Hügelkultur Raised Beds

[akroberts1085]

 

[U_Stormcrow]

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that hurts to look at, but I imagine its easy to find that tool you set down somewhere...

 

[U_Stormcrow]

and re: hugelkultur, I built my first bed last year with downed "trees" (realy very tall shrubs - 15-20'), native soil, some amendments. The first year, the nitrogen balance is WAY off. Moderate expectations. Also, had a subterranean termite bloom take flight from it that you absolutely would not believe.

Its dropped about 1/3 its hieght in the first year, will be pouring on more native soil and "bunny gold" to add a few inches when I do my spring planting. Carrots are "stubby", I've only got a couple inches of useful soil, but my broccoli did exceptionally well.

 

[Appalachickens]

At work the guys would borrow my tools, that the college bought, and forget to return them. We all had our names ingraved on our tools so I would go around the substations looking. I started painting tools and tool buckets pink and purple. I did buy a few pink tools when they started coming out in Menards. Most were jumk. But anyway the pink and purple tended to stay in my tool box and were easy to find.

My younger son is a finish carpenter and he just had to invest in tools for a new company he’s joined. He told me he is going to paint a pink stripe on all of them, figuring that will crease the chance of one of the guys wanting to walk off with them.

 

[Appalachickens]

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Whoa! But if you like them, that’s cool. Most of my tools are DeWalt, so bright yellow.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

My younger son is a finish carpenter and he just had to invest in tools for a new company he’s joined. He told me he is going to paint a pink stripe on all of them, figuring that will crease the chance of one of the guys wanting to walk off with them.

Plasti-dip. Intense Teal.



Then dip to half the length, Koi Orange.

Nobody is going to miss that.

and if Teal isn't your thing, use Blaze Green.

 

[Molpet]

Whoa! But if you like them, that’s cool. Most of my tools are DeWalt, so bright yellow.

Prime target for borrowing

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Prime target for borrowing

Strongly agree.

although there seems to be a belief that "Bosch" is German for "Borrow" as well.

 

[gtaus]

hugelkultur, I built my first bed last year with downed "trees" (realy very tall shrubs - 15-20'), native soil, some amendments. The first year, the nitrogen balance is WAY off. Moderate expectations.

I know some people put plants that make nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil. I think beans, for example. I have also had good luck growing squash in first year beds. In theory, your hügelkultur raised bed should improve with age.

Also, had a subterranean termite bloom take flight from it that you absolutely would not believe.

I don't have a problem with termites where I live. However, I have seen some YouTube videos where people have not had success with hügelkultur methods due to termites. I imagine my climate in Minnesota is more comparable to Germany than your climate in Florida. It might make a difference in your success and/or dealing with termites.

Its dropped about 1/3 its hieght in the first year, will be pouring on more native soil and "bunny gold" to add a few inches when I do my spring planting.

Well, my beds are 16 inches deep, and I lose maybe 2-3 inches the first year, and 1-2 inches the following years. For me, that's a good thing because I top off my hügelkultur raised beds with fresh chicken run compost every year. The fresh compost feeds the plants from the top while the decomposing wood on the bottom feeds the roots.

Carrots are "stubby", I've only got a couple inches of useful soil, but my broccoli did exceptionally well.

In all my 16-inch deep hügelkultur raised beds, I start off with 6-8 inches of topsoil and chicken run compost mixed 1:1. I don't have any problems with nitrogen deficiency because the top 6-8 inches are loaded with nitrogen rich compost. I don't normally grow root plants, so I have been getting good results even in the first year growing tomatoes, for example.

But like I said, I think my hügelkultur raised beds improve over the years due to adding fresh compost every year to top off the loss of soil depth from decomposition of the wood products below.

In my case, I live on a lake and my native sandy soil was terrible for gardening. I had to move to raised beds in order to improve my yields.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I know some people put plants that make nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil. I think beans, for example. I have also had good luck growing squash in first year beds. In theory, your hügelkultur raised bed should improve with age.



I don't have a problem with termites where I live. However, I have seen some YouTube videos where people have not had success with hügelkultur methods due to termites. I imagine my climate in Minnesota is more comparable to Germany than your climate in Florida. It might make a difference in your success and/or dealing with termites.



Well, my beds are 16 inches deep, and I lose maybe 2-3 inches the first year, and 1-2 inches the following years. For me, that's a good thing because I top off my hügelkultur raised beds with fresh chicken run compost every year. The fresh compost feeds the plants from the top while the decomposing wood on the bottom feeds the roots.



In all my 16-inch deep hügelkultur raised beds, I start off with 6-8 inches of topsoil and chicken run compost mixed 1:1. I don't have any problems with nitrogen deficiency because the top 6-8 inches are loaded with nitrogen rich compost. I don't normally grow root plants, so I have been getting good results even in the first year growing tomatoes, for example.

But like I said, I think my hügelkultur raised beds improve over the years due to adding fresh compost every year to top off the loss of soil depth from decomposition of the wood products below.

In my case, I live on a lake and my native sandy soil was terrible for gardening. I had to move to raised beds in order to improve my yields.

Yes, they definitely improve over the years, and my beds started 3' deep, which is part of why they fell as much as they did - but climate is also a huge factor. and I didn't top mine but with a couple inches of improved dirt. My bed is 12' x 4' x 3' high, roughly 150 cu ft, or about 5.5 cu yd. That's a lot of soil...

I'm seriosly considering relocating the rabbit cages over the bed, so they can fill it directly. Just can't get over the idea of pulling fresh veggies from it while they do so, or the cages would be there already.

and my green leafies did great first year - just no root veggies or tomatoes, or peppers. But the chard, kale, broccoli all phenomenal.