30 Beds (4'×8') • Zone 8a/8b • Growing Season: Apr 16-Oct 15 (150-180 days)
| Beds | Family | Crops | Planting Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | Brassicaceae (Year 9 → Allium) |
Kale (Beds 1-2), Broccoli (Bed 3), Cabbage/Cauliflower/Radishes (Bed 4) | Final year of brassicas here! Perfect soil after 7-year rotation. Overwinter for Year 9 early harvest. |
| 5-8 | Alliaceae (Year 9 → Apiaceae) |
Garlic (Beds 5-7), Bulb Onions (Bed 8) | Garlic planted Oct Year 7. Harvest July Year 8. Replant immediately with fall greens. |
| 9-11 | Apiaceae (Year 9 → Chenopod) |
Carrots (Beds 9-10), Celery/Parsnips/Cilantro (Bed 11) | Benefits from allium residue (pest control). Succession carrots every 2wk. Excellent soil! |
| 12-14 | Chenopodiaceae (Year 9 → Cucurbit) |
Beets (Bed 12), Swiss Chard (Bed 13), Spinach (Bed 14) | Beets for tops & roots. Chard overwinters perfectly. Spinach spring & fall succession. |
| 15-18 | Cucurbitaceae (Year 9 → Fabaceae) |
Cucumbers (Bed 15), Summer Squash (Beds 16-17), Winter Squash (Bed 18) | Excellent after greens! Well-composted beds. Trellis cucumbers, let winter squash sprawl. |
| 19-22 | Fabaceae (Year 9 → Solanaceae) |
Snap/Snow Peas (Beds 19-20), Bush Beans (Bed 21), Fava Beans (Bed 22) | Critical nitrogen boost! Leave roots for Year 9 tomatoes. Peas Mar & Aug, beans May-Jun. |
| 23-25 | Solanaceae (Year 9 → Asteraceae) |
Tomatoes (Beds 23-24), Peppers/Eggplant (Bed 25) | Benefits from Year 7 legumes! Start indoors Feb-Mar. Wall O'Water for season extension. |
| 26-30 | Asteraceae (Year 9 → Brassica) |
Head Lettuce (Beds 26-27), Salad Mix (Beds 28-30) | Perfect after tomatoes! Succession every 2wk Mar-Jun & Aug-Oct. Year-round with row covers. |
| Week | Direct Seed | Transplant/Start Indoors |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 1-15 | Peas (Beds 19-20), fava beans (Bed 22), spinach (Bed 14), arugula | Start: Tomatoes (Beds 23-24), celery, broccoli (Bed 3) |
| Mar 16-31 | More spinach, radishes (Bed 4) | Transplant: Onion sets (Bed 8) |
| Apr 1-15 | Carrots (Beds 9-10 succession), beets (Bed 12), chard (Bed 13), lettuce (Beds 26-27) | Transplant: Spring brassicas (Beds 3-4), lettuce |
| Apr 16-30 | More carrots, Asian greens, salad mix (Beds 28-30) | Start: Peppers (Bed 25), cucumbers (Bed 15), squash (Beds 16-18) |
| May 1-15 | Carrots (succession), lettuce (succession), cilantro (Bed 11) | - |
| May 16-31 | Beans (Bed 21, mid-May), more lettuce | Transplant: Tomatoes (late May), cucumbers, squash w/Wall O'Water |
| Harvest: Overwintered kale (Beds 1-2), radishes, lettuce, peas (Jun), spinach | ||
| Week | Direct Seed | Transplant/Tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 1-15 | More beans (Bed 21), storage carrots (Beds 9-10, final!) | Transplant: Peppers (Bed 25), eggplant, celery (Bed 11) |
| Jun 16-30 | Final beans | Start: Fall brassicas, kale. Harvest: Garlic scapes (Beds 5-7) |
| Jul 1-15 | Fall carrots, lettuce, spinach, beets | HARVEST GARLIC (Beds 5-7)! Replant w/fall greens immediately |
| Jul 16-31 | More spinach, arugula | Transplant: Fall brassicas, leeks |
| Aug 1-15 | Spinach, arugula, Asian greens, radishes | Peak: Tomatoes (Beds 23-24), cucumbers (Bed 15), beans (Bed 21), squash |
| Aug 16-31 | More radishes, final arugula | Transplant: Final fall lettuce (Beds 26-27) |
| Harvest: Peas, cucumbers, squash (Beds 16-18), beans, tomatoes, beets, carrots | ||
| Month | Tasks & Harvest |
|---|---|
| Sep | Harvest: Winter squash (Bed 18), late tomatoes (Beds 23-24), storage carrots (Beds 9-10), fall brassicas. Direct seed cover crops in empty beds. |
| Oct | Plant garlic (NEW LOCATION for Year 9!) Harvest parsnips (Bed 11, after frost), winter squash. Add row covers to overwintering kale (Beds 1-2), chard (Bed 13). |
| Nov-Feb | Harvest: Kale (Beds 1-2), chard (Bed 13), leeks, parsnips, winter lettuce (Beds 26-27 w/covers). PLAN YEAR 9 ROTATION! |
| Benefit | What You've Learned |
|---|---|
| Disease-Free | 5-7 year gap prevents pathogen buildup. Notice healthier plants! |
| Soil Fertility | Nitrogen-fixers feed heavy feeders. Balanced nutrient cycling. |
| Pest Control | Rotation breaks pest lifecycles. Fewer infestations each year. |
| Year-Round | You've mastered succession planting & season extension! |
| Production | Yielding 800-1,200+ lbs/year. Feeding 3-5 people year-round! |
| Year 9 Preview: Rotation Returns to Year 1 Configuration! | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds | Year 8 | Year 9 | Beds | Year 8 | Year 9 | Beds | Year 8 | Year 9 |
| 1-4 | Brassica | Allium | 12-14 | Chenopod | Cucurbit | 23-25 | Solanaceae | Asteraceae |
| 5-8 | Allium | Apiaceae | 15-18 | Cucurbit | Fabaceae | 26-30 | Asteraceae | Brassica |
| 9-11 | Apiaceae | Chenopod | 19-22 | Fabaceae | Solanaceae | Perfect cycle repeats infinitely! | ||
CONGRATULATIONS! Your garden is now a mature, self-sustaining permaculture system. The 8-year rotation has built incredible soil health, eliminated disease pressure, and maximized production. Continue this cycle indefinitely for a truly resilient food system!