Vegetables Gardening - Growing Organic Vegetables

Someone recently posted in a group I belong to that her dad had used the Mittleider method years ago and the garden had been expensive, a lot of work, and poor production (I'm paraphrasing from what she wrote.)This was my reply and I thought you might enjoy reading it, too.

I wanted to share that I have grown a Mittleider garden for the last six years. Before that I had years of experience gardening the traditional row way, or using wide beds, square foot beds, biointensive beds...it seems like I've tried everything. I have about a 7000 square foot vegetable garden mostly put into 4x30 ft grow boxes made of 2x6 pine (after 6 years they are still holding up very well). I do have some in ground grow beds built the Mittleider way, too. When I expanded my garden to this size I debated between the square foot garden and the Mittleider and chose Mittleider strictly because of cost. As I compared the costs I had found the square foot method would have cost a lot more to put in this this method...can't remember actual amounts now. I just used sawdust and sand in my boxes. The fertilizers weren't any more than the compost would have been. So I have found the Mittleider method cheaper. After it was put in I found it much easier to take care of, too. For the first time in my gardening years I've been able to keep the weeds out all season. I find most my garden work are the perimeter areas that aren't converted to this method (flower beds, fruits etc.) Production is amazing, too, compared to any other method. So for me it has been cheaper, less work, and more productive with every kind of crop than any other method I have found.

I wanted to add that I know my 2x6 lumber should be 2x8. That was a concession with my husband to be able to get him to put this garden in. It has worked just fine. I do wish that my carrots and potatoes were in deeper beds, but it doesn't stop their production, just that they go deeper than the bed, or the potatoes poke up the top so I have to hill them or cover them with mulch.

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