Since most crops can be grown much cheaper by local farmers than in the city, there are very few practical reasons to grow a garden inside the city. Space is limited and expensive in the city, so only the most nutritious crops can be justified. Only the crops where raw freshness is important can be justified for fresh city growing. If you live on the edge of the city and have room for a large garden, please refer to Organic Self Sufficient Crop Rotation.

1. SPRING - chicory, beets 
   FALL - barley for cover
   LATE WINTER - work in manure and wood chips

2. VERY EARLY SPRING - peas
   LATE SPRING - inoculated pigeon pea, cow pea, or mung
            for mycorrhizal fungus and nitrogen
   LATE SUMMER - collards, kale
               leek for mycorrhizal fungus

3. VERY EARLY SPRING - seven top turnips
   SPRING - okra
   FALL - barley for cover
   LATE WINTER - work in manure and wood chips

DETAILS:

The main advantage of this rotation is that every year each bed will be growing some high calcium / magnesium crops.

The turnips come after the brassica in the fall, which is a violation of normal rotation rules. Turnip is one of the few crops that is so disease resistant, it can take it. The turnips can continue to grow as the okra is slow growing. This allows fresh raw greens almost year round: turnips in the spring, okra in summer, chicory in the fall, collards in late fall, and kale in early winter.

If disease or insects becomes a problem, add a grain in the rotation between years 1 and 2.

If planting by hand, soak the winter cover seeds for 24 hours before planting to speed sprouting.

In a small garden, mulch really is the best organic way to control weeds throughout the growing season.

In the fall, after harvesting, till in all remaining plant residue to prevent disease.

In the winter, work in crop residue with hardwood chips and manure. The wood chips will grow a fungus which kills nematodes. The wood chips will also provide potassium.

If it is hard to find mulch, you may need to add another rotation to grow your own, such as sorghum in the spring or rye in the winter.