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Hugelkultur

Posted on April 25, 2013

Yup.  A day that actually acted like April.  It was great!

Unfortunately, I spent most of it in the library… but that’s ok.  It didn’t give me much of an opportunity to take photos, however… so instead, I’m going to share an idea that I ran across a couple of weeks ago.

There’s another Wyoming blogger out there who has an AMAZING, and I mean AMAZING, following.  With good reason.  She’s always throwing out great ideas, homesteading, food, make it yourself ideas, etc.

Her blog is The Prairie Homestead and I sneak over there quite often.

A few weeks ago, she mentioned Hugelkultur (possibly on her Facebook page, I can’t remember)  Well, that got me investigating!  I mean, hoogleculture?  What the sam hill is that?

What it is, is a ecosystem solution for drought and arid lands.  In very simple terms, it is using wood as a moisture sponge to hold water for you in the bottom of a trench, berm, or raised bed.  Got old cottonwood logs?  Pile ’em up, throw on some old grass, leaves, cornstalks, whatever ya got, water as you layer on your lasagna (yes, lasagna gardening is a real term) and finish with some soil, seeds, and mulch.

Supposedly, as the wood continues to rot, it feeds whatever you’ve planted… PLUS the soggy spongy wood will hold water through hot, dry summers.  If you build your hugelkultur in a keyhole or U shape, the interior will be protected from wind, have the benefits of the fertile soil breaking down around it, in essence having its own little micro-climate.

Ever since I read about it, I’ve been searching the internet… finding videos and diagrams and articles.

Why do I like this?  Remember, on a good year, Wyoming gets 14″ of rain.  We’ve been in a drought for years… The idea of windbreaks around my garden have been in the back of my mind… even the low tunnel proponents agree wind is the worst culprit in cooling down your plants!  To have something that blocks the wind, holds water, enriches the soil, and can be used as a bed itself for plants… well, that’s just neato all the way around!

Am I going to try it?

I think so.

I want a little more than just a pile, though… I want a plan.  I’m figuring on an L-shaped beginning… with a stump or two for a seat… some upright cool driftwood limb for vines perhaps… I don’t know…

But don’t be surprised if a future post begins with My Hugelkultur’s Here!

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4 thoughts on “Hugelkultur”

  1. Pingback: Hugelkultur Eins |
  2. Jackie R. says:
    May 3, 2013 at 10:17 AM

    Love it! I appreciate the sharing. For many years my hubs cuts up downed limbs into small chunks & just leaves them to rot into our vegetable garden, they do get turned into the clay NC soil twice a year. Over the years our clay soil has turned into dark dirt soil. The Hugelkultur method is a variation I knew hubs would enjoy reading & he did 😀

    Reply
  3. Sarah B. says:
    April 26, 2013 at 7:37 PM

    I saw this on line a few weeks ago and I want to try it…moisture isn’t normally a problem here but I want to start the new garden up on the ‘rock pile’ end of the field where I will have to run a looooonnnnngggg water hose out to. I figured this method would help me build soil up there faster. I have a bunch of dead scotch broom ‘trees’ to use for a base. Just so hard to put the really nice top soil I bought over a bunch of scotch broom!

    Reply
  4. Marilyn says:
    April 26, 2013 at 8:21 AM

    As a gardener, I can “dig” that!!

    Reply

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Carol, Wyoming rancher

Since 2008, I’ve kept this photographic journal of life on a Wyoming ranch.  I share ranch work, my family, crafts and DIY, my English Shepherd, Bravo, and a love for this land.  Enjoy this red dirt country!

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