1. Crop Rotations

2. North Rotation: Winter Squash  Potatoes  Brassica  Roots  Greens  Winter Squash Mid Rotation: Tomatoes  Onions  Brassica  Greens  Roots/Cukes  Tomatoes  Onions South Rotation: Present Garlic  Cukes/Celery  Peppers/Potatoes  Brassica  Beans/Melons  Future Garlic

3. Field History Sheet For organic certification 4 years of history Field Number Field Status (O = Organic) Crop Inputs & Date Used

4. Quincy St. Crop Rotation Weed Control – Onions, Roots, etc. Disease Control – Solanacie, Brassica Flood Risk Reduction – Greens, Roots Timing – Garlic

5. Designing Rotations to fit your Land 1.List what you want to grow & how much 2.Group crops by family or planting season into groups of similar planting areas 3.Measure & Map your Land 4.Divide into equal-sized plots 5.Prioritize your crop rotation needs in general and by crop 1.Weed control 2.Disease prevention 3.Fertility needs 4.Planting times or suitable crops for wet/dry parts of field 5.Planting times for double cropping

6. Design Step #1: List Crops Write up a list of crops you want to grow If know desired yields, can use a planting calculator to figure area to plant OR you can use a plan from an established farm and divide amounts for your desired area Local farms Roxbury Farm Plan Brookfield Farm Spreadsheets

7. Design Step #2: Group Crops Group crops by family or planting times Families – Brassica, Solanaciae, Cucurbits, Alliums, Beans/Peas, Greens, Roots, Corn, etc. Planting Times Early – Onion, Greens, Early broccoli or cabbage, etc. Mid-summer crops – Tomatoes, Squash, Beans, etc. Late – Late Kale, winter roots, etc. Long Season – Leeks, Brussels’ Sprouts Overwintering – Garlic, Perennials (these won’t rotate!)

8. Design Step 3: Measure & Map Use google maps, soil survey or pace area and draw map

9. Design Step #4: Divide into equal- sized plots Choose a bed size ¼ acre 100 ft. bed 10 beds Choose a number of rotation units and divide into area Split field in 7 plots for a 7-year rotation

10. Step #5: Prioritize crop rotation needs In general By crop By planting time What are my priorities? 1.Weed control – Onions, Roots, Greens 2.Disease prevention - Solanacie & Brassica 3.Fertility needs – Polk St. 4.Planting times or suitable crops for wet/dry parts of field – Flood zones, etc. 5.Planting times for double cropping – Garlic, Greens

12. Step #5.1: Rotations for Weed Control Anne & Eric Nordell Cover crop every other year Early Crops & Late Crops alternate Bare Fallow with repeated weed cultivation Overseeding clover in early crops Lots of cover crops allows more cultivation without wearing out soil

13. Step 5.2 Rotations for Disease Prevention Sanitize equipment! Watch for weeds in plant families Fusarium – 5 – 7 yr rotation Solanacie Early Blight – 3 yr rotation Late Blight – 2 yr with excellent sanitation Anthracnose – 4 yr rotation Verticillium Wilt – 5 yr rotation Bacterial Spot – 2 yr rotation Colorado Potato Beetle – ½ mile separation can control Brassica Club Root – 7 to 10 yr rotation Beets Cercospora – 2 yr rotation Alliums Root knot nematode – Onion, carrot & lettuce, potatoes, beans, celery susceptible 2 yr rotation with grass cover crops on off-year Cucurbits Anthracnose – 3 yr rotation

14. Onions  Carrots to control Pythium (forked, short carrots) 3 yrs perennial herbs  Brassicas to control clubroot Tomato/Cucumber/Bean/Buckwheat  Brassicas to reduce clubroot Broccoli  Lettuce to control sclerotinia (Bottom rot, lettuce drop) Example Allium  Roots  Tomato  Brassica  Greens  Allium Step 5.2 Rotations for Disease Prevention

15. Step 5.3: Rotations for Fertility Leaves  Fruits  Roots  Rebuild Cover Crops Oats winterkill Rye to increase soil organic matter Sorghum-sudangrass hybrid dies with frost & increases organic matter Clover fixes N, can undersow Brassicas and mustards beware with brassica crops Hairy vetch/rye fix N Buckwheat – 30 day weed suppression

16. Step #5.4: Rotations for Wet/Dry Soil Zones Consider taking wet zones out of annual crops Perennials, pollinator plantings, seasonal grazing are options Planting time Early Crops in Dry areas (sand, hilltop, S slope, etc) Summer Crops in Wet areas (clay, lowland, etc) Fall Crops? Overwintering crops in Dry areas (winter carrots, hoophouses, etc) Flood Zones High food-safety risk foods (roots, greens) not in flood zones High value crops not in flood zones

17. Step #5.5: Rotations for Double Cropping Parsons Produce in Greenville, SC Early Broccoli  Late Roots Potatoes  Garlic Early Greens  Late Brassicas Early Roots  Late Brassicas Early Brassicas  Late Greens

18. Step #5.5: Rotations for Double Cropping

19. Step #6: Make a crop rotation Notecards Grid or Spreadsheet List with arrows Map Spinner wheel

20. Improvements Switch Brassica 2 & 3 and use Brassica 3 for early lettuce (not other greens) Roots or greens after winter squash? Carrots after onions to control pythium? Summer hoophouse – plant tomatoes, peppers, etc in center row of spring greens & radishes

21. Resources