Narrow beds according to the mid-layder. The Mitlider method - technology for creating beds and useful tips for beginners. Planning is an important step

01.08.2023

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Modern cultivation of garden crops and cultivation of land increasingly takes place using the latest technical achievements, botany and chemistry. Many people are wary of the use of chemical developments, fearing that they will worsen the quality of the crop and increase the level of nitrates. But such a compromise as methods of organic vegetable growing with a closed cycle, in which even mineral fertilizers are not used, has already gained a lot of fans among summer residents.

In addition to organic vegetable growing, modern gardeners also resort to the Mittleider method to increase yield. This method is based on the judicious use of mineral fertilizers that are needed, combined with the organization of conditions for the natural processing of these fertilizers. Plants grown using the Mitlider method are stronger, tasty and juicy, and their nitrate content is an order of magnitude lower than allowed by standards. So let's understand what this method of growing crops is in detail.

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Dr. J. Mittleider is a scientist who has practiced growing plants for more than 20 years to increase yields for increased commercial profit.

Mitlider was engaged in growing not only vegetables, but also flowers. The scientist patented 11 of his developments. His developments include not only cultivation methods, but also methods for packaging and delivering plants alive over long distances.

This scientist has traveled all over the world studying nutrition problems. He also visited Russia, back in the days of the USSR, which led him to the idea that the growing methods and technologies that he developed could be used in our climate.

One of the popular methods that Mitlider has developed is the bed arrangement method.

This growing method can be used for different crops. It is quite simple and does not require any equipment to use it. According to the Mitlider method, vegetables can be grown both in the garden and in the greenhouse.

The main distinguishing feature of the beds, which are made according to the scientist’s method, is that they are narrow, as shown in the photo:

In general, growing vegetables using the Mitlider method is based on three principles.

Mandatory limitation of the territory for plant nutrition, which is achieved through narrow beds - 0.5 by 9 m.

Forced feeding with mineral fertilizers.
Use of seedlings.
Use of artificial substrate.

By dividing the garden into narrow beds, you can achieve the necessary optimization of space and its proper use. Using this method, you need to select a place and create narrow beds on it. When planning to plant a vegetable garden using the Mitlider method, it is necessary to take into account the following factors:

Lighting the beds with sunlight - from the very morning until at least 18-00; if your garden is located in such a way that this is impossible, then - from noon until the end of the day.
It is advisable to create narrow beds near a water source.
It is advisable to choose light, medium or loamy soil for the beds.
To create beds using the Mitlider method, you need to mark out the garden with pegs into narrow beds 45 cm wide and 9 m long. If the garden is shorter than 9 m, then the length can be chosen arbitrarily. The beds should be located at a distance of 90 cm from each other (diagram in the photo).

Having marked the beds, you need to secure a cord between the pegs.
The prepared substrate is poured on top of the soil, and then the bed is shallowly dug.
After digging, we rake the soil to the center, and then distribute it over the surface of the bed, but in such a way that 10 cm sides are formed.
You need to distribute the soil with a rake so that the height of the bed inside the side is no higher than the soil in the walkway.
A slight slope is made along the length of the bed, which will ensure better watering.

You need to sow seeds and plant vegetables in these beds in two rows. Tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers are planted in such a garden in one row, clearly in the center of the garden bed. You need to fertilize once every 10 days.

Potatoes according to Mittleider

Growing potatoes using the Mitlider method can even provide you with a double harvest if the weather conditions of the region allow it and the garden is well lit.

The narrow beds inherent in this method will provide you with a yield 15% higher than a vegetable garden planted using the conventional method, and they will take up less space. Look at the photo to see what these potato beds look like:

Landing

To plant potatoes according to Mittleider, you need to select a flat area that is illuminated by the sun all day long.
Then you need to dig up the ground well and remove weeds and rhizomes.
Then make the markings as described above.
After the beds are prepared, we will need to make holes in which we will plant the potatoes.
The holes are made in two rows, in a checkerboard pattern. The distance between them is 30 cm, and their depth is from 8 to 10 cm. 1 tbsp is added to each hole. l. vermicompost.
After this, potatoes are placed in the hole and covered with earth.

Care

Having planted potatoes, it is necessary to provide them with certain care. Potatoes will be needed in a timely manner

water,
feed,
destroy weeds.

It is very important to ensure that the soil in which the potatoes are planted does not dry out too much, and that each bush receives the same amount of moisture and fertilizer. Fertilizing is applied first when the potatoes have sprouted, and then when their sprouts reach 15 cm, and then - before the potatoes begin to form fruits. According to the Mitlider method, potatoes do not hill, and narrow beds will provide them with the necessary nutrients.

Arranging a greenhouse using the Mittlaider method

Practical structures and growing vegetables in a greenhouse using the Mittleider method have found a lot of fans among gardeners all over the world. You can make a greenhouse according to Mitlider with your own hands, or you can purchase a ready-made one.

Such greenhouses are simply installed and create the necessary conditions for plant growth and protect seedlings from temperature changes.
Its main difference and feature is that the greenhouse has ventilation holes, which are formed using an unusual type of roof.
The roof is gable, and on the north side it is made with a steep slope.

With this arrangement, the roof slopes do not converge at the top, as shown in the video:

Mitlider greenhouses come in several types.

Classic-looking greenhouse

A classic-looking greenhouse has a vertical wall arrangement, a gable roof and a special hole for ventilation.

According to standards, it is 12 m long, 6 m wide, and 1.8 m high at the side, but the dimensions may vary.
The main advantage of the greenhouse is its ventilation, which is easy to use.
The large area of the transom allows warm air to circulate, mixing with cool air, and distributes it throughout the greenhouse.

You can see what a greenhouse of this type looks like in the video on the Internet and the photo below.

Arched greenhouses made of film

The second type of greenhouses made using this method are arched greenhouses made of film. They are structurally simpler than the classic ones, and making such a greenhouse with your own hands will be easier.

Unlike standard arched greenhouses, the Mittleider greenhouse has ventilation that allows air to flow even when the door is closed.
Such ventilation is provided by a two-level pitched roof.

You can see what such an arched greenhouse looks like in photos and videos on the Internet.

Greenhouses with two transoms

The third type of greenhouse according to Mitlider is equipped with two transoms, which are located on the south side of the structure.

One transom is made under the slope,
the other is under the ridge, as in the video:

The main advantage of all greenhouses is the presence of a special ventilation system, which allows air to circulate intensively and evenly, and this allows the room to be ventilated and enriched with carbon dioxide.

The location of the transom on the south side will avoid overcooling of crops growing in the greenhouse.
The strong frame of the structure will protect your greenhouse garden from gusts of wind.
Beams and braces located along the perimeter provide the greenhouse with stability even from snowdrifts.

Greenhouse made of wood

You can make a Mittleider greenhouse with your own hands from wood. The wooden structure will prevent condensation from accumulating. The horizontally located beams are taller than human height, which ensures ease of use. These beams can also be used as supports for cucumbers and other climbing crops. A sufficient greenhouse volume will create optimal conditions and increase plant resistance. The required temperature conditions are created using two layers of polyethylene, which are located at a distance of 5 - 7 cm from one another. The greenhouse is easy to assemble with your own hands, and if necessary, it can be moved to another place (pictured).

Metal greenhouse

A Mitlider greenhouse can be made not only of wood, but also of metal. Before starting construction, you need to choose a well-lit place on an area with a fairly flat surface.

Mittleider created methods for growing vegetables both in open ground and in greenhouses. His methods ensure the optimization of space for crop growth, the necessary amount of moisture and fertilizer for each plant. By applying his methods, you will get good harvests. Good luck to you!

You can watch the video to see how to build a greenhouse according to Mitlider with your own hands:

Few people have heard of the method of gardening in narrow beds, but not everyone decides to try it. After all, visually such a vegetable garden seems unprofitable and strange, although the harvest harvested from it pleasantly surprises both in quantity and quality. Therefore, if you decide to find out how to arrange a vegetable garden according to Mittleider, this article is for you - only in it we will pay more attention not to the little things (you can read in detail in the doctor’s books), but to what mistakes it is important not to make and why many refuse this method, without ever understanding it.

In short, the whole secret of the fast and rich growth of plants according to Mitlider is that all their roots extend to the inter-bed groove, where we sprinkle fertilizer. They do not penetrate deep into the soil or in breadth, and therefore quickly feed and take advantage of moisture. Many who have already tried this method talk about how they shock their neighbors with the harvest they harvest - and those who plant 70% more and harvest three times less are only surprised.

And the most important advantage of Mitlider’s method is that it is possible to grow in this way even in the desert - which the doctor himself successfully proved, working for some time in Africa.

How did Midlander technology originate?

The fact is that Jacob Mittleider inherited farming from his parents - but he noticed that a huge amount of mineral fertilizers are carried into the ground, and all for the sake of the harvest with subsequent sale. Yes, the vegetables are heroic - but the taste and quality suffer greatly, not to mention the health hazard. After all, to this day those same Dutch tomatoes taste just like a bar of soap, and many Europeans and Americans, having tried ordinary vegetables from the Russian market, are delighted! But even during the USSR, collective farms thoughtlessly used a large amount of fertilizers - and at that time they didn’t want to hear about any organic matter, there was neither the strength nor the desire for it. But, of course, we were still far from foreign countries. That’s why Mittleider decided for himself: either he radically changes this entire system, or he will not engage in parenting.

And for the next 15 years, the doctor was responsible for the production of seedlings in Southern California. He developed his methods for growing and air-shipping many live plants for retail sale. Next - cooperation with Loma Linda University, where he taught his farming technologies, while simultaneously engaging in practical activities. Since 1964, the innovator has already become famous on a global scale, teaching and consulting in many countries around the world, even in the Soviet Union. Jacob Mittleider has written many books and received 11 US patents - so maybe this method is worth trying?

We lay out the beds according to Mitlider - it's easy!

A vegetable garden according to Mitlider can be of two options - using the technology of narrow beds and using special boxes, which also have their own parameters.

Step 1. First of all, on the site, you will make Mittleider ridges, everything needs to be cleared of weeds. To do this, select the rhizome of perennials, while digging the soil with an ordinary garden fork.
Step 2. Next, carefully level everything, resulting in a completely flat area.
Step 3. We mark the beds. It is convenient to do this with a special marker-rail, 1.35 m long, because our passage is 90 cm, and the beds are 45 cm.
Step 4. Drive in corner pegs from the end of the area and stretch the cord between them. Do it this way: placing a marker on the first broken peg, hammer in the rest. The same thing - from the other end of the beds. After that - the cord itself.

Mittlider's narrow bed method produces a stunning harvest of organic vegetables in the first year. And working in such a garden is much easier - because the land is now less cultivated. Of course, here you will have to follow the technology and correctly formulate the mixtures, water every day and monitor the horizontalness of the beds. But this is mental work, not physical.

How to calculate and apply mineral fertilizers?

Particular attention in the Mitlider method is paid to plant nutrition. The fact is that in our body there are only 2 grams of iron, but without it the blood would not be able to carry oxygen. The same applies to gardening: microelements are an essential component of fertilizers.

Fertilizers according to the Mitlider method should be applied to the beds as follows:

Mixture No. 1, 100 UAH per linear meter of bed.
Mixture No. 2, 50 UAH for each same meter.

Hint: purchasing the necessary mixtures and elements is much cheaper in online stores than in specialized kiosks. If it’s difficult to find this in your city, take “Florist Micro” - it’s easy to order by mail.

Fertilizers should be scattered evenly over the entire surface of the beds. When digging, focus on mixing rather than the traditional “turning”. Do everything slowly, if you also have a cultivator, use it.

The main mistakes of novice "military leaders"

So why are many already disappointed in this method, and even on the Internet you can hear a lot of unflattering reviews? There are reasons for this. And the most important of them is that citizens who are accustomed to doing things “at random” do not even comply with the basic requirements of agricultural technology:

Mistake #1. Low watering volume

If the beds are watered only once a week, then the applied fertilizers simply do not dissolve - and therefore are not used by the plants. And even worse: accumulating between the beds, they soon reach dangerous concentrations and even begin to destroy the crop. That is why, if water is tight in your area and you cannot keep the soil surface constantly moist, then it is better to abandon this method. Because you need to water every day, in rare cases - every other day.

Why is it so important that the soil surface is always moist? The fact is that with such a structure of the beds, the roots of the plants are located in the thin top layer, which is why it is not recommended to loosen it. And the applied fertilizers do not dissolve in one day.

Mistake #2. Changing the composition and quantity of mineral mixtures

Further, if you choose the wrong mixture, you can also be left without a harvest. Have you tested the acidity of your soil on site? There is a whole article about this on our portal. And just imagine: with a high pH level, you add mixture No. 1 to your beds, and it is based on limestone flour. As a result, alkalization will occur, and many nutrients will be inaccessible to plants. A whole bunch of shortages - what kind of tomatoes are there... By the way, in this situation, take mixture No. 1 only based on gypsum. On acidic soils - chalk or limestone (or dolomite) flour.

One more thing: you forgot something, bought more of something - will everything suit the plants? No matter how it is. Only a dog can leave excess in the plate when it is full, and the plants will take it all. And if there is more of an element than needed, the harvest will “burn.” Will there be a shortage? Get sick. For example, if you don’t look for the mysterious essential element “Molybdenum”, but decide to make do with what you found, the plants will be left without “stomach juice”, which helps them “digest” everything. The result is a miserable harvest with nitrate vegetables, which then gives rise to myths about the unreliability of the foreign method.

And the biggest mistake is to take “some kind” fertilizers, often produced in basements. Buy ready-made Mitlider mixtures - it's very convenient!

Mistake #3. Violation of aisle width rules

Jacob Mittleider has repeatedly emphasized that the beds should be perfectly horizontal - this is not an innovation and is not coming. The fact is that with even a very slight slope, most of the water immediately flows into one part of the bed, simultaneously washing away the fertilizer. As a result, where there is a nutritional deficiency and dry soil, and where there is an excess of both. And it’s bad for all plants at once. And with all this, many summer residents manage to make attempts to adapt the Mittleider method on the slopes, wondering why solar vegetarians work so well, but the “bourgeois method” does not? If you have just such an area, break it into parts and level each of them.

And you need to level it not just by eye - but using a building level and an even long block. The bed should be as smooth as a table surface.

Mistake #4. Uneven soil fertilization

If fertilizer is scattered haphazardly throughout the entire bed, and then dug up with a shovel, then it will not be distributed over the entire 20th layer of soil, but will concentrate in separate points. Some plants will have an excess of it, some will have a deficiency, and the roots of some will not reach it at all.

Experts note that many today rush to extremes - if the Mittleider method does not work, then only organics! Like, enough chemicals in the store. And not everyone knows that in fact the author of the method did not go from organic to mineral fertilizers, but from very large quantities of them to smaller and dosed ones.

Mistake #5. Mittleider in Russian?

Many gardeners, who appreciate the quality of the vegetables produced in Mittleider's style, try to adapt it a little. So, they purchase mixture No. 2 of Ugarova, where only boron and molybdenum, they say, the plants will get everything else from the soil. But over the years, a deficiency of zinc, manganese and iron occurs in such areas. But Mitlider’s ready-made mixtures already contain all the necessary microelements.

By the way, never listen to the advice to make beds not 90 cm, but 70 - you can only take risks with garlic, onions and herbs. Because these are low-growing plants that need enough light. Otherwise, it’s so easy to break the technology and get a completely different harvest than you expected.

The thing is that the Mitlider method is not a set of individual techniques or requirements, it is a whole system in which everything is laid out to the smallest detail: disease and weed control, lighting, working with soil, fertilizing and watering. It's like several factors that lead to a total number if one of them is zero, i.e. is not used, then the overall meaning will also be lost. That's the math. Therefore, once you take on this unusual technology, follow it to the end, even in small things, and an amazing result will not keep you waiting!

How to arrange a vegetable garden? It would seem that there is nothing tricky in this matter, and there cannot be. However, this may seem so only at first glance. A good result in vegetable growing is possible by taking into account many factors that influence plant development. This includes the location of the ridges, their orientation, the mechanical composition of the soil, moisture, the level of acidity and many other nuances. Today, not one, but several points of view on agriculture have emerged. Each model has its supporters and opponents, and is interesting and effective in its own way. Today I propose to get acquainted with a rather popular methods of growing vegetables author, which is the famous American scientist Jacob Meatlider . In Russia, this method was analyzed and put into practice by Doctor of Biological Sciences Tatyana Yuryevna Ugarova.

A few words about the authors

Dr. Mittleider worked for quite a long time - for 20 years - in a commercial flower and vegetable nursery in Southern California. Being an observant and inquisitive person, he made a number of important conclusions regarding working with plants. Having a wealth of experience and valuable knowledge behind him, Dr. Mittleider began to spread his method. He wrote and published several books. Traveled to many countries and visited Russia several times. In a sense, Mittleider's method created a real sensation among adherents of traditional farming. Many types of work, such as repeated loosening of the soil and hilling, were considered unnecessary by them. Mittleider himself positioned his method as family vegetable growing or vegetable growing on a small plot. Although practice shows that this method also works in an industrial version.

Tatyana Ugarova is called the “Russian Mittleider.” She not only accompanied her teacher during trips to Russia, not only translated almost all of his works into Russian, but also made her own recommendations regarding the use of the Mittleider method especially for Russians.

The essence of the method

Soil fertility, according to Mittleider , is not of decisive importance for the vegetable grower. The soil should be:

Air- and moisture-permeable,
Capable of retaining moisture
Clean from weeds
The same temperature throughout the nutrient layer,
With a neutral reaction.

Here are some examples soil mixture recipes according to Mittleider :

Sawdust – 60%, sand – 40%,
Conifer needles – 40%, perlite – 30%, sand – 30%,
Sphagnum moss – 40%, sand – 30%, packaging foam – 30%.

The general requirements for the soil mixture are as follows: it should not cake and slowly overheat. This is why Mittleider does not recommend using manure. All components of the soil mixture are taken based on volume, not weight.

According to Mitlider, the health and productivity of plants are directly dependent on the presence in the soil mixture of all the necessary macro- and microelements, and in a balanced form. For this, the author has developed detailed recommendations with a clear indication of the quantity of a particular element.

From the moment the seedlings emerge, the plants are watered strictly according to the schedule with a fertilizer mixture that is specially prepared.

Mittleider assigns the most important role lighting. It is for the purpose of optimal lighting that it is proposed to grow vegetables on narrow ridges, between which wide passages are arranged.
— The width of the Mittleider ridges is 45 cm.
— The width of the passages should be at least 90, and preferably 105 cm.
— The ridges should be located strictly from north to south and not otherwise. This ensures proper lighting of the plants. As you know, plants are able to fully absorb minerals only if there is good lighting.

For each culture, Mittleider developed a specific landing scheme. All cultivated plants are located in two rows along the edge of the ridge, with the exception of such large crops as pumpkin and zucchini, which are planted in one row. Weeds are not pulled out by the roots, but mowed down regularly.

Watering with the fertilizer mixture is carried out strictly in the center of the ridge. This is necessary in order to prevent burns to the root system of cultivated plants. In addition, the high concentration of chemicals in the center of the ridge does not allow weeds to develop.

TO how to arrange vegetable garden according to Mittleider

Work on the device vegetable garden according to Mittleider should begin in the fall. First you need to mark out the garden into ridges and walkways. In the future, the ridges will never change places with the passages. The length of the ridges can be arbitrary, but for the convenience of calculating the fertilizer mixture, the length is 9 m. The width is no more than 45 cm. Passages are 90 -100 cm. There is no need to add anything to the soil in advance. It is necessary to dig up and level the area, carefully removing perennial weeds. The technique involves constructing beds at the same level with the soil. Using a flat cutter or hoe, you need to form small earthen edges along the edges of the ridges. When weeds appear, it is enough to simply destroy the sides and after a little time build them again. It's not difficult at all. But such an operation will make life very difficult for the weeds. For even greater convenience, you can make sides from boards or other available material. You will need to build long frames or boxes without a bottom. Based on my own experience, I note that a ridge fenced in this way psychologically mobilizes the gardener. After all, we immediately see a clear amount of work. Ridges - boxes are filled with soil mixture. If you don't want to fence the ridges, don't do it. In the spring, before planting, fertilizer is evenly distributed along the entire length of the ridge. mixture No. 1.

Which includes any calcium-containing element - lime, dolomite flour, and if the soil is slightly acidic or neutral - gypsum. Boron must be added to lime. For 5 kg of lime, take 40 grams. boric acid or 60 gr. Boers. Liming material is added at the rate of 500 g. per meter2

Mixture No. 1 deposited once per season. Our goal with this operation is to deoxidize the soil and ensure that the soil maintains a neutral reaction for as long as possible. In the future, you will need to add minerals according to a certain scheme. We must be sure that all nutrients are absorbed by plants and that no unwanted chemical reactions occur.

Now we prepare and apply fertilizer mixture No. 2. Mittleider developed the composition of the mixture in great detail. His books offer interchangeable components in case the grower is unable to buy any of the specified fertilizers. In this article we indicate one of the most affordable options mixture No. 2. We take all data based on square meters!

600 gr. nitroammofoski or 290 gr. ammonium nitrate + 120 gr. double superphosphate + 200 gr. potassium sulfate,
90 gr. magnesium sulfate,
6 gr. borax or 4 gr. boric acid,
2 gr. ammonium molybdate.

For each gardener using method Mittleider It is important to learn how to calculate the required amount of fertilizer based on the planting area.

The above mixture No. 2 must be evenly distributed over the surface of the ridges. After this, carefully dig up the soil with a pitchfork and water it with water. Now the soil is ready for planting.

Mitlider strongly favors growing plants through seedlings. In his opinion, replanting has a stimulating effect on the plant. Therefore, everything that is possible is best grown through seedlings. For the vegetable grower, the seedling method is also beneficial. There is always an opportunity to evaluate the starting capabilities of plants.

Seedlings of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers are planted along one side of the bed, 17.5 cm apart. Cabbage, celery and salads should be planted in a checkerboard pattern with a step of 35 cm. Pumpkins and zucchini are planted every 70 cm. Small seeds are mixed with sawdust or sand before planting. Large seeds are sown every 2.5 cm. After sowing the seeds, the soil must be kept moist. The slightest drying out is unacceptable. But you should water only through burlap or lutrasil. You can water with water at any temperature and at any time of the day. But strictly in the center of the ridge.

After waiting for the shoots to emerge, the plants are watered with enriched fertilizer. mixture No. 2.

It can be prepared as follows:
Dilute in 200 liters of water
-4 kg. calcium nitrate,
- 1.8 kg, ammonium nitrate,
- 0.68 kg. ammophos,
- 2.1 kg. potassium sulfate,
- 2.7 kg of magnesium sulfate.

Be sure to add microelements:
-240 gr. ferrous sulfate,
-4 gr. copper sulfate,
-8 gr. zinc sulfate,
-12 gr. manganese sulfate,
-12 gr. boric acid,
-5 gr. molybdic acid.

It is necessary to feed the plants in accordance with a certain scheme.
It is different for each plant:
— Radishes require 2 feedings per season,
- potatoes - 4,
- cucumbers, tomatoes - 6-8.

It is very important to understand that loosening ridges with plantings is strictly prohibited. Even if there is crust on the soil. Don't forget that the soil should always be slightly moist. Plants grown by Mitlider's method They always receive nutrients on time and in the right quantities, which is probably why their root system is not deep, so loosening can damage the roots.

Pros and cons of the Mittleider method

There are a lot of advantages. First of all, you will get impressive yields. And this is not an exaggeration. If you strictly follow the author’s recommendations and, of course, understand the whole meaning of the method outlined, then as a result, the yield from a small area will increase significantly!

Your garden will have a beautiful and well-groomed appearance. In 2-3 years you will not see a trace of weeds in your garden. There are simply no favorable conditions created for them. Having seen such a garden just once, you want to create similar beauty in your own home.

Conveniently calculate expenses and income. You can always say with confidence how much fertilizer will be needed and how much it will cost. You can also safely predict the result. How many vegetables will be grown per season? In business it helps planning.

What can I say about the cons...
The method is good and reasonable, but, unfortunately, in Russia not all seed producers are conscientious about their work. Therefore, vegetable growers often experience disappointment in purchased seeds and seedlings. Therefore, the result of your efforts will depend not only on you.

Huge meaning using Mitlider method allocated for irrigation. If water problems have not been resolved, then it is better to use other agricultural technology.

Mitlider method allows you to grow vegetables where there is virtually no suitable land. However, there is an opinion that in some regions of Russia there are not enough sunny days, and plants are not always able to absorb such intense nutrition. Unspent mineral fertilizers end up in the lower layers of the soil and then into our water bodies.

Finally

Mitlider's method is really interesting and promising. This method should not be confused with hydroponics, since Mitlider's soil mixtures are located on top of a layer of soil. In the future, there is no need to change the soil mixtures; you just need to add them as needed. You can also use the soil method of growing vegetables using the same fertilizer mixtures. For a more detailed introduction to the method, I advise you to study the books of Dr. Mittleider himself, and the books of T. Ugarova, addressed to the Russian reader. They are easy and interesting to read.

Well vegetable growing according to Mittlider(Lecture course) read here

Many Russian families grow vegetables, fruits and berries on their own plots. But not everyone has a dacha plot large enough to accommodate the necessary buildings and beds for growing vegetables. Most often, the area of the territory is the notorious six hundred square meters, inherited as a legacy of a bygone era. But providing your family with tasty and healthy vegetables and fruits is not only a desire, but also to some extent a necessity, based on modern prices and not always high-quality products. We invite you to consider Mittleider method: vegetable growing on small areas. What is this method? How to use it?

Mitlider method: vegetable growing in small areas

Typically, wide beds with narrow passages are built in summer cottages. But this not only requires a lot of space, but is also not very convenient to process. And more and more often, summer residents began to use the Mitlider method, thanks to which it is possible to obtain a bountiful harvest in small areas by rationally using the land. This method began to be used in Russia a little over 10 years ago.

Vegetable growing according to Mitlider is a way to grow vegetables in narrow beds, preferably with a flat area. The basic principles that you need to know when using this method include:

Beds. The width of the beds should be no more than 45 centimeters, while the size of the space between them should be twice as large. The length of the beds can be of any size. The beds are formed before planting, but not in advance. Many Russian summer residents are reducing the distance of passages. This can be done between planting carrots, beets, radishes, parsley, onions, dill, leaving paths at least 50 centimeters wide.
Fencing. The beds are located at the same level as the paths and are separated from them by a fence. The beds and passages between them should not be swapped, and the paths should not be dug up.
Fertilizers. Before planting on the beds, you need to apply fertilizer consisting of 100 (for loose soil) or 200 (for heavy) grams of a lime mixture (boron and calcium), per 1 linear meter, and dig it up. According to the Mittleider system, this is mixture No. 1. Instead, you can use humus, adding one bucket per meter.
Location. Typically, vegetables are planted in beds in two rows (radish, beets, carrots, onions, beans), along the fences. Such as any type of cabbage, salad is placed in two rows, but in a checkerboard order. If the plants are large (tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkin) they are planted in one row.

It is necessary to maintain the correct distance between vegetables during planting, as this affects their further growth and development. Fertilizing is done with mineral fertilizer, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium substances and boron (mixture No. 2) weekly. The drug is applied in an amount of 60 grams per square meter. This mixture can be omitted if more humus is added in the spring. In addition, many summer residents refuse to use mineral fertilizers, replacing them with compost, infusion of ash, and green herbs.

It is not recommended to loosen or water the soil in the beds, only if necessary. But you need to avoid drying out the top layer. It is recommended to water only at the roots of plants. This method prevents the progression of fungal diseases and does not promote the growth of weeds. Watering is carried out at any time during the day (not necessarily in the morning or evening). Be sure to get rid of weeds by pulling them out.

If you want to try the Mittleider method: vegetable growing on small areas, it is worth starting with the construction of 1-2 beds. In this case, the listed rules must be observed. The main disadvantage is that the method requires a flat, well-lit area, which will allow for a large harvest, but this is not always possible.

See also video:

Making a bed according to Mittleider

Mitlider method: everything you need to know about narrow and wide ridges

In an article about his amazing vegetable garden, Igor Lyadov mentions the Mittleider method of growing vegetables. Let's figure out what kind of method this is.

The Mittlider method is quite suitable for farming on a garden plot of 6 acres. To provide yourself with vegetables, a family of four will need 1.5 acres of land, and the same amount of land will be required to grow 600 - 700 kg of potatoes. Remove the turf, make mounds and fill in the holes. Literally “shake out” the entire area from the roots and rhizomes of perennial weeds and divide it into separate strips corresponding to narrow long ridges 45 cm wide with wide passages - 105 cm.

If you have little space, the width of the passages can be reduced to 90 cm, and only as a last resort - to 75 cm, but not less, otherwise the plants will not receive enough light and space to grow. The length of the ridges can be any - 4.5; 9 or 18 meters. For a small garden plot, beds 4.5 meters long are convenient.
On 1.5 acres of land you can place 20 - 22 such ridges with meter-long paths along the edges.

A prerequisite is that all ridges must be absolutely horizontal, which is very important - only under this condition will each plant receive the same amount of nutrition and moisture.

To make ridges, drive 45 cm long wooden or metal pegs into the ground, pointed at one end, and pull the cords.

On the day of sowing seeds or planting seedlings, fertilize the soil and form ridges. Sprinkle fertilizer on a narrow strip of earth between cords 4.5 m long: mixture No. 1 - 0.45 kg and mixture No. 2 - 0.225 kg.

To prepare mixture No. 1, carefully mix: 5 kg of limestone flour (ground limestone), chalk or dolomite flour with 50 g of borax or 35 g of boric acid. This mixture is suitable for acidic soils. If the soil is alkaline, use gypsum (calcium sulfate) instead of lime.

To prepare mixture No. 2, mix: 3 kg of nitroammophoska (labeled 17-17-17), 225-450 g of magnesium sulfate, 5 - 15 g of borax or boric acid and 5 - 15 g of ammonium molybdate. It is not recommended to store this mixture for more than one month.

Mittlider's mixture No. 2 can be replaced with ready-made complex fertilizer ROST-2, adding to it 50 g of magnesium sulfate, 2 g of borax and 1.5 g of ammonium molybdate for each kilogram. The application rate for this mixture is 0.25 kg as a pre-sowing fertilizer and 0.20 - 0.25 kg for fertilizing.

After applying pre-sowing fertilizer, carefully dig up the soil with a shovel or fork to a depth of 20 cm, finely crushing the lumps, and begin to form ridges. Make edges 8-10 cm high along their edges. Don’t forget to limit the ridges with edges and on the end sides so that water does not drain when watering. The internal space between the sides (30 - 35 cm) should be very even.

Before sowing seeds, use a hoe to make one shallow groove along each side on the inside. To avoid thinning of seedlings, mix small seeds (carrots, parsley, dill and others) with sand or sawdust (10 g of seeds per 1 liter of slightly moistened sand or sawdust) and scatter in the furrows. Fill the top with sand and cover with strips of burlap, then the seeds will not move when watering. As soon as the seedlings sprout, remove the burlap.

Sow the largest seeds separately - peas at a distance of 5 cm, beans - at a distance of 10 cm. Plant the seeds to a depth of 2.5 times their thickness, and only the largest ones - to four times their thickness.

When planting seedlings on beds, place them exactly at a certain distance from each other. Simple homemade markers or soil markers - long wooden slats with large nail heads sticking out on them - will make this work easier. A marker with distances between nails of 17.5 cm is convenient; it can be used to mark intervals of 17.5 on the soil; 35; 70 cm.

Plant corn and tomatoes at a distance of 17.5 cm (single-row planting in one stem with the removal of all stepsons without exception).

At a distance of 35 cm - cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, celery.

At a distance of 70 cm - pumpkin, zucchini and other large crops that require a lot of space.

Place large crops in one row, but not in the middle of the ridge, but along one of the sides.

Plant all other crops in two rows.

Mitlider technology, a method for creating narrow ridges

Plants that require a lot of space and light can be planted in two rows, but in a checkerboard pattern (lettuce, cabbage and other crops of similar size).

Plant tall plants on the north side of low-growing ones.

A week after transplantation, start feeding the plants - every 7 - 10 days, preferably on the same day of the week. Apply from 180 to 225 g of mixture No. 2 to each ridge. Sprinkle dry granular fertilizers in a narrow strip along the surface of the soil in the center of the ridge and water until they are completely dissolved.

The number of feedings depends on the crop: feed radishes and turnips 2 times per season; beets, potatoes - 3 - 4 times; cabbage, lettuce, carrots, pumpkin, onions, peas, beans - 4 - 5 times; cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini - 6 - 8 times.

Do not loosen under any weather conditions, even if the surface of the earth is cracked. The roots of crops grown using the Mittlider method are located very close to the soil surface and can be torn even with the most careful loosening.

In the first years, weeds may appear on the sides of the ridges. Don't miss the moment, destroy them as early as possible, when they are completely crumbled. For this purpose, break the sides into the passages with the back of the rake and rebuild them again from the same soil. The weed seedlings die. In the center of narrow ridges, weeds almost do not grow due to the increased concentration of salts in places where fertilizers are applied. Regularly cut off weeds that sprout on the paths at first. They appear from seeds located close to the surface. Weed seeds located deep in the soil, although they remain viable for many years, will not be able to germinate, since the passages of the ridges are never dug up.

After 2-3 years after switching to the Mittlider method, you will at times begin to forget about the existence of weeds.

In the future, from year to year, do not change the narrow ridges and passages. When growing vegetables in very small areas, on rocky soil, slopes, or in greenhouses, it is advisable to use another Mittlider method, called the box-bed method.

These are abyss boxes installed on natural soil cleared of perennial weeds and leveled. The boxes can be of any length and width, but the standard height is 20 cm. Fill them with an artificial soil mixture, which is a mixture of inert and slowly decomposing organic materials, in the simplest case it is a mixture of sawdust and sand in a ratio of 3:1 (with the addition of fertilizers - a mixture No. 1 and mixture No. 2).

Place all crops in box-beds vertically. Do not change the soil mixture from year to year, just add it a little to the desired level.

Narrow ridges and ridge boxes can be easily covered with transparent film in unfavorable weather conditions. Cut the wire with a diameter of 4 - 5 mm into pieces of 1.5 m each. Bend it into an arched shape. Cover the top with a film 1.2 m wide. To hold the film in place, pour soil onto it on both sides of the ridge. Ventilate from the side; at air temperatures up to 18°C, it is enough to open the film only from the ends.

During the season, on narrow ridges and box-beds you can get two harvests of cauliflower, broccoli, peas, beans, lettuce, and beets.

In mid-summer, all of the listed crops, except peas, are planted as seedlings, just like in spring.

The Mittlider method saves a lot of time. With some experience, it takes about an hour a day to care for plantings every day in the morning. If you come to the site only on weekends, you will have to visit again in the middle of the week to water the vegetables and destroy the germinating weeds in time.

Tags: Garden-Vegetable Garden, Site Design, Agricultural Technology

Do-it-yourself beds according to the mitlider

Narrow beds according to Mitlider are characterized by high productivity and ease of care, so they are quickly gaining popularity among summer residents. The essence of the method is to ensure optimal nutrition and light conditions for each plant. It’s not at all difficult to build such beds using a mitlider on your own site. For one bed you will need the following:

4 pegs with a sharp end (material - wood or metal; length - 45 cm; cross-section - 2.5 cm)
nylon or polyethylene cord
hammer for driving stakes (tool weight - 1 kg)
long-handled shovel
compact soil hoe
long handle rake

Dimensions of beds according to Mitlider

Before making the beds, the entire area of the garden is surrounded by a fence and places for installing stakes are marked. The length of each bed must be at least 9 m, width - 45 cm. A distance of 105 cm is left between the sites. If the plot is very small, but full planting is planned, then the spaces between the beds can be reduced to 60 cm. However, with a more dense placement of plants support will be required. To ensure sufficient lighting, low-growing plants should be placed along the southern edge of the garden.

Making the contour of the bed step by step

The marking of ridges is carried out in 4 stages:

We measure the distance and mark the coal with stakes
We connect the pegs along the narrow side with a cord (the length of the cord should be 10.5 meters)
We stretch the cords to the opposite side of the bed
We tighten the cords - the circuit is completed.

Tip: to make the process of tightening the cords easier, do not tie the cord to the peg, but simply wrap it around the rod, when all sides of the outline are stretched, secure the cord to the pegs. To prevent the rope from slipping, the end is raised to the top of the peg. With this fastening without knots, it will be very easy to remove the circuit - just pull the free end of the cord. Also, if too much tension is applied, the cord can easily become loose.

Making a garden bed and filling it with soil

After completing the outline, you can proceed to filling the beds with soil.

To do this, the soil surface must be carefully leveled, removing stones and weed rhizomes. Preparation of the garden begins immediately before planting to prevent the early appearance of the weed.

Separately, it should be said about areas located on slopes or levels. If the slope is gentle and the height difference is minimal, then the bed can be leveled by moving excess soil from the raised edge to the lowered one. If the difference is large, then it will be more advantageous to create a bed with a step, making a level approximately in the middle of the ridge.

A level bed according to Mitlider involves a butt connection of 2 beds of 4.5 meters each while maintaining the same width. Each of the two levels is leveled as a separate section.

If the terraces of the site are very steep and interspersed with rocky slopes, then the ridges can be placed along the level. In this case, the length of the ridge can be reduced to 6, and for some areas - up to 3 m.

Watering beds according to Mittleider

When planting a vegetable garden using the Mitlider system, rain systems are not used. Frequent contact with water on the leaves leads to the development of fungal diseases and rotting of the leaf plate. Watering is carried out at soil level, which also reduces the amount of water for irrigation.

How to prepare a bed according to Mitlider for sowing

The main point in preparing for sowing is the application of fertilizers. The Mittleider method provides for several fertilization schemes, each of which is based on a standard mixture.

The preparation algorithm looks like this:

Add mixtures numbered 1 and 2 (recipes can be found in Mittleider reference books)
Dig the soil to a depth of about 20 cm
Carefully break up all the clods using a shovel or hoe; if desired, you can use a special cultivator, but usually the clods are broken manually without any problems
Form borders along the contour of the bed, carefully collecting soil from the middle and from the passages. The sides must be strictly under the cords stretched for marking. The height of the side should be at least 10 cm in order to retain water well when watering.
Level the seeding area. Its width should be at least 30 cm; if the inner part between the sides is narrower, then the side borders must be moved apart.

After completing the work, you will have a classic narrow bed, made according to Dr. Mitlider’s method, which is suitable for both sowing seeds and planting seedlings.

The success of growing crops in narrow beds directly depends on how thoroughly you clean the area. It is necessary not only to remove debris and grass, but also to remove the roots of weeds; it is better to dig up deep-lying rhizomes. If there is a turf layer, it is better to remove it.

Particular attention should be paid to removing weedy perennials. It is best if you remove the rhizomes not only on the site itself, but also around it, because they can easily grow underground and take over your garden again.
The length of the beds can vary depending on the crop and configuration of your site. The width and distance between plantings should remain fundamentally unchanged.
Before sowing seeds or planting seedlings, you need to carefully check the evenness of the surface, since if there is a slope or low areas, water will accumulate in them and uniform watering will not work. You can check the evenness using a building level.

Advantages of growing vegetables in narrow beds

The Mitlider system was specifically designed to increase yields on difficult and marginal soils.

This method is much simpler than many others, particularly hydroponics.

The main advantages of the method are:

Optimal organization of garden space and working time

In order to make a vegetable garden according to Mittleider, ordinary gardening tools are enough - a shovel, a rake and a garden hose. Convenient placement of plants and access from all sides makes weeding easier. This planting requires minimal feeding; fertilizers are applied immediately after planting and during active fruiting.

Significant increase in yield

When planting crops correctly using the Mitlider method, the most favorable conditions are created for plants, under which, without additional devices, they receive the maximum amount of nutrients from the soil. This is why narrow beds are considered the best option for poor soils. They can be successfully used in risky farming areas. In terms of efficiency, the method is comparable to hydroponics, but the latter requires many special tools.

Optimal crop nutrition regime

The Mittleider method involves the use of special balanced mixtures for fertilizer.

Beds according to Mittleider

Recipes for the compositions have been developed over more than 30 years and have been repeatedly tested in practice. As field studies have shown, the proposed mixtures work excellently in all climatic conditions and on all types of soil. Thus, gardeners receive a guaranteed result, freeing themselves from the need to select fertilizers on their own, risking losing the harvest.

Reducing watering volume

This is especially true for those who have a water meter installed on their property. When watering a narrow bed, even a small amount of water is enough to provide the necessary moisture to the root layer of the soil.

Plant protection

An unfavorable climate can be a significant obstacle to a good harvest, but the design of the beds developed by Dr. Mittleider allows them to be easily protected from the weather. If sudden frosts or heavy rains occur, installing a protective film will not be difficult and will not take much time.

Shelters installed on the beds will help not only protect crops from the elements, but also significantly extend the fruiting period of many plants.