Crop Rotation

Please can someone advise if french beans need to be rotated? I have seen runner beans growing in the same place year after year, and wonder if the same apply to french beans.

 

Not a good idea to grow the same type of any crop year on year Mistys. You risk building up problems. Beans and peas of all types are good for fixing nitrogen in the soil. In theory they should be rotated and followed by brassicas with the addition of a bit of fertiliser and lime.

 

Thanks Dave, now I can go ahead with my planting plan!

 

If you can, use a 4 bed system, and what ever you grow in bed 1, move to bed 2 the next season, etc..etc..
I have grown Runner beans up the same Pergolas for years, and have never suffered any problms.
they are the only crop I don't rotate, but you can do if you want.

 

I went to a Alternative Technology place a few year ago and they were using a Chicken coop in with the crop rotation. It looked a great idea but I can imagine the cockrel singing at 5am would take a bit of getting used to, although the eggs would be nice. They also encouraged people to recycle I won't go into the finer points of this,suffice to say going for a pee was a new experience. By the way - Urine is a natural compost accelerator. Try not to get into the local paper.