“Crop rotation was practiced by farmers in ancient Rome, Greece and China. Ancient Middle Eastern Farmers rotated crops as early as 6000 BC. Crop rotations improve soil tilth, reduce pest, weed and disease pressure and increase biodiversity on the farm.” (bioneers.org)

Over ten years in the making, the Veggie-Bed is a no-till, raised-row, organic garden in which the vegetables are rotated seasonally.

Located in the suburbs of the Western Branch area, the property is only 3/4 of an acre, and we use approximately 450 square feet in the backyard. The garden is section-off into two 20 by 10-foot gardens. Each section is divided into two ten by 10-foot plots where vegetables are grown according to their type (root, leaf, legumes, fruit).

Concentrating on quality and not quantity, we give each plant plenty of room to grow and increase its yield.

We mix organic compost from our compost pile into each row during the winter months.

No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides are used in the gardens.

Writer: Tom Myrick

In this small section of young leaf-vegetables, they enjoy the rain and mild temperatures. Getting off to a late start this season, these leaf-vegetables should reach maturity in several weeks.

Writer: Tom Myrick

Planted back in March, these young sugar snaps have survived the extreme weather fluctuations here this spring. Sugar snaps have a sweet, edible pod and are referred to as ‘garden candy’.

Writer: Tom Myrick

After seeing this hack online, we put it to the test here at the Veggie-Bed. These mature spring onions were grown from scrap roots, and we are letting them flower to produce seeds. The seeds will be for sowing next season and hopefully adapt to our soil and climate conditions.

Writer: Tom Myrick

Started indoors from seeds back in February, these red kale plants were the first plants to go into the ground this season. Once fully grown, they will provide abundant fresh leaf vegetables for a household of four throughout this season.

We planted them in the section where beans were grown last year.

This practice is part of our vegetable plant rotation to promote soil health.

Writer: Tom Myrick