Crop Rotation Crop rotation is a regular schedule of planting in which different crops are planted in different parts of the garden each year. Rotating crops will prevent the continued depletion of certain nutrients in particular areas of the garden which would occur if the same crops were planted there year after year. Vegetables differ in their nutrient or fertilizer requirements. If these are planted in the same area of the garden year after year, they will soon use up the available nitrogen. By grouping together crops which have similar nutritional needs and planting them in a different area of the garden each year, you allow the the soil to replenish lost minerals.
Plants also differ in the extent and distribution of their root systems.
These types of plants should also be rotated. Peas and beans are members of the legume family. Inoculants are available commercially in granular form and are usually sprinkled in the furrow along with the seed as it is being sowed. Once peas or beans have been grown in a garden, the rhizobium will be present naturally in the soil and it will no longer be necessary to apply the granular inoculum. If your space permits, green manures can also be part of the crop rotation.