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Last Updated on August 10 , 2023

Hugel - what ? If you ’ve get word the term “ hugelkultur ” floating around the gardening world but are n’t 100 % sure what it ’s all about , then you ’ve come to the good place ! rent ’s explore hugelkultur : what it is , the benefit it offers , likely drawbacks , the upright Sir Henry Wood and other materials to utilize in hugelkultur , which materials to avoid , and last but not least , how to make a hugelkultur garden layer .

A mound of sticks and tree debris is being piled together by a person.

What is Hugelkultur

Hugelkultur ( pronouncedhoogle - cultureorhoogle - cool - tour ) is apermaculturemethod of make believe garden bed bylayering logs , branch , leaf , and other constituent plant debris with compost and grunge . In German , hugelkultur literally means “ hill culture ” . It has been practiced by natural farmers and gardener around the earth for century .

Traditionally , hugelkultur was primarily used to make mound earthen garden bottom at ground horizontal surface , come to to as hugel beds or “ hugelbeet ” . Yet the conception is apace gaining popularity as a cost - efficacious way to fill raised garden beds , plantation owner boxes , and containers too . peculiarly deep ones !

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Two hugelkultur beds are shown next to each other. The bed on the right is fully finished with half of the soil being covered in straw or sawdust and the bottom has been lined with giant rocks. The bed to the left is under construction as large rounds and logs of wood have been stacked into a semi rectangular shape. Next the rocks will be added to border the bed, followed by soil and compost.

Benefits of Hugelkultur

Potential Drawbacks of Hugelkultur

Does wood in hugelkultur beds steal nitrogen from the soil?

There is a opinion that woody material ( including logs , wood cow chip and branches ) can “ rob ” atomic number 7 from soil . In reality , it does n’t actually take any nitrogen away , but instead makes ittemporarily unavailablefor use by the plant – also referred to asnitrogen whorl . plant life may be stunt as a resultant . woodwind instrument chips cause more noticeable nitrogen lock than large logs since wood chip offer significantly more surface area . Nitrogen ignition lock can last for thefirst couple of yearsin a hugel bed , but then the food becomes available to the plant life again once .

However , it is prosperous to right by addingadequate soiland compost above the woody material for plant to grow in – explicate more to follow . Use mild organic dull - releasefertilizersto supplement extra nitrogen if needed . Growing nitrogen - fixingcover cropsin the off time of year ( such asfava beans , alfalfa , buckwheat or rye ) is another great style to naturally add nitrogen back to the dirt .

Materials to Use in Hugelkultur Garden Beds

What type of wood is best for hugelkultur?

There is definitely some debate about what types of Mrs. Henry Wood to use or obviate in hugelkultur garden bed . There are no firmly degraded “ rule ” . And do n’t forget : the point in time is to make exercise of imagination that are pronto available to you !

Overall , hardwoods are idealfor hugelkultur . Logs from hardwood trees – including oak , apple , beech , alder , maple , sweetgum , ash , poplar and acacia – will decompose tardily and therefore supply nutrients to your hugel layer over a longer geological period of time . Yet indulgent woods such as pine , spruce , or fir will break down and exhaust nutrients more quickly , giving everything a boost from the get - go ! So , you could surely practice both . ( But we ’ll talk more about pine below . )

For the best results , employ avariety of tree typesand also a combining offresh and already - rottingwood in a hugelkultur bed . Decaying wood will immediately begin to release nutrient and also vaccinate the grease with beneficial germ and fungi . Meanwhile , refreshful wood will be there to bear out your works over the long haul .

A raised garden bed has been filled with wood logs, a wheelbarrow sits next to the bed full of smaller sticks.

Materials to Avoid in Hugel Beds

Have you ever noticed that works do n’t develop well under some Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ? Most permaculture resource recommend toavoid Mrs. Henry Wood fromallelopathic trees , or those that emit phytochemicals to inhibit or even kill competing industrial plant life around them .

coarse example of allelopathic trees let in opprobrious walnut ( the most ill-famed ) as well as eucalyptus , sugar maple , sycamore , red oak , black locust , pepper , manzanita , American elm , and some pine specie . However , all of these trees are allelopathic tovarying degree ! Even more , they may only let out growth - inhibiting chemicals from certain parts of the tree , such as the roots or leaf litter only .

This guide from The University of Georgiabreaks down various allelopathic trees into “ hard ” , “ restrained ” and “ slight ” category and also denotes what part of the tree diagram express allelopathy . reference the guide , it ’d be saucy to avoid logs and branches from tree that express moderate to strong allelopathy in their “ rls ” ( rootage , leaf , and stem ) pathways . I would n’t be as concerned about those that utter it in their ascendent alone . likewise , avoid using leaf bedding material from trees where that ’s the main nerve pathway .

A lush garden with various plants growing, the mound is slightly higher than the ground and has hay or straw covering its surface.

Do n’t use pitch-black locust because it will not decompose . Cedar and redwood also are n’t the best selection due to their high degree of tannic acid and natural rot - immunity . Last but not least , be sure that any species prostrate to suckering orsprouting(e.g . willow ) are fully bushed and wry before adding it to your hugel bed .

Can you use pine wood or pine needles in hugelkultur?

Yes , pine tree is o.k. to utilise in hugel beds ! Especially in moderation ( desegregate with other wood types ) and/or if it has been good dried and aged . Certain pine species are mildly to moderately allopathic , though in some instances that ’s attributed to their needle rather than the wood itself .

Pine needle are known to be very acidulous ( with pH of 3.8 ) and therefore are often avoided for hugelkultur or compost . However , it ’s a rampantgarden myththat pine needles make soil more acidic!The University of New Hampshireclarifies that “ pine needle themselves are acidic but do not have the capacity to appreciably glower the grime pH ” . As pine needle decompose , they ’re gradually neutralized by organism in the soil .

How to Make a Hugel Bed (or Fill Raised Garden Beds Hugelkultur-Style)

Whether you ’re creating a traditional mounded hugel layer or filling a raise garden layer ( planter box ) hugelkultur - style , start with thelargest , most dumb material on the bottom . get down with logs and soapbox first , then layer in smaller branches and twig , followed by leaves or straw . Finally , top it all off with several inches of well - mature compost and grease .   Experts advocate comprise a small amount of soil and compost tofill voidsthroughout the intimate layer as well .

It ’s of import to provideat least 6 inches of soil(I advocate 10 - 12 inches ) on top of the woody material . This offers equal space for roots to mature and plants to thrive , especially in other year before the under - layers start to decompose . So , take that into thoughtfulness when fill raised garden bed or plantation owner boxes . For instance , if your planter boxes are only a foot tall , append a jolly shallow level of woody material at the bottom of the seam . The hugelkultur method acting is most helpful when bring up beds are 16 inches or deeper .

In the “ soil ” stratum , combine about40 % topsoil , 40 % compost and 20 % aeration additive – such as ⅜ ” lava rock , pumice , perlite , coarse sand , Sir Tim Rice hulls , coco coir or peat moss . However , high - quality potting land already hold in plenty of aeration fixings and perhaps some compost too . In that case , align your ratios consequently ( e.g. 70 % pot grease plus 30 % compost ) .

The top of a hugelkultur bed is visible amongst the blanket of snow surrounding it. The microbial activity of the bed is much higher than the surrounding area which creates more heat.

To create traditional mounded hugel bed , you may pile materials right at ground - level . Or , dig a shallow depression or trench ( the sizing of the layer ) to fill . Add the grunge removed from the trench to the top of the hill at the end . To define the bed shape and add up dimension , practice branches along all sides to make a approximate “ frame ” . Some permaculturists also use large rock’n’roll around the edges .

And that concludes this lesson on hugelkultur gardens.

A large, mounded hugelkultur bed that has various vegetables growing in it. It has been built alongside a fence and the bed looks to stand at least 4 feet tall.

A diagram showing a cartoon hugel bed at different stages of its life and the effect on the plants growing in it. Each month or year that passes, the plantings become large with time and become one with the bed.

A large rectangular mound of large rounds of wood, logs, sticks, and pine needles. Next, soil or compost will be added to the mound until the wood is fully covered.

An image of a tree and the different routes that allelopathy from trees can occur from root exudation, leaf and litter decomposition, leaching from precipitation, and microbial transformation from decaying tree material.

A two part image collage, the first image shows a trench dug into the earth, the second image shows the beginning of a hugelkultur mounded bed. A man stands next to a trench that has been filled with various sticks and pieces of wood. Surrounding the area are rows of growing crops and trees.

A mounded raised bed lined with large rocks. There are a few plants growing on one side of the mounded bed.

A raised wooden garden bed starting to be filled with debris hugelkultur style. Some large rounds and chunks of oak are on the bottom of the bed, next will be smaller sticks and debris.

A newly built wooden raised garden bed filled with logs and bigger pieces of oak on the bottom with smaller sticks layered on top. The raised bed is filled roughly 2/3rds of the way with wood.

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