How to Build a Hügelkultur
A Hügelkultur is simply a raised, layered, mounded garden area. It is most often used for planting vegetables, but it can be used for flowers or other decorative plants. The distinctive feature of a Hügelkultur is the use of primarily woody material—large logs and various sized branches and twigs.
To begin building a Hügelkultur, place large logs on the ground or in a shallow trench. Using partially rotted wood is highly recommended.
Cover the logs with layers of carbon-rich “brown” organic matter and layers of nitrogen-rich “green” organic matter until the desired height of the Hügelkultur is reached. Materials that can be used include twigs and branches, compost, straw, paper, kitchen scraps, leaves, manure, and grass clippings. Finish with a layer of dirt and a layer of mulch.
The Hügelkultur can be planted immediately, or it can be left to rest for several months. If planted immediately, keep in mind that some settling will occur, and plants requiring high nitrogen should not be planted in the first year.
Advantages to using a Hügelkultur include: allows for gardening over poor soil, uses woody material (rather than burning), increases surface area for planting, increases soil fertility (no need for fertilizer), decreases the need for watering, and increases yields.
Give it a try!
“Hügelkultur is basically just woody debris covered in sod and soil to imitate what happens on the forest floor.” ecologiadesign.com
Hügelkultur sources:
awaytogarden.com
craftthyme.com
gardenopoliscleveland.org
greentumble.com
hgtv.com
permaculture.co.uk
ruralsprout.com
thenaturallifeproject.com
To begin building a Hügelkultur, place large logs on the ground or in a shallow trench. Using partially rotted wood is highly recommended.
Cover the logs with layers of carbon-rich “brown” organic matter and layers of nitrogen-rich “green” organic matter until the desired height of the Hügelkultur is reached. Materials that can be used include twigs and branches, compost, straw, paper, kitchen scraps, leaves, manure, and grass clippings. Finish with a layer of dirt and a layer of mulch.
The Hügelkultur can be planted immediately, or it can be left to rest for several months. If planted immediately, keep in mind that some settling will occur, and plants requiring high nitrogen should not be planted in the first year.
Advantages to using a Hügelkultur include: allows for gardening over poor soil, uses woody material (rather than burning), increases surface area for planting, increases soil fertility (no need for fertilizer), decreases the need for watering, and increases yields.
Give it a try!
“Hügelkultur is basically just woody debris covered in sod and soil to imitate what happens on the forest floor.” ecologiadesign.com
Hügelkultur sources:
awaytogarden.com
craftthyme.com
gardenopoliscleveland.org
greentumble.com
hgtv.com
permaculture.co.uk
ruralsprout.com
thenaturallifeproject.com