Growing potatoes according to Mittlider: how to plant, the pros and cons of the method

Planting potatoes according to the Mittlider is considered one of the most popular ways. Despite this, in each region, gardeners invent new options. Over time, they return to using proven technology. Planting root crops according to the Mitlider in the garden facilitates the process of growing vegetables.

The general essence of planting and growing according to Mittlider

The method is characterized by the creation of narrow beds. They take up little space and at the same time give a crop of 20% more than a regular planting of potatoes. Favorable weather conditions will help increase the number of tubers. An important factor is also lighting and fertilization.

Pros of the method

The Mittlider method has several significant advantages:

1. Potatoes can be grown on any type of soil.
2. Saving planting area and increasing yield at the same time.
3. When choosing this method, soil loosening and hilling is not carried out.

Thanks to the wide aisles with narrow beds, the plant has good nutrition, plenty of heat and sunlight. Such conditions positively influence the development of culture. In turn, root crops grow large and tasty. The advantage of the technology is also that it can be used in regions with any climate.

Disadvantages of the method

Planting potatoes using this technology is unsuitable for use in areas located on the northern slopes.Low-lying, swampy and peaty places are not suitable. All this can contribute to the appearance of stagnant water. Beds with such conditions are negatively reflected in the development of potatoes.

The Mittlider method requires the use of a large amount of fertilizer. Substances cost a lot of money, so a person should know this before starting a landing. Not all gardeners have a site on the sunny side. If a shadow falls on the soil, the yield is automatically reduced by 4 times. At the same time, the potato itself is saturated with nitrates.

Benefits of narrow beds

Narrow beds are a great solution for gardeners with a small plot of land. They alternate with wide aisles. This provides the bushes with good lighting. Thanks to this, it actively grows and brings a large harvest. Also, the narrow bed makes it easy to fertilize.

Narrow ridges in uneven ground and badlands

Irregular land is not suitable for growing potatoes using the Mittlider method. First of all, they make caring for the bushes in the garden inconvenient. If a person ignores this rule and makes many mistakes, the yield level decreases. Infertile soil is not a problem, because the method involves the use of fertilizers to fully nourish the potato tubers.

The Mittlider method and organic farming

People who use this potato growing system often return to organic farming. One of the main features of the Mittlider is frequent watering. As a rule, problems begin at this stage. Some gardeners are limited in this regard.

Before growing potatoes according to Mittlider, you need to be fully prepared and convinced of your own abilities.

The Mittlider system makes it possible to get a crop instantly.This does not take into account the suitability of the site. If the method is abandoned, the yield is significantly reduced, and the bed with the earth becomes saline. Nearby you need to have a reliable water source. Organic farming involves careful attitude to the soil and is designed for several years, the Mittlider method does not give this.

Mittlider method and hilling

The advantage of the system is that it is not necessary to carry out the hilling procedure. It is very comfortable. Instead, potatoes need a lot of fertilizer. In addition to hilling, there is no need for loosening.

How to plant?

Before planting potato tubers, you need to pay attention to many points. Not only root crops, but also ridges need preparation. If necessary, the gardener plants tubers to obtain seedlings.In addition, they form a land plot on which the landing will be carried out.

Preparing the beds

Before you prepare the beds, you need to choose a suitable land for potatoes. It should be dug up so that it is even. Then remove roots from old plants and weeds. Mark up and form narrow rectangular beds. They should be located from north to south. Introduce fertilizer into the soil. Rake each bed from the sides, forming sides at least 10 cm high. Thanks to this approach, moisture in the ground remains much longer.

Preparing potatoes

Large root crops are chosen for planting, as small ones are not suitable in this regard. Selected vegetables must be perfectly he althy. Planting potatoes is possible in the beds on the garden plot or in boxes. In the second case, they will have to be transplanted.

A person can pre-plant potatoes in boxes. Transplanting young sprouts at the beginning of the growing season stimulates their growth and promotes full development. The type of planting makes it possible to dig up roots from the soil before the main harvest.

Preparation of tubers before planting in the beds

Before planting, the tubers undergo a small but mandatory preparation:

1. They are placed in water, the temperature of which ranges from +50 to +60 °C. Leave it like this for 20-25 minutes.
2. Then removed from the water and placed for 7-10 minutes in a solution of copper sulfate or potassium permanganate.
3. The tubers are decomposed in one layer in shallow boxes and taken out into the street under the sun's rays.

The potatoes can stay like this from a couple of days to a week or more.All the time it must be sprayed with a solution prepared by mixing superphosphate with water. As soon as eyes appear on the tubers, they are cut into pieces. Each of them should have a sprouted eye.

Preparing seedlings

The bottom of the boxes is sprinkled with sawdust so that the layer is at least 3-4 cm. From above they are poured with a solution of copper sulfate (0.2% is enough). The container is filled with vegetables close to each other. From above, sprinkle with sawdust again, maintaining a layer thickness of 1.5 to 2 cm.

Boxes with potatoes are transferred to a room with a temperature of +13-15 °C. After 8-9 days, the root crops will be covered with thick, but at the same time short shoots. Small roots will also appear. Before planting, in about 2-2.5 hours, the tubers are watered with complex fertilizer. Potato tubers are not kept in boxes for too long. If the roots grow very long, they can be damaged during transplanting to the beds.

Plant pattern

The scheme for planting potatoes in the beds according to Mittlider is very simple. In this case, you must be careful and strictly follow all the instructions. First of all, familiarize yourself with each stage and only then proceed to its implementation. Ease of care and the amount of harvest depend on this.

Stake out area

Before planting vegetables, it is important to choose a site and properly prepare the beds. Following a simple instruction will help eliminate any errors on the part of the gardener and perform all the work with high quality. List of steps:

1. Choose a location with direct sunlight.
2. Then follow all the recommendations for the formation of potato beds, which were described above.
3. The distance between them should be at least 70 cm and not more than 1 m. The length of the bed itself is 9 m, and the width is 45-50 cm.

This scheme was not chosen by chance. Thanks to the layout, each bush receives a sufficient amount of light throughout the day.

If the land plot has a slope and it cannot be leveled, the beds are placed in the form of steps. During the formation of such a bed, holes for potatoes are dug in a checkerboard pattern. The distance between them is only 30 cm. The recommended depth is from 7 to 12 cm.

Planting tubers under straw

Many gardeners consider it important to plant potatoes under straw. It protects not only root crops, but also the soil from bad weather conditions. Thanks to the layer, the earth holds moisture and heat well. Weeds in the beds grow several times slower or disappear completely.

The bush itself grows without any delay and at the same time develops well.Straw has not only a protective function for potatoes, but also saturates the soil with useful organic matter. Straw should be laid in a thick layer, not sparing it. For the first time, only 9 cm will be enough. Over time, the straw settles and the thickness decreases, so an additional amount is laid on top.

Ground landing

You can proceed to the stage of landing on the beds after all the preparatory work. Before placing potatoes in the hole, it is filled with fertilizer. It is enough to pour 1 tbsp into the hole. l biohumus. After that, you can put the root crop on top.

Make sure that the eyes are directed upwards - this is a prerequisite. When filling the hole with soil, be careful not to damage the eyes or break them completely. In no case should you dig the ground between potato beds. The scheme can be used for many years, so the next year the landing site is not changed.

What varieties of potatoes are suitable?

For growing potato tubers using the Mittlider method, any variety of vegetable is suitable. This does not take into account the maturation period. Depending on the desired result, choose early, mid-season or late. Gardeners who have tried the method at least once claim that it is preferable to plant zoned potato varieties. Regardless of the variety chosen, the same fertilizer is used.

Mulching

The procedure helps protect young bushes and promotes their full development. It has been observed that mulching helps the crop grow faster. For the procedure, humus, crushed bark, compost, reed and finely chopped grass are used. The prepared composition has a beneficial effect on the earth, increasing the content of organic substances in it.The layer should cover the potatoes by 5 to 10 cm.

Mulch thins over time due to rainfall and regular watering. In this case, the mulching procedure is repeated.

Fertilizers

The Mittlider System recommends 2 proven feed mixes:

• roster 1;
• composition 2.

In the first case, the fertilizer is prepared by mixing 40 g of boric acid with 5 kg of dolomite flour. On average, per 1 sq. m plot consumes no more than 100 g of the mixture. To prepare another composition, 1.5 kg of ammonium nitrate, 0.5 kg of magnesium sulfate, 5 g of molybdic acid, 0.5 kg of ammophos are taken. 5 g of boric acid and 1 kg of potassium sulfate are also added to these components. For 1 sq. m consumes only 50 g of the substance.

During the first feeding of potato tubers, two fertilizers are used simultaneously. When digging the soil, the mixture prepared according to the first recipe is scattered. Sprinkle fertilizer 2 on top. The second top dressing is carried out when the sprouts reach a height of 15 cm. The third fertilization procedure falls during the formation of flower buds on large bushes. In order not to burn the potato roots, fertilizers must be scattered in the center of the bed.

Irrigation

Potatoes grown according to the Mittlider method are very afraid of dry soil. In order for the bushes not to need nutrition, it is necessary to water them every day. For this purpose, use a hose or do drip irrigation. During the use of the hose, the water flow is directed under the roots. Watering in the beds is carried out throughout the development of potato bushes, and stops after the flowers fade.

Caring for tubers

After planting potatoes, the vegetable needs careful care, which includes regular feeding, constant watering, weed removal. It is important to ensure that the soil does not dry out under the potato bushes. Each plant should receive the same amount of water and fertilizer in the garden. Top dressing is done before germination. Then another and third are carried out, while the bushes on the beds also do not need hilling.

How to harvest?

Root crops should be dug up in a timely manner, without leaving them in the soil for a long time. You can not clean them ahead of time, as there is a risk of collecting green root crops. Late dates always bring rotten or wilted potatoes. Shrunken tops in the garden - an indicator that indicates the ripeness of the vegetable. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Harvest from the beds at the end of August and until the beginning of September. These are the optimal terms by which gardeners are guided. To finally verify the maturity of the root crops, dig out a few tubers. The potato's large size and firm skin indicate that it's time to start harvesting.

Potato harvesting is carried out with a shovel or walk-behind tractor. The second option is suitable for people with a large plot of land. After harvesting the vegetable, tops remain on the beds. It must be removed from the beds and scorched so as not to harm the next year's crop. Potato branches may contain fungus or other pests that provoke the development of various diseases.

Dig up root crops better in dry and sunny weather. This is necessary so that the tubers dry out under the sun and rays and ventilate. They are collected from the garden in boxes or other convenient containers, cleared of the remnants of the earth.Suitable storage conditions for potatoes - temperature from +4 to +5 °C.

Top mistakes in this method

Simple rules are easy to follow, but far from it. There are people who make minor mistakes in care. At first glance, they may seem harmless. At best, the yield is reduced, and at worst, the potato disappears completely.

Watering potatoes

Some gardeners apply fertilizer to the beds, but the yield does not increase. It has to do with irrigation. If the tubers are watered no more than 2 times a week, the substances in the formulations do not have time to dissolve. There is an accumulation of fertilizers, which soon leads to a large concentration of substances, after which the potato bushes are burned.

Mittlider advises to stock up on plenty of water.If it is not possible to water the potatoes daily, in extreme cases this is done every other day. The earth must always remain moist. The level of watering depends on the precipitation. If a large amount of moisture falls out, they refuse to water for a while.

In no case should you loosen potato beds. The Mittlider planting places the roots close to the ground. If it is loosened, the root system can be damaged, which also affects the yield. Many people forget this and make a big mistake.

Selection of composition for top dressing

Dolomite flour should not be added to soil that has alkaline characteristics. Thus, you can only harm her, since the bushes die from this. When preparing the mixture according to recipe No. 1, gypsum is taken instead of this component. With acidic soil on potato beds, it is allowed to safely use chalk, dolomite flour or crushed limestone as a fertilizer.

Poor fertilizer mixing

It is important to evenly distribute fertilizer throughout the land. Inexperienced gardeners scatter mixtures on the ground and simply turn it over while digging. With this approach, the substances will not be able to mix uniformly with the soil. Fertilizers will accumulate in certain places and this will affect the potato harvest.

Poor bed leveling

The slope of the beds is negatively reflected not only on the growth of bushes, but also on the future harvest. On the one hand, the earth will constantly dry out, and at the other end of the beds, moisture stagnation is observed. In this case, the uniform application of fertilizers will be disturbed. Useful substances accumulate in a certain area, which is very bad.

To level the soil, a building level and a bar are used. With a strong slope, the bed is divided into several sections, and only after that the angle of inclination is determined. This allows you to make the area under the potatoes flat.

The use of additional elements in complex fertilizers

Mistakes are also made when preparing top dressing. Many gardeners buy Mag-Bor to add magnesium sulfate to the mixture. At the same time, boron is also present in the composition of the powder. If boron was previously added, there may be an overabundance in the soil. Such points must be considered in advance before preparing fertilizer for potatoes.

With the preparation of the mixture for top dressing according to recipe No. 2, you should not buy complex mineral fertilizers. In their composition they have not only the main elements, but also iron and other trace elements. It is better to purchase each substance separately. And if this is not possible, carefully study the composition of the mixture, and do not ignore the presence of any component.

Amendments to the version for Russia

Based on the Mittlider method, other potato planting schemes are being developed. The Russian version, instead of the recommended fertilizers, involves the use of tincture of chopped herbs and water. Properly selected fertilizers help in the development of bushes. Due to photosynthesis, its self-purification occurs.

This fertilizer option is suitable for garden beds that are located in the shade. Herbal tincture is an excellent solution for beds with moderate watering. Poor conditions for potatoes can result in the accumulation of nitrates in the tubers. In this case, fertilizer based on greens will help.

Efficiency of the method

Gardeners who used the Mittlider method claim that potato yields increased by 20-25%. The tubers have many large root crops. At the same time, the correct shape and the absence of curved potatoes are noted.A dense peel covers the juicy and elastic pulp.

A pattern has been noticed, if a person has tried the Mittlider technique, he does not want to return to growing a vegetable in the traditional way.

Mittlider is distinguished by the original technique of forming beds, preparing holes and potatoes. Gardeners who decide to try the method for the first time will first have to try. If everything is done correctly, every year the cultivation will be easy and there will be no difficulties. The good news is that you do not need to choose special potato varieties. According to Mittlider, it is equally effective to plant early, middle and late ones.

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