HugelKulture- Mound Garden

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
don't beat yourself up man, you did alright, i'd add something to that mix to lighten it up a lil, it's gonna be some strong stuff.
I'd let it chill for a bit though, in case it's a lil hot still, do you feel any heat coming off the soil?
I bet it'll work just fine, a lil extra nitrogen can't hurt much when you have chunks of wood to help utilize it a bit
I used a thermometer and it read 110F! I have an old school rotor tiller and I can just make a bed directly in the ground.. There are a few things that like my acidic sandy loam soil. I can grow berries and squash. There are a few other things that love my soil, but I will be limited. I think that I may have to wait until fall for my raised beds. I read that hugel beds will provide heat for winter crops, I was looking at kale.
 

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
I used a thermometer and it read 110F! I have an old school rotor tiller and I can just make a bed directly in the ground.. There are a few things that like my acidic sandy loam soil. I can grow berries and squash. There are a few other things that love my soil, but I will be limited. I think that I may have to wait until fall for my raised beds. I read that hugel beds will provide heat for winter crops, I was looking at kale.
yea, all that manure is still composting... for acidic soil you can add a BUNCH of reg compost, not anything with nutrients in it, just as much humus as you can get, biochar, oyster flour, crab meals, all those will help counter your acidity. Just think like a cannabis made soil, you want something that can keep the soil ph in a good area.
Shit i'd go and buy me four different blueberry strains and have at it! That acidic soil will be perfect for blueberries.. and if you grow them well you can totally sell them for good money.
Problem is they go bad super fast, like blackberries or boysenberries...
 

DonBrennon

Well-Known Member
@DonBrennon Come talk to me about your mound garden! What did you use to top off your beds? I used leaves from the chipper then compost.
The mulch is the only part I cheated with, I used a 'bagged' product, but I actually visit the farm it's made on to buy it and it's pure gold, it's called 'muckers mulch', it's made from composted manures and forest wastes, it's cheaper than buying straw and tends to stay put even on the angled surface
 

DonBrennon

Well-Known Member
I found a nice thread about making biochar. I have an abundance of wood around me and I could use biochar in my potting soil and garden beds. It looks easy! I found a 15gal & 55gal metal drums that I could use.

http://www.holon.se/folke/carbon/simplechar/simplechar.shtml
That's very similar to mine............I've been wondering how to use the heat wasted, just take the chimney off and cook on it........easy lol.
I like the idea of a char topdress to deter snails too, could also provide other benefits too, if well charged
 

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
The mulch is the only part I cheated with, I used a 'bagged' product, but I actually visit the farm it's made on to buy it and it's pure gold, it's called 'muckers mulch', it's made from composted manures and forest wastes, it's cheaper than buying straw and tends to stay put even on the angled surface
The compost that I used was $10 for the trailer lol...
That's very similar to mine............I've been wondering how to use the heat wasted, just take the chimney off and cook on it........easy lol.
I like the idea of a char topdress to deter snails too, could also provide other benefits too, if well charged
DSC00309.JPG
I might have to do a pit style to burn the rest of my firewood! I helped a friend cut a HUGE tree in his yard, I believe that it was oak.
 

MustangStudFarm

Well-Known Member
The mulch is the only part I cheated with, I used a 'bagged' product, but I actually visit the farm it's made on to buy it and it's pure gold, it's called 'muckers mulch', it's made from composted manures and forest wastes, it's cheaper than buying straw and tends to stay put even on the angled surface
I hope that you get your land back!
 
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