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Crop Rotation
Crop Rotation
Posted by KimmSr
from MI-4a/5b
on 2008-10-30 09:10:00
In the backyard garden rotating what you plant should not be necessary if you add compost and other organic matter to the soil each year,ie, build the health of that soil. On farms, where manuring of fields can only be done every X number of years rotation to maintain fertility is essential, but most of us with relatively small planting beds should be able to produce enough compost, and gather enough other organic matter to maintain that fertility without rotating.
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crop rotation in the home garden
I disagree with the concept that having a healthy soil precludes crop rotation in home gardening. Healthy soil is valid for crop yield, but crop yields can be reduced when there are insect pests that lay eggs in soil. Continued planting in one area is an invitation for build-up of plant-specific pests in some cases.
Posted by Dick from Ohio/zone 6a on 2008-11-01 12:24:00
Further, home gardening predisposes to pesticide-free produce, and composting is essential to that goal. A healthy plant normally resists pests, but there is a certain prudence in crop rotation to avoid a sudden collapse of one's plantings... such as a stem borer in some non-resistant squash, for example.
