Hints & Tips

Crop Rotation in the Vege Garden

Crop rotation refers to the method of seasonally changing the kind of crop that is grown in a particular bed.

Rotating your crops is an important consideration because growing the same kind of crop repeatedly in the same area can deplete the soil. By rotating the crops and by using a fallow crop such as mustard or lupin, not only will you prevent soil nutrient depletion but also you will actually be replenishing and enriching the soil. Crop rotation also helps reduce the incidence of pests and disease by removing the 'host' plants after a season.

Plants that can be planted in the same bed subsequently rotated together are listed as follows:

Crop Groups

SOLANACEA	Tomatoes, Capsicums, Eggplants and Potatoes (Do not grow Potatoes and Tomatoes at same time - see Seasonal groups).
LEGUMES	Beans and Peas.
BRASSICAS	Cabbage, Broccoli and Cauliflower.
LEAFY	Lettuce, Silver beet & Spinach (Lettuce also includes Rocket, Mizuna, etc).
CUCURBITS	Zucchini, cucumber, melons etc.
ALLIUMS	Onions, Chives, Garlic and Leeks.

Seasonal Groups

SUMMER CROPS	Tomatoes, Dwarf Beans, Capsicums, Carrots and Lettuce.
WINTER CROPS	Potatoes, Onions, Cabbage, Peas and Silver beet.

All fact sheets that appear on this website are Copyright © Lisa Passmore (Inspired By Nature), 2004.