Welcome to the Agroforestry Word of the Week blog!

We’re making it easy for you to get into the world of agroforestry by sharing common agroforestry terms and examples with you every Wednesday. Subscribe here to receive your weekly word and start building your agroforestry vocabulary and knowledge.

Crop Rotation /kräp  rōˈtāSH(ə)n/ – noun

January 23, 2019

Definition: Alternating the types of crops grown on a piece of land over time to ensure a nutrient-rich and healthy soil. 

In the Forest Garden: Did you know Forest Garden farmers have the choice of rotating their crops by type or by family? Check out our Permagardening Year-Round Module to discover all of the different crop types and families. 

Crop Type – When rotating crops by type, the rule of thumb is for the rotation cycle to be based on the part of the plant that is eaten, from leafy greens, fruiting vegetables, roots, and legumes. 

Family – There are many varieties of vegetables that belong to many different families, rotating crops by which family they belong to ensures that a variety of nutrients circulate through the soil to encourage more healthy and vigorous growth.