The above questions were raised , specifically about the Foundation’s Garden Master software as follows:
1: Does the Garden Master software allow you to enter the soil type and pH and and does it make recommendations based on these factors?
2: Does the software recommend crop rotation techniques for after year 1?
The answer is no to both questions.
There is no need to change your gardening plans based on soil type or pH.
In multiplied thousands of gardens – in every type of soil – in almost every known climate – Mittleider growers have grown highly successful gardens, with a wide variety of vegetables, with no soil amendments.
The ONLY thing you DO need to know is if you receive more or less than 20″ of annual rainfall.
If you receive less than 20″ your soil will be alkaline and you need to use gypsum as your source of essential calcium. If you receive more than 20″ you need to use lime. The reason for this is that lime raises soil pH and gypsum does not.
There are three reasons for crop rotation – 1) disease, 2) bugs, & 3) nutrition.
There is not enough space in a family garden to move plants far enough to effectively avoid last year’s disease or bug problem. The cultural practices we employ are of much more importance and efficacy in minimizing problems with diseases and pests.
And if you follow the Mittleider Method of feeding, your plants will receive ample nutrition, no matter what you planted there the year before, so no rotation is necessary.
