Do you NEED to Rotate Your Crops? 

How does sweet corn fit in?

Thank you, this was informative but not confusing. I am on year four of raised bed gardening and am having some of the issues you described. I just ordered your book. I am having so much fun in the garden at 61 years old following in my grandparents traditions.

I am saving this video to remind myself to watch it again next year, before planning. I do very little crop rotation in my small but sunny garden, due to the fact that most of my beds have permanent trellises for vertical growing that I don't want to move around, with the exception of one larger bed that is large enough to hold two temporary cold frames side by side. Last year, I had powdery mildew on my zucchini. I had to cut out the effected leaves almost daily. (Naturally, I threw them in the garbage. Not in my compost bin.) This year, I bought seeds for a different variety of zucchini, planted them in the other half of the same bed, and they are staying perfectly healthy. I clean up my beds, pull out every bit of weeds and only then, turn the soil over in the Fall. In the Spring, I weed again and then dig in my matured compost in the top layer of the beds. I also spread and rake in a bit of all purpose fertilizer at planting time. This routine has worked for me for over 40 years in the same veggie garden. In our zone 5 (by US zoning standards), our Canadian winters are pretty cold. Our ground frost is deep. I am guessing that some of the diseases that tend to be perpetual in your much warmer climate, may get killed by our deep frost. If that happens to be true, then that may be one of the very few advantages that we Canadian gardeners have. I have to admit that every Spring, while I am impatiently waiting for our last frost date, I am pretty jealous of you when I watch you planting far ahead of me.

Omg, this could NOT have come at a better time!! I always thought crop rotation was about the nutrients in the soil being depleted. I had watched many gardeners saying that's necessary for large industry farms but isn't necessary for small gardeners because they can just amend the soil. More recently, I read how crops, especially night shades and cucurbits, should be rotated due to disease pressure. I was immediately freaked out because I have designated spaces for things, permanent trellising for tomatoes, for example. I immediately thought of you and your trellis and wondered how that works then. I can't imagine you'd move your trellis annually. I can't, and replacing the soil just seemed like a monumental task I had no interest in. So, yeah, I'm so happy you made this video right at the peak of my anxiety over this. Amending soil and using a thick layer of compost makes this solution doable. The added testament that it is a proven method for you makes this a big fat sigh of relief. Thank you SO MUCH!!

I really don’t have the ability to rotate my crops in my garden. I lay down fresh organic soil on everywhere I’m going to plant plus I amend the soil when planting . It works for me.

Thank you for the info. I have the worst time planning my garden and really don’t have room to really rotate anyways.

SUGGESTION: When you say you amend soil and fertile, could you go into a little more detail as to what one should/could use. Things you may use besides just compost, like azomite or cascade minerals, alfalfa pellets, humic acid, worm casting etc and how much. I think there are many new Gardners that could really benefit from this info. I use Trifeca for main fertilizer but then switch up in growing season. Thank you for this informative video as this year I have been struggling with this issue.

I'm with you on the non-complicated approach. I have health issues, money issues, and time issues and your channel was the only one that helped me not give up when I first started. Some people overcomplicate everything. Plants grow in between cracks in the sidewalk, so I'm not gonna baby mine. I'll do my best and give them what they need and they will grow. My favorites are peppers cause they're just so easy going. Thanks Brian 👍🏼😊

I just started watching the video, but thumbs up immediately, based on the shirt alone!

When plants drop their seeds in the fall, there’s volunteers next year and seeds by leaving some in the ground, organic tree mulch is a must for healthy soil ❤️🥗

Great information! I wouldn’t be able to do it, even the easier way, I doubt. Far too many tomato plants in ratio to everything else.

In the recent generations of my family the "growing bug" has multiplied exponentially! Both my paternal and maternal grandparents raised veggies, chickens, cattle, ducks, fruit trees. I (at 65 yrs) am growing a raised bed garden,first time in four yrs. So far, great success! My youngest daughter is in Colorado growing in a green house (very short growing season in SW Colorado) She is also having great succes! The information you shared today is invaluable. Thank you

Thank you, Brian, for this easy to digest info on crop rotation. I'm a new gardener, and this is the info I needed to rotate the crops in my Greenstalks and raised beds.

One thing I think you can do, is plant beans for the summer, and then plant brassicas beside them in late summer for the winter. Plant peas for winter where you want your nightshades in the summer, etc. I have not tried this theory myself, but hope to get a better grasp on timing. Moving to different climates throw me off, and I kindof feel like I have to relearn everything.

I learned my lesson about moving my tomatoes. After eight years those beds got a horrible infestation of root-knot nematodes.

Goonies never say die! Happy Gardening from Amy in San Diego 🌱

Wow thank you very much. Im a crop rotater with my raised beds. But ill have to remember this. I have an 8 x 4 bed which i multi plant with veggies and herbs flowers.

Are you familiar with No dig gardening? I have been flowing this system for a few years and not doing any rotation with very good results. Charles Dowding from the Uk. Has a lot of info about it.

Thank you for making things so much simpler!! 💯 My 2nd year and I’m so overwhelmed in confused information, I was about ready to throw my hands in the air 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️💯😂❤️❤️❤️

Where does corn come in the crop rotation? I did an experiment this year. I grow most of my veg in 28 gal galvanized tubs. Punky wood in bottom with drain holes drilled about 2" up the sides of the tubs. Espoma soil and compost filled the rest. I planted garlic in 3 of them last fall and had my first ever successful crop. Harvested them about a month ago, put in some compost and Plant Tone fertilizer and planted corn seeds (seeds were 2022 seeds, but noticed pantry month waste in the packet, seeds seemed intact). One came up. I had another packet of 2022 seeds, different brand and planted those seeds (noticed the same bug waste, but less, seeds still seemed intact). It's been 2 weeks and nothing has come up. Your best guess as to why nothing came up - bug damage or something in garlic that inhibits corn germination? There's been plenty of rain. The soil hasn't dried out, but it isn't wet either. I'm tempted to go get a packet of this years corn seed and try again. Just don't know if it's worth the try...

I just told Acre Homestead to visit your channel you'll tell her everything she needs to know on how to help her garden! And get your book it has helped me out a lot.. Thanks for all your hard work teaching us about gardening!!

Thanks for sharing, that’s a great way to rotate garden crops❤️

Mannnn, what a great informative, concise video, and sooo timely for me. I've been wrestling with this conundrum for several years with a relatively small 300 sq ft plot, in some of which I'd like to grow more flowers - who doesn't want more flowers for pollinators and the kitchen table! As a Ruth Stout fan compost and mulch are givens. You've released me of all this time, effort, fretting and unsuccessful efforts to do the rotation by the book. Thanks again and take care as always. Look forward to companion video next week. It's OK, got it covered with the notification bell :O)

Thanks Brain for the refresher course ❤. Always listen to ya. 👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

I have had my tomatos in my greenhouse, same spot for 4 yrs now, no problems

Sometimes more info results in more questions. Gonna try starting my first garden in a couple weeks. Going no-till, polycrop, organic,bio-char, compost, blah, blah, etc…

Looking forward to the video on Bio-fumigation. We are having a problem with bacterial wilt in three of our tomato beds.

Just planted 2 neem trees in the corner of my veg bed. Hopefully it will help with pests!

Thank you! You explained this really well

Excellent presentation! 👍 As you state, crop rotation is most desirable. But as you also stated, there are other means. Best example is the Morrow Plots @ my Alma Mater, University of Illinois. One section has been planted in continuous corn since 1876! That's 147 straight years of corn in one plot. You're doing a great job of no BS presentations & I look forward to each of them.

Good information. I particularly like the comments on taking advantage of nitrogen fixing legumes.

Bought your book this year. Love it. The sweet alyssum is phenomenal, although a lot of seed goes a long way. Much thanks!

Thanks. I have your book, and was planning to read thoroughly this summer, so I can plan for after our move. Gardening primarily in pots this year except bell peppers and tomatoes, in the front flower bed, LOL.

Great ideas in this show. And I can't wait for the show on biofumigation!

Looking forward to the rest of the series sort of speak! Thank you Brian! Blessings 🙏💞🤗

You are such a blessing! I've been struggling with this for years.

Very informative. I must not have retained it from your book!

Thanks Brian, great information.

I love your book and have been using it to manage my garden with great results. I only have two 4x8 beds so I appreciate that last bit about interplanting if there isn’t room for rotation.

I've tried the rotation method, too.. it doesn't work in my small system. I even tried a modified version.. nope. Because of the beds having a dedicated spot for each type, I will remove the top 4 - 6 inches of "spent" compost and put it into my composting bins. I have learned that this rejuvenates the soil. I also add a quality potting soil mix, along with the appropriate fertilizer. So far, so good. This year, I have added your way of trellising tomatoes and cucumbers. I am also learning that I have more available room for companion planting. Always look forward to the next video.. Thanks a Bunch for your years of knowledge.

Saved this video! Information overload, but good info that I will return to! I'm currently on year two of backyard gardening. Loving it!

We've had a garden for years, but we expanded it a bit and put in new raised beds this year. It's all planted trying to use some of your tips from your book. everything is growing well...we'll see how well it all produces! Thanks for sharing all your tricks and tips!

Thank you for all your advice. You really helped me up my tomato game this last season.

You are so helpful! You deliver relevant information in a clear, pleasant manner. Thank you!

This year I put a lot of different plants together. I’ve been fertilizing and did mulch this year and the plants look great. Looking forward to the next video. This video was really helpful. Blessings ❤️🌺

Another great video! You do such a wonderful job of explaining gardening practices and alternative ways for home gardeners to address the same issues.

Thank you for this! I will finish watching your video when I am done trimming out the leaves with downy mildew/ fungus. I do a lot that you do but I see I can step it up

It would seem that CORN goes in the LEAF cycle as a pretty high nitrogen need. Or, is there another nutrient that's even more important, to place it in a different cycle?

The easiest way to rotate those 4 species - is to block plant them. Instead of singular species row crops (I call them bug airport landing flight lines) - and the big singular vegs (potatoes, squash, melons, etc) with massive empty wasted gardening space surrounding them (I call them big bull's eye targets for bugs) - block plant all of your veg varieties. The same applies with square foot gardening and the same intense species planting area - which is another big bull's eye target for bugs. Don't plant massive numbers of legumes, or leave, or fruits, or roots ALL TOGETHER - like square foot gardening of a singular variety. Just think of block planting as Johnny veggie seeder ... or a biblical sower going out to sow his grain. Grab a small handful of a variety of veg - say carrots. Like a chef with a raised hand of salt, sprinkle-toss them onto the bed. Where they land, you push them in, and cover them in the soil. Do the same with the rest of the veg species according to their specific depth of planting. Then water the entire block bed of all the various vegs. Instead, you have all 4 crops, along with their companion plants, and the many other flowers for pollenator bees' attention. Plant red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet flowers in these block beds. Now plant the said legumes, leaves, fruits, and roots. Don't plant massive legumes together, or leaves together, ... fruits together, and roots together as a singular crop. Take (lets say) 4 block beds. Now shotgun those 4 beds with scattered vegs in each bed - not intense planting. Scatter the tomatoes, chilis, and peppers and plant their growing string or vertical bamboo cane for growing upward. Scatter the "water hogs" lettuces and melons, pumpkin, qourd, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and armenians. Also grow them vertical and save horizontal growing space. Same for scattered alliums. Plant scattered companions and brilliant-colored flowers amongst all of them. And don't forget the corn - use them for the vertical legumes, and other vine growers. Use taller plants for shading the delicate lettuces. If you use proper multiple layers of growth height vegs - you WON'T have rain bounce and soil blight on your ground vegs. All of the many layers of leaves stop the rain impact and soil bounce, and you get dispersed rain irrigation through all of the many leaves dropping the rain to the next level of leaves etc ... that eventually drip a slow rain drop onto the soil. Also having multiple growth heights, instead of same species leaf height and stopped airflow - prevents molds, mildew, fungus, etc. You have proper airflow through all of the levels. Any humidity or rain humidity is evaporated by the airflow and the leaves remain dry on top and underneath. Just like a food forest and permaculture with multiple layers of canopy growth height - use that to your advantage and the vegs productivity as well. Doing so - you will have maximum pollenation by honey bees and native bees, flies, and butterflies ... and little to no bug attacks on their favorite veggie meal. Know all your veggie heights, and turn those into the selected heights of your block garden bed food forest's multiple canopy.

On a side note I bought a Farm Daddy box and planted 4 different peppers. They have produced a few peppers but not as much as I had expected. I think mine didn’t do too well probably because the box was not totally level as it should have been.

this is a great rule of thumb, i think you nailed this topic!

Thank you Brian.

That was really great, thank you.

Thanks! This was helpful.

We just completed at the beginning of May our two 4 x 8 raised bed gardens from your enthusiasm. They both have tomato trellises in them from built from the mulberry branches that my neighbor threw in his backyard, and I repurposed I have a lot of those left for other purposes, including holding up my shade cloth over my roses because we live in the CA Central Coast and the roses burn. Please keep telling us what to do because even after more decades than you are alive I keep learning thank you.

Yeah free style is more me. I am hoping the interplanting will solve some of my issues. So far so good. Thanks for the great videos 👍🏼

Just what.i.needed thanks

Thanks. Great help!

Super good info thank you! This is what I struggle with. I have 8 beds 8 trellis and inground, so not much room to move my crop around. I'm guilty of planting my beans, and my peppers in the same spot every year! I do amend my soil though, and mulch thick with straw.

Your videos are so informative and helpful, i must get your book.

Excellent information!

I'm going to start archiving these vids.. 😁👍

Going to try the 3" layer of compost on top next year. Am assuming the water would help carry all those good bacteria down into the soil, too.

hey, you guysssss!.......(sloth) 😁 I couldn't resist! Goonies never die! ( oh gosh did I just age myself?!....lol)

I didn’t know that hairy vetch was a legume. I learned something today. Thanks, Brian!

Thank y'all

Thanks Brian.🌸💚🙃

Great topic.

Great information 👍

Thank you!

you are clairvoyant!! I was just wondering about this, my tiny garden is all raised beds and pots so crop rotation is a luxury I cannot afford...I use Dr Zymes now for the beginning of the season for pest and disease, and compost, chicken poo, and neptunes harvest for amendment ...so far so good!!

Thank you

Your are the best!

Thanks! 😉 👍

It's tough to manage rotation when you only have 3 small beds tho.

Excellent

will the crop fumigation get rid of vine bores?

Free Style! Got to love cheap. I don't recall if you mentioned this in the last blueberry video; however, on your last garden tour/update I noticed that your blueberries' leaves were also turning red/brown as mine are here in FL. Is this an issue to be concerned about? Thanks for all the great information.

I laughed when u said average gardener gives up after 2 years.. I been trying to grow something for 16 yrs😅 n this year I finally succeeded 😂 Question should I do crop rotation in pots as well

On a charles dowding video he showed with good soil practice ,crop rotation is only needed when diseased,he also did show that planting in the same spot increases yield each year for 3 years then it declines so it seems crop rotation should be opposite plant for 3 years move on the 4th instead of move every year and come back on the 3rd or 4th year. I makes sense as all the bacteria and fungi do go to the plant as the roots summon them (good and bad) if your plants and soil is healthy both should prevent disease, plants get more of what they need each year as ph and stuff has already been changed from the last same plant, also a soil scientist i watch says if you're putting topping a bed with compost on every year then there isnt much use for rotation as your plants are going into fresh clean soil. So no real worry seems to be needed unless your have a disease.as for compost th3 soil scientist says just 1 inch is all you need for nutrient replacement as when plants in the wild breakdown they dont turn into much soil (1 inch if compost is so many plants already why add 3x as much) nout only that but youd get more compost for your land (maybe no more buying compost if you can make An inch per bed) with a layer of mulch if needing/wanting.

Hello Brian, I am growing corn for the 1st time and it is doing well, Can you tell me how to keep it from getting worms in the ears using organic methods? Very much appreciate all you do for us

🔺ALLIUMS: Chives/Garlic/Onions & Shallots 🔺NIGHTSHADES: Tomatoes/Peppers/Eggplant/Potatoes 🔺CUCURBITS: Gourds/Melons/Summer&Winter Squash/Cucumbers & Zucchini. 🔺LEGUMES: Alfalfa/Beans/CowPeas/Clover/Peas/HairyVetch & Peanuts 🔺BRASSICAS: Broccoli, BrusselSprouts/Cabbage/Cauliflower/CollardGreens/Mustard/Kale/Kohlrabi/Radishes & Turnips.

Your videos are always SUPER informative, thank you so much for the great content. I had a question unrelated to plants - but how in the world can I keep mosquitoes from eating me alive without the use of mosquito repellent, do you or anyone else know of a way? TIA :)

I have always followed a rotation of three groups (Roots, Brassicas and Other) but I have always wondered if it really does provide the right nutrients for the next group. Wouldn't the winter conditions leach any nutrients left in the soil from the previous summer?

I watched this video specifically on the dedicated-tomato-trellis issue. What do you amend the soil with each year?

Hey Brian, good info as always. Would you indicate what can be used as compost. I use normally composted cow manure but what else can I use. Thanks

Do you know if sunflowers are allelopathic? When I research online, I see many pages say it is. However, I know many gardeners who plant sunflowers in their raised beds and say it makes no difference. I want to plant more sunflowers, but I want a definitive answer first. Thanks

Just few days ago I visited my parents and pruned the lower leaves of tomatoes in the greenhouse. I later asked my mom did she add anything to the dirt before planting and she said no😨... I immediately searched for options what she could dig in to add more npk. I had been adding horse manure pellets and slow release organic fertilizer to my container garden. I also use a liquid fertilizer once a week because it's easy enough because I water with a can. The problem with my mom's greenhouse is that she has a watering system... Could she add powder fertilizer straight to the huge water reservoir where the watering system takes the water? The system is only used for watering the greenhouse crops. I'm concerned if there will be enough nutrients in the dirt because she didn't add compost or manure when preparing the greenhouse beds. I found a slow release organic fertilizer (6-2-9) that had instructions to add about 5 dl per tomato plant. Since my mom had already planted the tomatoes I asked her to dig a hole near each plant...

Did you get a new camera with a fancy filter? The color! OMG. You look like Audrey Hepburn.

Thank you so much! This was super helpful! Would I be able to do the rotation in one year (Ex: beans in fall, lettuce in winter, tomatoes in spring, sweet potatoes in summer), or does it have to be year after year?

Love the content...but the burning question is "Where did you get that Goonies t-shirt??"

I mix flowers in the vegetable beds as you do Brian does this alter the complex interplay in a raised bed? Maybe to complicated to answer..

I read not to plant basil near cucumbers. Is thst true? Because i. My big rased bed i have tomatoes, basil, oregano, parsley, peppers, beans and cucumbers says that basil inhibits the growth of cucumbers

OK Each year I get white butterflys but this year has been nuts. I have grub worms showing up in location that have never been trould. These grub worms are gross and I have to hand pick them out etc. Any advise? I hate grub worms. Yuk! Last year they destroyed my potatoes.

Hi 👋

How do you fit this in with the sun/shade areas in your garden? I mean the beds where I would do this rotation are in full sun, and the leafy greens wouldn't like that so much. Do you just use shade cloth?

How do you rotate in a greenhouse, especially if you are production oriented?

Do you think you'll be doing a video on the no-dig potatoes you tried this year? Or, have you done one already that I might've missed?

Do sweet potatoes fit in the rotation chart with regular potatoes? Would okra group with the brassicas or the flowering plants? Thanks.

💚