Crop Rotation

I think I've mentioned before that I have a new respect for farmers since owning a farm?

Last year the garden was easy. Just dig up the ground and plant seeds and wait.

This year..... I have to learn crop rotation. There are 9 main family groupings for crops and there is a recommended order to what should be planted after or more importantly not planted the second year, third year, etc.

I'm thinking that this may be why our potatoes did not do well last year because 1/2 of them were right on top of where they were grown the year before.

Ah---- the learning never stops... plant carrots/celery/parsley/parsnips after the onion family, plant the cucumbers, melons, squash and gourds after the spinach/beets/chard family....

Thank goodness I gave myself the entire month of February to layout the garden...I'm going to need it!

If you find research that says crop rotation is just a bunch of bologna let me know because until then I plan away.