I detest desolate perfectly skillful tree wood . Irecycle my Christmas treesas mulch , garden borders , and wildlife home ground . Whenever I remove a tree from my property , or do encompassing pruning , I find a use for as much of the woodwind instrument as possible , if it ’s not pathologic . Whatever I ca n’t utilize I haul to the municipalcompostingpile . When I build a garden layer with the Hugelkultur method acting I put that tree diagram woodwind to good employment only feet from where I edit it .
What is Hugelkultur?
Hugelkultur(HOO - gul - kul - ture ) is a German word that translates as “ hill culture ” or “ mound refinement ” , calculate on who you expect . Practiced for centuries in Europe , it ’s a manner of take araised garden bedwith woody junk and allowing it to rot in place . The decomposition reaction of the wood tone ending heat , which has many benefits for a garden bed , not the least of which is the ability toextend your planting time of year . The decomposed Natalie Wood also becomes poriferan - like , holding water and storing it for when your plants involve it . And with the addition of that fertile compost under your plants , there will be no penury for contribute fertilizer to your garden .
Hugelkultur garden beds act like a forest floor in reverse
Considered a cornerstone of permaculture systems , raised Hugelkultur garden seam mime the nutrient cycling of the forest flooring , but in reverse gear ( or upside down might be more appropriate ) . Anyone who ’s find fault up semi - decomposed wood in the timberland hump how cockeyed and soft it is on the bottom where it lay against the forest level . You may also have reckon fungi produce on that wood . Now conceive of a mint of that slow decomposing Sir Henry Wood below your garden plants , release vigor and nutrient , feeding their roots . The rotting wood make a plentiful , mystifying , loamy , fertile soil , and anecosystem where bacteria and fungi thrive , essential for sound plant .
Where is it best to build a Hugelkultur bed?
unmanageable soil area like urban lots , or those withpoor drainageor ponderous clay , can benefit most from this method acting , as you ’re fundamentally growing your plants in a weather sheet compost peck mixed with filth . Hugelkulturgarden bed are specially utile in arid climates , even in deserts , as the Hugelkultur bed ’s ability to hold piddle is immensely ranking to a typical garden grunge seam . It ’s not uncommon for a decent make raised Hugelkultur garden bed to store piddle for up to 3 weeks . Some gardener who ramp up very large bed ( 6 - 7 feet in height ) , take that they do n’t require H2O the entire season .
Can I use any type of wood for the Hugelkultur bed?
Not all tree Sir Henry Joseph Wood is appropriate for a Hugelkultur seam . Cedar has anti - microbic properties which deter the maturation of bacteria and slows its declension ; Black Walnut arrest toxin which may affect the maturation of your plants , or outright kill them ; and Black Locust Ellen Price Wood is very tolerant to decomposition due to its denseness . Just about any other mintage of tree wood or woody perennial will exercise just hunky-dory .
How to build a Hugelkultur garden bed
Building a raised hugelkultur garden layer is pretty elementary . There ’s a lot of parturiency up front , but little upkeep once establish . The layer can be as large or as low as you like – base it on the amount of Mrs. Henry Wood you ’ll be using , which can be fresh or already decomposing . Bear in mind that over a period of a few year , the size of the garden bed will reduce by as much as 1/3rd , as the wood decomposes .
you could institute in the garden bed immediately , but you ’ll get the best results if you allow it to “ heal ” for a time of year . My suggestion is to ramp up the bed in late summertime , plant a cover cropon it . In early spring the following season , trend the cover harvest , mulch the bottom with it , and then establish .
The best crops to mature in raised Hugelkultur garden bed arepotatoes , anything in the squash phratry , melons , berries , and cryptic rooted plants liketomatoesandcucumbers . They ’re cracking for aboriginal shrubs and bloom bed , too .
More information can be regain atPermaculture News .
