This is a short video from a workshop two weeks ago. The general idea is that if you build your raised bed with a lot of wood in it, you should be able to go the whole summer without irrigating or fertilizing.
http://www.youtube.com/paulwheaton12#p/u/0/sp_IObIkInQ
I have to check that one out. I had one Swiss chard last summer make it through the entire season with no water over an area I had filled.
Wow - excellent video and ideas, Paul. Thanks. I am going to be starting that this year and do my own experiment with it. :)
Thanks for posting it.
I think the loss of nitrogen the first few years can be combated by adding --- gasp --- commercial nitrogen -- or if you want to feel better, chicken manure with the wood. That will also make the wood break down into compost much faster.
I usually mulch with a bit of hay the first year. That's usually plenty to compensate for nitrogen losses.
A friend saw the video from two days ago and emailed me to say that he
made something like that ten years ago. And here is a video of his
ten year old hugelkultur bed:
http://www.youtube.com/paulwheaton12#p/u/0/lWaEEdB6GZM
Thanks, Paul. Great to see that it works.
I think I will use the brush I pull out for fire safety and compost it this way instead of burning it. I am getting ready to create a new garden area down the hill on one of my terraces soon so will incorporate a lot of woody material into it. My mountain is all clay and rock so moisture in it disappears pretty quickly in the summer but in areas that I have put manure and straw into I am getting a much better garden this year.
The terraces also help greatly to increase water retention rather than letting it run down the hill in the winter. If that water fed into a wood filled raised bed to store for summer I think it could be even better.
Glenn, do you think it would work better if you chipped up your brush?
I was thinking about that and I think it would. Things should break down faster -
I would also add topsoil from a better part of my property.
Chicken manure would be an ideal source of nitrogen to go with the wood and break it down fast. I studied up on composting quite a bit when I had 210,000 lbs of horse manure here a few years back.
I do happen to have an FMC "chuck and duck" wood chipper here with a 318 Dodge engine. Very Scary. [scared]
It will take an oak tree around 6 inches in diameter if you can carry it. I brought it up here a few months back but haven't started it up yet.
You have to be careful not to get traped between it and a limb attached to a tree going through or you will go through - no safeties. [ouch]
Interesting!
However, I would think that the stumps would invite Termites on to ones property...
Termites are everywhere - they are part of the process of breaking down the wood and taste mighty fine roasted I understand... [waiting]
Quote"Termites as Nature's Ally
Food Value for Humans
But are they all that? Pests? Termites are not all that bad. They are one of the few insects that can feed on wood. They play a major part in soil ecology by breaking down dead trees and giving back nutrients to the soil.
They serve another purpose too. Since termites are a good source of protein and fat, people have figured out their food value. A lot of cultures have recipes for cooking and eating termites. Delicious!
I believe everything has a reason and a purpose. These so called pests serve its purpose for nature and humans alike."
http://www.squidoo.com/the-truth-about-termites
(http://images.lightstalkers.org/images/265996/Ke_05_In_1_054.jpg)
Kenia - Mama with roasted Termites
http://www.lightstalkers.org/images/show/265996
I have some old slash piles on my place. This may be a great way to make a level garden on a hill and eliminate the fire hazard of old slash piled up. Great ideal..
Hugelkultur bed 8)
I made terraces for my trees with a berm on the low side of the hill using the existing top soil leaving a depression on the high side to capture water and serve as a road. I think this depression would be a good place to build the bed to hold the water longer and to plant in.
OK - got 'er done and posted on Paul's website since it is a good place to learn more about the techniques.
http://www.permies.com/bb/index.php?topic=17.msg40357#msg40357
And now for the grand finale: it works!
A lush garden in the fall; zero irrigation; look at the dried up brown hillsides in the background:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sso4UWObxXg
So now we are taking it to the next level.
Not only are we going to create a 3-DVD set with hugelkultur, ponds and other earthworks, but we are going to make a 15 minutes documentary on hugelkultur. for one dollar.
This is all on the kickstarter. This is also the last chance to get your name plastered inside the videos if this is what you are into.
Please support my kickstarter! http://kck.st/1jtmswG
Paul
How soon will the DVD set be ready ?
We are ready to start on our permaculture homestead this year after finally getting the house done
We are using Sepp Holzer, Ben Falk and P A Yeomans books for guidance on our Wisconsin farm -- your DVD set looks like it will be an excellent addition
also, what do you think of this as it relates to ponds etc
http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=13571.0
thanks in advance
The DVDs should be ready in june.
We recorded additional footage at the original site on monday. Geoff Lawton was there to add his critique as well as Neil Bertrando. We will re-do the whole workshop starting this friday - complete with a film crew, a 12 ton excavator and a 32 ton excavator.
Some people have requested to get the dvds when the kickstarter people get theirs and we set this up: http://www.permies.com/forums/posts/list/160/31830#258876
When the DVDs are available to the general public, we will announce them on the daily-ish email at: http://richsoil.com/email