For a long time, many farmers could not understand the reasons why the yield of agricultural crops decreases when they are grown in the same place for several years. The first crop, even under adverse conditions, always turned out to be larger than the subsequent ones, although cultivation agricultural technology remained at the same level, and often even improved - organic fertilizers were introduced, the soil became more fertile. The reasons for the decline in productivity during monocultural cultivation were comparatively understandable in connection with the accumulation of soil knowledge.
The reasons for the decline in yield
During the growing season of crops, microorganisms and fungi accumulate in the soil, living at the expense of a particular plant. Their number is constantly increasing. The vegetable culture itself, in the process of growth and subsequent fruiting, removes from the soil a set of nutrients characteristic of this particular species. All this contributes to the fact that when re-planting similar plants in the same place, they are affected by the microflora of previous plantings. Growth slows down, conditions for subsequent fruiting worsen. Vegetables are forced to fight for their existence, spending some of the nutrients in this fight.
"Black steam" as a means of restoring the fertility of the earth
Man has long noticed these features. Therefore, when sowing cultivated plants, large tracts of land remained unused in some years, the so-called “black steam” was created, on which the land “rested”. She was just plowed, but nothing was planted. A whole theory was created to cultivate various crops. Up to a third of the sown area remained under steam. This seemed to be wasteful. But reality proved the opposite - the land, "rested" for the season, the next year pleased with such high yields that it fully compensated for the loss for a year of inactivity. The works of Russian scientists of the 19th century and their followers cite hundreds of examples of the positive influence of steam farming on increasing soil fertility. Statistics, with its inexorability, has proved that the earth is a living creature, which should be treated with care.
Crop rotation - a find of researchers
Numerous experiments have proved that preservation of soil fertility and even its increase can be achieved if crop rotation is carried out. It is important to change vegetables so that the return to the same site for planting a specific crop occurs no earlier than seven years later. When alternating crops, you need to know to which family these or other plants belong. For example, cruciferous plants - radishes, carrots, cabbage - it is undesirable to plant one after another on the same plot.
Summer crop rotation
Crop rotation in the country should be organized so that some cultivated plants are replaced by others from other families. After growing cabbage in the same garden, you can plant tomatoes - they belong to the nightshade. After tomatoes, you can not sow peppers or eggplant, as these are plants of the same family and they have the same pests. Vegetable crop rotation should be monitored regularly, so it is advisable to have a planting log. In order to rationally use the land, you need to divide the plot under the garden into permanent beds. The technology of Professor Mittlider can be applied here, which recommends the use of narrow ridges with wide passages between them. He also suggests using wide ridges, but with sides, for which, for example, boards are used. Permanent beds are created inside the boxes from the boards. Nobody steps on their fertile layer with their feet; only plants grow there. The paths between the beds in the summer cottage can be laid out with any materials, such as brick. Then the dirt will never stick to the shoes of the gardener.
Summary
The use of advanced technologies will help to competently organize the crop rotation of vegetable crops so as not to experience a shortage of vegetables. The rational alternation of plants is described in the literature, but the most important conclusion can be formulated as follows: "Only a competent change of some plants by others will allow to receive a high crop of crops annually." The crop rotation of vegetables with the simultaneous use of organic farming methods, for which many modern vegetable growers advocate, will not only provide a guaranteed crop. It allows and stably increase soil fertility. It is important not only to get fruits and root vegetables this year, but also to leave fertile land for children and grandchildren so that they can also taste fresh cucumber or tomato from their garden.