It was a perfect night for planting, the soil was warm; the sky threatened rain. I had my carrots, my beans, my lettuce and cukes. The ground was mostly turned. All I had to do was put the seeds in the ground. But where?
One of the reasons for this blog is to keep a record. Most every piece of ground in my garden had two crops grown on it last year, much of it supported three. For example a portion of the third row had: lettuce, followed by green beans, followed by radishes. To be a good organic gardener it is essential to rotate crops, so that plants of the same family don't follow after the other, creating a buildup of pests or disease associated with that plant family in the soil. Unfortunately, two major plant families, the brassicas and the nightshades account for a majority of the favorite garden crops, throw in the squashes and it seems impossible to find a place to grow anything without running into problems. The nightshades are supposed to have 2-4 years between planting. The negotiations required to keep peppers, tomatoes and potatoes off the same ground in a plot my size are more than difficult, they are impossible.
Last night I planted Kentucky Wonder Bush Beans and French Breakfast Radishes. The radishes were planted in a row between the Red Baron Onions, I'm hoping the onions will keep the flea beetles at bay. In the spots where earlier I planted radishes and kohlrabi, I gave up the losing battle against the flea beetles. I turned the soil over and planted again. There I planted Burpee's Golden Beets and one of my favorite lettuces from last year, Speckles. Speckles is a succulent butterhead-type heirloom, with soft green leaves covered in tiny maroon spots. I think it is best harvested at the size of a softball when its coloring is most distinctive and its texture is just right.
Off to work. I will continue the crop rotation discussion later, revealing my primitive and ineffective method.
