So, you have dutifully described your organic gardening experiences this past season. As we talked about in Vegetable Gardening Plans, Part I, you have written down what you loved and what you didn't, what overproduced, what you didn't plant enough of, where things really worked and where they didn't. Keeping a journal, even if it is short notes to yourself, is a great way to get a head start on next year's planting.
The next step is to get some graph paper and a pencil and sketch out your beds. Draw the locations using landmarks to help orient the picture. Now, note where you grew what vegetables. Be as accurate as you can...some plants do not like to be grown in the same spot two times in a row.
Now, draw your beds again, this time, start writing in your plans for next year. This is just a suggestion for spring planting...something to serve as a reminder of this season's garden. When you are filling in your beds (with pencil, please!), make sure you plan to rotate crops that have disease and pest problems. For example, members of the nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and peppers) can be heavy feeders (tomatoes) and can have pests that overwinter in the ground.
Bill Thorness of the Seattle Times published a great article on crop rotation. He suggests using the mantra, "leaf, root, flower, fruit" to guide you in planning. By rotating crops in this way, you reduce the burden on the soil, manage overwintering pests and keep plants healthy. Crop rotation is important to all kinds of gardening, but particularly organic gardening. Practicing good rotation methods protects the soil you have worked so hard to build and keeps the pests down to a dull roar.
In Part III of our series, we will look at the benefits of companion planting.
I need to do this. Thanks for the reminder! Plus it would be great fun.
Guess I can map it out even if I'm not sure where my garden will be next year because of moving.
Posted by: Jendi | October 31, 2008 at 10:57 AM