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The Mittleider Gardening Course
The complete Mittleider Method training manual for both Grow-Boxes and Grow-Beds, graphically illustrated in a format ideal for classroom instruction, garden reference book, or do-it-yourself guidebook. Includes gardening tips and procedures to guarantee success in any soil, in any climate. Also, advanced gardening topics including seedling production, greenhouse construction, automatic watering, complete natural mineral nutrient mix, pest control, and many more vital topics for successful gardening.
- GenresGardening
268 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 14, 2019
I was an organic gardener for over 20 years (including incorporating the following: Lasagna Gardening, Square Foot Gardening, Burpee and Rodale organic gardening, companion planting, crop rotation by botanical families, composting, vermicomposting, foliar feeding, etc). I did quite well. But the Mittleider method knocks gardening out of the park! It took a paradigm shift, but there's no going back for me. The results I'm getting in their "grow box" (wood frame raised bed) are incredible and consistent so far.
With organic gardening, we're taught to "feed the soil, not the plant." This was a dramatic change, because Mittleider, at least for their "grow box," has you start with a growing substrate that has no natural fertility at all (75% pine shavings + 25% sand). The substrate is almost irrelevant in a way (substitutions can be used, no problem); it is mainly only there to keep the plant upright while it takes up nutrients. The book has 2 fertilizer recipes that are applied at various times in both the preparation of the bed and as the growing season progresses (these recipes are called Pre-Plant and Weekly Feed). They include more than just the N-P-K found in most fertilizers... they include the trace micronutrients as well, similar to what hydroponics utilizes. In organic gardening we are taught to fear chemicals, that "anything that hurts an earthworm will ultimately hurt the soil." The 16 nutrients found in the Mittleider recipes are the basic minerals you will find on the periodic table (i.e. crushed rocks). I can't say much for a product like Miracle Grow, but I do know that the Mittleider fertilizer recipes have not harmed my plants or soil tilth... as evidenced by all the earthworm activity and flourishing plants! (I'll also add that the pine shavings broke down to a nice dark brown soil within one year. The plants had absolutely no problem growing in the pine shavings/sand, even before it broke down.) The garden is "cleaner" (no worries about getting e. coli from manure since it is not typically used here). Another difference is that mulch is discouraged with the Mittleider method (I relied heavily on it with organic gardening)-- I admit I'm seeing fewer slugs and snails as a result.
I get more consistent (and dramatic) results with the Mittleider method than I ever did following organic methods. This may be because it is very structured. It covers all 6 laws of plant growth, with step-by-step instructions for all aspects of the method. They have thought of everything! It is the ultimate DIY gardening book. The book progresses from the most basic and inexpensive in-the-soil garden, to more expensive raised bed "grow boxes" and even in-the-garden-greenhouses. It covers building vertical T-frames for tomatoes and other vining vegetables. There are instructions for how to set up an automatic watering system with pvc pipe (highly recommended!), but they also give recommendations for watering on the cheap as well. There is a chapter on cold weather gardening with a cold frame, and other chapters on more advanced topics. There are helpful charts at the back, including a handy growing schedule and spacing guide. After the initial set-up, it is designed to work almost on auto-pilot, especially if you've set up an automatic waterer (you still have to weed and apply Weekly Feed, though!)
Most of my success has come from growing in their "grow box." We did try their inexpensive in-the-soil-bed garden last summer, but it failed miserably. We live in a very rainy and windy area and I admit I could not keep up with the weeds. We tilled the area beforehand, but I guess until we can figure out an easier way to remove absolutely all the sod in the area, we will not attempt this again as it was very frustrating (I don't fault the Mittleider method for this, however). The "grow box," while much more expensive, gives far more control and is easier to weed, and you don't have to bend down quite as far to work it. I have no doubt, however, that the soil-bed works just as well-- there are many YouTube videos that attest to that. Mittleider claims to work in even the poorest of soils. But because of the expense (for treated wood boards, pvc pipes, pine shavings/sand, and any other more advanced additions you wish to make, like a cold frame or vertical frames, etc.) we only have 1 grow box so far, with plans to build a second one this summer. We hope to build a few more in the years ahead. But even 1 grow box can grow a great deal of food!
If you follow this book precisely, you will not be disappointed. Highly recommended to all gardeners. The newest edition from 2017 is in full color. It is a beautiful book, and completely practical.
With organic gardening, we're taught to "feed the soil, not the plant." This was a dramatic change, because Mittleider, at least for their "grow box," has you start with a growing substrate that has no natural fertility at all (75% pine shavings + 25% sand). The substrate is almost irrelevant in a way (substitutions can be used, no problem); it is mainly only there to keep the plant upright while it takes up nutrients. The book has 2 fertilizer recipes that are applied at various times in both the preparation of the bed and as the growing season progresses (these recipes are called Pre-Plant and Weekly Feed). They include more than just the N-P-K found in most fertilizers... they include the trace micronutrients as well, similar to what hydroponics utilizes. In organic gardening we are taught to fear chemicals, that "anything that hurts an earthworm will ultimately hurt the soil." The 16 nutrients found in the Mittleider recipes are the basic minerals you will find on the periodic table (i.e. crushed rocks). I can't say much for a product like Miracle Grow, but I do know that the Mittleider fertilizer recipes have not harmed my plants or soil tilth... as evidenced by all the earthworm activity and flourishing plants! (I'll also add that the pine shavings broke down to a nice dark brown soil within one year. The plants had absolutely no problem growing in the pine shavings/sand, even before it broke down.) The garden is "cleaner" (no worries about getting e. coli from manure since it is not typically used here). Another difference is that mulch is discouraged with the Mittleider method (I relied heavily on it with organic gardening)-- I admit I'm seeing fewer slugs and snails as a result.
I get more consistent (and dramatic) results with the Mittleider method than I ever did following organic methods. This may be because it is very structured. It covers all 6 laws of plant growth, with step-by-step instructions for all aspects of the method. They have thought of everything! It is the ultimate DIY gardening book. The book progresses from the most basic and inexpensive in-the-soil garden, to more expensive raised bed "grow boxes" and even in-the-garden-greenhouses. It covers building vertical T-frames for tomatoes and other vining vegetables. There are instructions for how to set up an automatic watering system with pvc pipe (highly recommended!), but they also give recommendations for watering on the cheap as well. There is a chapter on cold weather gardening with a cold frame, and other chapters on more advanced topics. There are helpful charts at the back, including a handy growing schedule and spacing guide. After the initial set-up, it is designed to work almost on auto-pilot, especially if you've set up an automatic waterer (you still have to weed and apply Weekly Feed, though!)
Most of my success has come from growing in their "grow box." We did try their inexpensive in-the-soil-bed garden last summer, but it failed miserably. We live in a very rainy and windy area and I admit I could not keep up with the weeds. We tilled the area beforehand, but I guess until we can figure out an easier way to remove absolutely all the sod in the area, we will not attempt this again as it was very frustrating (I don't fault the Mittleider method for this, however). The "grow box," while much more expensive, gives far more control and is easier to weed, and you don't have to bend down quite as far to work it. I have no doubt, however, that the soil-bed works just as well-- there are many YouTube videos that attest to that. Mittleider claims to work in even the poorest of soils. But because of the expense (for treated wood boards, pvc pipes, pine shavings/sand, and any other more advanced additions you wish to make, like a cold frame or vertical frames, etc.) we only have 1 grow box so far, with plans to build a second one this summer. We hope to build a few more in the years ahead. But even 1 grow box can grow a great deal of food!
If you follow this book precisely, you will not be disappointed. Highly recommended to all gardeners. The newest edition from 2017 is in full color. It is a beautiful book, and completely practical.
February 25, 2021
Great source for growing a great garden. My daughter gave me this book for Christmas and I am growing gorgeous plants using the methods taught in the book.
June 21, 2013
I hear lots of good things about this method. But then again, I heard great things about other methods too. So, I'm giving some of the ideas a try but I'm not revamping my entire garden since that would cost too much and I've already got a lot invested in what I have.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews