Tomatoes and Crop Rotation

 According to the book "Reader's Digest Organic Gardening for the 21st
Century," tomatoes should not be part of your crop rotation scheme and
should be left in the same bed year after year:  "Tomatoes are
narcissistic and do not like to rotate." That hit me as strange, as I
thought tomatoes were fairly prone to soil-borne diseases and would
definitely benefit from regular crop rotation.  Any comments from the
tomato gurus in the group?

-Fleemo

 

Mine lived in the same part of the garden bed for 10 years. No problems.

 The advise  not to rotate is completely opposite of most knowledge bases. My
personal experience is that if you have the space to rotate then your garden
will benefit. I too have grown tomatoes in the same soil for years but I do
have a serious blight problem.

Have Fun

Jim

 In article jmarrs@austin.rr.com says...

The advise not to rotate defies common sense.  What harm could come from
rotating if you could?  My parents grew in the same patch for over a
decade and for the last few years suffered serious blight which kept
getting worse.  This year I got them several wildflower mixes and they
did a fall planting of wildflower seeds in that spot.  They moved the
tomatoes to another area albeit smaller and will be cutting back
production.  I don't expect to get as many tomatoes from them later this
year.  I suggested they run the wildflowers for a couple of years before
returning to that spot.  I think the wildflowers will look spectacular
too.  Jpegs of that spot will be offered up in a few months.  :-)

 On 17 Feb 2005 11:05:44 -0800, fleemo17@comcast.net wrote:


I rotate just about everything in the vegetable garden.  Old tomato
vines should be placed in the trash, never composted.  In Ohio,
tomatoes grow like weeds--anywhere and everywhere with little care. I
recall tomatoes growing out of sidewalk cracks in the spring!