Rotating crops in the real world of a small garden...

Chervena_chuska · August 4, 2011

This year is just one thing after another for me. Several possible diseases I could have say don't grow solenaceous plants for 2 years (or longer) in the same soil. (Bacterial wilt, fusarium, etc.)

Last year I got an unmistakable bacterial stem rot on my broccoli and the prescription of don't grow kohl crops for 2 years! So I took over a flower bed in the front yard that gets partial shade for my kohl crops and luckily that worked out. But I still have a year to wait before planting in the backyard again.

My yard is all of 30 feet wide and 30 feet wide. I have my 3 beds getting full sun and 2 new small beds outside our yard by the driveway but not growing tomatoes in 2/3 of my beds means I could plant all of 4 tomatoes.

I definitely will be planting a couple hybrids as well next year after 5 years of heirlooms only. These diseases are too much on the nerves.

What do you all do who don't have the space to really rotate properly? How do you manage?

beeman · August 4, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chervena_chuska

What do you all do who don't have the space to really rotate properly? How do you manage?

Just before reading this post a neighbor left after a 'gardening' visit. I asked how his tomatoes are doing? It turned out they were great, and he has grown Tomatoes in the same place for the last 20 years!
Makes you think and wonder?

Jeannine Anne · August 4, 2011

I grow have grown pole and runner beans in the same place alongisde peas for many years as wherever we live we put a permanent bean fence up, never a problem with beans or peas.

Could you plant your tomatoes in pots and rotate the position. I have grown in Global buckets this year and they are doing very well. I almost always grow tomatoes in containers, same with peppers and eggplants.

Carrotts and parsnips also have the same bed every year as I build a high raised bed and fill it with very loamy soil ti get great snips and carrotts, I have never had a problem with those either.

Brassicas I do would rotate and potatoes of course .

I guess a lot depends on what are the problems in your area.. clubroot is a brassica problem here so I grow resstant ones where I can

XX Jeannine

August 4, 2011	#1
Chervena_chuska Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 15	Rotating crops in the real world of a small garden... This year is just one thing after another for me. Several possible diseases I could have say don't grow solenaceous plants for 2 years (or longer) in the same soil. (Bacterial wilt, fusarium, etc.) Last year I got an unmistakable bacterial stem rot on my broccoli and the prescription of don't grow kohl crops for 2 years! So I took over a flower bed in the front yard that gets partial shade for my kohl crops and luckily that worked out. But I still have a year to wait before planting in the backyard again. My yard is all of 30 feet wide and 30 feet wide. I have my 3 beds getting full sun and 2 new small beds outside our yard by the driveway but not growing tomatoes in 2/3 of my beds means I could plant all of 4 tomatoes. I definitely will be planting a couple hybrids as well next year after 5 years of heirlooms only. These diseases are too much on the nerves. What do you all do who don't have the space to really rotate properly? How do you manage?

August 4, 2011	#3
Jeannine Anne Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 1,553	I grow have grown pole and runner beans in the same place alongisde peas for many years as wherever we live we put a permanent bean fence up, never a problem with beans or peas. Could you plant your tomatoes in pots and rotate the position. I have grown in Global buckets this year and they are doing very well. I almost always grow tomatoes in containers, same with peppers and eggplants. Carrotts and parsnips also have the same bed every year as I build a high raised bed and fill it with very loamy soil ti get great snips and carrotts, I have never had a problem with those either. Brassicas I do would rotate and potatoes of course . I guess a lot depends on what are the problems in your area.. clubroot is a brassica problem here so I grow resstant ones where I can XX Jeannine