Backyard Crop Rotation: How to Practice Healthy Gardening in Small Spaces
We didn’t always practice crop rotation. When I was younger, I remember having certain parts of the garden associated with specific crops in my mind.
The plot by the house is for tomatoes. The one by the fence is for cucumbers. In the back of the yard, we grow squash and green beans.
But then, one year, we switched it all up!
I won’t lie, my young brain didn’t really like this at first. I liked how our yard used to look. But as soon as I tried one of those ripe cherry tomatoes, I could taste the difference.
But crop rotation is a lot more than just changing the layout of your yard. You also need to decide which method of crop rotation is best for you and your garden.
And don’t worry, that’s why we’re here to help!
What is Crop Rotation?
Crop rotation is a term used to describe the practice of switching the place you grow your crops each year to ensure your soil remains balanced and healthy. At its core, the practice entails mapping out your garden plots and labeling where you grew each plant the previous year. When we rotate where we grow our crops each year we help protect our harvests from pestilence, diseases, and poor nutrition.
Crop rotation can usually be broken down into two main categories: simple and complex.
Simple crop rotation refers to the annual rotation of 2–4 plants. This is much more common for us small scale gardeners who are utilizing small spaces to grow our harvests.
Complex crop rotations can include the rotation of twelve or more crops in a single season. This method involves a lot more planning and is usually used by farmers.
For the backyard gardener, this means we rotate our 4–8 different crops every year like a wheel. Imagine you have four small plots, which we’ll call plots A, B, C, and D, and six different crops you plant annually (on average).
Let’s say in 2023 you planted tomatoes and cucumbers in plot A, potatoes and turnips in plot B, sweet and hot peppers in plot C, and peas and green beans in plot D. With this schedule, you should plant sweet and hot peppers in plot A, tomatoes and cucumbers in plot B, peas and green beans in plot C, and potatoes and turnips in plot D in 2024.
On a basic level, crop rotation is simply planting your crops in a different garden plot or raised garden bed then where you planted it the previous year. It can get a little trickier though when it comes to shared plots and planter, however, which is why we’re here to help you navigate all the ins-and-outs of garden rotation.
Why is Crop Rotation Important?
Next to fertilization and the aeration of your soil, crop rotation is one of the most important parts of proper soil care. Crop rotation helps keep a balance of nutrients in the ground so your plants can grow big and strong. Its also an essential part of pest control and preventing diseases from spreading from one plant to another.
Most gardeners are well aware that adding organic matter to their soil is an essential part of proper gardening. We all know that failing to add organic matter (such as leaves, coffee grinds, and other scraps) can denigrate our soil.
What many know less well is that crop rotation is an important part of preserving our soil and preventing contamination and erosion. People who do not practice healthy rotation and even cover crop planting will likely see their garden plots looking dry and their vegetables less healthy.
What Happens if You Do Not Practice Crop Rotation?
Failure to properly rotate your crops can make your soil arid, sandy, or even heavy like clay. This is caused in part by the soil consistently being deprived of specific nutrients that are not given a chance to replenish. Crop rotation and cover crop planting prevent soil and nutrient loss.
Tomatoes are known to remove significant nutrients from the soil, including phosphorous. If you always plant tomatoes in the same spot year after year, you’ll probably notice your tomato plants start looking weaker and less vibrant, and their fruits taste less flavorful. This is because the tomato plants consistently remove the same nutrients from the earth, and eventually, the soil becomes arid and incapable of supporting healthy tomato plants.
However, plants like peas and other beans take different minerals and actually serve to replenish the earth’s nitrogen and other vital nutrients. So, if you give the soil a break from tomatoes for one year, chances are that next year, your plants will look significantly better!
What is the Three Crop Rotation Cycle?
The three-crop rotation cycle is one of the oldest farming practices still in use today. It reportedly dates all the way back to the Roman Empire, where the people practised a system where one-third of their fields were left fallow (unplanted) each year.
This means dividing the fields into thirds and allowing one section to rest each yearly cycle. However, it is also important to practice crop-type rotation. The Romans introduced the method of shifting different types of crops every year. The Romans (who lived in a mild climate) planted crops like rye and wheat during the spring season and different types of legumes during the second part of the year in the fall.
While this is difficult to do in colder climates, you can definitely practice shifting the types of plants you grow for each planting season. The type of plant matters almost as much as the overall rotation practice because certain plants, like legumes, actually help fortify the soil.
What is the Four Crop Rotation Cycle?
The four-crop rotation cycle became popular during the Industrial Revolution and certainly took inspiration from the Romans’ three-crop cycle. While this system is most popular amongst large-scale farmers, there are ways to adapt it to your small-scale gardening needs.
Essentially, this system utilizes the Roman system of rotating crops and switching up the type of crops you plant to rejuvenate the soil while implementing a system of cover crops. The most popular cover crop used by farmers is clover, which is not only good for the ground but also prevents erosion and can double as feed for cattle.
So, in summary, this system adds another important feature: planting cover crops. For small-scale farmers, planting cover crops is a great idea. We know it’d be very difficult to plant a cover crop every year, but there are ways to do it effectively without significantly disrupting your crop production.
In fact, you stand to benefit significantly by planting a cover crop, at least periodically.
There are two primary ways to plant a cover crop (small scale):
Plant clover (or other grasses, like rye or common buckwheat) over your entire garden bed for one whole season: In this system, you will plant crops for three years (rotating every year) and then let your beds rest for one year and plant a cover crop over the ground.
Plant clover (or the above grasses) over one fourth of your garden beds each year and rotate accordingly: This system is very similar to the one listed above, except you’ll never take a complete break from gardening. Rather, you only plant cover crops over portions of your plots.
It's important to note that although planting a cover crop has a lot of benefits and can greatly increase your crop yield, it's not necessarily something you HAVE to do. However, we recommend that you do this at least once in a while because it really helps keep your soil and crops healthy and thriving.
You can also lay straw and hay down over your garden at the end of the season after tilling the soil to help keep your soil rich and prevent soil erosion.
How Do You Practice Crop Rotation in a Raised Garden Bed?
Crop rotation is easier with raised beds if you practice garden journaling or labeling. Raised beds also allow you to better control soil erosion and cross-contamination between different garden sections. However, even if you practice good crop rotation each year, you should consider replacing most of the soil in your raised beds periodically.
Can You Grow Tomatoes in the Same Pot Each Year?
It's not recommended that you grow your tomatoes in the same potting soil every year. This is because the soil can become devoid of nutrients and start to develop diseases and fungi. However, if you need to, try only to do this for two consecutive years, and be sure to add organic matter like coffee grinds and straw. Spray your tomatoes as needed to prevent disease.
How Often Should You Replace Potting Soil?
The amount of time you can wait before changing out your potting soil varies rather wildly depending upon the plant. For example, fern plants are known to thrive for several years before they need you to change their soil. However, plants like cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes should ideally have new soil every year.
Closing Thoughts: Rotate Every Summer
We really hope this article spoke to you! With Spring rolling in for much of the northern parts of the U.S. and North America, people are starting to plan their gardens. However, I noticed most gardeners believed crop rotation and cover crops were only for large industrial farms and not their backyard gardens.
That is not true at all!
The more you care for your garden, the better it will be! If you’re hoping to plant a garden that produces an abundance of veggies, then either start journaling or labeling your gardens to ensure you don’t plant the same plant in the same plot twice!
