Hugelkultur might not be the best idea for every crop...
Our row crops do better in a mixed bacterial/fungal soil for the most part. Leaning a touch to the bacterial in many cases (try growing a tomato in woodland soil to see what I mean). Perennial crops like it a touch fungal. Tree and shrub crops like it a lot fungal, and would be great in a wood based soil.
Also what part of the tree are we using? Tops and tips are WAY less carbon intensive than trunks and roots, so leaves are a much more veggie friendly intro to garden soil than stumps...
Still, if we build the wood at the core of a bed and build bacterial soils over and around it, we get a carbon intensive bed that deep roots will access, but shallow rooted row crops not so much; best of both worlds...
The devil is in the details...
HG
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The Helpful Gardener
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Hugel(fall 2008) update.
2011 It is dark soft humus filled soil.
last year late drought, everything suffered..died
I did get some potatoes. Lots of tiny ones were left lay.
Planted garlic October, but we had a cold spell early and not much growth.
This spring was an amazing bed. Potatoes(4 gallons) & garlic(1 gallon) & a couple shallots.
Replanted last week and have green beans up. Put in some garlic, marigold, potato mounds. there is a little room for?....?
Anyone thinking of starting a Hugel bed it is worth the effort.
2011 It is dark soft humus filled soil.
last year late drought, everything suffered..died
I did get some potatoes. Lots of tiny ones were left lay.
Planted garlic October, but we had a cold spell early and not much growth.
This spring was an amazing bed. Potatoes(4 gallons) & garlic(1 gallon) & a couple shallots.
Replanted last week and have green beans up. Put in some garlic, marigold, potato mounds. there is a little room for?....?
Anyone thinking of starting a Hugel bed it is worth the effort.
The hugel bed has decayed almost to nothing only a few inches of rich soil.
Last year part seemed almost sandy, all of the sandiness is gone.
Deep dark rich soil.
It produces as well as any other area of the garden......BUT.......The deer seem to like to walk right into it and eat at will ?????
They aren't that crazy over other parts of the garden.
Probably a coincidence. But this part of the garden is all natural and everything tastes delicious.
Last year part seemed almost sandy, all of the sandiness is gone.
Deep dark rich soil.
It produces as well as any other area of the garden......BUT.......The deer seem to like to walk right into it and eat at will ?????
They aren't that crazy over other parts of the garden.
Probably a coincidence. But this part of the garden is all natural and everything tastes delicious.