What size should I make my soil-beds?
- Where should I locate my garden?
- What size should I make my soil-beds?
- How should I arrange my soil-beds?
- What should I plant?
- When should I plant?
- What tools will I need?
- How much time will it take?
The standard Mittleider soil-bed is 30 feet long. Each bed holds two rows of plants at the base of two ridges of soil. The ridges are 18 inches apart. Aisles between beds are 3 ½ feet with 5 feet at the ends of the soil-beds. 
Why 30 feet long?
Since many gardens can readily accommodate 30-foot seed beds, the specific measurements for applying the optimum amount of fertilizer are based on this length.
Tips
For smaller gardens, adjust your soil-beds to half or a third the length (15 or 10 feet); then adjust the fertilizer measurements in like manner.
Why 18 inches wide with ridges?
- The ridges take the chore out of controlling weeds (to be explained in Weeding).
- A 12" wide flat area between the ridges allows growing space between the two rows of plants.
- The flattened center area is designed to carry water and fertilizer to the plant (to be explained in Watering and Fertilizing).
- The ridges help you to determine where the seedlings or seeds are to be placed (to be explained in Planting).
Why such wide spacing--18 inch beds, 3 ½ foot aisles, and 5 foot end spaces?
- "Conventional" gardening puts one row of plants every 30 inches—thus two rows of plants take 5 feet. Dr. Mittleider puts the two rows of plants closer to reduce watering, feeding, and weeding by 50%.
- If the space in the aisles between beds is restricted, the result will be poor inspection of the crops. This sets the stage for problems with weed control, adequate watering, disease and insect problems, harvesting on time, etc.
- With adequate space, leaves and vines have sufficient room to spread in the aisles for maximum light, essential for best growth.
- Wide aisles prevent foot traffic from damaging plants.
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Tip of the Day
It's Spring Planting Time! For those of you in the Northern hemisphere who have winters, March and early April are the time you need to be preparing your soil and planting the hardy vegetable crops such as radishes, peas, cabbage and broccoli.
The freeze/thaw cycles of winter have broken up and loosened most soils, so as soon as it's not muddy, go in and give everything a good weeding with the 2-way hoe (see Tools). Weeding thoroughly this early gives you the upper hand, and is very important.
If you grew a Mittleider garden last year, your beds will be easy to re-make. Just apply Pre-Plant and Weekly Feed to the bed area, then till them in, place strings on your stakes, and re-make the beds.
Be sure to re-check the level of each bed accurately, since they may have changed a little. Do not be satisfied with anything more than 1" fall in a 30'-long soil-bed. Good Gardening!
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