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.

Clover might be good as would many other legumes. Buckwheat is supposed to attract beneficials. What about sunflowers! They attract beneficials and pollinators. Also feed the birds as well as squirles. Many herbs also attract beneficials. Bees seem to love the basil. Carrots take a long time so if there is a little water, you could come back to find carrots in the fall and if they were to go to flower, the good bugs love em. Radishes can help add organic matter to the soil if you leave them to rot. They may also be deterrent to some squash pests. Lots of annual flowers or even an annual wildflower mix might be great if you are starting from a relatively weed free base. I like growing alyssum along with lots of veggies. Nasturtium would be a good choice in somewhat dry/poor neglected areas, when grown in with other plants they make good aphid traps crops. Marigolds, they are supposed to be great companion plants but I've read that they would actually be far more effective is grown as a cover crop and turned in to help deter some soil pests. I've also read a bit about using sesame plants as a cover crop against some pests. You are probably best off having a bit of variety so that if something fails there is still a chance that something else will work. You will probably want to use something that you can get inexpensively and easily. Check for local seed sources or someplace like Johhny's selected seeds usually has some cover crop mixes. I got several different seed bags from them to see what cover crops will work well here. I currently have beds of clover, oats, winter and spring wheat, buckwheat, and since I can various cool weather crops that are struggling with the almost 80 degree days we have had lately. Just be careful of perennial plants that are known to be aggressive (stuff like mint and yarrow are probably not a good idea where you want to plant a veggie garden again next season.) It is definitely a good idea to keep something happening in the garden even if you aren't actively cropping. If all else fails, bury that garden under lots of leaf or compost mulch for the season so the worms can have a party while you are away. Here is a link that might be useful: TCLynx Gardening

I'm with Seil and Ben - nothing makes my heart go pitter patter or my wallet go "poof" faster than a picotee, mutable or striped rose, the more high contrast the better. After that I'm drawn to the "oddball" colors of russet, parchment or lavender (or best all three together, like Distant Drums or Koko Loko). Dark dark burgundy flowers also zing something in my soul. As for wafting, even without my poor nose nothing really wafts very far in my dry climate. We don't get wafting of hyacinths and lilacs in the spring even though I have 100's of the former and 3 well established bushes of the latter. Peonies you have to get up close to smell, and the same for lilies. I'll get a vague "pleasant smell" from an area with over 10 Stargazer lilies blooming, but even my son with the hypersensitive nose doesn't gag at the smell. It just dissipates too fast. I never knew Darlow's Enigma or Marie Pavie were supposed to have any scent at all, and even my daughter with a good nose shrugs when presented with a bouquet of those. I like fragrance when I can get it, but I look far more often than I smell, as far as roses go. Cynthia

I have always wanted to grow Canterbury bells but the fact that they bloom the next year makes me think twice. I get what you mean about too many seedlings too little space. I always end up with several hundreds of them when I need tens. And I can't bring myself to snip them off so begins the struggle to give them all enough light....AT least you have space and need for what you are growing. I am thinking of moving some of mine outdoors or relatively warmer days. Even if my balcony has no sun these days, I am sure it is brighter than the windowsills. I have about 150 nemesias, 50 stocks, 100 petunias ….several petunias, mimulus and penstemon are damping off and I am trying to save them but secretly feeling relieved at their demise. :) I am lucky that the quantity of seeds is not something I ever have to worry about considering how few I need. On the winter sowing front, I am not sure if it is workable for me considering I get no sun in the area. After letting my sweet pea and poppy seeds sit around doing nothing outdoors for 15-20 days, I brought the pots inside so they could sprout (which they promptly did). I will put them out as soon as they seem big enough to fend for themselves. One of the pots has a peony in it which needs the winter chill, so sooner can go out again the better...