Rules of crop rotation and peculiarities of tillage in a vegetable plot

In parts of the plot, near buildings or a fence, place perennial vegetable crops that tolerate some shade: rhubarb, sorrel, tarragon, perennial onions, as well as bulb onions for greens. Note, however, that the following year, the crops grown on the first plot should be placed on the fourth, and those on the second on the first, and so on.

Why is this necessary? The fact is that when crops are grown in the same place for a number of years, soil depletion of specific nutrients occurs. Furthermore, different plants, having their own specific root systems, take nutrients from different depths of the soil (onions from the top layer of soil, carrots from the lower horizon).

With monoculture, disease pathogens accumulate in the soil:

• for cabbage crops — the pathogen of cabbage clubroot;
• for tomato crops — late blight;
• for carrot crops — sclerotinia.

If you plan to grow cucumbers and tomatoes in portable plastic greenhouses, they can also be placed on the plots intended for these crops. When moving greenhouses to new plots the following year, the remaining fertile soil ensures a harvest for subsequent crops. It is only necessary to ensure that the greenhouses are not shaded by buildings or trees.

And do not grow both cucumbers and tomatoes in one greenhouse, since cucumbers grow well at a higher air humidity than tomatoes. If the area for vegetable crops is insufficient, they can also be grown in the rows of a young orchard. The root system of green onions, lettuce, napa cabbage, dill for greens, spinach, as well as radishes, occupying the area under the trees for a short time, competes little with the roots of fruit trees regarding nutrient consumption.

When placing vegetable crops in a young orchard, it should be taken into account that lettuce does not form a head in shade, and radishes do not form a root crop. The distance from the tree trunk should be at least 1 m. Early white cabbage and cauliflower, early savoy cabbage, and kohlrabi can also be grown in wide rows, but only if these plants receive sufficient sunlight.

You can start tillage when the soil has "ripened," i.e., dried out to such an extent that it crumbles well and breaks into small clods during cultivation. If the soil on the plot is uneven, cultivation should begin selectively, as it becomes ready, and you should prepare the soil for sowing seeds or planting transplants on an area large enough to occupy it completely on the same day, preventing excessive moisture loss due to evaporation.

Tillage for vegetable crops in the garden should be done according to the depth of the bulk of the active roots:

When digging the soil, the spade should be placed edge-on to the tree trunk so as not to damage large roots. Do not ignore the plots intended for growing heat-demanding cucumbers and tomatoes if greenhouses are not to be located on them. They must be maintained in a state of black fallow, i.e., carry out shallow loosening before sowing/planting, preventing the appearance of weeds, so as not to deplete the soil and lose moisture. The soil should be dug up on the day of sowing/planting.

What is the best way to dig the soil? Usually, the soil is dug by turning the earth over with a spade in place. This is double work: half of the already dug earth is raised again. You need to throw the earth from the spade forward.

Fertilizers should be applied into the resulting furrow/trench. The order of actions is as follows:

• if podzol is exposed, organic fertilizer with lime should be laid down and shallowly dug in place;
• then apply the amount of organic-mineral fertilizer, covering it with earth when digging the next row;
• leaving a new furrow for the next portion of fertilizer.

Such tillage is possible if the soil is not sod-bound.

From soil permeated with the roots or rhizomes of perennial noxious weeds (quackgrass, sow thistle, bindweed, dandelion, buttercup, etc.), you need to carefully remove the roots or rhizomes while digging. At the same time, it is necessary to remove larvae of the wireworm (click beetle) and the May beetle (cockchafer), as well as the beetles themselves — after all, they and their generations live in the ground for three to four years. Do not forget about mole crickets.

As a rule, vegetables should be grown on a level surface, but if the fertile soil layer is thin or groundwater is close, they must be grown on beds no wider than 1 m. Cold-hardy crops should be placed in rows from east to west: this provides better lighting in the morning and evening and less overheating at noon; heat-demanding crops should be placed from north to south. Preparing seed for sowing. For seeds to germinate and become active, three basic conditions are necessary: moisture influx, heat, and air access. With sufficient moisture and temperature, seeds swell, cells become saturated with water and begin to function. Air access is necessary for seed respiration. Seeds purchased in stores have guaranteed sowing qualities: standard germination capacity and germination energy, which determines the uniformity of seedling emergence. These qualities are maintained with proper storage for two to three years; tomato seeds — up to five years, cucumber seeds — up to seven years. And yet, to obtain a high yield, especially of early vegetables, the obtained seeds must be sorted, selecting large and heavy ones for sowing. They are sorted either on special sieves, or in water, or in a saline solution (tomato seeds). When sorting in water and in a saline solution, the seeds are placed in a container and stirred, then allowed to stand for a few minutes; the shriveled seeds float and are discarded, while the sunken heavy seeds are dried until flowable. After a saline solution, they are pre-washed with clean water and then dried. Among heavy seeds, both large and small ones are encountered. Therefore, one should select large seeds and sow them separately from the small ones. To prevent plant diseases, seeds are disinfected, either by dusting with TMTD preparation (0.4–0.8 g per 100 g of seeds) or by heating in hot water for 15–20 minutes. Cabbage seeds are heated in water at a temperature of 48–50° C, carrot seeds — at a temperature of 52–53° C. After heating, the seeds are immediately placed in cold water, then dried until flowable. Tomato and cucumber seeds are treated with seed treatment in a 1-percent solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, after which they are washed with clean water.

Seed preparation for sowing and rules for their storage

Proper preparation of planting material directly affects the uniformity of emergence and the final yield of vegetable crops. Heating seeds in the sun for several days destroys pathogens and accelerates the appearance of sprouts, which is especially important for stale batches. For difficult-to-germinate crops, soaking is used, which triggers internal germination processes before the seeds even reach the soil. The use of meltwater or rapidly cooled boiled water additionally stimulates plant development in the early stages.

• Soaking period for carrots, parsley, beet, and onions — 2 days
• Concentration of boric acid or potassium permanganate — 0.2 g per 1 l of water
• Time of soaking in the solution — 1 day
• Temperature of cooled boiled water for watering transplants — 20 °C

To accelerate the germination of carrots and onions, alternating soaking is effective. The seeds are soaked for several hours, dried to their initial state, and this cycle is repeated, which brings the embryo out of dormancy. Seeds of heat-loving species are hardened with low temperatures, combining this technique with subsequent hardening of the ready transplants. During soaking, it is important to ensure that the seeds are slightly covered with water (it is better to place them between two layers of moist cloth) and do not dry out.

Late autumn and early spring sowing: timing and technology

Late autumn sowing allows for harvesting two weeks earlier than usual, especially on heavy, slow-drying soils. For this, cold-hardy crops are sown in the autumn, which manage to swell but do not germinate before the onset of sustained frosts. The seeds that have swollen in the soil undergo natural hardening, form a powerful root system, and make the most effective use of spring moisture. To accelerate the development of seedlings, fertilizers are applied to the beds during preparation.

• Bed height for late autumn sowing — 10–12 cm
• Bed width — 100 cm
• Furrow depth for seeds — 3–4 cm
• Dose of superphosphate per 1 m² — 20–50 g
• Dose of potassium chloride per 1 m² — 20–30 g

The timing of autumn work is strictly tied to the biology of the crops and temperature conditions. Spinach is sown in the second ten days of August so that it goes under the snow fully formed and overwinters successfully. Garlic cloves are planted in late September or early October for reliable rooting without sprouting. Cold-hardy vegetables are sown in October, when the first frosts have already frozen the top layer of the soil.

1. Form the beds and cut the furrows well in advance.
2. Prepare dry garden soil and twice the volume of peat or humus, covering them with straw to prevent freezing.
3. Sow the seed in the furrows immediately after the soil freezes.
4. Cover the furrows first with the prepared soil in a 1 cm layer.
5. Cover the top with a 2 cm layer of peat, humus, or compost to protect roots from being heaved by frost.

The specifics of planting onions for the winter depend on the fraction of the planting material and the intended purpose. To obtain early bulbs, small non-standard onion sets (seвок) are used, which overwinter perfectly in the soil. For greens, larger sets (vyborok) are planted, taking care when placing them in the soil. To accelerate spring growth, the plantings are covered with film even before the snow has completely melted, ensuring it is aired on sunny days.

Spring sowing work is carried out in a strictly defined sequence as the soil warms up. The first to be sown are carrots, parsley, coriander, and dill, mixing the small seeds with sand in a 1:3 ratio. Next, legumes, radishes, and various greens are sown, while heat-loving crops are delayed until the weather stays consistently warm.

Green conveyor: harvesting schedule for early greens

Organizing a continuous supply of fresh greens begins with the earliest perennials. Rhubarb is the first to start growing in spring, providing marketable leaves just a few weeks after the snow melts. Following it, perennial onions begin to sprout, whose leaves develop even under snow cover. In early summer, the conveyor is supplemented with tender asparagus shoots and fresh herbs.

To obtain maximum yield from sorrel, sowing is carried out in June of the previous year, which saves spring space for early-maturing crops. Rhubarb petioles are harvested at a thickness of up to 6 cm and a length of up to 60 cm, ensuring they are peeled. Perennial onions are harvested during the spring-summer period, stopping the harvest in time to prepare the plants for winter. Asparagus is most valuable in May–June in the form of young, brittle green shoots.

• Timing of the first harvest of perennial onions — 1 month after snowmelt
• Time for rhubarb petioles to be ready — 3–4 weeks after snowmelt
• Deadline for harvesting perennial onion leaves — beginning of August
• Period for collecting asparagus shoots — May–June

Borage shoots with tarragon leaves are also added to salads. Tarragon possesses a pleasant aroma and a unique sharp, refreshing taste. With early spring sowing, watercress and leaf mustard can be used within just two to three weeks. The greens of these crops can be used for a long time if sown every 10–12 days. A week later, the Khibinskaya cultivar of Napa cabbage arrives. It is also used for preparing salads; unlike regular lettuce, its leaves are not bitter and do not lose their tenderness and flavor qualities even during flowering. As the leaves expand, they are used for making cabbage rolls, and in early stages for green borsch. Moreover, Napa cabbage contains significantly more ascorbic acid and iron than lettuce. Another week later, regular leaf lettuce arrives, followed by head lettuce. Its heads ripen one and a half to two months after emergence, depending on the cultivar, reaching a mass of up to 0.5 kg or more. A month after emergence, spinach is obtained, but this plant, like leaf lettuce, quickly bolts; the value of spinach is retained as long as the leaves maintain their juiciness and crispness; with the onset of flowering, they lose their quality. One should not forget about borage (cucumber grass). With early spring sowing, seedlings appear in 10–12 days; with sowing in well-warmed soil — in 5–6 days. Borage can be used for food as soon as the first smooth leaves appear, along with the thick, succulent cotyledons. Borage truly lives up to its name, resembling the aroma of a fresh cucumber. It is used in okroshka, mixed salads, as a seasoning for various dishes, as well as a medicinal remedy for rheumatoid arthritis, catarrhs, and skin diseases. Swiss chard, or leaf beet, can be used for salad, vinaigrette, or botvinya two months after sowing. Petiole chard is used only boiled or stewed. Chard roots overwinter under a snow cover, so to obtain early greens, the plants are hilled up when the first autumn frosts arrive, and in early spring, they are freed from the soil. Parsley is also left over winter when sown in June (without hilling), and in early spring, it produces greens that can be used until the plants bolt. With early spring sowing, parsley, coriander, and dill greens can be obtained only a month after emergence. To obtain tender dill greens until autumn, its seeds should be sown every two to three weeks, leaving several plants from the first sowing round to flower to attract hoverflies, whose larvae destroy caterpillars and aphids appearing on the plants. Flowering dill plants are also used for pickling cucumbers and tomatoes. The green conveyor can also include legumes: vegetable peas and vegetable beans. Vegetable pea cultivar Neistoshchimyy 105 produces green pods with early spring sowing 40–45 days after emergence, while Zhellova 112 cultivars — in 60–75 days. The green pods of these cultivars have no fiber, and they can be consumed together with the immature grains (green peas), and their harvesting can last throughout the entire summer. Beans, as a heat-demanding crop, produce green pods one and a half to two months after emergence when sown in early June, depending on the cultivar. Green pods together with immature grains contain protein and up to 3.4% sugars. They are eaten boiled or fried. In therapeutic nutrition, green beans are used for diabetes and diseases of the liver and central nervous system. Sugar (snap) cultivars are distinguished by the absence of a parchment layer and fiber in the pods, such as Maslyanaya Samaya Rannyaya 273, Saksa Bez Volokna 615, Triumf Sakharnyy 764, Zelenostruchnaya 517. The green pod harvest period lasts 10–30 days, depending on the cultivar and weather conditions. One more crop should be included in the green conveyor — celery. It has three varieties: leaf, stalk (petiole), and root. All varieties can be used to obtain greens, but these will be summer greens, and the plants are propagated by transplants. Celery is distinguished by a stronger aroma than parsley; it contributes to better digestion, has a beneficial effect on the endocrine organs, as well as the nervous system, and boosts the body's vital tone. Celery prevents the formation of kidney stones; it is one of the effective remedies against gout and rheumatism. Its leaves are rich in ascorbic acid (up to 150 mg%) and carotene (up to 7 mg%). Young leaves, as well as succulent petioles cleaned of skin, are used as a seasoning for salads, meat, and fish dishes. Celery root crops are stored in a cellar for growing greens and in greenhouses.

AGROTECHNICS OF PERENNIAL VEGETABLE CROPS For perennial crops, it is necessary to allocate a separate, small plot, even in some partial shade, but it must have a water-permeable subsoil layer and groundwater depth no higher than 1.5 m from the soil surface. Since these crops will be on this plot for a number of years, organic fertilizers should be applied immediately, preferably compost (2–3 buckets per 1 m2), and the soil should be dug to a depth of up to 40 cm, simultaneously clearing the soil of perennial weeds, especially quackgrass, and also of larvae and beetles — May beetles and wireworms. Perennials (except sorrel) do not tolerate acidic soils, so the soil needs liming. Sorrel. This plant is found everywhere in the wild, but this species differs sharply from the cultivated one. The latter has thicker and larger leaves and contains significantly less oxalic acid, which is harmful to the body; moreover, it accumulates in the leaves only before the onset of flowering, displacing malic and citric acids. Sorrel is a cold-hardy plant. Its seeds begin to germinate at 1° C, but the optimal temperature for their germination is 16–18° C, and for leaf growth — 15–16° C. The leaves tolerate frosts down to -7° C in calm weather, and the root system overwinters well. To obtain early produce, it is better to sow seeds no later than mid-July; then seedlings appear on the 8th–10th day. Before sowing sorrel on the plot, one can grow radishes. Sorrel seeds are small, so it is better to mix them with sand, the application rate is 0.5 g per 1 m2, planting depth 1 cm, followed by mulching with peat or humus; distances between rows with four-row sowing are 20 cm. Before sowing, it is necessary to water the furrows. In the spring of the second year, the plot where sorrel grows is loosened with a rake across the rows, last year's leaves are removed, and the plants are top-dressed with a urea solution (two tablespoons per bucket of water), repeating the top dressing after each leaf cutting, and after the last cutting, the plants are top-dressed with potassium fertilizers. Sorrel is demanding of moisture but does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil. Loosening the soil after every watering or rain is mandatory. Leaves begin to be cut when they are 15 cm high, leaving the young leaves untouched until the next cutting; moreover, in the first spring, the leaves are cut no more than twice, in the following two years — three to four times, until the throwing up of flower-bearing shoots, which must be removed as they appear. After three years of cultivation, the leaves become smaller and coarser, so every year a third of the area should be renewed with new summer sowings.