Jacob Mittleider grew up on a farm in Idaho. Rather than instilling in him a love of farming, the experience had the opposite effect: he hated it and was determined not to follow in his father’s footsteps. So he went to baking school.
Jacob married, had two daughters, and supported his family by mixing dough and sliding it in and out of ovens. The course of his life seemed to be set.
Then one day he had a disagreement with his boss. Their argument, whatever it was about, grew hot as a bread oven, and Jacob walked out.
Despite a vow not to become a farmer, Jacob went into the flower business. He worked hard at growing and wholesaling blooms, and he studied deeply, learning all he could about plants and how they grow.
He put such intense effort into his business that he wrecked his health and almost died. That served as a wake-up call. Jacob decided to spend the rest of his life, not running a business, but helping people.
Based on his understanding of plants, Jacob developed a new way of growing vegetables. He felt that sharing this method so people could better feed themselves would be a worthwhile contribution to the world.
What Jacob Mittleider taught about plants can be boiled down to six principles. He called them the six laws of plant growth: light, temperature, air, water, nutrition, and competition.
Of the six, perhaps Jacob’s most valuable contribution concerns plant nutrition. He identified 16 nutrients that plants need. Three of them – carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen – they get from the air. The other 13 they get from the soil.
Three of those – nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium – are called macro-nutrients and can be bought by the bagful at stores.
Three others – calcium, magnesium, and sulfur – are called secondary nutrients. These, too, can be easily purchased.
The remaining seven – boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc – are called micro-nutrients or trace elements. Mixes of them can be purchased from specialty stores.
There are two ways the macro, secondary, and micro-nutrients become available to plants.
The traditional way is for soil to be enriched with fertilizer. Plants, often with the help of bacteria, attract the nutrients and take them in through their roots, usually along with water. As many a failed gardener can attest, adjusting the soil so it contains the needed nutrients in the right proportions can be hit or miss.
The method Jacob Mittleider developed is to sprinkle the nutrients themselves in the garden. When watered, the nutrients become instantly available to the plants. This way, people can be assured that their vegetables (and themselves) are well-nourished.
Some gardeners (and fertilizer companies) feel this approach is unnatural.
Mittleider enthusiasts, however, say that a basic element is a basic element, regardless of whether it is pooped by a cow or supplied directly by a person.
Natural or not, Mittleider gardens tend to produce large, healthy harvests. And this is the very thing that Jacob wanted to share with hungry, undernourished people.
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