Real World Gardener Crop Rotation with the Veggie Lady

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 CROP ROTATION with The Veggie Lady You may have heard of crop rotation but perhaps relegated it to the basket where moon planting and biodynamics reside.But did you know that crop rotation isn’t something that gardeners should scoff at because of it’s importance in the life-cycle of plants and insects. In fact it’s a really important strategy that organic gardeners use. Let’s find out.. I'm talking withToni Salter the veggie lady of www.theveggielady.com Toni only changes crops once every 12 months but uses a 4 bed rotation system. Changeover is usually spring. Group 4 groups together so you're planting the same thing in the same place only every 4 years. You can do it based on the plants families. Toni likes to put it into whether it's a leaf crop, a flowering crop or a root crop. This system divides per type of vegetable Root crops-onions and garlic. Leaf  and legumes together-leeks and spring onions, brassicas, Flowering crops are split further into two beds   Bed 1 is tomato, capscium and chilli plants Bed 2-cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin and corn Bed 3 root crops-carrots, parsnips, beetroot, onions and garlic Bed 4 leafy crops-beans, lettuces. Start with a 4 bed rotation. That means you’re only planting the same thing in the same place every four years.  So you will be growing four different types of crops in each garden bed.  Toni divides it into leaf and legumes in one bed, then, flowering crops are split into two beds-tomato family in one, and all the rest into the other.  Finally root crops like carrots, beetroots, onions and garlic.  If you have questions for Toni about crop rotation or have information to share, drop us a line to realworldgardener@gmail.com or write PO 2rrr PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675