Garden Raised Bed Crop Rotation Planner
Crop rotation improves soil health and reduces pest buildup, but planning it can be tricky. Enter your raised bed size, base yield expectations, and rotation intensity to project your yields across a 4-year rotation cycle.
About this calculator
Project multi-year vegetable garden yields and soil health impact across a 4-year crop rotation cycle based on bed size and crop family groupings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does crop rotation improve yield over time?
Rotating crop families (like moving nightshades away from legumes) prevents nutrient depletion and disrupts pest and disease cycles that build up when the same crops grow in the same soil repeatedly.
How many crop families should I rotate?
A 4-family rotation (e.g., legumes, brassicas, nightshades, roots) is considered ideal for most home gardens, but even a 3-way rotation offers meaningful benefits over none at all.
Does compost really affect yield that much?
Consistent compost and organic matter additions improve soil structure and nutrient availability, which compounds over multiple seasons — this calculator models that as a gradual soil health multiplier.