What can be planted after peppers next year, and what can’t?

To obtain a good pepper harvest, many factors must be taken into account. Naturally, the most important factors are choosing healthy planting material, providing favorable conditions for the growth of this bitter vegetable, and following proper agricultural practices. Crop rotation is also crucial. Choosing the right predecessors, as well as excluding crops that cannot be planted after peppers, helps prevent many problems in the garden.

Why is crop rotation necessary?

The productivity of garden crops depends on proper crop rotation. Therefore, each season, the layout of the beds with different crops is planned.

The health and productivity of crops depend on the correct choice of planting site and predecessor. Crop rotation is carried out annually. If the plot space allows, by distributing the beds, you can grow a good harvest while enriching the soil with nutrients.

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Each garden crop has its own weed tolerance. There's a list of plants (peas, potatoes, cabbage) that leave virtually no grass behind. These plants are easier to care for. By taking these biological characteristics into account, you can effectively prevent weeds and pests. Avoid planting the same crop in the same spot for at least four years. Following simple rules will help prevent soil depletion and improve nutrient levels. By choosing favorable neighbors, you can deter insects and pathogenic bacteria from planting and replenish the soil with deficient nutrients.

What to plant after peppers?

Every crop has favorable and unfavorable predecessors. Peppers are no exception. There's a list of crops that can and cannot be planted the following year after peppers (hot or bell). Crop rotation rules are especially difficult to follow in greenhouses due to limited space.

In open ground

Peppers have shallow roots, which rapidly absorb all nutrients during the growing season. Therefore, in the new year, it's necessary to plant plants with root systems deeper than 30 cm.

The best option would be root vegetables.

In open beds it is recommended to plant:

• black radish;
• beets;
• turnips;
• daikon;
• carrot.

The legume harvest won't be harmed if planted after peppers. During growth, peas, lentils, and beans will help restore soil fertility by adding nitrogen for the following season. Garlic, cabbage, legumes, and onions are neutral predecessor crops for peppers and can be planted in any order. Any other vegetables can be grown before or after these crops.

In the greenhouse

When peppers are grown frequently in greenhouses, toxic substances accumulate. When these reach maximum concentrations, any member of the nightshade family will stop growing and become permanently stunted. Plant productivity will decline year after year. This condition is called soil fatigue.

Since greenhouses grow a limited number of vegetables—primarily peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants—rotating crops from the same nightshade family makes no sense.

For greenhouse conditions, a 2-year crop rotation scheme can be used.

1. The shelter area is conventionally divided into sections of 1 m².
2. The first section is sown with peppers, the second – with lettuce, dill, and radishes.
3. They alternate: odd ones - pepper, even ones - beans, radishes, dill.
4. In the new season, the sequence changes: odd numbers – dill, beans, radishes, even numbers – nightshades.

This type of crop rotation requires thorough disinfection of the soil and greenhouse at the beginning of each season, as well as regular fertilizing.

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What shouldn't you plant after peppers?

After the pepper growing season, various pathogens and bacteria, such as late blight, rot, and powdery mildew, may remain in the soil. These are very dangerous for all nightshades. It is strictly forbidden to plant:

• potato;
• eggplants;
• any variety of peppers;
• tomatoes.

For similar reasons, melons and pumpkin plants do not grow:

• watermelons;
• cucumbers;
• zucchini;
• pumpkin;
• melons;
• squash.

The ban on planting the listed plants is lifted after 3-4 years.

Neutral cultures

There are a number of garden plants that are neutral to their predecessors in crop rotation, including peppers. They simply don't benefit from any of the advantages or disadvantages.

1. Carrots. Like any root vegetable, carrots can be planted after peppers, tomatoes, and other nightshades.
2. Radishes. This crop germinates easily after planting peppers. However, the soil must be thoroughly fertilized beforehand.
3. Celery. This crop is resistant to diseases and bacteria left behind by nightshades.
4. Lettuce and spinach. Essentially, any leafy, head-shaped plants can be safely grown in a plot previously occupied by peppers.
5. Herbs. These plants are neutral to any precursor.
6. Turnips. They can also be planted after nightshades. However, regular feeding is necessary for growth.

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They choose not only favorable predecessors in the garden bed but also the most suitable neighbors. Some plants will help protect against insects and bacteria, while others will release beneficial components into the soil.

Reviews

Vladimir, 55 years old

"My plot is small. Maintaining strict crop rotation rules is very difficult. I plant several crops from different families in the greenhouse at the same time so I can rotate them each year. I also regularly refresh the soil in the shelter and disinfect it."

Olga, 45 years old

"I used to ignore crop rotation, not paying attention to when things could be planted and what couldn't. Now, I not only ensure proper crop rotation but also try to consider the preferences of neighboring plants. For example, I never try to plant peppers and tomatoes next to each other, and I also try to space them far away from potatoes."

Sveta, 52 years old

"I once, due to inexperience, neglected crop rotation, and then was surprised that my harvest was diminishing each year. A neighbor gave me some advice, and I started following the rules. Now I move the greenhouse around the beds every year, and there are no problems with the harvest."

Properly planned plantings and adherence to crop rotation recommendations help ensure a bountiful harvest and environmentally friendly vegetables for the table. Proper plant rotation in the garden maintains excellent soil condition and reduces the need for chemicals such as fungicides and insecticides.