crop rotation - how important?

[bhapimama]

I have a small vegetable garden - two raised beds 4'x5' and 2 in-ground plots 10'x15' and 6'x12'. had tomatos in the ground a couple years ago and they got a virus. grew them in one of the raised beds last year and they did great. I've been reading that it is important to rotate crops and I'm wondering if I should be doing it. I'm reluctant to put the tomatos in the ground because of the virus and the other raised bed has strawberries in it. otherwise, i'm growing green beans, pumpkins, lettuce, zucchini, cucumbers, sunflowers, and I'm gonna try onions, carrots and potatoes this year. any suggestions?

[nofeargardener]

I think it's wise to rotate if you can. I see your dilemma though. Sounds like there's not another raised bed to rotate to since it's filled with strawberries.

Wondering... would it be possible to turn one of your in-ground plots (or at least a portion of it) into a raised bed? Some cheap, untreated pine will do the trick. You can even rub the boards down with some natural oil (olive, vegetable, etc) and you should be able to get a few good years out of them. Then you can fill that bed with whatever soil products you like. I use a about 60% organic garden soil, 10% regular top soil, 10% sand%, 10% peat, and 10% compost (those are all approximations).

I know all that costs money. But after the initial investment, you'd be all set and could then begin rotating your beds.

Hope this helps!
Peace,
Mike

[DaddyTR]

Hello,
I got this bit of info from a organic gardening package i recently bought.....thought it could be useful. Pertaining to your virus. Pretty cool product about complete organic gardening. Attaching the info and link. Hope its helpful :)

If at any stage you feel that your plants are not thriving as they once did, it is probably because your soil has become depleted of some essential minerals. This is most likely to occur if you cannot create sufficient volumes of good quality compost. Compost is required to replace lost nutrients and creating your own is an important part of this method. If your plot isn’t performing as it should, a light sprinkling of pelleted chicken manure and a good layer of Lucerne hay on any bare spots is an affordable and easy upgrade.
http://www.food4wealth.com/?hop=trmagee1

[pharmerphil]

Before planting your tomatoes,,,,
spray your soil in the raised bed with Straight brown bottle Hydrogen peroxide, turn under and repeat...Then, after your tomatoes are in the ground..
AS A PREVENTIVE...spray the plants with a mixture of: 1 cup peroxide to 1 gallon of water.

Fungus/blight/Disease can only be prevented, never cured

[Sunnydays]

I think there isn't much you can do about the fungus in your soil, chances are it was there long before you started gardening and will there long after. As for your question about rotation I also think that it is important.If you keep planting the same plants in the same spots the yields will get smaller each year.