Planning the Plot
Crop rotation of plant families is an important practice in gardening and farming which aids in the building of soil health. It reduces soil borne diseases and weeds from proliferating, it also enhances soil structure and nutrient availability for crops.
Crops vary in their nutrient needs and some crops even add nutrients to the soil such as peas and beans (legume family) which can add nitrogen to the soil. They do this by taking atmospheric nitrogen, fixing it in their roots, and making it available to subsequent crops.
A good plant family to plant after legumes would be leafy greens, spinach and lettuces, and brassica family crops, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc. Grouping plant families together in the garden will make it easier to rotate the crops year after year. Many home gardens are not very large therefore it may be difficult but with proper planning, crop rotation can be achieved.
We rotate out crops yearly. The plot plan is a road map for this rotation. Here is our plot plan for the 2021 season:
Happy Gardening!
See the links below for more detailed information on crop rotation:
