Crop rotation fact sheet

Crop Rotation Fact Sheet Crop rotation is a simple procedure that involves not planting the same crop in the same soil for water a period of years.

Depending Edible plants for your pond on space available, the minimum recommended time is two years, while some gardeners prefer a rotation of up to six years.

Choose wide shallow pots. These will be hidden under the water so any appropriate recycled The purpose is to prevent a plants build up pathogens in an theold soilplastic whichclothes can infect andcan re-infect container can be used.

For large likeofSacred Lotus basket be particular families of plants.

Another purpose is that plants absorb different quantities of soil used. Make a soil mix by combining good garden soil and potting mix 50:50, fill the pot to a depth and repeated plantings will quickly deplete the mix soil. in Crop rotationoftherefore allowsoffor of 10nutrients, cm. To fertilise take about a cupful of solid clay and a couple teaspoonfuls a more balanced soil fertility and microbial balance. complete fertiliser, roll into balls and bury in the pot. Commercial water plant fertiliser tablets are available from specialist nurseries. After planting add a layer of gravel on top as mulch to keep Firstly, you and needthe to know which each plant is related to. bricks or upturned terracotta the water clean soil mix and family the plant from floating out. Use pots to position the plant at the correct depth under the water.

Below is a list of some of the more common vegetables, sorted into family groupings.

Cruciferaea Kale, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Kohl Rabi, Radish, Swede, Turnip, Water plants suitable for planting into pots and placing in ponds include: Mustard Watercress Nasturtium officinale Solanaceae Water Spinach syn Ung Tsoi syn Kangkong I pomoea aquatica Potatoes, Tomatoes, Eggplant, Hardy Waterlilies Nymphaea speciesCapsicum, Chillies, Tobacco Pickerel Rush Pontederia cordata Amaryllidaceae Sacred Lotus syn Chinese Lotus Nelumbo nucifera Chives, Garlic, Leek, Onion, Spring Onion, Shallots Chenapodiaceae References Beetroot, Silverbeet, Spinach www.homeimprovementpages.com.au www.greenharvest.com.au/Plants/waterplant_info.html Gramineae Corn Compositeae Globe Artichoke, Jerusalem Artichoke, Lettuce, Endive

Leguminoseae Peas, Beans, Broad Beans, Snow Peas Apiaceae Carrots, Coriander, Dill, Parsley, Parnsip Edible waterCelery, plants Celeriac, for your pond Curcurbitaceae Choose wide shallow pots. These will be hidden under the water so any appropriate recycled Cucumber, Pumpkin, Squash, Zucchini, Gourds container can beChoko, used. Marrow, For largeMelons, plants like Sacred Lotus an old plastic clothes basket can be used. Make a soil mix by combining good garden soil and potting mix 50:50, fill the pot to a depth where? of 10What cm. to Togrow, fertilise take about a cupful of solid clay and mix in a couple of teaspoonfuls of complete fertiliser, roll into balls and bury in the pot. Commercial water plant fertiliser tablets are Makefrom a listspecialist of the vegetables would like add a layer of gravel on top as mulch to keep available nurseries.you After planting to grow for the group these the water clean andseason the soiland mix then and the plant from floating out. Use bricks or upturned terracotta together in family groups. pots to position the plant at the correct depth under the water.

Think about your garden area, and divide it up according to the number of family groups you have suitable selected.for This can be into as simple as placing in ponds include: Water plants planting pots and allocating a number of rows in a traditional vegetable plot, or officinale you can use completely Watercress Nasturtium separate beds in opposite of Iyour Water Spinach syn Ung Tsoi syn corners Kangkong pomoea aquatica garden!

Hardy Waterlilies Nymphaea species Pickerel Rush Pontederia cordata Decide anChinese annual ordering sequence for Sacred Lotusonsyn Lotus Nelumbo nucifera placement of the family groups and record this in a garden diary or notebook which you can keep handy. Record your successes References and failures so you can alter plans if www.homeimprovementpages.com.au required, based on your experience. www.greenharvest.com.au/Plants/waterplant_info.html A common vegetable to start the sequence are legumes. These plants have the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and store it in the soil in a form that is accessible to plants. It is particularly beneficial to allow these plants to break down into the soil once their productive life is over. This helps to add nitrogen rich organic matter to the bed.

With all of this ‘extra’ nitrogen available, it makes sense to follow this crop with a nitrogen hungry one to reap the benefits. Good examples are corn or leafy green vegetables.

Another general rule is to grow root crop vegetables after particularly hungry crops, as vegetables in thefor carrot onion family tend to be good nutrient scavengers and can be grown Edible water plants yourorpond in comparatively poorer soil than other crops.

Choose wide shallow pots. These will be hidden under the water so any appropriate recycled Don’t can forget improve your soil along way! Lotus You still to feed your plants container betoused.

For large plants likethe Sacred an need old plastic clothes basketwith canallbethe manure, worm castingssoil and thepotting odd liquid feed tofill getthe the best your used.goodies Make alike soilcompost, mix by combining good garden and mix 50:50, pot to afrom depth garden. of 10 cm. To fertilise take about a cupful of solid clay and mix in a couple of teaspoonfuls of complete fertiliser, roll into balls and bury in the pot. Commercial water plant fertiliser tablets are If youfrom have the space, growing a green manure crop somewhere be an available specialist nurseries.

After planting add a layer of gravel on in topthe as cycle mulchcan to keep advantage.

Thisthe helps to replenish nitrogen an bricks excellent way to build up the the water clean and soil mix and the plant fromstores floatingand out.isUse or upturned terracotta organic matter in the soil. pots to position the plant at the correct depth under the water.

The more crops you intend to grow, the more complex the overall plan becomes, but don’t despair!

There are no hard and fast rules, so Water plants suitable for planting into pots and placing in ponds include: just have fun with your garden! If it all seems too hard, scale it right down to making sure Watercress Nasturtium officinale don’t follow with the same crop in the Water Spinach syn Ung Tsoi syn Kangkong I pomoea you aquatica same spot year after year.

Hardy Waterlilies Nymphaea species Pickerel Rush Pontederia cordata Sacred Lotus syn Chinese Lotus Nelumbo nucifera In small gardens, you can try growing certain crops in pots to give you more room, which also serves to rest the soil.

References www.homeimprovementpages.com.au www.greenharvest.com.au/Plants/waterplant_info.html Reproduced in part from www.greenlifesoil.com.au/factsheet-croprotation.htm.