Topic: Pea Rotation (or Not)

[Macy]

Should peas always be rotated, or can they have a permanent position?

I've decided this year to build a permanent Runner Bean Frame, and I also plan to grow a tall pea variety, so I was thinking runner beans for one side, peas for the other. This will be fine the first year obviously, but am I asking for trouble if I do this in subsequent years in the same ground?

Most of what I've read appears to me to suggest that the rotation of legumes is as much about subsequent rotation groups, but it's very likely I'm missing some pest or disease...

[sheddie]

I'm not sure if you would have a problem with future peas in the same spot (I'm sure someone could advise), but one thing I'm thinking is that peas fix nitrogeon into the gorund and you may obviously miss the opportunity of letting some other plants benefit from the nitrogeon your peas have given the soil

sheddie

[Digeroo]

I grow peas before brassicas so would not want them to settle too much.  But I also grow a pea hedge along the north west side of the plot and so I am hoping this can continue.  The only issue after 3 years is voles, who seem to know now just where they can get a dinner.  They luckily like them dried so this only affects those left for seed.   They also bury little stashes all over the place and they pop up randomly.

[Macy]

Thanks. I'm still planning peas and beans in rotation, it's just tall peas (such as the telephone varieties) that I was going to have a permenant place for along side the runner beans.

[daveylamp993]

i have grownn peas and beans on the same static frames/nets for 6 or 7 years now,when the plants have finished cropping i cut the plants at ground level to release the nitrogen from the nodules on the roots,after 3 weeks i give the areas a good watering with armillatox,ive not had any problem with disease or anything,the tall climbing peas i grow are called ALDERMAN,they are a good cropper with large juicy peas.i hope this helps.

[Macy]

Thanks - I won't be doing the armillatox, but I'll give it a go and report back in 3 or 4 years!

[ru2010]

Hi Macy,

From what I've read, some crops benefit more from rotation than others: brassicas like to be rotated, because of the risk of clubroot; potatoes like to be rotated due to blight etc.

Legumes aren't so sensitive and don't harbour so many potential problems so won't mind if they're not so scrupulously rotated.

However, they are nitrogen-fixers and you must, therefore, be just itching to bung in a few brassicas after they've finished!

My aunt has a permanent bean structure, on her allotment, but does dig out and replace the soil from one year to the next.

Personally, I would move them - it seems the right thing to do!

[green lily]

There's always the 8 year rotation system. grow stuff twice on the same site them move it on. The ground then has a 8 yr gap before hosting the same crop again. Some people think this longer gap works better at dodging disease than the usual 3 or 4 one. I'm tempted to try it but at the moment I still work on a random 4 year system......

[ru2010]

That 8 year system sounds interesting, Lily. I wonder if keeping things in place for two years would have any detrimental effect because, as you said, not returning them for another six years sounds like it could really do some good.

Give it a try and let me know, in 8 years, how you did!

[green lily]

In 8 years I'll be 80 so may not be bothering..... ;D

[chriscross1966]

Remember that legumes are only nitrogen fixers if you cut them down between flowering and seeds forming... otherwise it all gets shifted to the seed, there's none left when the plant dies.....

[Kea]

The amount of nitrogen added to the soil is minimal even if you leave the roots in, if you want to grow your peas in the same place each year just do it. If you want to improve the soil in other parts of the plot grow a green manure between crops and dig it in.