Crop Rotation System | 9 Crop Families and A guide To Vegetable Crop Rotaion

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Crop rotation system refers to the process or techniques of rotating different crops on...

Crop rotation system refers to the process or techniques of rotating different crops on the same plot of land throughout the year. Basically it explains the facts of nature that some plants are complementary to others in the natural habitat. This a must know subject for every gardener and organic gardener in particular. Apart from getting a full bounty of continuous supply of different crops throughout the year, it also reduces the cost of pest management and fertilization.

Benefits of Crop Rotation:

Some of the key benefits of crop rotation are:

1. Fertilization of soil: One of the most important and crucial impacts of crop rotation is that it keeps the soil fertility for longer period of time. You need to apply nutrients from outside less frequently than in normal circumstances.
   
   As different crops use different soil nutrients you will never run out of any particular nutrient. For example, plants like leafy vegetables or Tomatoes use far too much nitrogen and phosphorus than plants like Carrots and Beetroots. So if you use the same area of your garden to grow Tomato you have to add phosphorus and Nitrogen from outside otherwise you would not get the desired result.
   
2. Weed controlling: Some crops (like Potato and squash) with their dense vegetation tends to prevent the growth of any other unwanted plants by suppressing sunlight and other environmental factors. And, thus it makes a weed free place for the following crops.
   
3. Pest management: Crop rotations also help in reducing the amount of pests and disease problems. Some of the plant actually compliment each other in managing pests. These plants are called companion plants. You can read more about companion plants in our article
   
   

   Companion Planting A Basic Know-How

The Process Of Crop Rotation:

Before understanding the process of Crop rotation, you need to know little bit about the type of plants and it's grouping. This is done based on their common features and requirements.

Most of the common vegetables can be classified into five groups:

1. Brassicas: this group includes vegetables such as Cabbage, Cauliflower, Radish, Turnips, etc.,
2. Legumes: Plants such as Peas, Beans are some of the examples of this.
3. Onions: Onions, Garlic, Leek etc
4. Potatoes: Potato, Tomato etc
5. Roots: Carrots, Beetroots Etc.
   
   
   
   First thing to do is to divide your gardening space in roughly Four equal parts. Then, plant different plants in different sections. As for example for first year plant peas, beans and other legumes in section 1, Cabbage, cauliflower Radish, etc., in section 2, Tomatoes in section 3 and club Onions and roots like Carrots or beetroots in section 4.
   
   Then after a year move the vegetables anticlockwise to another section. This is a four-year rotation plan. You can divide your garden area according to your rotation plan.
   
   
   
   Hope you enjoyed the article, please share your thoughts regarding this post.
   
   

How To Grow A Vegetable Garden

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Today’s article is all about how to prepare a garden for growing vegetables. If...

Today’s article is all about how to prepare a garden for growing vegetables. If you are currently planning to start a garden this article will help you immensely. Also if you are currently a gardener but not satisfied with the result you may want to follow article to know if there is any step which you have missed.

There are five basic steps to prepare the soil for your garden to grow vegetables. These are:

1. Spot selection and marking the boundaries: First step towards this process is to select a proper spot for your garden. Most of the vegetables require minimum six hours of full sun to grow and fruit properly. Though artificial light would also help, we strongly recommend you choose a spot where you get natural sun light. It is both a purpose of organic gardening to use the natural resources and it also will reduce you total cost. After selecting the spot mark its boundaries with some pebbles or you can also use proper fencing to separate the area from the rest.
   
   
2. Cleaning and removing weeds the site: The next step is to remove any rock, pebbles, old plant and other debris from the site. With the help of a spade or tiller remove any weed which is present in this place. This process of removing weeds is very crucial to the overall success of your Gardening efforts. You can check our earlier article Weed controlling in organic way for more information this subject.
   
   
3. Sampling and Testing of Soil: This step is mostly ignored by gardeners. But this is perhaps one of the step which will give you immense benefit for years to come. Before planting any seed or applying any fertilizers you need to know what is the current level of nutrients in your soil. Soil nutrients differ according to its geography. So it is strongly recommended you do a soil sampling and testing. The testing result will be accurate if you collect the soil properly. Using a spade or a trowel collect handful of soil from at least 10 places (avoid places like where ashes or very dampish area) through out your garden. Put all the soil sample in a plastic bag (do not use any metal container) and mix it thoroughly. The next step is to sent the soil sample to your nearest agricultural office for testing. Some of the basic test like pH level, level of phosphorus and potassium needs to be performed. You can also use the DIY kit to test the soil. 
   
   
4. Apply the Recommendation: Once you get the soil testing report you can now follow the recommendation prescribed along with it. For instance if your soil is too acidic and you need to bring it down to a more suitable level you need to add lime to your soil.
   
   
5. Choose the right condition: While applying the recommendation make sure your soil is not very wet. The measurement can be faulty and also it will create problem in later stages. Use the soil when it is dry and then apply water after mixing the ingredients properly.

If you follow these simple but crucial steps the chances of success increases exponentially.

Share the Knowledge with other gardeners and help them improve their practise.

Top Five Perennial Vegetables

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In one of our earlier article we have stressed on some points on the...

In one of our earlier article we have stressed on some points on the importance of growing perennial vegetables. There are so many vegetables which can be grown as perennials. Here in this article we will give you five of the most common perennials which are our favourite also. So here is a list of our fav five:

1. Papaya: A good choice as a fruit and also as vegetable (the raw ones). A papaya plant can produce more than 100 kgs of fruit in a year. They can be grown from seeds as well as through vegetation.
   
2. 
   Garlic: Though in most of the places garlic is grown as annuals it is basically a perennial plant. It is one of the healthiest vegetable you can get in the nature. 
   
    
3. Groundnut: Apart from their perennial features they are also known for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. The edible part of the plant is tubers. You can easily grow them by sowing tubers in moist soil.
   
   
4.  Sweet Potato: Apart from the roots of the plant leaves are also edible and are used in many parts of the world. The leaves are much more enriched in protein than the tubers.
   
   
5. Bitter Melon: as the name suggests they are bitter in taste. Their immature fruits are the most consumed part of the plant. They growing techniques are more or less similar to that of growing cucumbers.

This is a short list of our favourites. Which one do you grow? Share your experience with us.

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Some useful tips for Growing Mushrooms

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Mushrooms are full of vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients; they are low in calories...

Mushrooms are full of vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients; they are low in calories and very good for health. Growing mushrooms is not as difficult as you might think. In this article we will provide you with some useful information which will definitely resolve most of your queries regarding Mushroom growing.

Unlike most of the other plants mushrooms don’t grow from seeds rather they grow from the spores.
Dark, cool and moist environment is ideal for mushrooms. Depending on the variety the ideal temperature ranges from 45 to 60 deg F. little bit light won’t do a lot of harm to the plant but make sure most of the time the light is absent.

One of the easiest ways to start growing mushrooms in your home is to buy Mushroom kits. The best part of a kit is it is already packed with the growing medium and the spawn. You can grow them in trays, bags or boxes. You can also use garden beds to grow them.

How to prepare your own compost:

Choose your composting ingredients. You will find a variety of composting ingredients in this article. After choosing the ingredients mix them and let them decompose. For better understanding of composting process check out our earlier articles:5 tips to faster decomposition.

Once your compost is ready take the mixture in a shady place for providing the ideal condition for mushroom growing.

Once you make sure that the temperature of the compost is bellow 30 deg C start the process of spawning. Add grains of spawns and mixed them properly with the compost. If done properly within two weeks mycelia will grow in compost. You need to provide good ventilation or install a cooling system because those mycelia will increase the heat in the compost.

The edible part of the mushroom is the fruiting stage of the plant. You can quicken the process by covering (generally done by using organic material such as compost, peat moss, cow dung etc.) the top surface of the compost. This is called casing.

Harvesting:

Harvesting of mushrooms are done in three stages:
1.    Buttons: this type is not that good in tastes and primarily for their appearances only.
2.    Cups: have a rounded cap and is next best to Flat mushrooms for eating.
3.    Flat: the caps are flattened and the gills are fully exposed. They are the best in taste.
Pick the mushrooms in an upward twisting motion. After picking the mushrooms, brush off the compost or dirt and use them as food.



Do you grow Mushrooms? Share your experiences with us:

Carrots Growing Tips

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Today is third edition of the easiest growing crops series. Today's focus is carrots. You can also check the prior two crops Tomato and Cucumber. 

Carrots are actually taproots which have enlarged. They have a very wide and deep root system. It is a cool climate crop and need to be sown in the winter specially in the sub-tropical areas. The optimum temperature for carrots is 60 to 70 deg F. Though we are used to experience carrots as orange in colour, there are other varieties which can be white, crimson or even purple in colour. But rather than focusing on colour your main concern should be on the root size to suit your soil.

Try to find the uniform blend of soil, it should be without any lumps and stones. These can cause the roots to fork. The depth of the soil should be at least twice that of the mature size of the carrot. The pH of the soil ideally is between 5.5 to 7.0. put sufficient amount of compost or rotten organic matter. They require nutrient enriched soil. Adding of nitrogen can be very crucial to the growth and aesthetics of your carrots. Organic sources such as blood, alfalfa meal, horn meal etc can be used. Also think about using companion planting and crop rotation techniques. Growing carrots after legumes can eliminate the need of adding extra nitrogen. Avoid hot nitrogen source like fresh manure and fish fertilizer. They can cause roots to fork.

Carrots also do well with most plants. Rosemary and sage can deter carrot flies. Check companion planting for more details. If you are planning to grow the carrots till it gives you seed, it is necessary that you avoid planting Dill, Coriander or other plants of Umbelliferae family. These plants cause cross pollination and thus chances of getting the seeds are greatly reduced. Though if you have only planting for the roots and not concerned about getting the seeds, this might not much of an importance to you.

Good news for the urban gardeners, you can grow carrots in the containers also. Just choose the pot which are at least 12 inches deep(container should be twice as deep as the size of the mature carrot) and with good drainage facility. In case you need more information about container gardening check out my earlier blog. In this case try to plant the seeds 1 to 3 inches apart. Cover the seeds with soil and water frequently(More on watering techniques here). It is always better to try for the smaller varieties.

It generally takes 12 to 15 days to germinate. Once they have emerged cover them with a fine mesh netting. It will help to get air, water and sunlight but keeps pest at bay. Applying mulch can retain the moisture level and also reduce the weed problem. The growth of the carrot seedling is always slower than the weeds. Nematodes can be prevented from harming the plant by applying plenty of compost. These are rich in predatory microorganism and can prey on nematodes. 

Carrots can be harvested in less than three months for most of the varieties. You can judge the size of the carrot by looking at the top. Usually the largest carrots have the darkest and greenest top. Most are at their prime when about 2.5 cm in diameter at the crown. It is crucial that you don’t leave your carrots for too long in the ground. It can make them too long, tough and some times distasteful. Do some watering before harvesting. It will soften the soil and will be easier to take out the carrot.

Cut off the leaves as soon as they are out with some sharp knife. Do not just break the top as it tend to sprout and will shorten their storage life. Leaving them for too long in the ground can attract the carrot fly. Gently wash them with cold water to remove all the dirt and it will also cool them down.

If you follow these above mentioned processes.You will be pleasantly surprised by the flavor of home grown carrots. They have a flavor that many modern mass market carrots seem to have lost. 

Related video: Five Useful tips for transplanting a plant

Why Perennials?

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Perennial Vegetables refer to those vegetables which you need to plant once and can...

Perennial Vegetables refer to those vegetables which you need to plant once and can harvest for several years. Plants such as Asparagus, Banana, and Artichokes are few of the examples of these wide ranges of plants. In this article we will try to bring out reasons why a Gardener should be thinking about planting more and more perennials in his/her garden. So let’s look at some of the inherent advantages of growing perennials.

Benefits of Perennial vegetables:

1.    Low maintenance: In contrast with the annual vegetables, once a perennial vegetable got established in your garden i.e. if the weather and soil suit its requirements, there is hardly anything you need to do. They are much more resistant to pests and other diseases and are much more self sufficient in terms of watering and also in weed protection.

2.     Great for improving soil quality: As they live for many more years than the annual vegetables, they tend to improve the quality of the soil by providing organic materials (decomposed roots and leaves) over the time period. It is generally found that the soil nearby to the perennial plant is much more fertile in comparison with the annuals.

3.    Prevents soil erosion: Tillage is one of the main causes of soil erosion. Loose soil erodes very quickly by wind, rain etc. Tillage also harms and kills many beneficial worms of your garden soil.  Once you shifted from annual to perennial vegetables you don’t need to till the soil every year.

4.    Helps in maintaining proper balance of the Ecosystem: Perennial plants generally provide a natural habitat for a wide variety of animals. Many of them are essential for your gardening success. Perennial trees make an area much cooler by providing shade and releasing moisture in the air. A large set of these types of trees can change the climate of your area locally.

5.    A far longer harvesting season: In most of the cases a perennial plant will offer you vegetables more times a year than your annual vegetable. When it coupled with a long lasting lifespan, its benefits doubles. It provides food during the time of the year when there is very little to get from any of the annuals.

6.    Miscellaneous benefits: Some of the perennial plants are ornamental. They will provide attractive landscapes with edibility features.  Some of them are nitrogen fixative in nature which will not only help them to generate their own fertilizer but also help other plants in the garden.


Now shift to the other side of the story. Here are some points which might make you think again about going all the way with perennials:


Sometimes the low maintenance features of these plants can create weed problem due to their intensive growth.

Some of the perennial plants have a very strong flavor compared to their annual counterpart which made people to avoid them.

Vegetables like Asparagus are very slow to grow and only after some years you will notice a good yield.


Having said that, you need to remember, perennial vegetables are not meant to replace annual vegetables. The best way to use them is to compliment your annual vegetables. An optimum mix of perennials and annuals will give you uninterrupted supply of foods and vegetables through out your life time.


 
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