Crop rotation

[kevinhalfplot]

I've read up all I can on crop rotation but I haven't found an answer to my question - can anyone advise = I've planted wintering onions and spring cabbage and broad beans in three separate beds, so once they crop in early summer can I follow them with more onions and savoy cabagges and other lagunes within the same beds as part on one seasons crop rotation?   

[ktlawson]

I believe this question was raised at the start of last year,  if you do a search you may find it in the archives.  There were mixed reviews. 

I do succession sowings of brassicas etc in the same bed over a 12 month period.  Feed the soil between crops with plenty of homemade compost or other feed.  Each year I then rotate that bed. 

[Deb P]

Well, you could, but personally I wouldn't for all of those groups!

The whole point of crop rotation is to avoid getting pests established in an area so they don't keep attacking your crops (like cabbage root fly), and also to keep the soil in good nick. Having said that, some folk have permanent runner bean trenches,  or onion beds but you theoretically increase the risk of getting white rot then which will mean you can't grow alliums in that soil for a minimum of seven years, they will just rot away.

So....in the same rotation year, I might risk planting more legumes in the same bed if it had been well manured, and would put some other brassicas in after the cabbage if I could top up the fertility of the bed with some compost or chicken pellets. But I personally wouldn't follow the overwintered onions with more alliums, try something neutral like sweetcorn, marrows, courgettes or pumpkins. But this is just my opinion, I'm sure others will disagree!

[ktlawson]

But I personally wouldn't follow the overwintered onions with more alliums,

oh oh... forgot about alliums.  I agree with Deb reference the onions.