Author Topic: Brassicas and bed rotation  (Read 1420 times)

Karen Atkinson

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Brassicas and bed rotation
« on: June 16, 2010, 09:03:55 »
relatively new to allotment and getting confused about bed rotation...

My spring and summer brassicas are growing okay, but do I put overwintering cabbage in the same bed as these when I pull up the spring cabbage or do I plant out the winter brassicas in next year's brassica bed if this makes sense?

I've put my broccoli in next years brassica bed as I'll be harvesting it next year - have I made a mistake?

galina

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Re: Brassicas and bed rotation
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2010, 16:01:13 »
Crop rotation is done for several reasons.  Different types of vegetable require different levels of nutrients, for example brassica which need a lot of nitrogen follow peas and beans, which leave the soil enriched with nitrogen etc.  The second consideration is to prevent pest build-up.  The third consideration is what you want to grow and what your family want to eat and how this fits into the different crop rotation areas.  

If you grow crops that don't exactly fit into a scheme, because they stay in over winter or stay in the ground only for a short time with room for a follow-on crop you will invariably have to compromise.  I would put the sprouting broccoli in this year's brassica bed, because it is not in for long next year, but growing for most of this year.  It is less obvious with spring cabbage, because that is not in for long enough this year or the next.  So invariably compromises will need to be made.  It is never a perfect system.  In my garden anyway.  Just remember that brassica are heavy feeders, as are squashes for example, so any follow-on crop will benefit from some feeding.  

A helpful leaflet explaining crop rotation:  http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/schools_organic_network/leaflets/CropRotation.pdf

kt.

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Re: Brassicas and bed rotation
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2010, 07:13:55 »
I put 2nd brassicas in this years bed.  Just top up the bed with blood fish & bone or chicken fertilizer to give it a bit of a boost.  This is also worth a read.

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