Sequential crops
Sequential crops are a small form of crop rotation. Only in contrast to the large crop rotation, calculated for years, the alternation of crops on one bed occurs by successive sowing of different crops within a single season. One crop during this period introduces a small crop rotation, which includes the previous culture, the main and the subsequent. The most favorable conditions for a small crop rotation in areas with a warm climate and a long growing season. But even in a colder climate, this technique can be used if the main culture or the subsequent pre-grown in the form of seedlings, thus reducing the time of her stay in the bed. The main purpose of successive crops is to obtain fresh vegetables evenly throughout the season and not immediately in large quantities, but gradually, just as much as is required for the table. This is achieved by using cultures with with different maturation times for and seeding. So, for example, the first can be planted radish and salad with a fast maturation period, and after harvesting in early June, a vacant place to plant cucumber seedlings. Widely used and another form of successive sowing, in which in the aisle of a still not harvested previous crop, the next seedlings are planted or planted. Its young plants do not require much space and can grow for some time under the cover of the previous crop prior to harvesting. When the garden is empty, the plants of the main culture will already be well rooted and will quickly grow.
When using consecutive crops from one area, 2-3 harvests per year are collected. In the central strip in one place, you can consistently grow radish early in the sowing season, then lettuce, dill and in the fall again radish. After the green plants planted seedlings of medium and late cabbage, cucumber.
It is important to know how long each culture should take its place and what requirements for space, light, nutrition it makes in different periods of growth. Prior and subsequent cultures with a short maturation period should not follow one another.
Between cleaning the previous crop and sowing the next, there must be enough time to destroy the weeds and give the soil the appropriate structure. If possible, alternate deciduous and cauliflower cultures. The deciduous shade the soil, and it remains after them more loose, lumpy.