Land or soil becomes sick when continuous planting of the same crop ruins its productivity. The condition usually stems from a buildup of soil-borne diseases, nematodes, or the exhaustion of specific trace minerals. Farmers must rotate the field to a different plant family or leave it fallow to break the cycle.
Heard on the job
We can't put tomatoes in the high tunnel again this year because the soil is totally sick with blight.
Related terms
Crop rotation
The practice of planting different types of crops sequentially on the same plot of land.
Fallow
Cultivated land that is deliberately left unplanted for one or more growing seasons to recover its fertility.
Soil fertility
The capacity of soil to provide essential nutrients and a suitable environment for plant growth.