3/26/2021 Gardening Know How Vegetable Plant Families - Using Family Names Of Vegetables For Rotating Crops

Gardening Know How - https://www.gardeningknowhow.com

Vegetable Family Crop Rotation Guide: Understanding

Different Vegetable Families
Crop rotation [1] is a common practice in the home garden, giving vegetable family-specific diseases time to die out before
reintroducing families back into the same area of the garden years later. Gardeners with limited space may simply divide up their
garden plot into three or four sections and rotate plant families around the garden, while others have separate plots they use for
vegetable family crop rotation.

It can be hard to know which vegetables belong to the different vegetable families just from looking at them, but understanding the
major vegetable plant families will make the task a little less daunting. Most home vegetable gardeners grow several plant families in
any given year- using a handy vegetable families list will help keep rotations straight.

Family Names of Vegetables

The following vegetable families list will help get you started with appropriate vegetable family crop rotation:

Solanaceae– The nightshade family [2] is perhaps the most commonly represented group in most home gardens. Members of this
family include tomatoes [3], peppers [4] (sweet and hot), eggplants [5], tomatillos [6], and potatoes [7] (but not sweet potatoes [8]).
Verticillium [9] and fusarium [10] wilt are common fungi that build in the soil when nightshades are planted in the same spot year after
year.

Cucurbitaceae– The vining plants of the gourd family, or cucurbits [11], may not seem similar enough to be so closely related at first
glance, but each and every member produces their fruits on a long vine with seeds running through the center and most are
protected by a hard rind. Cucumbers [12], zucchini [13], summer and winter squash [14], pumpkins [15], melons [16], and gourds [17]
-32% -45% -33%
are members of this very large family.

Prices subject to change

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/different-vegetable-families.htm/?print=1&loc=bot 1/5
3/26/2021 Gardening Know How Vegetable Plant Families - Using Family Names Of Vegetables For Rotating Crops

Fabaceae– The legumes [18] are a large family, important to many gardeners as nitrogen fixers. Peas [19], beans [20], peanuts [21],
and cowpeas [22] are common vegetables in the legume family. Gardeners who use clover [23]or alfalfa [24] as cover crops in winter
[25]will need to rotate them along with other members of this family, since they are also legumes and susceptible to the same
diseases.

Brassicacae– Also known as the cole crops [26], members of the mustard family tend to be cool season plants and are used by
many gardeners to extend their growing season. Some gardeners say that the flavor of thick-leafed members of this family are
improved by a little frost. Broccoli [27], cauliflower [28], cabbage [29], kale [30], Brussels sprouts [31], radishes [32], turnips [33], and
collard greens [34] are mustards grown in many medium-sized gardens.

Liliaceae– Not every gardener has space for onions [35], garlic [36], chives [37], shallots [38], or asparagus [39], but if you do, these
members of the onion family require rotation just like other families. Although asparagus must be left in place for several years,
when selecting a new site for asparagus beds, make sure that no other family members have been grown nearby for several years.

Lamiaceae- Not technically vegetables, many gardens may contain members of the mint family, which benefit from crop rotation
due to several persistent and aggressive soil-borne fungal pathogens. Members such as mints [40], basil [41], rosemary [42], thyme
[43], oregano [44], sage [45], [44] and lavender [46] are sometimes inter-planted with vegetables to deter pests.

Article printed from Gardening Know How: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com

URL to article: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/different-vegetable-families.htm

URLs in this post:

[1] Crop rotation: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/rotating-vegetables.htm

[2] nightshade family: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/nightshade-vegetable.htm
[3] tomatoes: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/tips-for-growing-tomatoes.htm
[4] peppers: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/pepper/growing-peppers.htm
[5] eggplants: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/eggplant/growing-eggplant.htm
[6] tomatillos: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomatillo/growing-tomatillo-plants.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/different-vegetable-families.htm/?print=1&loc=bot 2/5