Six of Seven Gardening Mistakes - Rotate Crops

My new Bluebird Gardens strawberry bed refreshed with compost and new plants.

Lost any strawberry beds? I did last winter, and it was a mild one. My best guess is that the soil was tired and could not support the plants, which are heavy feeders.

Why Rotate Crops?

Rotating crops breaks lifecycles. Many fungal blights, rusts and spots are host specific. Their spores remain in the soil and affect the next batch of plants. Most caterpillars, beetles and borers and some nematodes also show a definite preference for certain plants or plant groups. Their eggs and larvae are in the soil awaiting their host plants.

Rotate Every Third Year

Another reason why crop rotation is important is that different plants have different nutritional requirements. A simple rule of thumb is plant the same crop only two years in a row.

Last but not least, one of the biggest mistakes home gardeners make in their gardens.

Charlotte