Leeks in onion bed?

[lewic]

I have some overwintering onions that should be ready to pull in the next month or so, and some leek seedlings which will be looking for a home around this time.

Is it OK to put them in the old onion bed, or does this go against the principles of crop rotation? Nothing had been grown in the bed for at least a year beforehand.

Thanks

Cath

[lewic]

[Eristic]

While it probably goes against the principles of crop rotation I don't see the problem with it provided that the onions harvest completely clean from disease. Crop rotation is only one method of growing and not necessarily the best. Also do you rotate on a crop by crop basis, an annual basis, biennial etc.? If there is no allium specific disease present the leeks cannot catch anything from being there.

[Bjerreby]

Nah, do it, and tell yourself we had a long growing season this year.  :)

............................and wait 3 years until you grow leeks or onions there again.  :)

By the way.........nice avatar there!

[lewic]

Thanks, that settles it then! No disease as yet, fingers crossed.

Have only had the plot since last August, so havent done any rotating or otherwise yet. Suppose I should really start planning for next year. Have some tomatoes, marigolds and sunflowers growing in amongst the onions, just because there were some bald patches!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've done it a couple of times and it doesn't seem to have done any harm.

[kt.]

Some of our plotholders only change their onions beds every 3-4 years.

[Barnowl]

Won't you have some space from cropping early potatoes? I know that putting leeks in after the early spuds is quite a common practice - although some argue against it (can't remember why  :) )