Housekeeping:

I have made my calendar available for consulting: http://theprepperpodcast/calendar

Tweaking my budget based survival goals before beta release

Discussion:

I discuss Hugelkultur, what it is, and how to use it when starting a garden bed. I give Ideas for the use of hugelkultur mounds, or hugel mounds in your raised garden bed.

Hugelkultur: German, means “mound culture”

Mimics what happens in the forest

Helps retain moisture

Builds fertility

better drainage

getting rid of “wooden trash”

Creates a fungal culture in the ground, working with plants

more surface area to plant in

easier to reach plants

So what is a hugel bed? A big mound.

Hugel Mounds

usually 5-6 feet tall

at about a 60%-70% incline to make picking easier

How to build one:

Dig a ditch

5-20ft long

3-4ft wide

on or off contour?

Fill with wood

hardwoods last longer

gets rid of debris

don’t use:

cedar

black locust

black walnut

black cherry

Do use:

Alders

Apple

Cottonwood

oak, poplar, willow, birch

Wood is carbon… but it doesn’t rob nitrogen? Fill with nitrogen rich material.

Beans the first year (legume)

urine

green matter (grass, straw, compost)

Cover with compost

add a couple inches of straw

then a couple inches of compost

adds organisms to break wood down and adds nitrogen

Optional Fungal inoculant

spray on bed for quick start

white stuff

good organic matter will do fine

this matter is a key component in plant health

Add a layer of dirt

all the dirt from digging is put back on top and probably a little more from another location.

more green matter mixed in

build to 5-6ft, but the height is optional

Mulch the top

wood, straw, grass

for weeds and water

the beds will absorb water

more decomposition holds more water

decomposition creates heat in bed