
Crop 1 |
Crop 2 |
Year 4 |
Crop 2 |
Crop 3 |
Crop 4 |
Crop 1 |
