How to Grow More Vegetables

point.
Year 3: The transplanting of a legume (a cold-weather
fava bean variety), with the entire crop being harvested
at maturity. In addition, we try to grow a quick-maturing
60+-day “catch crop” after the legume harvest whenever
possible. Amaranth is an example of this. Or an
immature compost crop, such as pearl millet, may be
grown at this point.

3-Year Rotation

Year

1

Immature grain/legume combination for nitrogen in crop biomass

& nodules

Year

2 Mature grain for calories and mature biomass

Year

3 Mature legume for soil nitrogen resting

A 2-YEAR ROTATION

Year 1: The transplanting of a legume (a cold-weather
fava bean variety), with the entire crop being harvested
when it is at 10% to 50% 'ower, so a main-season crop
can be planted in time to go to maturity. (Inoculation of
the legume with the relevant nitrogen-xing bacteria for
the crop involved will be needed if the soil does not
already contain these microbes.)
Year 2: The transplanting of a cold-weather grain
(wheat or hull-less barley or hull-less oats or cereal rye