Every summer resident knows well that if you plant the same crops in one place for several years in a row, then even under seemingly identical conditions of care, every year they become more and more frail and bear fruit less and less. This phenomenon is caused by soil depletion, which in turn is explained by a number of factors.
The importance of proper crop planning
The first is that pathogens and all kinds of pests accumulate in the soil. For example, potatoes are known to be a favorite delicacy Colorado beetles. If the plantation of this crop does not change location for several years, the pest does not need to migrate in search of food - after wintering, it immediately finds itself in favorable conditions and immediately begins to destroy the plant. In addition to the Colorado potato beetle, planting potatoes contributes to the accumulation of late blight pathogens in the soil, as well as the larvae of click beetles and moths.
With other cultures the situation develops according to the same pattern. In a plot planted with the same crop, the number of those pests will increase from year to year., which are dangerous specifically for it and, accordingly, it will be more and more difficult for the plant to withstand such an invasion. Cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, beans, and lettuce especially suffer from this factor. 
The second is an increase in the concentration of harmful substances released by the roots of a particular crop (the so-called colins) and which are toxic to this crop itself. Some plants are very sensitive to the effects of such poisons (for example, beets and spinach), others are more resistant (carrots, pumpkin, radishes, parsley), and others almost do not react to colins (legumes, leeks, corn). In addition, different plants emit different amounts of such harmful substances, for example, there are especially many of them in the soil after cucumbers, carrots and cabbage.
The third is the depletion of nutrients in the soil. Each crop has its own set of nutrients necessary for normal development. It is clear that it is precisely these that such a plant will try to extract from the soil. For example, if cabbage really needs potassium, then after planting it, less and less of this element will remain in the soil, while, say, after radishes, potassium reserves are not depleted so rapidly.
It is easy to understand that the situation can be corrected by correctly alternating the crops planted on the site from year to year. This procedure is called crop rotation and is a whole science. However, if you don’t have time to engage in complex theoretical preparation, it is enough to learn a few fundamental rules, and the harvest on your plot will always be equally abundant.
Rule #1
Not only the same crop, but also close relatives (representatives of the same species) cannot be planted one after another for several years in a row, since they, as a rule, have common pests, react the same to toxins and consume the same composition of microelements.
Rule #2
The average period during which the soil must rest after a certain crop is two years(one year is usually not enough for complete recovery), but for some plants this period is much longer. So, carrots, cucumbers, parsley, beets should not return to their original place for at least 4 years, but for cabbage it is better to withstand all 7 years! These periods can be increased, but it is not advisable to decrease them.
Rule #3
Plants have the ability not only to consume microelements from the soil, but also to enrich it with certain useful substances and properties. Therefore, correct rotation of crops can not only preserve the elements that are especially necessary for the plant, but also improve the composition and structure of the soil without additional procedures. For example, legumes loosen the soil and enrich it with many minerals. Melon and buckwheat saturate the soil with calcium, datura grass with phosphorus, tobacco with potassium, stinging nettle with iron. Knowing these simple rules and taking into account the need of different types of crops for certain microelements, you can easily plan crops for several years in advance. By the way, the indicated properties of the listed crops can be used more fully by placing them in compost after harvesting.
The same rule applies to pests. There are crops that are not only resistant to certain diseases, but also repel their pathogens. For example, aphids do not tolerate plants such as garlic or tobacco. The Colorado potato beetle is afraid of thyme. If you plant such orderlies after plants exposed to these pests, there is a good opportunity to expel them from the site, freeing it up for planting in subsequent years.
Rule #4
The need of plants for nutrients is not the same. Crops that are too demanding on soil composition should not be planted one after the other. It is more correct to plant legumes in the garden after such a crop or add the necessary layer of fertilizers.
Thus, correct alternation of crops will avoid unilateral depletion of the same elements in the soil, an increase in the concentration of certain types of pests and pathogenic bacteria in it, as well as an uneven load on the soil of the same root system of plants.
Another reason that makes it necessary to rotate crops on a site is weed control. There are plants that are sensitive to such proximity (for example, garlic, onions, carrots, parsley, parsnips); it is better to plant them after those crops that leave behind a minimal amount of weeds. Such plants include tomatoes, peas, potatoes, and cabbage.
What to plant next
So, we have found out that crop rotation is a necessary and quite economical technique that allows you to maintain soil fertility and ensure a uniformly high yield. But since the needs of different crops for microelements, fertilizers and other conditions are different, knowledge of general rules and principles does not always allow you to correctly determine which plants to alternate in what sequence on your site.
Did you know? There are two simple rules for drawing up the landing order. Firstly, you should not alternate representatives of the same family. For example, both tomatoes and potatoes are nightshades; both carrots and dill are umbelliferous. Secondly, plants in which the upper part is eaten should be alternated with those in which the root is valuable (“tops and roots”). You must understand that this is a rather primitive rule, and it should be used only if more accurate information could not be found for one reason or another.
What to plant next in the beds can be found out from numerous tables developed by agronomists and amateurs. For those who don't want to study theory and are looking for simple answers to questions about specific crops, below are some tips on which vegetables can be planted after which. What can you plant after cabbage?
Cabbage is susceptible to many pests and diseases, therefore, when answering the question of what to plant after cabbage next year, any gardener will confidently say: not cabbage, even if we are talking about other types of cabbage! This is the worst option imaginable, but if there is no other option, the soil must be very well fertilized with compost.
Cabbage as a predecessor is not suitable for crops such as radish, rutabaga and turnips, since these plants are favorite food for the same pests.
It is ideal to plant onions or garlic after cabbage. Carrots, celery, potatoes, beets, cucumbers, and tomatoes are also allowed. Cabbage also gets along well with these vegetables in the neighborhood, since in this case it is less damaged by diseases and harmful insects. But you shouldn’t plant cabbage next to tomatoes, beans, parsley and tomatoes. 
Potatoes, radishes, cucumbers, carrots, peas, onions, garlic, as well as annual herbs are considered good predecessors of cabbage.
What to plant after garlic
It is not recommended to plant garlic, as well as onions, for a long time in the same place, or alternate with each other. What can be planted after garlic in the garden are potatoes, especially early ripening ones. Tomatoes, cucumbers, legumes, beets or cabbage are also acceptable options.
But it is best to plant annual herbs after garlic and onions, which are intended to restore the soil for later use, replenish its mineral reserves and destroy weeds. Mustard, phacelia, some varieties of green peas, rye, and rapeseed work well in this role.
What to plant after cucumbers
Cucumbers are much more demanding on soil composition than many other crops. Before planting, the soil is usually especially carefully fertilized with both organic matter and mineral fertilizers. It follows that after cucumbers next year you should plant something less picky. For example, cabbage, which also requires fertile soil, is absolutely not suitable for these purposes. They feel good in an area where cucumbers and various root vegetables grew - beets, radishes, turnips, carrots, parsley, celery. In order to improve the composition of the soil, legumes can be planted after the cucumbers and only after that other vegetable crops can be used, for example, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, corn, lettuce.
Important! The soil is fertile not only due to the presence of a certain set of microelements in it. A necessary condition is also the creation of a natural complex of all kinds of microorganisms and various types of organic substances. Therefore, a big mistake is the belief among summer residents that it is possible to restore depleted soil by thoughtlessly dumping a bucket of compost on the garden bed and watering it on top with complex mineral fertilizer purchased at the nearest supermarket.
What to plant after strawberries
Strawberries tend to greatly deplete the soil, so immediately after replanting them (and it is better to do this once every four years), the bed where they grew must be carefully fed with mineral and organic fertilizers. It is better to do this right in the fall, thoroughly digging the soil after adding additives to it.
Strawberries consume especially a lot of nitrogen, so it is best to plant beans, peas and other legumes after them - they, as mentioned, enrich the soil with this element.
The antifungal and phytoncidal properties of garlic make it a good helper for cleansing the soil of pests remaining in it after strawberries. Along with the garlic, you can also plant parsley, celery and other aromatic herbs here to drive slugs away from the garden.
Actually, this limits the planting options for the year following strawberries. But after the above crops, you can plant any vegetables - cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, etc.
Important! Raspberries and strawberries should not be alternated with each other, as these plants have similar pests.
It would be nice to set up a flower garden on the site of a former strawberry bed. Perennial peonies, daffodils, tulips and violets will help the soil recover from the berries that have depleted it.
What to plant after potatoes
Potatoes, unlike strawberries, consume a lot of potassium and phosphorus, so the soil after harvesting the tubers lacks these elements. You can make up for the loss with mineral fertilizers, or you can plant annual grasses that generate potassium and phosphorus. This role can be performed by datura grass, mustard, oats, peas, rapeseed, and phacelia.
If it is not possible to completely clear the area after potatoes for a whole year, you can plant a pumpkin on it. Other crops require prior application of mineral fertilizers to restore soil fertility. However, as mentioned above, tomatoes, eggplants and other nightshade crops cannot be planted after potatoes. The same applies to pepper.
It’s good to make the same pumpkin, zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage, and onions as predecessors to potatoes.
What to plant after tomatoes
We decided that after tomatoes we should not plant eggplants, potatoes and peppers. As with other cultures, After tomatoes, it is ideal to plant annuals that will fill the soil with the missing elements. If you don’t have the opportunity for such luxury, it doesn’t matter! Peas, beans and other legumes will help replenish the lack of nitrogen in the soil; cabbage will also do well in the bed where tomatoes grew, since the pests of these crops are different. There are no contraindications for planting cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, carrots, beets, green salads, onions, and garlic. In addition, tomatoes are the little thing after which you can plant carrots.
What to plant after beets
The choice of what can be planted after beets next year is quite large. Potatoes, tomatoes and other nightshades are suitable for these purposes, but before planting, the soil must be well fed with humus or peat. You can also plant garlic and onions. Carrots are also a good option. By the way, the predecessors of carrots in the garden, in addition to beets and the tomatoes mentioned above, are also cucumbers, onions, garlic and cabbage.
The above crops also work in the reverse order, that is, in relation to after which it is better to plant beets. To this list you can add cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, legumes, lettuce, herbs - parsley, dill, celery.
What can you plant after pepper?
The root system of sweet peppers is in the upper layers of the soil, so after them it is best to plant crops with deeper roots. These can be root vegetables (radish, radish, beets, carrots), except potatoes, as well as onions, garlic, cucumbers, beans and greens.
You cannot plant any crops of the nightshade family after pepper. The sweet pepper itself can be planted after peas, zucchini, pumpkin, cabbage, beets, and celery.
What can you plant after peas?
Peas, as mentioned above, are a good predecessor for many crops. Thus, the ability of this plant to enrich the soil with nitrogen will have a particularly beneficial effect on the harvest of potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, beets, carrots, radishes, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, melon, as well as various types of cabbage.
However, peas have one unpleasant feature: they are very susceptible to fungal diseases and root rot, especially in conditions of high humidity. Therefore, if a crop affected by such a disease grew on the site, neither peas nor other legumes should be planted in this place next year. Spores of such diseases can persist in the soil for 5-6 years, so during this entire period it is better to use the garden bed for crops that are less susceptible to these diseases.
What to plant next: table of predecessors of vegetable crops when planting
Regarding the desirable and undesirable precursors of specific vegetable crops, there are a huge number of general and specific rules, summarized for clarity in various tables. They can be consulted whenever planning appropriate rotations.
For example, you can group crop rotation rules as follows:
| Culture | Good predecessor | Possible predecessor | Bad predecessor |
| Legumes, cucumbers, cabbage | Carrots, beets, onions | Nightshades (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers) | |
| Garlic, onion | Potatoes, carrots, legumes, cucumbers | Cabbage, tomatoes, beets | Onion, garlic, pepper, physalis |
| Tomatoes | Cabbage (especially cauliflower), carrots, onions, cucumbers, greens | Any nightshade, physalis | |
| Pumpkin (cucumbers, zucchini, squash, pumpkin) | Legumes, nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes), cabbage, onions | Beets, greens | Any pumpkin |
| Legumes (peas, beans, beans) | Strawberries, cucumber, potatoes, cabbage, | Tomatoes | Perennial herbs |
| Carrot | Onion, cucumber | Radishes, beets, cabbage | |
| Greenery | Cabbage, cucumbers | Legumes, potatoes, tomatoes, onions | Carrots, parsnips, celery |
| Eggplant | Legumes, turnips, rutabaga, cucumber, cabbage, onions, melons | Solanaceae | |
| Pepper | Turnips, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, rutabaga, legumes, | Onion garlic | Nightshades, pumpkin |
| Potatoes, cucumber, onion | Legumes, tomatoes | Carrot | |
| Legumes, nightshades, onions, garlic | Lettuce, corn | Pumpkins, rutabaga, carrots, turnips, radishes, turnips |
Thus, by turning to such tips, you can always clarify what to do next, for example, to plant onions or what to sow the bed where tomatoes grew.
However, not only tables, but also firmly understood rules will help you correctly identify the predecessors of vegetables when planting.
Important! Categorically bad predecessors are: beets, radishes, turnips and radishes for cabbage (and vice versa); carrots, tomatoes and cabbage - for onions, beans - for carrots and cucumbers, carrots for cucumbers and beets.
But after what you can plant carrots and other root vegetables, it’s after garlic or onions. Also, root vegetables grow well after greens and vice versa.
Neighboring cultures
In addition to answering the question of what to plant next, it is also equally important to know what to plant with what, that is, which crops can and cannot be planted next to each other. The fact is that plants have an influence on each other, which can be both positive and negative. Knowing the basic rules, you can avoid mistakes and solve many problems that prevent you from obtaining a stable harvest.
For example, as mentioned above, the root system of plants releases toxic substances that protect the crop from diseases and pests. Moreover, such poisons can harm neighboring plants, or, on the contrary, they can provide them with additional protection. Thus, colins secreted by mustard have a beneficial effect on peas, carrots and garlic, but are poorly tolerated by cabbage. Knowing this feature, it is easy to determine what you can plant peas with and what you should not plant cabbage with.
What crops are best to plant in the neighborhood?
So, joint planting is an important rule of crop rotation, allowing optimal use of limited space on a plot, as well as improving crop yields. 
For example, potatoes and beans are wonderful neighbors. It protects it from such a pest as the weevil, and it replenishes its need for nitrogen and repels the Colorado potato beetle. In addition to beans, it is useful to place cabbage, corn, spinach, eggplant, horseradish, carrots, radish, dill, and lettuce next to potatoes. All these plants have a beneficial effect on the potato harvest by removing excess moisture from the soil. And onions and garlic planted nearby protect potatoes from late blight.
By the way, garlic has a beneficial effect on many crops, so there are plenty of options for what to plant it with. Strawberries are considered a classic, since these plants are equally useful for each other: garlic protects capricious strawberries from diseases and pests, and the berry helps the formation of more cloves in garlic. Enzymes secreted by carrots have the same effect on the plant: under their influence, the garlic bulb becomes larger.
Did you know? If you plant garlic and horseradish next to each other, the amount of vitamin C increases in both.
From various diseases and pests (aphids, mole crickets, cockchafers), garlic saves not only vegetable crops, for example, tomatoes, beets, cucumbers, carrots, but also flowers - gladioli, carnations, roses, etc. But garlic itself from dangerous For him, calendula and chicory can protect onion flies.
Dill and corn are something that can be planted next to cucumbers, carrots get along well with peas, and peas themselves - with potatoes, tomatoes and eggplants. It is better to plant melons separately.
Other rules regarding what to plant with what in the beds can be presented in the form of a table:
| Culture | ||
| beans | cucumbers, potatoes, cabbage, lettuce, radishes, beets, tomatoes, eggplants, melons | peas, garlic, onion |
| peas | cabbage, lettuce, carrots, radishes | beans, potatoes, garlic, onions, tomatoes |
| strawberries | garlic, onion, lettuce, radish | |
| cucumbers | beans, garlic, cabbage, lettuce, celery, onion, greens | tomatoes, radishes, potatoes, zucchini |
| potato | beans, onions, garlic, cabbage, eggplant, horseradish, carrots, dill, lettuce | tomatoes, peas, sunflowers |
| cabbage | peas, cucumbers, potatoes, lettuce, radishes, beets | garlic, onion, tomatoes |
| beet | cucumbers, salad | onion, cabbage |
| tomatoes | garlic, cabbage, lettuce, leek | peas, cucumbers, potatoes |
| onion | strawberries, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, beets | beans, cabbage, tomatoes |
| pepper | cucumbers, kohlrabi | tomatoes, legumes |
| zucchini | legumes, beets, onions | cucumbers |
"Neighbors are enemies"
As can be seen from the table above, in addition to a successful neighborhood, there is also an extremely undesirable neighborhood. As a rule, plants “are at enmity” due to the incompatibility of the substances they secrete. For example, black walnut has a depressant effect on most vegetables due to the juglone it produces. Vegetables are also not good in the vicinity of wormwood. If you plant legumes and onions nearby, both will develop poorly. Literally all crops feel depressed with fennel, so it is better to plant this plant separately from others. Potatoes and cucumbers, tomatoes and strawberries are also poorly compatible. 
Eggplants and tomatoes do not like the proximity of other nightshades; peppers and beets, cabbage and strawberries do not get along side by side.
Did you know? It is interesting that such a beautiful and beloved coniferous tree as spruce has an adverse effect on almost all trees, and this effect persists for decades after the spruce itself has been cut down.
Sometimes it happens that plants have different effects on each other depending on their number. As they say, there is medicine in a spoon, and poison in a cup. In this case, you can arrange the proximity of such a crop in small quantities, for example, along the edge of a garden bed. For example, such an experiment can be carried out with valerian, yarrow or nettle, planting them in small groups near vegetables.
Thus, it is important for any gardener to know what to plant and then, and proper planning of crops when planting is a way to protect the soil from depletion and help plants naturally support each other for better growth and development.
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Crop rotation of vegetable crops is the necessary alternation of plants grown in your beds. Crop rotation in the garden should ideally be annual and continuous. This means that nothing should grow in the same place for two or more years in a row! This, of course, is ideal, and not every summer resident can realize such a utopian vision. However, “Gardener and Ogorodnik” will try to help you in this difficult matter.
We have prepared certainly useful diagrams and tables for you, which you, as usual, can download from the link at the end of the article. For now, let's get down to theory.
Crop rotation of vegetable crops: table for busy gardeners
In general, establishing crop rotation is not a quick task and requires a certain amount of time. This is due to the fact that when alternating crops, it is necessary to take into account quite a few factors: the plant’s need for nutrition, belonging to a biological family, soil contamination by pests, etc. For those who do not have enough time for lengthy calculations and construction of diagrams, we offer a quick and easy solution.
“Crop rotation table: successors and predecessors of vegetables when planting” will help you navigate the choice of plants for a particular garden bed, without going into details. The only thing you need to remember when using it is that the crop can return to its original place after at least 3 to 4 years.
Crop rotation table: successors and predecessors of vegetables when planting
As can be seen from this summary table of crop rotation, there are the best predecessors of vegetable crops, acceptable and bad:
The best predecessors of tomatoes are cauliflower and early cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, greens, carrots and green manure. It is permissible to plant tomatoes after onions, garlic, herbs, beets, late and medium-sized cabbage. After other crops, it is no longer worth planting tomatoes in the garden.
Wonderful predecessors of cabbage are cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin and legumes. But then comes the division. For late and medium varieties, early potatoes and carrots are good, and for early and cauliflower it is better to sow after green manure and onions and garlic.
Good predecessors of onions and garlic (which you do not grow for greens) are cauliflower and early cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, early potatoes, peas, beans, beans and green manure.
The best predecessors of cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, etc. are onions, garlic, legumes, corn, early cabbage and cauliflower.
Good predecessors of peas are any cabbage, early potatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins and squash.
Excellent predecessors of carrots are cabbage, potatoes, herbs and spices, cucumbers, zucchini and green manure.
The best predecessors of peppers and eggplants are cucumbers, onions, carrots, green manure, etc.
Good predecessors of beets are spices and herbs, potatoes, cucumbers, etc.
Wonderful predecessors of potatoes are zucchini, garlic, legumes, green manure, etc.
It seems that you managed to figure out how the table works without much difficulty. So, the “hurries” leave us, and we move on.
Crop rotation of vegetables in the beds: necessity or whim
For those summer residents who are not limited in time, “Gardener and Ogorodnik” invites them to “dig deeper.” First, let's look at the objective reasons that speak of the undoubted practical benefits and need for crop rotation in the country.
Causes of soil fatigue:
1. Accumulation of pests and pathogens.
If, for example, potatoes are planted in the same place for a long time, then the number of wireworms, Colorado potato beetles and late blight pathogens will inevitably increase in this area. The same is true for other crops. By growing the same vegetables all the time in the same beds, you run the risk of getting onion flies on one, cabbage clubroot on another, carrot flea beetles on another, etc. What can we say about root and leaf nematodes, rot and other “minor” troubles.
2. Accumulation of toxins.
Another reason that speaks of the need for vegetable crop rotation is the inevitable toxic root exudates - colins. Many vegetable crops are very sensitive to their own toxins. If you continue to plant them in one place, the harvests will become worse and worse every year, even despite the absence of pests and diseases.
Spinach and beets are most susceptible to their root secretions. Parsley, radish, radishes, celery, carrots and pumpkin crops react a little more easily to them. The least affected crops are corn, leeks and legumes. A lot of toxins remain in tomato, cucumber, carrot and cabbage beds.
3. Nutritional needs.
The supply of nutrients on the site is not unlimited. Each plant has its own nutrient requirements. Some cultures are less demanding, while others are more demanding. Therefore, it is very important to know “who is who” in order to track the condition of a particular bed. So, if you plant related plants in the same place, then in a few years they will “suck” out of it everything necessary for growth, depleting the supply of some elements. As a result, productivity will fall.
All these factors together give rise to the so-called soil fatigue. We can and should fight this. The most effective remedy is this very crop rotation of vegetables at your dacha.
Crop rotation in the garden: combating soil depletion
To prevent the horrors described above from becoming a reality at your favorite dacha or plot, it is enough to remember and adhere to three simple rules of crop rotation.
1. Rule of botany.
You should never plant not just the same plant one after another, but even related crops belonging to the same species! This is the very first, most important and important thing.
Judge for yourself:
- Their diseases and pests are most often the same. Therefore, the first reason will not be eliminated.
- Their toxins are also similar. Colins of one plant are processed only by cultures of another botanical species. This means that the second reason will remain in place.
- The nutrition and need for microelements in crops of the same family are also almost identical. It turns out that the third reason is here to stay.
Conclusion: Crop rotation of vegetables within the same botanical family is useless!
2. Rule of time.
The longer the culture does not return, the better!
The minimum period after which the plant can be returned to its original place is 3 years. For carrots, parsley, beets, and cucumbers, it is better to increase it to 4-5 years. Cabbage, when clubroot appears, can only be returned after 6-7 years. If there is an opportunity (there is enough space, many crops are grown), then feel free to increase these numbers, it will only get better.
Otherwise, the same three causes of soil fatigue will again not be eliminated.
3. Rule of fertility.
When determining the order of crop rotation in a crop rotation, remember about nutrition and plants that help enrich the soil with the necessary elements.
All crops use nutrients for their growth, some more, some less. Plants that are very demanding on nutrition should not be planted one after another.
Some crops improve the fertile layer by the very fact of their growth in this place. These include almost all legumes. They not only loosen the soil, but also fill it with mineral elements. No wonder many vegetables love them as predecessors. By the way, plants of other species, whose root systems are deep, powerful and developed, also have similar qualities.
Others contain essential substances in their roots and leaves. These plants need to be known and, if possible, composted. Although this is a separate topic, we will still give a few examples.
Buckwheat and melon leaves – calcium,
- Datura leaves – phosphorus,
- tobacco stems and leaves – potassium,
- stinging nettle – iron.
Thus:
- after each plant that requires nutrition, next year it is worth planting legumes or seriously fertilizing the garden bed,
- after a less demanding vegetable, you can plant a more demanding one, moderately fertilizing the soil.
To make it more convenient to navigate when alternating crops in crop rotation, “Gardener and Gardener” has prepared a special memo for you.
Memo: “What to consider when alternating vegetable crops in crop rotation”
Vegetable crop rotation scheme at the dacha
Giving any options for crop rotation schemes is a waste of time. Each gardener’s dacha plot is unique, which means that few standard crop rotation plans will suit anyone. And it’s not even about the size of the plot or the number of beds. It’s just that the vegetable crops that are cultivated are different for everyone. Some people plant a lot of cabbage of different types, while others literally 5-6 plants. Some people plant 5 acres of potatoes, while for others 5 square meters is enough. meters. Some people plant many crops in a greenhouse, while others have a greenhouse only for tomatoes and cucumbers. Therefore, it is more advisable for each summer resident to independently plan crop rotation and draw up individual schemes for himself.
We outlined the basic principles that should be adhered to above. Now let's step back from the ideal and plunge into reality. Next, “Gardener and Ogorodnik” offers you a list of practical tips on arranging crop rotation.
1. Human memory is not limitless. Remembering what kind of vegetable was sitting in this garden bed five years ago is an impossible task for most summer residents. Therefore, the first piece of advice is not to be lazy and draw up a plan of your plot with all the beds in a notebook. On this plan, you will mark the planted crops every year. Those with a lot of free time can immediately mark plants that are likely to be planted a year, two or three in advance. For the rest, it will take 5-6 years to draw up a complete crop rotation map (according to the average time of crop return).
2. During the sowing process, decide and write down in your notebook how much space each crop takes up.(a third of the bed, a quarter, half, a whole, etc.). This is necessary so that in the following years you can “put together” suitable plantings, like pieces of a mosaic. After all, it is not necessary to sow the entire garden bed with one crop. If you can plant cabbage and greens after the onions, do so - half a bed of one, half a bed of the second. Just remember to check the compatibility of neighboring plants.
3. If it is not possible to change the place of some culture(well, this happens too), don’t despair. Just add a “neighbor” from another family to her garden bed (don’t forget to check the compatibility table). Thus, self-poisoning plants (beets, spinach, carrots, etc.), which we talked about in the second reason (Accumulation of toxins), can grow in one place completely calmly and without loss in yield for up to 3 years. After all, neighbors of another species are good at processing and absorbing their destructive toxins.
Mixed planting works best when it is truly mixed. That is, not half a bed of beets and half a bed of carrots, but a row of this, a row of that. Or better yet, fill the row spaces with the same beans.
Here, perhaps, is all the information you need to organize correct and effective crop rotation at your dacha. The table will help you quickly decide on the crop to be sown. Reminder - plan everything in advance. Practical advice – to solve problems that arise in the process. Have a good harvest!
For many today, growing vegetables and herbs in their garden is both a useful and favorite activity. Of course, it is very important to get a good harvest from your plot. The best results are achieved when crop rotation in the garden is properly adjusted.
The importance of crop rotation
If the same plants are constantly planted in one place, then their enzymes (root secretions) poison the soil and the yield drops. For example, when celery, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and cabbage are grown in one place for a long time, pathogens of various diseases accumulate in the soil. Therefore, crop rotation in the garden is necessary, that is, an annual change of where crops are grown on the site.
It is recommended to plant the same crops and related crops in the same places after at least three seasons. It is important to comply with this condition, because different crops require different fertilizers. For example, cucumbers, cabbage, zucchini, leeks, and pumpkin need organic fertilizers; carrots, beets, parsley - in minerals; onions, garlic, herbs, tomatoes - both in minerals and in organic matter.
Benefits of crop rotation
Rotating crops in the garden allows you to:
- reduce the impact of pests and pathogens accumulated in the soil, especially dangerous for the previous crop and less dangerous for the next one;
- improve the uptake of nutrients from the soil by plants;
- use mineral and organic fertilizers more rationally, taking into account their effect and after-effect on different crops;
- avoid negative phenomena that are caused by root secretions of this plant species;
- deep digging should be carried out gradually (only for crops that require deep loosening of the soil).
Organization of crop rotation
In order to organize your garden and not get confused about planting locations, the following solution is often proposed. The entire garden is conventionally divided into four zones (although three are possible). We plant crops in groups. The first group is vegetables that need organic matter. The second group is vegetables that require mineral fertilizers. The third group is vegetables, for which both organic matter and minerals are important. And the fourth group is potatoes.
For the next season, you need to choose places for planting plants so that the previous crops are suitable for them:
- Legumes - cabbage, potatoes, root vegetables, tomatoes.
- Potatoes - legumes and early cabbage.
- Cabbage - root vegetables, legumes, tomatoes, potatoes.
- Tomatoes, peppers - legumes, root vegetables, cabbage.
- Onions - potatoes, pumpkin, root vegetables, legumes.
- Root vegetables - potatoes, tomatoes, early cabbage.
- Greens - legumes, cabbage, potatoes, pumpkin.
- For cucumbers and pumpkins - root vegetables, early cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes.
You also need to know invalid predecessors. For example, the following are not suitable:
How to increase productivity
By following certain rules of crop rotation in the garden, one piece of land can produce two crops per year. For example, before planting peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, you can use spinach and lettuce. After cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, sow turnips and radishes. After early potatoes, plant kohlrabi and cauliflower. After peas, radishes, lettuce, peppers, and spinach grow well.
Fast-growing vegetables can be planted between rows of slow-growing vegetables. For example, between rows of carrots, beets, and celery you can grow lettuce, radishes, spinach, and green onions. Radishes and lettuce can also be grown between rows of cabbage (early and late). Greenery grows well along the edges of the beds.
It is useful to grow more heat-loving plants (cucumbers, peppers, eggplants) among taller ones (tomatoes, peas, corn).
J. Seymour's rules
- If potatoes are planted on heavy, damp soils, then other root crops can be grown there in the third or fourth year.
- Legumes love well-limed soil, which potatoes do not like. Therefore, it is better not to plant potatoes after legumes.
- Cabbage plants love lime, but not fresh lime. It is better to plant them after legumes.
- Radishes, salads, cucumbers, tomatoes, and zucchini love rotted manure and compost. After them it is good to grow root vegetables.
- In some places you can constantly plant greens (leaf lettuce, spinach, dill).
Crop rotation table
So, to make it easier to organize crop rotation in the garden, the crop rotation table will provide information in a more visual form.
| Culture | Predecessors | ||
| The best | Acceptable | Bad | |
| Cabbage of medium and late varieties | Legumes, cucumber, carrots, early potatoes | - | Beetroot, cabbage |
| Beet | Cucumber, greens, green manure, potatoes | Tomatoes, onions, carrots, cauliflower and early cabbage | |
| Cauliflower and early varieties | Legumes, onions, cucumbers, green manure | Tomatoes, carrots | Root vegetables, cabbage |
| Cucumber, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, zucchini | Onions, early and medium cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, legumes | Potatoes, beets, cucumber, greens | Tomatoes, carrots, late cabbage |
| Tomatoes | Turnips, cucumbers, greens, green manure, cauliflower | Middle and late cabbage, beets, onions | Potatoes, tomatoes |
| Onion garlic | Cucumber, potatoes, legumes, cauliflower and early cabbage | Tomatoes, beets, onions, late cabbage | Carrots, greens |
| Potato | Legumes, cauliflower and early cabbage, cucumbers, green manure | Greens, cabbage, carrots, beets | Potatoes, tomatoes |
| Legumes | All varieties of cabbage, potatoes, onions, garlic, cucumbers | Tomatoes, greens, table root vegetables, green manure | Legumes |
| Greenery | Legumes, cauliflower and early cabbage, onions, cucumbers, green manure | Potatoes, tomatoes, greens, beets | Late cabbage, carrots |
"Conveyor" of vegetables
The so-called vegetable conveyor is very convenient for the constant supply of fresh herbs and vegetables to the table. This conveyor begins when we plant greens in the garden in the spring. Crop rotation in this case helps to achieve the best results.
The sequence of arrival of greens, vegetables, root vegetables on the table:
- In spring: feathers of perennial chives, spring onions, parsley, Jerusalem artichoke tubers left for the winter.
- A little later: sorrel, young nettles, rhubarb, onions planted at the end of April.
- Then: dill and radishes.
- From late May to early June: salad mustard, spinach, cabbage grown from seedlings, basil, coriander.
- In mid-June: early tomatoes and cucumbers, beets, bunched carrots.
- Late June: and early.
- July: tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, beets, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, early potatoes.
- August: squash, legumes, corn, turnips, pumpkin, eggplant, sweet peppers.
- Autumn and winter: celery (transplanted into pots), onions, watercress, salad alfalfa, mustard leaves, grown at home.
Considering all the advantages of this approach, it is worth remembering about creativity when organizing plantings. Crop rotation in the garden will help with this, but you need to use it according to your needs, capabilities and desires.
When cultivating the same crops in the garden for a long time, pathogens of bacterial and fungal diseases can accumulate in the soil.
Root and leaf nematodes characteristic of each type of vegetable affect subsequent crops of plants when constantly grown in one place. Among the pests, cabbage, carrot and onion flies are widespread. You can combat them by alternating vegetable crops belonging to different botanical families.
Vegetables from the same botanical family usually have the same set of pests and diseases that do not pose a threat to vegetables from other botanical families:
|
Family Asteraceae or Asteraceae |
lettuce, tarragon, chicory, scorzonera, artichoke |
|
beans, peas, beans. Peas and beans are an exception as they are incompatible |
|
|
Nightshade family |
tomato, pepper, eggplant, physalis, potato |
|
Pumpkin family |
cucumber, pumpkin, watermelon, melon, zucchini, squash |
|
Celery family |
celery, carrots, parsley, parsnips, dill, coriander, cilantro, etc. |
|
Buckwheat |
sorrel, rhubarb |
|
The cabbage family includes all types of cabbage |
white and red cabbage, Savoy, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, Beijing, Chinese, kohlrabi |
|
Roots |
radish, radish, turnip, rutabaga, daikon, mustard greens, watercress, horseradish |
|
Onion or lily family |
onion, leek, lettuce, chives, slime, batun |
|
beets, spinach |
|
|
Asparagus |
Thus, in a bed where tomatoes grew in the past, you should not plant eggplants and potatoes, since tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes belong to the nightshade family, which means they have the same set of pests and diseases. When clubroot appears, cabbage should not be returned to its original place earlier than six years later.
When rotating crops in a garden bed, it is also important to understand what effect a particular crop has on soil fertility. Based on this feature, three groups of crops can be distinguished:
1. - very demanding crops - all types of cabbage and celery;
2. - crops less demanding on nutrition - most root crops from the celery family, beets, turnips, radishes, radishes;
3. - fertility-improving crops - legumes - are the best possible predecessor for most crops.
Vegetables from the Cucurbitaceae (cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin), Solanaceae (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers) families, all types of onions, all types of lettuce, spinach, corn occupy an intermediate place between very and less demanding.
To avoid soil depletion, it is necessary to alternate vegetable crops in such a way that all three groups of crops are replaced in each plot within three years.
The following sequence is most favorable: in the first year, very demanding crops are planted, in the second - legumes, which restore nitrogen reserves in the soil and improve its structure, in the third - less demanding ones. Then everything repeats.
how to properly alternate crops in a garden bed
Source:
When planting in a limited area, it is necessary to take into account the relationship of different crops so that conflicts do not arise between them, which inevitably affect the harvest.
Just like in nature, plants in the garden and vegetable garden need different amounts of space, light, nutrients and water. Under natural conditions, these requirements are satisfied, since the relationships between plants are balanced; all of them, as well as insects and birds, help rather than hinder each other. But even in a limited area it is quite possible to achieve harmonious coexistence of cultures, the main thing is to take into account several factors. Vegetables belonging to the same species should not be planted next to or one after another, since they have common diseases or pests. It is not advisable to simultaneously or alternately plant crops that require the same nutrients. In addition, you need to take into account the depth of the plant’s root system, as well as its height and ripening time. The latter is especially important when it comes to mixed plantings.
The general condition of the plants depends on the assortment of the garden - the more diverse it is, the better the plantings grow and produce a larger harvest. It is necessary to plant crops next to or one after another not only belonging to different species, but also to different families. The most popular vegetables and root vegetables belong to two families - cruciferous, and celery. The first ones are the most vulnerable to pests.
It is extremely important both in the garden and in the vegetable garden not to plant plants next to each other, the underground part of which is in one layer. To protect themselves from certain pests or pathogens, plant roots secrete complex compounds into the soil. These compounds can also protect neighboring plantings and promote their growth. For example, mustard root secretions are beneficial for peas, garlic, and a number of other plants. The flip side of this phenomenon is that compounds that are beneficial to some plants can become toxic to others. Over time, the discharge can begin to oppress its owner - for example, it is undesirable to grow beets and spinach in one place for more than a year. But with mixed plantings, these crops can grow in one place for up to three years, since plants of other species absorb and process beet root secretions, preventing them from accumulating in the soil. Less sensitive in this regard are pumpkin, some cabbage, parsley, celery, peas and carrots. Corn, beans and leeks grow well without replanting.
It is important to know how many nutrients certain vegetable crops need - this determines how much fertilizing will need to be applied after harvesting. All types of cabbage and celery are the most demanding in terms of nutrition. Pumpkins, nightshades, as well as all types of onions, lettuce, spinach and corn occupy an intermediate place. Carrots, parsnips, root parsley, radishes, radishes require minimal conditions. Vegetables from the same family require similar nutrients. If they are planted one after another in one place, this leads to one-sided depletion of the soil.
There are plants that improve soil fertility. For example, some legumes, clover, and alfalfa are capable of enriching the soil thanks to nodule bacteria on the roots that absorb nitrogen from the air. And due to the deep root system, they enable the top layer of soil to receive potassium, phosphorus and calcium. Thus, perennial legumes are excellent precursors for most vegetable crops. Caraway seeds, buckwheat, flax, and rapeseed also improve the properties of the soil, especially heavy clay soil. It is recommended to plant demanding crops in the first year, legumes in the second, and less demanding plants in the third. Then the alternation is repeated.
An equally important reason why it is necessary to alternate plantings is the accumulation of pathogens and pests in the soil for a type of vegetable that grows in one place for several years in a row. Cucumbers, cabbage, celery, tomatoes, beans, and lettuce especially suffer from this. Changing crops helps fight the most common pests, such as cabbage, carrot and onion flies, without the use of chemicals. After plants that attack certain diseases and pests, crops that are resistant to them are placed. It is especially important to follow this rule for the cabbage and nightshade families.
After tomatoes and potatoes, for example, cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, beans, and beets grow well. Instead of cucumbers and zucchini, you can grow radishes, cabbage, beets, and beans. Carrots, dill, parsley, celery should replace onions, potatoes, and tomatoes. After beans, peas, onions and garlic, all crops can be planted.
This method is simple and consists in the fact that crops are combined in one bed not by year, but in one year. Excellent results are shown by joint planting of tomatoes and peppers with early varieties of onions, parsley and celery. Zucchini and squash will willingly make room for radishes, and cucumbers for dill and lettuce.
Since the ripening time of garden crops is different, they should be taken into account. For example, radishes have time to grow before zucchini and squash begin to crowd them out. Cabbage and celery planted together become stronger, plus celery repels cabbage weeds. You cannot grow crops of the same type next to each other, but with different ripening periods, for example, early and late cabbage. If plants in the same bed require different amounts of fertilizing, then internal borders should be made at the borders, across the beds.
Vegetable garden: crop compatibility
Some plants inhibit each other either unilaterally or mutually, which reduces their productivity and resistance to diseases and pests. Therefore, crops should be planted so that they do not interfere with each other.
For example, not a single vegetable crop can tolerate the proximity of hyssop, wormwood - especially peas and beans, and fennel - especially tomatoes, spinach, and bush beans. Among herbs, you should also not plant sage near onions, marigolds near beans, tansy near kale, and quinoa near potatoes.
To improve the condition of the plantings, it is recommended to add ornamental plants that produce phytoncidal or insecticidal substances to the main garden crops: calendula, nasturtium, matthiola, etc. For example, marigolds reliably protect strawberry bushes from gray rot and weevils, which increases both the quality of the berries and their harvest. Excellent neighbors of vegetables can be honey plants that attract pollinating insects: marjoram, savory, catnip, lemon. Flowering plants of the family are also planted - caraway, anise, dill, as well as sunflowers, daisies, allisum, lavender, oregano, Turkish cloves, immortelle and many other plants.”
How to combine cultures correctly?
|
Vegetable name |
Favorable neighborhood |
Unfavorable neighborhood |
|
celery, dill, lettuce |
Tomato, beans, onion |
|
|
Potato |
cabbage, onion, eggplant |
cucumber, pumpkin and celery |
|
pepper, celery, onion, parsley |
potatoes and kohlrabi |
|
|
cabbage, lettuce, radish, peas |
potatoes and herbs |
|
|
onion, lettuce, beans |
dill, carrots and mustard |
|
|
Onion, lettuce, tomato, peas |
beets, dill |
Crop rotations and crop compatibility on the site
Very often, plot owners ask themselves the question: how to properly arrange and alternate gardening crops? How much area should be allocated for a particular crop? When to sow seeds? And many other questions.
When determining the area allocated for a particular crop, we must remember that from 1 m2 of vegetable garden area, subject to the requirements of agricultural technology, you can obtain 4-5 kg of white cabbage, up to 4 kg of tomatoes, 3.5 kg of cucumbers, 4- 5 kg of carrots, 3 kg of beets, 2-3 kg of onions, 3 kg of pumpkin, 3.5 kg of zucchini or squash, 1.5-2 kg of peas, radishes, sorrel or lettuce and up to 3 kg of parsley, sel-derya or tarragon.
When planning a garden, you should remember that it is not recommended to grow the same crops year after year in one place, since this significantly reduces their yield. They should be changed according to a specific system. To correctly select the sequence of growing vegetable crops, see the table "", which lists the predecessor crops at the top, and the crops that follow them in the left column. Shaded intersections mean an unfavorable sequence of crop rotation, empty intersections - a favorable one. Correct alternation crops increases their yield by up to 20%, reduces the weediness of the site, reduces the likelihood of plant diseases and their susceptibility to pests. At the same time, correct rotation of crops increases the quality and shelf life of products.
To use the soil of the site with the greatest efficiency, you should carry out mixed crops . In one bed you can grow plants of two different vegetable crops. They consume different amounts of nutrients from the soil. When combining crops in one bed, you need to pay attention to ensure that their leaves and stems do not oppress each other. So, it is more advisable to combine plants that are upright, bushy, and wide-growing. You can sow lettuce on both sides of a row of white cabbage. Carrots with a deep root system combine well with onions, which have a shallow root system; oat root with an erect stem grows well next to head lettuce. In the spring, when planning the sowing of a particular crop, it is necessary to take into account the compatibility of plants. It is advisable to place crops with different ripening periods together. Thus, after harvesting an early-ripening crop (radish, lettuce, kohlrabi), a later-ripening crop continues to develop, using additional area. Therefore, it is necessary to draw up a plan for the placement of mixed crops in advance. The next year the main crop is replaced with another. But a prerequisite is a favorable mutual influence.
Particular attention is paid to biochemical interaction of different plant species , which has been little studied.
All of the above is possible if the following rules are followed. Remember them.
Each plant can return to its place no earlier than after two years.
We must manage to feed all the inhabitants of the garden country, even if the supply of fertilizer is small. Keep in mind that not all vegetables need fresh manure. Beets, carrots, onions, tomatoes will grow well in the second year, and turnips, beans, peas, beans - in the third year of fertilization. Think about where you can plant them.
Make sure that there is no hunger or disease in the garden country. If you plant beets or peas in a bed where diseased cabbage grew last year, cabbage disease will not stick to them. Plant a trouser-woo - it will become infected. Cabbage or cauliflower, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnip, radish are related plants from the same cruciferous family. Tomatoes and potatoes are both from the same nightshade family.
Relative plants take the same nutrients from the ground, suffer from the same diseases, and die from common insect pests. It is impossible to alternate them in the beds, to plant one to replace another.
When planning sowing, it is a good idea to listen to the opinions of agricultural astrologers. They advise sowing and planting seeds and seedlings of crops in the corresponding phases of the Moon. So, for example, beans, eggplants and peas are sown in the 2nd phase of the Moon, melon - in the 1st-2nd, zucchini - in the 2nd, all types of cabbage and potatoes - in the 3rd, corn - in 1 1st, bow - 2nd; in the same phase of the Moon, peppers, tomatoes, and pumpkins are sown or planted. In the 3rd phase, carrots, parsnips, rhubarb, radishes, turnips, and rutabaga are sown. In phases 1-3, parsley and celery are sown; in the 3rd-4th - beets; in the 2-3rd - chicory, and in the 1-2nd - garlic.
Vegetable crop compatibility
| Culture |
Beans |
Eggplant |
Cucumber |
K o l r a b i |
M a n g o l d |
Carrot |
P a sternak |
Parsley |
Leek |
Redka |
T o l o v a i s v e k l a |
Celery |
Spinach |
Onion |
Potato |
Garlic |
||||||
| Beans | . | . | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Eggplant | . | . | . | |||||||||||||||||||
| Peas | . | . | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Cucumber | . | . | . | |||||||||||||||||||
| Kohlrabi | . | . | . | . | . | |||||||||||||||||
| Pumpkin | . | . | . | |||||||||||||||||||
| Chard | . | . | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Carrot | . | . | . | |||||||||||||||||||
| Pepper | . | . | . | |||||||||||||||||||
| Parsnip | . | . | . | . | ||||||||||||||||||
| Parsley | . | . | . | . | ||||||||||||||||||
| Leek | . | . | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Radish | . | . | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Radish | . | . | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Table beets | . | . | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Salad | . | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Celery | . | . | . | . | ||||||||||||||||||
| Spinach | . | . | . | |||||||||||||||||||
| Tomato | . | . | . | |||||||||||||||||||
| Onion | . | . | . | . | . | |||||||||||||||||
| Potato | . | . | . | . | . | |||||||||||||||||
| Garlic | . | . | . |
These crops cannot be grown one after another
| Plants | Cultures | |
| compatible | incompatible | |
| Asparagus | Parsley, basil and tomato | - |
| Beans | Carrots, white and cauliflower cabbage, beets, cucumber, garden savory, corn, potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, peas, eggplant, pumpkin, melon and watermelon | Shallots, garlic and fennel |
| Beet | Beans, onions, kolbari, lettuce, cabbage | Field mustard, split beans |
| Broccoli | Celery, parsley, sage, beets, onions, potatoes, carrots, lettuce | Tomato, cola beans and strawberries |
| White cabbage | Celery, dill, lettuce, potatoes, onions | Tomato and cola beans |
| Carrot | Leeks, onions, sage, lettuce, tomato and peas | - |
| Cauliflower | Celery | Tomato |
| Celery | Leek, tomato, cauliflower and cabbage | - |
| Chayote | Cucumber | - |
| Chinese cabbage | Brussels sprouts and cauliflower | - |
| Corn | Zucchini, peas, beans, cucumber, pumpkin and potatoes | - |
| Cucumber | Peas, beans, radish, tomato and cabbage | Potatoes and aromatic herbs |
| Fennel | Almost all cultures | |
| Garlic | Tomato | Peas and beans |
| Horseradish | Potato | - |
| Artichoke | Corn | - |
| Cabbage | Late-ripening cabbage and potatoes | - |
| Kohlrabi | Cucumber, onion, beetroot and aromatic herbs | Strawberries, tomatoes and kidney beans |
| Leek | Celery, onion and carrots | - |
| Asparagus | Parsley, tomato | - |
| Hyssop | Almost all cultures | |
| Basil | Kohlrabi, peas | Cucumber |
| Savory | Beans, onion, spinach, tomato, dill, parsley, watercress | Cucumber |
| Stahis | Onion, lettuce | Root vegetables, potatoes |
| Asparagus salad | Strawberries, cucumber, beets, carrots, radishes, cabbage | - |
| Katran | Potato | - |
| Salad | Strawberries, cucumbers, carrots, radishes and cabbage | - |
| Melon | Corn | Potato |
| Mustard | White and cauliflower cabbage, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, radishes, turnips and peas | - |
| Bulb onions | White cabbage, etc., beets, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, garden savory, chicory | Peas and beans |
| Parsley | Carrots, asparagus and tomato | - |
| Peas | Carrots, turnips, radishes, cucumber, corn, beans, potatoes and aromatic herbs | Onion garlic |
| Potato | Beans, corn, cabbage, horseradish, eggplant and onion | Pumpkin, tomato, cucumber and celery |
| Radish | Beets, spinach, carrots, parsnips, cucumber, pumpkin, melon and tomato | Issoop |
| Spinach | Strawberries | - |
| Strawberries | Bush beans, spinach, lettuce | - |
| Tomato | Cabbages, asparagus, onions, beans and green crops | Kohlrabi, fennel, potatoes and tall vegetables |
| Watermelon | Potato | - |
| Watercress | Radish | - |
| Marjoram | Carrot | Cucumber |
| Chicory | Bulb onions | - |
| Sweet potato | Soybeans | - |
| Eggplant | Green crops, onions and beans | - |
Crop rotation is one of the most important agrotechnical rules, which is an indispensable condition for obtaining a good harvest. The rotation of crops in the garden should be carried out taking into account the predecessor, the condition of the soil (acidity, level of fertility, moisture capacity, etc.) and the phytosanitary situation (whether outbreaks of fungal diseases or mass spread of pests have been observed). To improve the health and condition of the soil, it is recommended to include green manure in crop rotation.
Proper crop rotation significantly reduces the risk of plants being affected by various diseases, the process of accumulation of pests in the soil, and in addition increases soil fertility and allows plants to more fully utilize the beneficial substances found in the soil.
When planting vegetables in the same places in a row for several years, soil infections accumulate in the soil with gradual depletion of the soil.
The purpose of changing planting sites is to ensure that previous crops prepare the land for subsequent crops. In this case, the economic and business component is taken into account. For example, it is rational to plant winter garlic or rye as green manure after the early vegetables clear the area at the end of summer. And vice versa, it is physically impossible to carry out early spring sowing in the garden after crops are harvested late.
It is also important to take into account the peculiarities of soil cultivation for each crop (in particular, the depth of digging) and the structure of the root system. Garden crops with a deeply penetrating tap root system are planted after crops with a superficial fibrous root system.
We draw up an approximate diagram of a summer cottage with the placement of beds
Experienced summer residents begin preparing for the summer season in advance. After placing vegetable crops on the beds in the previous year, a detailed plan for their location is drawn up. This work can be done on a sheet of graph paper and in a special country notebook. You should not rely on your memory, since in 2-3 years everything will get mixed up, and the crop rotation cycle should have 5 years (ideally, it is advisable to return each crop to its original place after 5 seasons).
Having a plan of our plot, we distribute the crops in the beds according to the principle of “getting along”. For example, it is not recommended to place eggplants and tomatoes, cucumbers and radishes, beets and beans in neighboring beds. Onions and carrots, cucumbers and corn, white cabbage and beets will be good neighbors. Zucchini and pepper coexist with all crops.
Since potatoes are often cultivated continuously, to restore fertility and improve the health of the soil it is necessary to use winter crops of green manure (for example, winter rye). We divide the plot into two parts: one is allocated for early potato varieties, the other for late varieties. In the second year, we sow the part of the plot freed up after early potatoes with green manure and the next year we occupy it with late varieties. This creates a simplified version of crop rotation.
It is very convenient to use a pre-prepared crop rotation scheme for 5 years in advance. Below is an example of a diagram for our plot with 16 beds for main crops. It is also worth marking in which bed and in what year fresh manure was applied.
| Bed No. | 1st year | 2nd year | 3rd year | 4th year | 5th year |
| 1 | carrot | corn | cucumber | bulb onions | radish and daikon |
| 2 | bulb onions | White cabbage | green | zucchini | |
| 3 | White cabbage | beet | tomatoes | cucumber | peas |
| 4 | beet | zucchini | bulb onions | peas | pepper |
| 5 | garlic | carrot | zucchini | tomatoes | beet |
| 6 | tomatoes | bulb onions | pumpkin | carrot | eggplant |
| 7 | pepper | radish and daikon | garlic | zucchini | tomatoes |
| 8 | greens (lettuce, dill, parsley) | green | corn | radish and daikon | cucumber |
| 9 | radish and daikon | pumpkin | pepper | beet | corn |
| 10 | zucchini | eggplant | beans | garlic | pumpkin |
| 11 | beans | pepper | radish and daikon | beans | carrot |
| 12 | eggplant | cucumber | beet | corn | beans |
| 13 | pumpkin | garlic | peas | pepper | White cabbage |
| 14 | peas | tomatoes | White cabbage | pumpkin | garlic |
| 15 | cucumber | peas | carrot | eggplant | bulb onions |
| 16 | corn | beans | eggplant | White cabbage | green |
It is actually very difficult to implement all the requirements of crop rotation in practice in a limited area.
But there are 3 serious mistakes that should not be made:
- return the culture to its original place earlier than after 3 years;
- choose a crop from the same family as a predecessor;
- After root vegetables, plant root vegetables.
It is imperative to take into account the compatibility of crops when planting close together, but sometimes an undesirable proximity may become inevitable. In our example, the eggplant bed is adjacent to tomatoes, which is undesirable from the point of view of the spread of diseases, but the plants themselves do not oppress each other.
When drawing up a crop rotation scheme for vegetable crops, it is necessary to take into account when manure was applied to the site. For example, planted after fresh application of manure, root crops will have a twisted, ugly shape, and the fruits themselves will have low taste.
It is recommended to apply fresh manure to cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini and pumpkin. Therefore, these crops should be the first in crop rotation after filling the soil with fresh organic matter. In this case, potatoes can only be planted in the third year.
Distribution by families of main vegetable crops
When planning crop rotation, it is necessary to comply with the following condition: vegetables are planted in their previous places belonging to the same family at intervals of 3 to 4 years, and the longer this period, the better.
The exceptions are: potatoes, strawberries, beans, which can be planted for years in the same place, provided there are no specialized pests and a high degree of disease development.
With a small garden area, most summer residents are forced to plant individual crops in a permanent place, especially for potatoes, which occupy the largest area on the plot.
In agricultural technology, the following distribution of the main garden crops is accepted into individual main families:
- onion – onions of all types, garlic;
- Solanaceae – physalis, eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers;
- legumes – soybeans, beans, peas, beans, peanuts, cowpeas, china;
- umbrella – parsley, carrots, celery, dill, cilantro, cumin;
- cruciferous – radishes, cabbage of all kinds, daikon, radish, turnips, watercress;
- pumpkin – cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin, melon, watermelon, squash;
- gonoeaceae – chard, spinach, beets;
- asteraceae – lettuce, sunflower, tarragon, Jerusalem artichoke, artichoke;
- Lamiaceae – marjoram, savory, hyssop, lemon balm, peppermint, basil;
- buckwheat - rhubarb, sorrel.
To prevent one-sided depletion of the soil, planting is alternated taking into account what nutrients they require. In a greatly simplified form, this is the alternation of tops and roots (for example, carrots are planted after cabbage or tomatoes).
After garlic and onions, planting any crops is allowed, but re-sowing them in one place is extremely undesirable.
Predecessor table
Each crop uses a certain amount of nutrients to form a harvest, while releasing toxic substances into the soil as a waste product. Toxins can accumulate and inhibit other vegetable plants. Taking this into account, each species can be grown after certain crops. The following table provides guidelines for selecting a predecessor.
| Culture for planting | Previous cultures | ||
| Recommended | Allowed | Excluded | |
| Potato | Pumpkin, legumes, white and cauliflower cabbage | Beets, corn, carrots, onions | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant |
| Garlic, onion | Tomato, early white and cauliflower cabbage, cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin | Pepper, eggplant, corn | Onion garlic |
| Tomatoes | Pumpkin, legumes, cabbage | Beets, onions, garlic | Potatoes, physalis, tobacco, pepper, eggplant |
| Cucumber, pumpkin, squash, zucchini | Peas, beans, early potatoes, early white cabbage and cauliflower | Green, tomatoes | Pumpkin |
| Peas, beans, beans | Cucumber, pumpkin, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes | Corn | |
| Carrot | White cabbage, tomatoes, legumes, onions, cucumber | Garlic, eggplant, pepper | Root parsley, celery |
| Green and spicy aromatic | Cabbage, pumpkin, legumes | Onions, tomatoes, beets | Parsnips, carrots |
| Eggplant, pepper | Pumpkin, cabbage, legumes | Beetroot, green | Solanaceae |
| Table beet | Early potatoes, cucumber, tomatoes, early white cabbage | Bulb onions | Carrots, beets |
| Cabbage | Beets, cucumbers, onions, potatoes, tomatoes | Carrots, pepper | Beetroot, turnip, radish, radish, daikon |
| vegetable corn | Beets, carrots, greens | ||
| Radish and daikon | Undemanding to its predecessor | Cruciferous | |
Previous, compacted and repeated crops
In small garden plots, it is important to obtain the largest possible yield per unit area. One of the expedient methods for achieving this is joint cultivation, repeated sowings and previous sowing of green manure, which makes it possible to cultivate several garden crops in the same area during one season.
Many vegetable crops ripen from one to three months after sowing. And the seeds of carrots, parsley, parsnips grow very slowly during the first 30-40 days, taking up little space in the garden bed. Unused area can be successfully used for compaction crops.
Repeated sowings can be done after harvesting early varieties of potatoes and cabbage, which are harvested in early June. Previous crops can be located in planned areas for planting seedlings or heat-loving plants, which are planted about a month later.