rotating crops in your vegetable garden

Assuming that you plan to grow vegetables more than one year, it is important that you rotate your crops. Crop rotation prevents building diseases up in the soil and preserves micro-nutrients. Rotating is not very difficult, but does take a little advance planning as well as a basic knowledge of the vegetable families. Vegetables are broken down into basic family groups. These groups should be rotated together as they use soil in similar ways and share similar pests.

Alliums - Onions, Garlic, Scallions, Shallots, and Leeks.
Brassicas -Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, and Kale.
Crucifers - Turnips, Radishes, Rutabaga, and Collards.
Cucurbits - Cucumbers, Squashes (from zucchini to pumpkin), and Melons.
Legumes - Peas, Runner and French Beans.
Mescluns- Arugula, Swiss Chard, Chicory, Endive, Escarole, and Radiccio.
Solanaceae - Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplant.

There are some plants that, when planted close together, will benefit each other. Likewise, there are certain combinations of plants that will inhibit the growth of one or both types of plants. Here are a few combinations to avoid:

* Potatoes – inhibit growth of tomatoes and squash
* Beans – inhibit growth of onions
* Broccoli – inhibits growth of tomatoes
* Carrots – inhibit growth of dill

This isn’t to say that you can’t grow these plants together in the same garden, just don’t grow them right next to each other.

An excerpt of an article from the helpful gardener