When you plant your garden there are a variety of different reasons to rotate your crops. One reason is to restore nutrients like nitrogen that specific plants may suck out of your soil such as beans or tomatoes.
Other reasons include pest and disease control. This may mean that if you have a Tomato Disease you will want to stay away from crops that are in the same family.
The following chart can be used as a basic guide when selecting plants to use in rotation.
Although many bacteria and fungi react on specific groups of plants they can also react generally. You may want to contact your local agriculture office to ask about mitigating disease in your area through crop rotation.
Remember it is always best to contact your local state or federal agriculture office when dealing with pests or disease. Your second step would be a local garden center however remember their employees are not highly trained in .. well anything let alone disease and pest control.. so ask a professional in your local area.
| Family Name | Members |
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| Goosefoot | Beets, Swiss chard, spinach |
| Daisy | Chicory, dandelion, endive, lettuce, marigolds, sunflowers |
| Cabbage (crucifers) | Alyssum, Bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, cress, kale, many oriental greens, mustard, radishes, rutabagas, turnips |
| Squash (cucurbits) | Cucumbers, gourds, cantaloupes, pumpkins, squash, watermelons |
| Grass | Barley, corn, oats, rice, rye, wheat |
| Pea or bean (legumes) | Alfalfa, beans (lima, pole, snap), lupines, peanuts, English peas, southern or field peas, soybeans |
| Lily | Asparagus, chives, garlic, leeks, onions, shallots (green onions, bunching onions) |
| Buckwheat | Buckwheat, rhubarb, sorrel |
| Buckwheat, rhubarb, sorrel | Okra, cotton |
| Morningglory | Sweetpotato |
| Rose | Brambles or caneberries, strawberries, apples, peaches |
| Nightshade | Eggplant, nicotiana, peppers, petunias, Irish potatoes, tomatoes |
| Carrot | Carrots, celery, chervil, dill, parsley, parsnips |