Has Anyone Tried the Mittleider Method?

[Calista]

Tortoise, I work mainly with a bunch of various-sized raised beds which produce PLENTY for two people and a flock of chickens. I follow a lot of Permies advice, use compost and mulch, and am a big fan of rock dust for mineral supplementation.

Britesea, you were right. Here's the pros and cons discussed on another site:

ADVANTAGES:

• Closer plant spacing allows for more plants in less area
• The vertical growth of the plant maximizes light availability
• In theory, this method uses little water as only the root systems are to be watered
• Soil mixture and nutrients can be stored long-term
• Works for any conditions or climate
• It is promoted that it can be used by any skill level
• This method can be adapted in parts to be utilized with other methods
• Soil nutrient depletion and crop rotation can be avoided

DISADVANTAGES:

• Obtaining the structural requirements, specific growing substrate and fertilizers could be a financial and transport issue for many people
• The gardens are not portable if used to the method specifications
• This method is claimed to be organic, however, it is widely discussed online that the structural materials, substrates, and feeding solutions are not organic
• The garden beds need to be constantly maintained with the plant feeding mixture, it is not a set and forget method

https://www.thesurvivalistblog.net/the-mittleider-gardening-method-explained/

So I'm kinda scratching my head as to why any reasonably proficient organic gardener would bother with this method. Oh, well, just curious as to whether any of you had tried it.