Rotating Vegetables by Family

Rotating vegetables is always recommended, but to do it properly, one needs to know which vegetables are in the same family. Related vegetables share disease problems, so a true rotation needs to be between vegetable families. Usually a 3-year rotation is advised, meaning that there will be 2 years of unrelated vegetables in the middle, between related vegetables.

Here are the most common vegetable, herb, and cover crop families:

FAMILY	MEMBER PLANTS
Allium	chive, garlic, garlic chive, leek, onion, perennial onion, shallot
Amaranth	amaranth
Brassica	bok choi, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, collard, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, rutabaga, radish, turnip
Composite	artichoke, chicory, endive, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, sunflower
Curcurbit	cucumber, gourd, melon, pumpkin, squash (winter & summer), watermelon, zucchini
Goosefoot	beet, chard, quinoa, spinach
Grain	barley, corn, oats, rice, rye, wheat
Legume	bean, clover, pea, vetch
Lily	asparagus
Mallow	okra
Mint	basil, mint, oregano, sage
Morning Glory	sweet potato
Nightshade	eggplant, ground cherry, pepper, potato, tomatillo, tomato
Rose	strawberry
Smartweed	buckwheat, rhubarb, sorrel
Umbel	carrot, celeriac, celery, dill, fennel, lovage, parley, parsnip

Last updated February 7, 2021