When planting all kinds of agricultural crops, one should take into account what their predecessors were on these lands. The sequence of some plants is effective, while others are undesirable. Productivity largely depends on a well-organized alternation of crops.
Why do you need crop rotation?
Crop rotation is called the alternation of crops planted in one place. A similar approach is simply necessary, since when growing constant agricultural crops in a specific area (bed), a decrease in germination and yield is observed.
Crop rotation is important for the following reasons:
- Different crops need different substances from the soil. If the crop rotation is properly organized, then the cultivated plant will have other needs compared to its predecessor.
- Planted crops are reflected on the arable soil layer. This applies to its structure, structure, density. Proper crop rotation allows you to maintain the soil in good condition.
- When growing a constant culture, the microflora of the soil changes, its biological activity is lost, plants quickly infect pests and diseases. Proper organization of crop rotation warns this.
What crops and then planted in the garden?
It is not necessary to study all the characteristics of crops in order to independently determine the possible sequence of planting. You can use the following recommendations:
- for nightshade, it is better to choose a place where previously pumpkin culture, early ripe or cauliflower, carrots, turnips, greens or grass were grown for fertilizer;
- it is better for early potatoes to allocate a place that used to be given to cauliflower or ordinary early varieties of cabbage, onions, garlic, pumpkin, bean and green manure;
- medium or late ripe cabbage is effectively placed after pumpkin, carrots, legumes, early potatoes, turnips;
- for early or cauliflower suitable land, where there were pumpkin, legumes, onions, garlic or green manure;
- it is better to grow beets after pumpkin, early potatoes, herbs, spicy herbs and green fertilizers;
- for pumpkin crops, select plots occupied earlier than ordinary (early ripening) or cauliflower, onions, garlic, corn or legumes;
- carrots or turnips should be planted in the beds where cauliflower or garden cabbage grew (the variety does not matter), early planted potatoes, pumpkin, greens, spicy herbs or green manure;
- for onions with garlic it is better when they planted early or cauliflower, pumpkin, green manure, legumes, early potatoes;
- for planting legumes, areas where pumpkin, onions, cauliflower, early potatoes, and garlic were planted are good;
- greens are fruitful after early and cauliflower, pumpkin crops, garlic, onions, siderates and legumes;
- spices better take root after cauliflower and early cabbage, pumpkin crops, garlic, onions, siderates and legumes.
Such combinations are most favorable. Other crop rotations are possible, but crop rotation will then be less effective.
Several neutral combinations can also be distinguished when crop rotation does not affect crop yields, but also does not improve them. This applies to the following points:
- after corn, it is better to occupy the plot with cabbage, beets, nightshade, herbs, turnips, carrots or herbs;
- cabbage, if it is not early, and it is allowed to plant pumpkin crops after green fertilizers;
- medium and late cabbage allowed onions, garlic, herbs, spicy herbs;
- tomatoes are suitable for land that was previously planted with early potatoes;
- early and cauliflower suitable land after greens and herbs.
What then is not recommended to be planted in the garden?
When organizing a crop rotation, it should be noted that certain planting sequences should be avoided:
- nightshade is bad after crops of its own kind and early potatoes;
- early potatoes are not re-planted in one place, as well as after nightshade;
- cabbage of medium or late variety is not grown if it was preceded by cauliflower or white cabbage (any variety) and beets;
- similarly limit early and cauliflower, do not plant it after early potatoes;
- beets are not re-sown in the same place, and also after medium or late-ripening cabbage;
- cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin do not feel well after medium and late varieties of cabbage, nightshade, turnips, carrots;
- legumes do not grow well in one place for the second year, and also after corn;
- greens should not be planted after medium and late cabbage, turnips or carrots;
- carrots and turnips do not grow well after beets;
- it is better not to cultivate onions and garlic after greens, herbs, turnips or carrots;
- spices do not tolerate such predecessors as medium and late cabbage, turnips, carrots.
Basic crop rotation rules
To implement the correct crop rotation, you must follow the rules:
- Do not plant crops that are susceptible to pests and diseases in a consistent manner.
- Do not alternate vegetables belonging to the same family on the same bed. This applies to both large and small (seasonal) crop rotation.
- When changing crops, rely on their influence on the soil. If the culture depletes the soil and compacts it, then after it you need a plant that will loosen the earth and provide organic matter.
- Intermix crops that consume nutrients in varying amounts.
- Plant legumes to enrich the soil with nitrogen.
- If the crop has a long ripening period, then do not re-plant it in one place for at least 3 years. This rule has exceptions - it is possible to re-plant potatoes, strawberries, beans and tomatoes.
- Plant a plant in its original place only after growing green manure on it.
Increase crop yields through crop rotation
A good crop can be obtained due to the correct organization of crop rotation not only by year, but also during the current year. This provides a harvest of different crops from the site.
Obtaining several crops from one site depends on the growing season. The first planting is dedicated to early maturing species:
- onions;
- radish;
- lettuce;
- Spinach
- early cabbage;
- early potatoes;
- bunch carrots or beets.
After harvesting an early crop, medium- or late-ripening plants can be planted. With the right crop rotation on one bed, you can get a crop of 3-4 crops.
To get the crop earlier, you can resort to winter sowing and make temporary shelters from a film or insulation.
For high productivity, it is necessary not only to properly organize crop rotation, but also to plant fertilizers in a timely and competent manner, get rid of weeds, and not to forget about the prevention of diseases and pests. Only an integrated approach will provide a good result.
Proper crop rotation is necessary for plots of any size. It is important to consider with what sequence different crops can be planted. Not only quantitative indicators of productivity, but also the quality of products depend on the correct alternation of plants.