Crop rotation - What doesn't need rotatating?

Recently acquired an allotment and am busy digging it over, as it's mainly gone to weeds. Whilst there, I'm mentally planning things.

I'm going to use beds and was planning on using a 4 year rotation. I'm also having some permanant beds, for strawberrys, asparagus and globe artichokes.

The one thing I can't find out anywhere is about sweetcorn. Can I use the same bed over and over for sweetcorn? As this needs to be grown in blocks and I'm having some square beds, this is something I was hoping could be permanantly placed, as my non-rotation beds will be the square ones.

Any guidance gratefully received.

Emma

 

This site mentions sweetcorn as part of the rotation system. I haven't grown sweetcorn for years but wouldn't have thought rectangular blocks would hurt.

http://www.powen.freeserve.co.uk/advanced/CropRtn.htm

Hope this helps. I am going to try globe artichokes,have you done them before?

 

Yes, this has been my problem.

I can find lots of texts which say "include sweetcorn in this rotation" but nothing to say whether it has to be rotated, unlike of course the brassica, legume and root groups.

I've read in some places that you put sweetcorn in wherever there is space, which implies it isn't rotational, as your space could be in the same place for a few years.

I may just have a go and see what happens. I've got my work cut out getting the whole plot clear this year anyway.

Because of the shape and size of my plot, I'm using square beds for my strawberries and globe artichokes (never grown anything more than cucumbers before, so I'll get back to you on the artichoikes) and regtangular beds for the rotations.

 

you would get away with sweetcorn for 3 years i think, then disease and nutrient famine would kick in, better to give it a rest for a year or so, assuming you are getting good yields up to then

 

In Hessayon's Vegetable and herb expert, it says that sweetcorn should be rotated along with others.
(Others being anything that is not a root or brassica).

 

sweetcorn is fine in the same plot just as long as you plant at least 9 = 3x3 i've never felt the need to rotate them and i've had no problems

 

Seems the general advice is to plant in a separate plot and see! In this country pests aren't a great problem for corn, but you could try some companion planting to help. A border round the corn of geraniums, parsley, radishes will help to prevent beetles and other pests. Where space is restricted companion planting can help a lot .I always plant my outdoor tomatoes next to the asparagus, and some peas or beans could be interplanted with the corn. The corn provides support and the beans fix nitrogen.