What is and what is crop rotation used for?

In agriculture there are various techniques to do not disturb or degrade the soil too much we are working on. If we maintain the ideal conditions of our soil, it will remain fertile and useful for longer. On the other hand, if we overexploit it, the soil will gradually degrade and erode, losing production capacity and impoverishing the land.

That is why there is the technique of crop rotation. This technique consists of alternating planting of different families that have different nutritional needs, but it is done in the same place. This is carried out in different cycles to prevent the soil from losing properties and degrading and as a plus, we can avoid diseases that affect only one type of plant. What are the benefits of this crop rotation?

Characteristics and advantages of crop rotation

Crop rotation is a technique that favors the conservation of the soil and its properties and also favors crop variability. This way, fertilizer is better utilized and weeds are better controlled. By using plants with different nutritional needs and physiological characteristics, problems with pests and diseases are reduced. Pests have a harder time surviving if crops are exposed to them for less time. Furthermore, this technique can be complemented with crop associations to maximize its effectiveness.

To optimize this technique, a legume should be regularly introduced into the crop rotation and alternated with plants that require a large amount of organic matter (for example potatoes, pumpkins or asparagus), with others that are less demanding in organic matter (such as onions and peas).

Objective of crop rotation

The main objective of crop rotation is to maintain biodiversity and conserve soil properties. When we talk about maintaining biodiversity, we mean maintaining the number of species in ecosystems (even agricultural ones), including plant, animal, and insect species. This also benefits soil utilization, as it utilizes the differences in crop absorption rates of nutrients from the substrate to optimize yield. To learn more about the impact of crop rotation, you can consult our article on monoculture and polyculture.

Although most species need the same nutrients, not everyone needs it in the same proportion. This is why some species are more demanding in terms of the amount of nutrients they need, while others are less so. If we plant the same nutrient-demanding species, whether in quantity or in a specific nutrient, the soil will gradually deplete its substrate and become over-exploited in order to supply those nutrients to the plant. However, if we change crops to less demanding ones, we will allow the soil to "breathe" so that it can replenish itself. In this way, we avoid the excessive use of fertilizers, the use of which can contaminate groundwater. For further information on this topic, please consult the article on excess fertilizers in the soil.

What benefit can crop rotation have in our garden?

The first and most effective is the need for less fertilizer. By using less compost for the garden, we will save time, avoid efforts and above all, money, in the production of our vegetables. Furthermore, this approach is aligned with organic farming, which you can read about in our article on ecological agriculture.

We also gain in health, since the plants are better nourished and are more balanced as they have fewer deficiencies in nutrients. Plants grow stronger and produce more. In addition, naturally, they gain greater resistance to pests and diseases and this means that we do not use pesticides or herbicides. Against this, crop rotation is very effective. Suppose a pest or disease has attacked our garden. If we change the crops, it is very likely that we will end the plague, since they don't like their new environment. This way, we ensure that pests don't reappear in the coming seasons. For more information on types of pests, you can visit the article on most common pests in spring.

Finally, by contributing to the maintenance of biodiversity, we ensure that it collaborates in balance with our garden, helping us to reduce weeds. In addition, it promotes soil enrichment, improving humus reserves and promoting the activity of beneficial microorganisms that live in the substrate.