What do you mean vegetables live in families....?

Vegetables can be grouped into ‘families’.

Once you know which groups these vegetables fall into, it makes crop rotation a lot easier (see previous post on crop rotation).

So in a four year crop rotation, four beds might include

Bed 1:        *Solanaceae (potato crops) 

Bed 2:         Legumes (pea crops)

Bed 3:         Brassica (cabbage crops)

Bed 4:          **Onions/Others

Solanaceae	Legumes	Brassicaceae (Brassicas)	Apiaceae (Root Crops)
Potatoes Tomatoes Peppers –   sweet &   chilli Aubergines	Peas Broad Beans Runner Beans French Beans Lima Beans Soya Beans Peanuts Lentils Asparagus Peas	Cabbages Brussels Sprouts Cauliflowers Broccoli Kale Kohl-rabi Swedes Mustard Turnips Seakale Cress Radish Horseradish	Carrots Parsnips Celery Celeriac Caraway Angelica Parsley Florence Fennel Chervil Coriander
Liliaceae, Alliums	Chenopodiaceae	Cucurbitaceae	Asteraceae
Onions Leeks ***Asparagus Chives Garlic	Beetroot Spinach Seakale Swiss chard Spinach beet	Cucumbers Marrows Courgettes Pumpkins Melons Squash	Lettuce Chicory Endive Salsify Scorzonera Dandelions *Globe Artichokes Chinese/Jerusalem   Artichokes Angelica Tarragon
Gramineae
Sweetcorn

*it’s usual to plant potatoes and tomatoes in different areas of the garden. As members of the same family they are both susceptible to blight (Phytophthora infestans). ** Can be split into a 5 yr rotation *** Perennial