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Same-crop fatigue: the same field gets worse each year

A microbe bag has no unit that replaces rotation.

Same crop again
Speed
  1. The same crop gets worse; patch death while a rotated neighbour is fine.
  2. Knots or brown rot on roots.
  3. A shortage eases after a feed; same-crop fatigue dies in patches, and the neighbour who rotated looks better.
  4. Waterlogging has standing water or soil that is too wet; same-crop fatigue still happens in a well-drained house.
  5. Don’t leave dead plants; don’t pour fertiliser on patch death.
  6. Years between the same crop: Every other year, or every two years if you can. Steadier than any inoculant
  7. Name what you see before you feed.
  8. If leaves, roots and the surface disagree, stop.

What you see in the field

The same crop gets worse; patch death while a rotated neighbour is fine. Knots or brown rot on roots.Patchy dead plants: look at the roots first — knots, brown rot, stained pipes — not the thin white roots of hunger. A rotated neighbour that still looks well is the contrast that counts.

A sketch. Do not fertilise from the picture alone.

Tap to enlarge. The caption says what to photograph. Missing field photos are marked as to-be-added.

Why it looks like this

The field looks like this because the root cannot take water or nutrients the usual way. Fix the soil condition first — drainage, salt, acidity, compaction or a salt of fertiliser — then a thin feed. Rates live in the range on this page; confirm with a local station and the label.

Easy to mix up

  • Looks like “Just short of fertiliser”

    A shortage eases after a feed; same-crop fatigue dies in patches, and the neighbour who rotated looks better.

  • Looks like “Waterlogging”

    Waterlogging has standing water or soil that is too wet; same-crop fatigue still happens in a well-drained house.

Do this / don’t do that

  1. 1Compare the worst plants with a neighbour ridge. Photograph whole plant, close-up and soil surface before you add fertiliser.
  2. 2Match roots, leaves and the soil surface to this guide. If they do not line up, do not copy a bag count.
  3. 3Use the rate range on this page only as a range. Confirm with a local station and the product label.

Don’t do this first

  • Don’t leave dead plants; don’t pour fertiliser on patch death.

Rate range

Years between the same crop

Every other year, or every two years if you can

Steadier than any inoculant.

Bio-organic manure

Follow the registered label

Not a miracle. Get organic matter and air right first.

These are ranges. Confirm with your local extension station and the product label.

pH / organic matter / salt

Read these three first

Then nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and the micronutrients.

A field check

Which leaves, the roots, the soil surface

Compare a healthy neighbour plant.

When you see The same crop gets worse; patch death while a rotated neighbour is fine. Knots or brown rot on roots, test. If the leaf and the soil disagree, test before you pour.

Lesson video

2026-03-06 · Li Zeyu · For learning. Serious damage: local agronomist or a soil test.

For learning only. Fertiliser and pesticide decisions need a local agronomist and a soil test.

Not sure? Photograph the field to identify the problem