Are You Planning What to Plant This Spring?

Planning What to Plant This Spring?

Crop rotation plans are schedules in which we progressively sow and alternate crops in beds. These plans aren't just for agricultural and farm sowing. You can plan for yourself what and when to sow in which bed and give it a bit of thought. You'll even dream about it at night - where to put the carrots and what comes next, and what to plant in winter so the bed doesn't lie fallow. At midnight, we can easily recite the rhyme - first I'll sow early kohlrabi in the bed, then iceberg lettuce, and finally radishes.

If you learn to think and combine this way, your harvest from the beds will increase several times over. You'll learn to use green manure and grow crops you may not have grown before.

A rational method of sowing plants and rotating them will protect crops from:

• the occurrence of weeds, pests and diseases
• help create conditions for growing subsequent plants and thus increase their quality and yield
• the selection of plants and their appropriate placement in the crop rotation will favourably influence soil fertility and its physical properties

Crops in the bed are divided into - pre-crops, main crops and subsequent crops, as well as under-crops and inter-crops.

Some main crops are sown without prior sowing and harvesting of pre-crops. These crops include - carrots, parsley and parsnips. Main crops also include potatoes and cauliflower. These are planted in quick succession.

Subsequent crops - are sown after harvesting the main crop. These crops usually have a shorter growing period and are typically harvested in autumn - for example - late kohlrabi and Chinese cabbage. However, subsequent crops can also be harvested in the spring of the following year - such as winter lettuce, leeks and spinach.

One successful combination is garlic and cucumbers. Garlic is planted immediately after harvesting cucumbers in autumn. The garlic is then harvested in the summer of the following year.

Under-crops - this is what we call crops grown under fruit trees. These include early potatoes, lettuce and some types of brassicas.

Inter-crops - have a shorter growth period. We grow them simultaneously with main crops that are harvested later. Inter-crops are harvested earlier because in the meantime the main crops also grow wider and could restrict the inter-crops' growth. Proven inter-crops with main crops include: kohlrabi - tomatoes, carrots - leeks, lettuce - celeriac. It's also good to grow, for example, cucumbers with Brussels sprouts between them - try this combination for starters?

For inspiration, read and better yet try these vegetable combinations:

• early lettuce - beetroot
• early kohlrabi - carrot - spinach
• peas - Brussels sprouts
• kohlrabi - iceberg lettuce - radish
• early lettuce - cauliflower - leek
• spring spinach - tomatoes - winter lettuce
• radishes - pickling cucumber - garlic

There are many similar combinations - but keep in mind that some crops simply don't get along and won't thrive next to each other. They can transfer diseases and pests to each other and inhibit each other's growth. For example - beans - onions - peas.

If you combine a row of onions and a row of carrots - you will protect both vegetables from pest transmission.

On one bed, we can also grow vegetables as a so-called mixed culture - in principle, this involves growing two or more types of vegetables on one bed at the same time. If you manage to select a suitable crop combination - one will support the other in growth and mutually protect against potential pests.

These combinations of beneficial plants are:

• tomatoes with garlic protect brassicas from cabbage white butterfly
• lettuce next to radishes or Chinese cabbage protects vegetables from flea beetles and leaf beetles
• barrier plants - sweet corn and Brussels sprouts benefit pickling cucumbers

What will you be sowing in spring? Share your tips with friends on Facebook!

Author: Hana Michalíková