[MittleiderMethodGardening] Re: Maximizing Your Yield in a Tiny Garden Space
I was curious about doing more than one row of the same kind of plant with this and spacing.
For example, if I wanted to do two rows of cabbage a row of collards and two rows of kale.
I'm guessing that the rows of cabbage would be 5 per row, rows two feet a part.
The Collards and Kale we discussed at 9 per row. How far apart would you think that those rows would need to be? Same two feet, or less?
Also. This shows rows of leaf lettuce at 9 per row and rows 6 inches apart. Would that be true for spinach as well?
Group: A Mittleider gardener just asked me the following questions regarding the "Tiny Vegetable Garden discussed above. Here are his questions, followed by my response:
"I currently have three beds this 4x16 size that I used for tomatoes, brassica and peppers. The tomatoes I did two single rows. Brassica and peppers I did two alternating rows on each side of the box. (These are the recommended plant spacings for a Mittleider garden - JK)
"While I don't think that there would be an advantage to doing it with the tomato or peppers, I am curious about doing an entire bed of brassica and leafy greens across the bed as described here, as opposed to doing them length-wise?"
"While I don't think that there would be an advantage to doing it with the tomato or peppers, I am curious about doing an entire bed of brassica and leafy greens across the bed as described here, as opposed to doing them length-wise?"
My Response:
"The spacings you suggest can work, but everyone must understand that if you are going to plant ACROSS the 4'-wide box you MUST keep the plants pruned, and be eating the secondary edible parts of the plants.
"For example, collards get to be very big if they are not continuously trimmed back by removing the outer leaves - and I mean multiple times per week in warm weather when the plants are mature!
"The same goes for everything else. Even lettuce will become a mess at 6" spacing if it's not picked regularly (outer leaves).
"And who ever heard of picking and eating cabbage leaves? This is also an excellent way to feed your family every day and greatly multiply the yield from your garden! Salads, cole slaw, boiled, and stuffed cabbage leaves are all do-able with the outer leaves of your cabbage plants IF you to it before they get old.
And broccoli & cauliflower are no-brainers. Keep those outer leaves picked and the plant will do better while you eat healthier and tastier produce.
Carrot tops and sweet potato leaves? You bet. Both can be used and especially the sweet potato leaves need to be pruned and used right along.
Don't even THINK of growing as close together as I describe in the above article unless and until you are prepared and committed to doing the work and using the edible plant parts!
"For example, collards get to be very big if they are not continuously trimmed back by removing the outer leaves - and I mean multiple times per week in warm weather when the plants are mature!
"The same goes for everything else. Even lettuce will become a mess at 6" spacing if it's not picked regularly (outer leaves).
"And who ever heard of picking and eating cabbage leaves? This is also an excellent way to feed your family every day and greatly multiply the yield from your garden! Salads, cole slaw, boiled, and stuffed cabbage leaves are all do-able with the outer leaves of your cabbage plants IF you to it before they get old.
And broccoli & cauliflower are no-brainers. Keep those outer leaves picked and the plant will do better while you eat healthier and tastier produce.
Carrot tops and sweet potato leaves? You bet. Both can be used and especially the sweet potato leaves need to be pruned and used right along.
Don't even THINK of growing as close together as I describe in the above article unless and until you are prepared and committed to doing the work and using the edible plant parts!
Jim Kennard
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Posted by: jim@growfood.com
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