Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is a cultivation practice where different crops are grown in the same field over time. Crop rotation keeps the soil healthy by preventing:

1) nutrients from being completely used up

2) pests from building up in the soil.

For example, a farmer may grow beans one year and tomatoes the next year in the same strip of land.

Why does this work? Tomatoes require a lot of nitrogen to grow well. The roots of bean plants release high amounts of nitrogen into the soil, which would directly benefit tomatoes planted in succession. 

Crop Rotation Chart

The clockwise chart below should help you implement crop rotation in your own gardens!

How to use the chart:

• Example: Plant legumes in the area where the fruiting veggies grew the previous season.

Sources: Bioneers, The Seasonal Homestead, Unsplash