This summer I will be doing some traveling and was concerned about the care and upkeep of my usual vegetable and herb garden. Added to that, I was also looking into assistance with some weeds that keep coming back year after year, no matter what I do to get rid of them. I am already using crop rotation to help keep my beds from becoming nutrient depleted but still having issues with persistent weeds. As I was researching options, I came across the practice of fallowing. I had heard about farmers letting their fields go without growing anything but wasn’t sure if this was beneficial to a small home garden.
Fallowing is an ancient technique of letting farmland or gardens rest by not planting anything for a season or longer. Fallow soil or land is allowing the ground to rest and regenerate. In some cases, it can allow potassium and phosphorous deep in the soil to rise to the soil surface where it will benefit future crops. In addition to these, carbon, nitrogen and organic matter levels improved as did moisture-holding capacity. Even beneficial microorganisms were shown to increase. Fallowing can also break the weed/pest and disease cycles by removing host plants for a season. That sounded good to me and my situation.
During my research I also used AI (artificial intelligence) and found similar but more concise information including a chart that credited the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the Ohio University Extension. The chart showed quick-start rotation tips with examples of crops to rotate and when.
However, my research also enlightened me to the fact that just leaving the soil without any form of intervention was not necessarily the right thing to do. Most of the articles I read indicated that fallowing should be used in conjunction with crop rotation and/or cover crops. Most people are familiar with crop rotation, which means following the practice of growing different types or families of crops in the same area over several years or seasons. Rather than planting the same crop again in the same plot, gardeners and farmers alternate crops using a planned schedule. Cover crops or green manure are plants that are grown in order to protect and improve the soil rather than be harvested for food or profit. These are planted during off-seasons or between regular plantings to prevent erosion, suppress weeds and add nutrients back into the soil. Some examples of cover crops are clover, crimson clover, winter rye and hairy vetch. But you can also grow other cover crops based on the season you employ that practice. For example, sunflowers can be planted in the summer months for the same optimal results.
In conclusion, fallowing, crop rotation and cover crops are all forms of helping our soil maintain optimal growing conditions especially when used together. Hopefully by using these methods in my vegetable garden this year, I will see a decrease in those undesirable weeds I’ve been battling for the past several years and give my soil a period for rest and rejuvenation! Please refer to the articles mentioned below to learn more about these options for your gardening experience.
by Beth Norris, ECMG
Sources
Darcy Larum. (March 4, 2021.) Gardening Know How What Is Fallowing – Is Fallowing Good And Should You Let A Field Lie Fallow | Gardening Know How[TCB2]
Science Insights. (March 13, 2026.) What Is Fallowing and What Does It Do for Soil? – ScienceInsights[TCB3]
Live to Plant. (July 12, 2025.) Fallowing Methods for Small-Scale Home Gardens | Live to Plant[TCB4]
[TCB4]For layout, in case the URL is needed. https://livetoplant.com/fallowing-methods-for-small-scale-home-gardens/