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Vegetable Gardening Tips, Advice and FAQ's

Articles in the Fertilizers category
Make Your Own Weekly Feed
Would you like to remove the guesswork from growing healthy plants, and know you’re feeding them just what they need? The Mittleider Magic fertilizer formulas provide all 13 ...
Last Modified: 2009-10-06 Number of views: 180
Finding the Mittleider Magic Ingredients? We've Made It Easy!
Q Does anyone else have a hard time finding the ingredients in the M method? A. We struggled with this issue for many years until Dr. M and I: (1) simplified the Pre-Plant...
Last Modified: 2009-09-14 Number of views: 245
Slow-Release Osmocote 14-14-14 Fertilizers Used - What Now?
Q. I have a square foot garden and I have already planted and used Osmocote 4Mo timed release 14-14-14 fertilizer. Can I still use your fertilizer mix and how much do I use? ...
Last Modified: 2009-07-30 Number of views: 310
Lime or Gypsum - Which to Use
Q. Do I need to add lime or gypsum for my pre-plant mix. I live in Edmonton, Alberta and we have an average annual rainfall of 33cm (13in) and an average annual snowfall of 13...
Last Modified: 2009-06-19 Number of views: 479
Where to Buy/Make Weekly Feed
Q. I don't know where to buy the weekly feed anymore. I live in the Rupert Idaho area. I go to SLC occasionally. Steve Regan store has gone out of business....where can I go ...
Last Modified: 2009-04-28 Number of views: 407
Making My Own Weekly Feed Mix Using Micro-Nutrients Purchased from the Foundation Website
Q. I need some help on NPK ratios used with the Micro Mix. The Micro Mix sheet suggested using a 16-16-16 ratio (I can get 17-17-17, will it work?), but the "how to mix your ...
Last Modified: 2009-02-19 Number of views: 838
Fertilizers to Use - Suggested Formula
Q. We are planning our fertilizer needs for next year. The cost of fertilizer has gone up over 60% this last year and they are telling me that it will go up another 50% by t...
Last Modified: 2008-09-15 Number of views: 1060
Fertilizers Getting Wet & Sticky - What To Do?
Q. We have 3 Grow-Boxes that are 18" x 30' and 3 boxes 4' x 30'. A local company mixed the fertilizer to 16-16-16 and we used this to make up the Weekly Feed, using ...
Last Modified: 2008-05-04 Number of views: 908
How Do I ind and Mix Fertilizers to Get The Mittleider Mix?
Hi, I'm not finding the nutrients we need as easily as I'd hoped. Does Mittleider sell these or can someone suggest the best way for me to find the components. The Boron (B...
Last Modified: 2008-03-05 Number of views: 1360
Fertilizer Questions & Answers
Reading back messages you said there might be a close product called ProPax 14-7-14 with Iron from Martin Resources. this was in '03 and I'm wondering if its in NV now. A...
Last Modified: 2008-02-27 Number of views: 1025
Simple Answers to Complicated Fertilizer Questions
Q.  Several years ago I was able to buy fertilizer components from an agricultural fertilizer plant.  The man who ran the plant was very knowledgable and understood ...
Last Modified: 2008-02-27 Number of views: 1137
What chemicals to use - or whould we buy them pre-mixed?
Q.  I use Mittleider boxes in the Bahamas. I know that someone in ST George Utah (I am soon going thru there) sells thw feed chemicals. Do you have a phone number where I...
Last Modified: 2007-08-27 Number of views: 1351
Substitute for Ammonium Nitrate (34-0-0)
Q.  Please suggest a substitute for the ammonium nitrate which is identified in Grow Box Gardens as part of the nutrient formula.  Since the Oklahoma bombings, this ...
Last Modified: 2007-06-24 Number of views: 1586
Sources of Nitrogen - and of Potassium - -What's Best
Q.    I understand that urea is not Ammonium nitrate as required in the pre-plant fertilizer and the weekly feed. I would like to know what is Ammonium Nitrate?...
Last Modified: 2007-06-21 Number of views: 2187
First Fertilizer Application – Pre-Plant & Weekly Feed
Q.  In the Mittleider Gardening Course we are instructed to spread lime on the bottom of the grow box, and again on the top of the grow box (mixed into the soil mix).&n...
Last Modified: 2007-06-05 Number of views: 1729
Natural Minerals and High Brix Levels for Super Healthy Plants
Q.  Your method of gardening seems to be most effective but what about the soil?  Don't the chemical fertilizers kill the good bugs so that the soil becomes lifeles...
Last Modified: 2007-06-05 Number of views: 1255
Soil Mix & Ratios - Fertilizers to use and How Much
Q.   I think what I need to know is, 1) what do I put in the soil mix and 2)  proportions, as well as 3) what fertilizer to use and 4) proportions to mix i...
Last Modified: 2007-03-08 Number of views: 1922
Undissolved Fertilizers, Placement, Frequency, Amounts, Avoiding Damage to Plants
Q. I applied the dry fertilizer/micro nutrient mix by hand.  I did notice that there seems to always be undissolved fertilizer, even after several waterings. This di...
Last Modified: 2006-09-22 Number of views: 2036
Can Manure or Compost Tea Replace Fertilizers
Q.  I recently purchased a soil soup brewer to improve my soil and my yields. Unless I'm mistaken, this soup [compost tea] contains some or all (?) of the micronutrients...
Last Modified: 2006-08-16 Number of views: 4926
Extra Phosphorus to Promote Growth of Root Crops - Good Idea?
Q.  I have been reading that phosphorus promotes root growth.  Would that mean that by adding a little extra phosphorus, one could increase the yield of root vegetab...
Last Modified: 2006-07-18 Number of views: 1882
Fertilizers With Sulfur - OK to Use In Mittleider Magic Formulas?
Q.  What's the significance of the 11% sulfur in 34-0-0-11S fertilizer? Does itmake a difference to us using the Mittleider method?A.  Many common compounds used as...
Last Modified: 2006-07-18 Number of views: 2020
Mixing Mittleider Fertilizers to Avoid Them Getting Wet or Hard
I'm told that when mixing the Weekly Feed formula there is a sequence of mixing that will counteract the natural water retention of chemicals, and thereby clumping. &nbs...
Last Modified: 2006-07-18 Number of views: 1825
Wood Ash as Fertilizer
Q.  I have been searching for information regarding ashes. Here is what I have found. Good clean ashes from burning untreated wood is good for your lawn and garden.&...
Last Modified: 2005-08-26 Number of views: 7976
Fertilizing Before Planting - Manure, Minerals, or Nothing?
Q.  You mentioned that you added preplant fertilizer to your soil before planting seeds.  I would think that seeds and fertilizer are a bad idea. Shouldn't you plac...
Last Modified: 2005-05-07 Number of views: 2361
I Can't Find The Recommended Fertilizer Formulas, What Do I Do?
Q.  I've asked the co-op about 34-0-0.  They told me I have to have a farming licence to buy it.   I ran around to the nurseries and they acted like they ...
Last Modified: 2005-04-29 Number of views: 2996
When to Use Nitrogen - Which Source of Nitrogen is Best
  Q.  I want to apply nitrogen (8 oz/30' row) after transplanting seedlings as directed.  My problem is that the recommended 34-0-0 ammonium nitrate is diff...
Last Modified: 2005-04-25 Number of views: 2262
How Much to Use - And How Long Should We Feed?
Q.  The Garden Master CD says to use 16 ounces of Weekly Feed for a 30 foot bed. Since my beds (2 in each 4'-wide box) are fifteen feet I still use 16 ounces per bo...
Last Modified: 2005-04-01 Number of views: 2386
Applying Fertilizers to the Leaves of Vegetable Plants - Good Idea?
Q.  Can I dissolve the Mittleider Plant Food, put it in a spray bottle and spray directly onto the vegetables?    Can you give me the amount of fertilizer ...
Last Modified: 2005-03-10 Number of views: 2187
How Safe Are Commercial Fertilizers?
A few responses to my comments about fertilizer purity motivate me to write one more article.  Jay from California gave it as his experience that government is rarely abl...
Last Modified: 2005-03-01 Number of views: 2295
Converting Cubic Centimeters to Cubic Yards & Grams to Pounds
Q.  How much 14-14-14 fertilizer must be added to a cubic yard of material to obtain the same concentration of nutrients as under the following condition:  Added 3 g...
Last Modified: 2004-09-09 Number of views: 2383
Mixing Fertilizers "From Scratch" - Different Materials Available
Q.   I am unable to get the exact fertilisers in order to blend the standard weekly feed fertiliser.  Instead of ammonium nitrate I have calcium ammonium n...
Last Modified: 2004-08-26 Number of views: 2882
Any Danger in Eating Freshly Fertilized Crops?
Q.  I know that the books recommend stopping fertilizer applications three weeks before harvesting.  What about crops that harvest throughout the season?  Is th...
Last Modified: 2004-06-10 Number of views: 2344
Nitrogen Fertilizer Sources - What's Best?
Q.  I was browsing a store the other day and stumbled onto a 20# bag of Ammonium Nitrate 21-0-0. I bought it right away as I hadn't seen any at other stores in my...
Last Modified: 2004-05-11 Number of views: 2480
Self-Mixed Fertilizer not dissolving?
Q.  The fertilizer I made isn't dissolving:  it's  10-10-10 fertilizer.  Is this the wrong kind of fertilizer?  Maybe some slow-release type?&n...
Last Modified: 2004-05-11 Number of views: 2383
Availability of Fertilizers
Q.  My daughter who lives in Albuquerque would like to garden using the Mittleider method.  Do you know of a source of the mitleider fertilizer mix in that city.&nbs...
Last Modified: 2004-05-07 Number of views: 2148
Feeding Shrubs, Bushes, and Trees
Q.  How much should I feed my berry bushes and other plants and trees in my yard? A.  All plants, shrubs and tree will bless you with healthy growth if you will fee...
Last Modified: 2004-04-27 Number of views: 2295
Fertilizing and Watering Tomatoes and Corn - Using Cages Recommended?
Q.  What is the best way to fertilize tomatoes and corn?  Also, what should the watering schedule be for those two?  What should the dimensions be for tomato ca...
Last Modified: 2004-04-27 Number of views: 3173
Mixing Bulk Fertilizer - Phosphate or Phosphorus & Potash or Potassium?
Q.  You say we need 125 kg nitrogen, 68.125 kg phosphorus, and 125 kg potassium to feed a hectare. I understand how to figure the nitrogen, but phosphorus is only shown a...
Last Modified: 2004-04-27 Number of views: 2589
Is Pre-Plant Really All That Important?
Q.  Last year I used a sand and sawdust bed constructed as you say but did not mix the pre-plant fertilizer in as I was still trying some organic stuff that didn't work....
Last Modified: 2004-04-17 Number of views: 4126
Fertizilers for growing bananas
Q. What fertilizers should I use for growing bananas? A. Mittleider Magic Pre-Plant and Weekly Feed will grow great bananas, as well as every other vegetable or fruit. P...
Last Modified: 2004-04-03 Number of views: 2282
Manure one time? Or minerals several times?
A question frequently asked by vegetable gardeners trying to determine what is really best is "What's wrong with just putting 3-4" of manure into the soil before plant...
Last Modified: 2004-03-06 Number of views: 2441
NPK ratios - Why is Weekly Feed Phosphate so low?
Some people ask "Why does the Mittleider formula have 13-8-13 when so many other available mixes have a much higher phosphate content, such as 18-46-0?"  Pl...
Last Modified: 2004-03-06 Number of views: 2418
I’m concerned about leaving fertilizer lying around – I’ve seen it get wet and kind of sticky before – isn’t that bad for it? Why does it get wet anyway?
Fertilizers have a tendency to get wet because many of the compounds included have water in the chemical formula. Getting wet does not affect the viability or usability of the...
Last Modified: 2004-02-24 Number of views: 2309
Gypsum - Composition and Uses
Gypsum – Composition and Uses Q. What is gypsum? And what are its uses? A. Gypsum, composed of calcium, sulphate, and water, has a chemical symbol of CA SO4 2H2O. It is ...
Last Modified: 2004-02-05 Number of views: 2100
Fertilizers - Liquid
Fertilizers – Liquid Q. My wife came to your class in St. George, Utah (I was out of town on business, sorry I missed such a good class) and we had one question. You talked...
Last Modified: 2004-01-18 Number of views: 2403
If I use 10-10-10, instead of 16-16-16 in my Weekly Feed mix, do I need to apply 60% more fertilizer to the garden each time? Or do I need 60% more NPK in the mix?
That may seem logical, but the answer is NO, you do not increase the amount of NPK in the mix, and you should still use 16 ounces per 30' Soil-Bed. The Mittleider Magic We...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2472
I've always been curious about the great results Dr. Mittleider achieves, his apparent concern for the well-being of worldwide poor farmers, etc. vs. the dislike of chemical fertilizers by organic gardeners. Besides the idea of a build-up of nutrients, per se, that might be harmful, the other expression I have heard over and over is the notion of a harmful buildup of "salts". I realize that many of the chemical fertilizers are technically salts, such as potassium chloride, but I don't know how they might cause a buildup of something that is harmful. The idea I get is that the nutrient part of the salt is used up by the plants, but some harmful residue remains, eventually attaining levels where earthworms, beneficial bacteria, and other friendly life forms are harmed. Are you familiar with this argument/notion?
We have had scientific soil tests conducted, and have not been able to measure any problematic nutrient or salt build-up anywhere we have used minerals, which has been as long...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2302
Do I replenish the custom soil annually in the same quantities? The web site said you could use the custom made soil over and over. And how do I fertilize the second year?
Yes you can use the same soil materials over and over, just replenish it as it subsides in the box. Fertilize each year the same, but don't dig everything out of the box, ...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2347
Finding and mixing the fertilizer ingredients is a pain. Can you help?
Rather than mixing the 13 nutrients yourself, you may want to save a lot of time and hassle by getting the 6 micro-nutrients from us. Two packets cost $9.95 plus shipping, and...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2439
For transplanting, it suggested fertilizing the new plant with a 34-0-0 fertilizer, however, I could only find 21-0-0 fertilizer. Should I increase the amount of fertilizer since it is not as potent?
When you transplant plants into the garden the best thing you can give them for a quick start is ammonium nitrate(34/0/0). Do not put anything on newly planted seeds. Fertiliz...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2245
How can people who have no money to buy fertilizers benefit from The Mittleider Method and have success growing food?
First, look at the possibility of obtaining lime for calcium. This is often available free or very inexpensively. Finely ground coral materials are also an excellent source of...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2325
How do I go about feeding the great variety of garden crops we enjoy growing?
All crops can be cared for alike, fed alike, and all will produce the same excellent results. See Fertilizing or in The Mittleider Gardening Course. Too much plant food, whic...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 4296
I assume all the stuff in the old book is still correct, is it?
The mineral nutrient formulas in each of the books were the best Dr. Mittleider knew at the time. He was constantly improving the formula, as he gained more experience in diff...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2269
I can only find "triple superphosphate" instead of double-how do I convert that with what is required in the old book. It called for 4 pounds how much triple should I use?
You can use the same amount of triple super phosphate as double....
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2335
I have been told that fertilizer is food for my plants, and that plants must have it every day, just as people need to eat every day, is that correct?
This question has been answered in several of Dr. Mittleider’s books, and the short answer is no. But let me explain further by quoting Larry A. Sagers, Utah State University ...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2201
I have found a source of Peat Lite 20-10-20 manufactured by J.R. Peters Co. at $15.50 per 25 lb bag. It is a water-soluble fertilizer. Please advise whether or not it can be used as a substitute for the Mittleider formula, and what, if any additions should be made.
I can't answer for the usability of any other fertilizer, not having field-tested them. But water-soluble fertilizers are intended for use in a greenhouse or hydroponic grow...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2214
I have your package of Micronutrients but I have misplaced the list of
You add 20# of 16-16-16, or similar (20-20-20 is great), plus 3# of Epsom Salt, which is magnesium sulfate. This gives you 23 1/2# of "Weekly Feed" mix to use per instructio...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2167
I hope you can help me! I recently purchased a box of fertilizers.
First, let me assure you that moisture does not make fertilizers dangerous, nor does it reduce the viability or usefulness of the product, whatever brand or type you have purc...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2147
I read that the Weekly Fertilizer should be applied once a week. However, according to a table titled "Suggested Fertilizer Applications" on the web-site, it says that tomatoes need 7 applications and squash need only 5. What does this mean?
You should apply the recommended amount of fertilizer once per week, down the middle of the bed between the rows of plants, and water it in. For plants that produce one crop, ...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2352
Please tell me how to fertilize one hectare for one year! We don't use acres here, and it is hard for me to understand your formula.
I am happy to convert the fertilizer formula into one for feeding a hectare. The application in the garden will be ˝ liter per 9 meter row weekly for 4 to 8 times, depending o...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 1848
We use Dolomite Lime on our gardens. Since it has magnesium in it, do we still need to use the same amount of magnesium sulfate that you recommend for our Weekly-Feed fertilizer?
Yes. You will not be over-applying magnesium by using the formulA. No matter what kind of calcium source we use, the Weekly Feed Formula works very well. ...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2034
What fertilizer formula do I use? Every book is different.
As Dr. Mittleider's experience and knowledge grew the formulas changed. The latest formulas are on the internet site and in The Mittleider Gardening Course, so use those. How...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2577
Where can I get the Mittleider natural mineral fertilizers?
If you live in the Salt Lake City area, you can get the Mittleider Magic fertilizers already mixed in 20# bags at Sutherlands on Redwood Road and North Temple, at Western Gard...
Last Modified: 2003-11-14 Number of views: 2249

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