After ordering my vegetable garden seeds last week, I spent this past weekend planning our vegetable garden. We have a large fenced in garden about 35 feet by 35 feet and use my ornamental gardens as overflow.

The plan for our vegetable garden is based on the principal of crop rotation. Crop rotation ensures that vegetables within the same plant family are not planted in the same location within a 3-4 year period. Good crop rotation prevents the build up of pests and diseases in the soil and preserves micro-nutrients. My vegetable garden layout also ensures that, where possible, heavy feeders are rotated with light feeders and legumes that add nutrients to the soil. For example, where I planted tomatoes last year (heavy feeders) I will plant light feeders like carrots and basil this year and next year follow this up with beans or peas (to rebuild the soil).

To design your vegetable garden for good plant rotation, it’s helpful to know what vegetables fall within the same family. This and more information on vegetable garden crop rotation is availabe in my notes on Crop Rotation And The Vegetable Garden.

Next step? Scheduling out the planting time line.