rotation of tomato crops???

I have 2 4X8 boxes, and this will be my 4th year of using the sfg method. I ordered the plastic netting that is on the site and it has worked great. The problem is that I've decided this year to just do what I love, Tomatoes, a few peppers and cucumbers. The first year I planted everything, the second year I put tomatos across the back, the third year across the middle. I've read that tomatoes shouldn't be grown consectivly in the same space. What should I add to the soil to help it? I've run out of places to rotate cause I plant so many varietys of tomatos.

P.S. I couldn't find the vermiculite so the combination is lots of composts, peat, soil and manure. After all these seasons it is as soft and fluffy as it was when I started. I just worry about putting the same crops in year after year.

I certainly am no expert on crop rotation however... my husband has planted his tomatoes in the same place along the edge of our yard for 45 years and he doesn't seem to have any problems. Every now and then he adds some amendment but not more than two or three times total.

Last year he added some Mel's Mix! Now, that did make for a better crop.

I would say that in the SFG if you are going to plant the same crop in the same square each year I would at least replenish each square with a couple of scoops of fresh compost. Come to think of it, I'm going to suggest the same thing to my husband!

Welcome to the Forum, dschenko. I hope someone with more "current" thinking will chime in here and give you some alternatives.

Claire

Welcome dschenko!

I've had friends grow tomatoes in the same place year after year and never had any problems, but on the other hand I know others that sear by crop rotation. I would say as long as you're taking care of your SFGs like normal (just add some new compost each time you put in a new plant) you should be fine.

Thanks, I will add more compost in this weekend. I haven't had any problems but it doesn't hurt to ask out there for any ideas.

I'm pretty sure one of the reasons behind rotation is for disease prevention (the other reason was soil nutrient depletion, which can be overcome with soil amendments). So I guess if your tomato crop was healthy, then the following year's crop will be fine in the same spot...the problem comes arises if you have a diseased plant and the soil doesn't get "cleansed" (by sun, water, and rest) and you plant the same crop the following year. Theoretically, rotation of crops gives the soil a rest (change is as good as a rest, I guess!)

This is just what I've gathered from my reading...please don't take anything I say as gospel, as I'm still a pretty new gardener!