How essential is crop rotation?

Been reading about crop rotation, but is it really essential? I wasnt planning on growing any peas etc but according to crop rotation you need this on one patch. I'm not keen on growing them as they seem fairly complicated and I'm a newbie to having a veggie patch.

We have never done it properly and our veg have generally all done well - the crops do move each year but only depending on where dh chooses to plant each not following any of the 'rotation rules'.

Peas/beans are actually very easy to grow, they just need a bit of support/something to climb. If you're only growing a few plants then the harvest from them might not seem much, but kids love picking them off the plants and eating the peas straight from the pods There are loads of varieties of peas, and different colours of beans too! I haven't enough knowledge about crop rotation, but I think as long as you don't grow similar veggies in the same spot year after year, it should be OK.

The main reason to rotate your crops is to reduce the risk of disease and to prevent reduction of particular nutrients in your soil.

I don't know the details, but I remember that legumes (peas etc) help to increase nitrogen in the soil so it's a good idea to have them in a different patch each year to reintroduce nitrogen levels in that area.

I think as long as you don't grow the same types of veg in the same plot every year, you should be ok.

I have to grow most of my veg in containers, makes crop rotation very easy, I can just move the container to another corner!! lol
No, seriously though, peas are SO easy I just gave them something to climb up and left them to it. They were supposed to be mangetout ie: small, tender, eat the baby pods as well, but I forgot them and they went far too big - the pods were no good (great for the compost bin) but we still got a good crop of ordinary garden peas which were very nice.

It helps stop diseases and different crops do different things for the soil.
If you can't do a four crop/bed rotation then keep it simple and swop between above ground /below ground crops.

I don't tend to worry unless I get pests. My caulis and broccoli got eaten by white cabbage butterfly last year so I've moved them (although I doubt it'll help much in this case!)

If you can't do a four crop/bed rotation then keep it simple and swop between above ground /below ground crops.

Ooh thanks! That makes it sound really easy!