What to plant after beets next year: what mistakes to avoid in crop rotation so as not to harm the harvest

Annual planting of vegetable crops in the same place depletes the soil, which leads to a significant reduction in yield. In addition to digging up the soil in the fall and applying the right fertilizers, observing the rules of crop rotation helps maintain the fertility of the land. Proper crop rotation will protect against many diseases and crop damage by pests.

Features of beet crop rotation

Beetroot is an easy-to-grow crop; it is grown everywhere and in a variety of conditions.. However, there are a number of features that must be taken into account when cultivating root crops in order to obtain a rich and high-quality harvest.

Basic requirements of agricultural cultivation technology:

1. The area for beds for root crops is located in a sunny place. This determines how bright, sweet and large the vegetable will grow.
2. No less important for beets is the level of soil acidity - in acidic soil the vegetable develops poorly, its flesh turns black. If there is an excess of lime, the plant weakens and is affected by scab. For full growth and development of root crops, the soil pH should be 6.5-7.
3. Most of all, beets require moisture during the period of rooting seedlings or seed germination (depending on the planting method). During root development, moderate watering is required. Closer to harvesting, watering is reduced - excess moisture will lead to rotting of the fruits in the ground.
4. The ideal soil for beets is loam with humus - medium-density soil.On heavy clay soil, it will be difficult for the root crop to gain weight, and in excessively light sandy loam soils, the vegetable will not receive the required amount of nutrients, since they will constantly be washed into deeper layers by rain and watering.
5. For the full development of the root crop, an area of ​​at least 9x9 cm per unit is needed.

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What to plant after beets next year

The basic principle of competent crop rotation on a site is the correct calculation of crop changes. Vegetables with similar diseases and nutrient requirements should not be alternated. Beets will be an ideal predecessor for legumes (peas, beans), since they restore the balance of microelements in the soil.

They also grow well after this root vegetable.:

• tomatoes;
• potato;
• eggplant;
• pumpkin;
• cucumbers

Reference. Is it possible to plant strawberries after beets? Yes, you can. But keep in mind that beets are a neutral predecessor. Before planting strawberry beds, former beet beds need to be well fertilized.

What is better not to plant

It is not recommended to plant carrots after beets. – both root vegetables need similar nutrition. The carrot will lack useful substances, since before it, all the microelements necessary for growth from the soil will be taken by its predecessor.

This rule can be ignored in special caseswhen there is no other suitable place in the garden. To reap a good harvest of carrots from the bed where beets grew the previous year, the soil is enriched with compost in the fall.

Then plant beets

According to the rules of crop rotation, beets are planted only after those crops that did not take from the soil the nutrients required for the full development of the root crop.

The best predecessors for beets are vegetables from the nightshade family.:

• pepper;
• eggplant;
• potato;
• tomatoes.

The beds after nightshade are thoroughly cleaned, the soil is prepared for spring planting of beets, fertilizing it with compost and humus.

On a note. The ideal predecessor for all crops will be onions - the essential oils contained in them repel most types of pests of garden crops.

You can alternate planting root crops with cucumbers, squashes, and zucchini on the same bed.: All of these vegetables are good precursors for beets, since their root system is located in the upper layers of the soil and does not affect the nutrients it needs.

If it is possible to leave some piece of land fallow, you can plant clover on it. The plant will enrich the soil with useful microelements. Beets planted the following year after clover will grow large and sweet.

Read also:

Is it necessary to hill up beets?

Is it possible to pick off leaves from beets while they are growing?

Predecessors not recommended

There are also such plants after which beets cannot be planted, as this can lead to soil depletion and the development of soil infections.

Undesirable precursors for root vegetables:

• rape;
• spinach;
• chard;
• carrot;
• cabbage.

The vegetables listed have similar requirements for growth conditions and susceptibility to similar pests, so planting them in one place every year depletes the soil.

Where to plant beets next to

The most suitable vegetable for simultaneous planting in the neighborhood is kohlrabi. This cabbage can be planted in the same bed with beets as follows: kohlrabi in the center, beets along the edges.Vegetables have a good effect on each other.

Kohlrabi is an early-ripening crop; it is harvested during the summer, and the beets have room to grow freely.

Also a good neighborhood will come with:

• lettuce;
• parsley;
• radishes;
• asparagus;
• broccoli;
• Brussels sprouts.

Neighbors such as mint, oregano, marigold will successfully drive away most types of pests. If you plant marigolds next to vegetables, their roots will rid the beds of nematode larvae. The beets themselves will become an excellent neighbor for strawberries and grapes.

Gardeners have different opinions about the proximity of beets and carrots in the same garden bed.. On the one hand, both crops require similar nutrients, on the other hand, carrots will not have enough light in the shade of beet tops. There is also the opposite opinion that such proximity has a healing effect for carrots.

Bad neighbors for beets

Beetroot is an unpretentious crop, but it also has undesirable neighbors.. Thus, an excellent green manure mustard planted next to or before sowing beets will inhibit the root crop.

You shouldn't plant peppers next to beets. - in such a neighborhood, although he will not interfere, he himself will suffer.

Another neighbor harmful to beets is corn.. When it rises, it will shade its neighbor, which requires a lot of sun to mature successfully.

Reference. Table beets do not combine with their related crops: sugar beets and chard (herbaceous subspecies). If you sow rye next to beet beds, both crops will harm each other.

Possible mistakes and what they mean

Most often, inexperienced gardeners, in an effort to improve the harvest, either apply too much fertilizer or “feed” the soil with everything, believing that “you can’t spoil the porridge with oil.” Some mistakes lead to “burnout” of seedlings or receiving root crops poisoned by nitrates.

Important! Under no circumstances should beets and other crops be planted in beds with fresh manure. The soil for spring planting is prepared in the fall. Mullein is considered the best organic fertilizer for all vegetable crops. For autumn digging, experienced gardeners use a mixture of cow manure and bedding material (straw). This fertilizer is applied in a ratio of 3-4 kg per 1 square meter. m.

Tips and tricks

Experienced gardeners recommend strictly following the rules of crop rotation.. This is the only way to get the most out of your summer cottage and get an excellent harvest every year. Ideally, culture can be returned to its original place only after five years. For some vegetables this period is reduced to 3-4 years.

It is clear that in a few years it will be difficult to remember in which bed this or that vegetable grew, so there is a planting diary in which you additionally note when and with what certain beds were fertilized.

Many summer residents grow a little bit of everything on their plots. In this case Often two or more crops are planted on one bed at once. It is important to follow the rules of mutually beneficial proximity of vegetables. In order not to forget next year in which part of the bed this or that crop grew, draw a plan of the plot in your diary and label each part of it.

A few words about fertilizing

The soil is prepared in advance add the necessary fertilizers to it in accordance with the requirements of each crop. Also, when applying fertilizers, the deadlines are observed.

For example, Nitrogen fertilizing is needed by plants during the period of vegetative mass gain. The addition of nitrogen during bud formation will provoke abundant growth of green mass to the detriment of fruit set. Excess nitrogen-containing fertilizers can provoke the development of fungal diseases.

Potassium and phosphorus supplements applied during the formation of root crops in beets, carrots and potatoes, as well as fruit ovaries in tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and cucumbers. Organic matter is added to the soil in the fall, since this fertilizer takes time to decompose.

To protect crops from pests chemicals are most often used, and it is important to observe the timing and dosage. The first treatment is carried out 10-15 days after planting the seedlings in the ground. The last spraying is carried out no later than two weeks before harvest.

Conclusion

It is important for every gardener to know which crops can be planted after beets, and which are not recommended. The quality and quantity of the harvest directly depends on compliance with the rules of crop rotation.

The advantageous proximity of vegetable crops saves each of them from many diseases and pests. At the same time, the wrong selection of neighbors, predecessors and followers can nullify all the efforts of the gardener. Compliance with the rules of soil preparation, plant nutrition and crop rotation is the key to a bountiful and tasty harvest.