Need help with crop rotation & succession planting

Last year, the bed that gets full sun had tomatoes & peppers in it at either ends and was dotted all through with basil.

This year, I am going to plant peas in there, I think, but what can I safely plant after the peas are done?

Since this bed gets the most sun, I am still thinking maybe I should not put the peas there and rather put them in a different one that sees more filtered sun than full sun???

We only have the one bed that held the tomatoes and peppers that gets full sun. We want to get a couple more done but honestly, I don't think it will be in time to get the toms & peppers in the ground. They are old raised beds that wild black berries took over for the last 10 to 12 yrs. The soil is great, just needs some food.

So where do I put my tomatoes & peppers this year?

Jens,

Crop rotation is good, if you have the space. If you don't have space, then you have to plant where you can. Did you have any problems with disease in your tomatoes or peppers last year? If not, then it isn't a big worry this year. If you did, the best thing you can do is add more organic material/compost and watch your plants. There are some things that can be done if you catch problems early. You have to use what you have. Having full sun is more important than crop rotation--neither tomatoes or peppers grow as well in shade.

Good luck!

David

I agree with David. Practice crop rotation if you can. Personally, I've never given it much thought. I've always grown vegetables organically. My raised beds are filled with compost/leaf mold/worm castings/coco coir and lots of natural amendments.

There is one thing - When tomatoes/peppers/beans/peas are done, I put the dead vines/plants in the trash, not in the compost.

We grow organically too. And we won't plant downhill from anyone we know uses any sort of chemicals.

Both peppers & tomatoes were very healthy last year. As was the bug population.

I like the idea of use what you have first, rotate second. By next years planting season, I will have 3 more sunny beds ready so then I can rotate.

Sounds like I will be fine, just need to feed the beds. And create some sort of bug traps... Hmmm...

There's a brand new forum called "High Yield Gardening" There's a thread in the forum called "Succession Planting and Intercropping."

You should go there...

I just swap things around in my garden. Where I have planted tomatoes, I plant brocolli. And where I had planted Squash last year, I plant onion. Its kind of like rearranging my garden every year. I don't get bored that way.

Jensmtngarden--I have a few suggestions for the bugs...I have found a place to get praying mantis eggs, beneficial nematodes and lace wings....they eat lots of garden pests, as do ladybugs....I also plant marigolds and basil, which deter a few more bugs, and if all that fails, there is natural pesticides....I grow nicotiana (aka tobacco) they have pretty flowers and foliage..the foliage I dry first, then create a "tea" (stinky) by soaking for a few days...put in sprayer half dilute(more if bad bugs are tough). If you smoke or know a smoker, you can save butts, soak and create the same effect, if you don't want the flowers. There is also natural ways of repelling dogs,cats and rabbits if you don't wanna put up fences. They also have another one for deer...I read too much..I know. lol.

Dee

Dee - here's one more thing to read-up about: "Tobacco Mosaic Virus", which you can bring into your garden with cigarette butts and your fingers if you smoke...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_mosaic_virus

It is known to infect members of nine plant families, and at least 125 individual species, including tobacco, tomato, pepper (all members of the useful Solanaceae), cucumbers, and a number of ornamental flowers