Crop rotation in the suburban area - cooperation between gardening and soil

The agricultural and agricultural experience of mankind has been accumulating for millennia, passed from generation to generation, gradually becoming enriched. From the observations of domesticated plants and the practice of farming, crop rotation was also crystallized, first generalized and expounded by the ancient Roman politician and writer Cato in the fundamental work "On Agriculture." The fact that the alternation of cultures used in those times, testified to the high level of agricultural technology in ancient Rome.

It is not necessary to think that this experience, which is used mainly on large areas of crops, will not do for gardeners. Crop rotation in the suburban area has much in common with large farming. In general, it also helps to combat soil contamination and its morbidity, enrich it with natural fertilizers. And this is the direct way to the maximum yields.

Knowledge of some cause-effect relationships can help the trucker in the struggle for harvest. On the same site, the constant cultivation of monoculture causes several negative phenomena. First, the soil is significantly poorer with certain chemical elements (cabbage is an active consumer of nitrogen and potassium, cucumbers are phosphorus, etc.). Replenishment of uneven depletion of soil with mineral fertilizers leads to an overabundance of other elements, which ultimately has a detrimental effect on fertility.

Secondly, gardeners who apply crop rotation in the suburban area, practically do not have to deal with the accumulation of pathogens of diseases of a certain type of plant and affecting only their pests.

There are also a number of vegetable crops, which can be attributed to the demanding; Caring for them inevitably causes a severe depletion of the soil. Other cultures literally "take out" all the nutrients from the deep soil layer, while the subsoil layer remains untouched and can become a fertile base for plants with a shallow root system. It is important to consider that some plants leave the site relatively free from weeds at the end of their cycle, and here it is possible to grow crops that are morbidly related to weeds.

Finally, there are cultures that, in the process of their growth and development, improve the fertility of the soil (siderates). Here, out of competition, of course, beans - no plant, except them, is able to so thoroughly absorb nitrogen from the air.

To ensure a vegetable crop rotation, the plot of land must be conditionally divided into smaller equal parts, at least four. Here is an example of a five-field crop rotation scheme:

Every year the plants "move" from their field to the neighboring, smaller by number, and from 1 field - to the 5th. It turns crop rotation in the suburban area with a 5-year cycle.

It is difficult, but it is possible, and even desirable, to divert one of the fields in crop rotation to steam - this measure significantly increases the yield. Especially important is steam, if the rotation of the cottage is included potatoes. Before its planting, the steam sown with legumes will loosen up with their roots and be enriched with nitrogen, and densely sown cereals will be suppressed first by weeds, and in the fall, embedded in the soil, will become green fertilizers.

The crop rotation scheme chosen by the truck farmer, the most suitable for him, will become the best intermediary between him and the soil and will surely bring his weighty fruitful fruits.