SunBakedParadise
Full Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2014 10:50 am
Location: Southern California

Pond and Hugelkultur Kickstarter

I just wanted to share this with y'all as hugelkultur has changed how I garden in Southern California. I started using these techniques about two years ago and it has practically saved my garden from this terrible drought we have been having. So when I saw a Kickstarter trying to bring this mainstream I jumped at the opportunity.

https://kck.st/1jtmswG

I have supported to get the full shabang, a 3 DVD set, but for 1$ of support they are offering a 15 minute micro-documentary on hugelkultur which is something I think everyone should have in their arsenal of knowledge. Hope this helps some of my drought stricken Californians and anyone else where water is scarce.

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PunkRotten
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Posts: 1989
Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:48 pm
Location: Monterey, CA.

Cool. I did the $1 pledge. The others seem way too advanced for what I am working with. The $12 package may not be too bad.

MB3
Full Member
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2014 9:18 pm
Location: Cbus, Ohio

I am not really in a place to pledge anything, but I am curious about discussing hugelkulturs. If I had my own house/land I probably would have tried this a few years ago. I will note though, that the community garden in my area has a few set up at some of their lots, and I have to say the root vegies, for example, didn't fare so well (beets still had decent chard-like greens, though). I imagine with time, given a few years of logs breaking down, this will change, but something to keep in mind if you are ever starting one up. Perhaps someone has some good tips to help root vegetables in the first years of a new set up.

SunBakedParadise
Full Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2014 10:50 am
Location: Southern California

Root veggies will do well if a thicker layer of compost and organic matter is added on top of the logs. One of the things to be aware of, is the logs will take up a lot of nitrogen while beginning to compost. So if you are wanting to grow some nitrogen hungry plants the first year you will want to A. prep the logs with nitrogen, B. feed regularly. However once rot sets in, or if it already has with the logs the N consumption is greatly reduced as the fungi already have a foothold.

I had success starting with cover crops, tilling them back in and then starting with my sunflowers, artichokes squash and tomatoes. Anything with deep roots to bring the nutrients from the lower layers to the surface.

edit: I would be very interested in discussing hugelkultur so if a thread was started I would do my best to answer all your questions 8)



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