Permaculture Design/Crop rotation

Crop rotation is a method of farming whereby different crops are grown systematically arranged in series on the same piece of land time after time in such a way to restore nutrients removed from the soil. • Crop rotation has principles,

Principles of crop rotation
 * 1) Avoid planting crops of the same family,
 * 2) After deep rooted crop plant a shallow rooted,
 * 3) Always include a legume,
 * 4) Allow a fallow period in which land grow natural plants,
 * 5) Plant green manure in between to protect soil from sun or add manure,
 * 6) Alternate between heavy feeders and light feeders.

Importance of crop rotation
 * Crops such as legumes add nutrients to the soil as they contain nitrogen fixing bacteria in their nodules,
 * Rotation prevent nutrients from become exhausted in the soil,
 * Roots of different crops grow to different depth, thus taking food from different areas of the soil,
 * Pests are eradicated e.g., pests that feed on cabbage will feed only on brassica family and not on solanaceous plants.

A four-year crop rotation
 * The main crops to be grown first are heavy feeders e.g., tomatoes
 * They should be followed by an optional crop,
 * Optional crop followed by a legume,
 * Finally root crop.