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Mittlider's Method for Growing Potatoes: What Gardeners Don't Know Yet
12.05.2024 19:30
Growing potatoes according to Mittlider is based on the principle of narrow beds.
Its author, the American Mittlider, also recommends fertilizing plants with specially selected mixtures of mineral fertilizers.
All of the above allows for a sharp increase in the yield of vegetable crops and acceleration of their ripening. The latter makes it possible to obtain two potato harvests in the southern regions, says Anastasia Kovrizhnykh .
The method is labor-intensive, especially at the beginning. The soil is processed, leveling the area, weeds and rhizomes are removed from the ground. Then the beds are formed. They are not changed for years, and the spaces between the rows are not processed.
Preparing planting tubers
Any method of growing potatoes gives the maximum result only when using healthy and specially treated planting material. The Mittlider method is no exception.
When growing potatoes according to Mittlider, vegetable tubers are prepared in different ways.
One of the options could be like this:
• select healthy-looking tubers and remove white sprouts;
• place in water heated to +60°C for 15 minutes, then in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (copper sulfate is suitable) for 10 minutes;
• vernalization of potatoes is carried out - they are laid out for a month to germinate in a warm room with a temperature of +12…+15°C; they are constantly sorted, spoiled ones are removed; in addition, they are treated weekly with a superphosphate solution;
• after germination, the potatoes are sprayed with microelements - manganese sulfate (0.3 ... 0.6 g), copper (0.4 ... 0.8), boric acid (0.5 ... 0.6_ - consumption per liter of water; the volume is enough for 10 kg of tubers; the operation improves the disease resistance of plants, increases the yield of fruits, the content of vitamin C in them; the treated planting material is covered with burlap for 3 ... 4 hours; if there are few tubers, they are cut into pieces - this is done so that a sprout remains on each.
Arrangement of beds
The plot for potatoes is chosen in a sunny place and, if possible, level. It is dug up beforehand, carefully removing weeds and rhizomes. This is usually done in the fall.
Vegetable crops are grown on narrow beds. They are placed on the plot in the north-south direction and are made straight. If the garden has a natural slope, they are arranged across it.
The usual dimensions of the beds in plan are 45 cm wide and can be up to 9 m long. The row spacing is 90…100 cm. If potato varieties with spreading bushes are grown, they are increased to 110.
The strips are dug up in the spring shortly before planting the tubers. Fertilizers are distributed over the soil surface beforehand. For this, according to the Mittlider method of growing potatoes, mixtures No. 1 and 2 are used (more about them later). Consumption per linear meter is 100 and 50 grams, respectively.
From the soil between the rows, 10 cm high ridges are made along the edges of each bed. They will later facilitate watering the bushes and fighting weeds. The width of the untouched strips between the ridges should remain 30 cm.
Afterwards, within the prepared strip, two parallel rows of holes 7...10 cm deep are made. The step is 30 cm, but with a shift relative to the adjacent one by 15 cm - a checkerboard pattern is obtained. A tablespoon of vermicompost is poured into the holes, a sprouted tuber is placed and covered with earth.
Fertilizers
To grow potatoes using the Mittlider method, two sets are used: mixture No. 1 and 2. The latter is suitable for any soil and is formed by nitroammophoska (3 kg), magnesium sulfate (250...450 g), boric acid or borax (5...15), ammonium molybdate (1.5).
Mixture No. 1 is not the same for different soils:
• if the soil is acidic, then it is made up of dolomite flour (it can be replaced with chalk) and boric acid; the amount of mineral fertilizers in the composition is 5 kg and 40 g, respectively;
• for alkaline earth, the composition contains gypsum (5 kg), to which 60 g of borax or boric acid (40) is added.
Potato care
When growing vegetable crops in the garden, in the garden using the Mittlider method, it is minimal. The soil in the beds is not loosened, there is no need to hill the bushes. Protect potatoes from diseases and pests. Constantly monitor that the soil does not dry out. If necessary, water the plants. To simplify this, mulch the surface of the beds using straw, freshly cut grass. The layer is not less than 5 cm.
Top dressing
The method of growing potatoes proposed by the American Mittlider involves its constant implementation. They usually use only mixture No. 2, spending 40 grams per linear meter of the bed each time.
The first feeding of the tuber vegetable is carried out as soon as the shoots appear. The second - after the tops grow to 15 cm. The third, last, - before budding begins.
Fertilizer application is carried out as follows:
• in the center of each bed, make a shallow groove with a hoe;
• pour mixture No. 2 evenly into the depression;
• water the fertilizers generously with water.
Additionally, potato fertilization in beds is done during prolonged heat with temperatures exceeding +30°C. Mixture No. 2 is also used, adding 25 g per linear meter of the bed. This is done weekly until normal weather returns.
Harvesting
Potato digging begins after the tops have dried out. A week before this, they are mowed down, leaving stems 15 cm high. This simple operation will improve the condition of the tubers and will help get rid of late blight, which can affect potatoes.
Note
This method of growing potatoes is one of many that solve the problem of increasing the yield of vegetable crops. The Dutch technology is interesting, there are many alternative proposals.
Earlier, our expert explained which plants can be planted between cabbage heads.
