[MittleiderMethodGardening] Grow-Boxes - Can they be other widths than just 18" or 4' ?

 

Group:  Following is an important dialog about this subject that I recommend everyone study carefully:


"I have a question about four-foot beds. I understand that they are treated as if they were two 18-inch beds, but what is the purpose of the 12 inches in the middle? Does it have any use? Would things work the same if it were a three foot bed?"  Gary Pendrak



Consider the width of aisles between 2 - 18"-wide beds. We recommend they be 3 1/2', or 42". Why? to give the 2 rows of plants in the bed or box room to grow and have sufficient light, etc., as well as providing space for the gardener to get to and care for the plants, of course.

Now, what are you doing by putting 4 rows of plants near t
he outer edges of a 4'-wide box (rows 12" apart, with center space less than 2')? You are trying to maximize the crops you can grow in a given amount of space.  But you have changed the width of the "aisle" between the two sets of rows from 3 1/2' to less than 2'.

Already you have reduced the recommended aisle space between those sets of rows by almost 1/2!  There In order to not HURT your production, you must keep those 4 rows of plants PRUNED more often and diligently than normally accomplished in the 18" soil-beds or Grow-Boxes that are separated by 3 1/2' aisles.

The same holds true for plants grown vertically. in 18" beds or boxes each row of plants (becoming 2 "rows" as they go up the baling twine to opposite sides of the T) occupies 5' of width in the garden, or two rows in 10'. When you put those 2 rows of climbing plants in a 4' box with a 3 1/2' aisle they now occupy 7 1/2'.

You have "saved" 2 1/2' of space in your garden, but it comes with a cost! Less aisle space means more crowded plants, which translates to a requirement for more care and pruning, etc.

LDS Prepper had experience with both 18"-wide boxes and 4'-wide boxes, and I believe he now prefers - and recommends - 18'-wide beds and boxes, for the reasons I've cited above.

Therefore, we suggest you start with 18" beds or boxes if you have the space - and remember you will grow a lot MORE in LESS SPACE using The Mittleider system of growing than you ever did using traditional methods - so don't take on too much.


And we DO NOT recommend you make Grow-Boxes ANY NARROWER than 4', other than the 18" that ARE recommended for everyone !


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Posted by: jim@growfood.com
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