Build a 4-year rotation plan that prevents disease, builds soil, and keeps your beds productive. Includes cover crop recommendations and companion planting.
Growing the same plant family in the same bed year after year depletes specific nutrients and builds up soil-borne diseases. A 4-year rotation breaks pest and disease cycles, balances soil nutrition, and reduces the need for inputs.
Crops: Peas, beans, broad beans, lentils
Why first: Fix nitrogen from the air into the soil. Plant before heavy feeders.
Follow with: Brassicas (heavy nitrogen feeders)
Crops: Broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, turnip, radish, arugula
Why second: Use the nitrogen fixed by legumes. Susceptible to clubroot -- never plant in same spot two years running.
Follow with: Nightshades or cucurbits
Crops: Tomato, pepper, eggplant, potato, cucumber, zucchini, squash, pumpkin
Why third: Moderate feeders. Benefit from residual fertility. Susceptible to blight and wilt -- rotate to break cycles.
Follow with: Roots and alliums
Crops: Carrot, beet, parsnip, celeriac, onion, garlic, leek, shallot
Why fourth: Light feeders that break up soil. Alliums have natural anti-fungal properties. Good soil cleaners.
Follow with: Legumes (restart cycle with a cover crop)
Enter your number of beds and we will generate a 4-year rotation plan with cover crops.
Plant cover crops between rotations to build soil, fix nitrogen, suppress weeds, and prevent erosion during the wet winter months.
Nitrogen fixer. Gorgeous red flowers attract pollinators. Sow Aug-Sep, turn under in spring.
N-fixation: 60-150 lb/acre | Seed rate: 15 lb/acre | Winter hardy on VI
Deep roots break up compaction. Massive biomass. The go-to winter cover for VI. Sow Sep-Oct, turn under early spring.
Biomass: 4,000-8,000 lb/acre | Seed rate: 90 lb/acre | Allelopathic weed suppression
Nitrogen fixer with good biomass. Often mixed with fall rye for the best of both. Sow Sep-Oct.
N-fixation: 80-200 lb/acre | Seed rate: 60 lb/acre | Mix with rye at 40/60 lb
Fast summer cover (30-45 days). Excellent phosphorus scavenger. Smothers weeds. Sow May-Aug between crops.
Maturity: 30-45 days | Seed rate: 55 lb/acre | Pollinator magnet
Not in any vegetable family -- fits anywhere in rotation without conflict. Amazing pollinator plant. Sow spring or fall.
Maturity: 40-60 days | Seed rate: 8-10 lb/acre | No family rotation conflicts
Living mulch between rows or as permanent pathways. Low growing, nitrogen fixing, attracts beneficials.
N-fixation: 50-130 lb/acre | Seed rate: 6-8 lb/acre | Perennial
Quick biomass in fall. Winter-kills on VI (usually), leaving a mulch mat. No spring tillage needed. Sow Aug-Sep.
Biomass: 3,000-5,000 lb/acre | Seed rate: 80 lb/acre | Winter-kills below -10C
Deep taproot (12-24 inches) breaks compaction. Winter-kills and decomposes, leaving channels in soil. Sow Aug-Sep.
Root depth: 12-24 inches | Seed rate: 8-10 lb/acre | Brassica family -- plan rotations accordingly
Some plants grow better together. Others inhibit each other. Use this guide when planning bed layouts within your rotation.
| Crop | Good Companions | Bad Companions |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Basil, carrot, parsley, marigold, nasturtium | Brassicas, fennel, potato |
| Carrot | Onion, leek, rosemary, sage, lettuce, tomato | Dill, parsnip |
| Bean | Corn, squash (Three Sisters), carrot, celery, cucumber | Onion, garlic, fennel |
| Cabbage / Brassicas | Dill, celery, onion, chamomile, nasturtium | Strawberry, tomato, pole bean |
| Cucumber | Bean, pea, corn, radish, sunflower, lettuce | Potato, aromatic herbs (sage, mint) |
| Lettuce | Carrot, radish, strawberry, chive, onion | Celery, parsley |
| Pea | Carrot, turnip, radish, cucumber, corn, bean | Onion, garlic, leek |
| Pepper | Basil, tomato, carrot, onion, parsley | Fennel, kohlrabi |
| Potato | Bean, corn, cabbage, horseradish, marigold | Tomato, cucumber, squash, sunflower |
| Squash | Corn, bean (Three Sisters), nasturtium, marigold | Potato |
| Garlic | Tomato, pepper, beet, carrot, strawberry, rose | Bean, pea, asparagus |
| Corn | Bean, squash, pea, cucumber, pumpkin, melon | Tomato, celery |
| Onion | Carrot, beet, lettuce, tomato, strawberry, chamomile | Bean, pea, asparagus |
| Radish | Pea, lettuce, nasturtium, cucumber, carrot | Hyssop |
| Strawberry | Lettuce, spinach, onion, garlic, borage, thyme | Cabbage, broccoli, fennel |