There are so many ways to companion plant as you point out. Here are three groupings I look at: (1) botanical, (2) feeding groups, and (3) "better-togehter". I rotate through the beds using the final (3)"better-together" groupings with some seasonal variations for weather. 1. Botanical families (similar cultural needs and pest problems): * Aster family: chicory, endive, lettuce, sunflowers--usually in cool weather or shade in summer. * Cabbage family: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards, kale, radishes, turnips-- heavy feeders. * Carrot family: carrot, celery, dill, fennel, parsley--coole weather, but some like heat. * Corn (grass family): heavy feeder, lots of water. * Legumes: beans, peas: nitrogen fixers. * Onion family: asparagus, chives, garlic, leeks, onions: light feeders, onion maggots. * Beets and spinach and chard: coole weather. * Squash family: cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, squahs: warm weather, common insects and disease problems. * Tomatoes and friends: eggplant, peppers, potatoes: heat-lovers, similar soil. 2. Feeding groups (similar soil and nutrition needs): * Heavy feeders: celery, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peppers, pumpkins, squash, tomaotes. * Moderate feeders: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, Chinese cabbage, kale, lettuce and greens, parsley, spinach. * Light feeders: beets, carrots, garlic, leeks, onions, potaotes, radishes, turnips. * Soil builders: beans, peas. 3. Better-together groups (anecdotal helpmates): * Potatoes and beans planted together with calendulas, cosmos, daisies, dill, rosemany. Three-year rotation. * Squash family members, corn, and pole beans planted together with borage, dill, nasturtiums, sunflowers. Three-year rotation. * Tomato and warm-fruiters, peppers, eggplants planted with basil, cosmos, parsley, Queen-Anne's-lace. Four-year rotation. * Cabbage family, lettuce and root crops planted together with asters, calendulas, chamomile, chrysanthemums, cosmos, marigolds, rosemary, sage, thyme. Three-year rotation. * Roots and greens--carrots, onions, greens planted with caraway, chamomile, dill, fennel, Iceland poppies, asters. Two-year rotation. * Perennial crops--asparagus, horseradish, strawberries, rhubarb surrounded by borage, sweet alyssum, chives, bee balm, chamomile, thyme, tansy, yarrow, cosmos, dill. Here is a link that might be useful: HarvestToTable.com

Starting last year, I tried doing crop rotation. But after thinking about things this year, I've decided I'll make an effort, but not freak out about it too much, unless there is a special circumstance. My garden is only 200 sq. feet, not counting paths. (I wish it could be bigger, but I'm not willing to cut down forest.) I inter-crop, and with decent soil, roots go pretty far. I figure that roots of plants of various families could probably be found in most places in my garden. I would imagine that this makes the soil depletion issue not so much of an issue. To boot, I add lots of compost, turn in tons of compostables in the fall, use fish emulsion as a spot treatment, and use organic fertilizers. I live in southern New Hampshire, and here in New England late blight was pretty impossible to avoid last year. I held it off with compost tea, but eventually my toms got it like all my neighbors'. Since late blight overwinters, I did my best to move the toms for this year. The Extension told me a few feet away was probably enough because I didn't grow potatoes last year. Gardeningscomplicated, sounds like I should look at the Jeavons book. Sounds like it would make me feel better about my method.

Agree with Dave. My growing season goes from April thru October, so I have time for two summer crops per year, plus one crop through the winter. I assign each of my raised beds one crop family per year (beans, cucs, tomatoes, etc) and then plant two crops from the same family in it. The following spring I rotate. I rotate my winter crops on a yearly basis too. They go into the summer beds at the end of the season, but I rotate them (brassicas, roots, etc.) from year to year as well. I have had these raised beds for four years. So far, so good.

Ha, ha, 100x100! Someday..... but this ate up the majority of the open lawn space and all of the sunny area in the new yard. And it's a 10x increase in garden space over what I had before! I'm already nervous I've bitten off more than I can chew. My daughter was begging for 5 pummpkin plants today and I told her OK, but only if she commits to 3 hours of weeding and watering a week to help out! Thanks for your advice. I won't stress about the rotation, then! I wonder why just about all of my organic gardening books (which are mostly aimed at people with this size garden) advocate small scale crop rotation?