Crop rotation

[Georgie]

Hi everyone. 

Until this year I've grown my edibles in containers so crop rotation has never been an issue.  Now I've created four raised beds dedicated to edible crops, two for permanent planting - fruit and perennial herbs - and two for annual crops.  In one bed I've grown a selection of tomatoes and in the other runner beans, french beans and annual herbs.  Everything has flourished :)  Over winter I plan to sow some garlic and onion sets (and maybe some greens) so which bed would they be best grown in?  Clearly I'm not going to be able to achieve traditional four year crop rotation with such limited space so how can I best avoid build up of pests and diseases - I garden on organic principles - without resorting to changing the soil each year?

Thanks in anticipation

G x

[Georgie]

[gavinjconway]

Any bed is ok as you have really had much growing yet.. dont get too rattled about rotations. Just dont grow the same things after each other.

Two beds will not do much so grow only things that are expensive in the shops. I would do onions / roots in one and all other in the other bed. Then  alternate these round each year.

[Palustris]

Grow them on a Carousel, that would make your crops rotate!
Long seem no tie. Wit and Fell?

[Georgie]

Thank you, Gavin, that's very helpful.

Hi Eric, and LOL.  All good here thanks.  I'm in year two of a three-year project to completely redesign my garden.  It's been great fun and I've got the help of a fantastic local builder who has done all my fencing, an arch, the raised beds, a new re-sited shed, a veranda and two seating areas. Hope all's well with you. 

G x

[Palustris]

Would be better if you came and chatted some time.
Old, worn out and in pain, but carrying on much the same as ever.

[cornykev]

So basicly G you've got in cheap labour and let him do all the work whilst you sit there sipping pimms on the rocks, loving the carousel idea Eric.   

[Georgie]

I do my chatting on Facebook these days, Eric. 

Lol@Kev, you don't change do you and you're spot on! ;)

G x