Surprising Krater Garden update

I've basically done nothing with my krater gardens for years. Nothing has been intentionally planted in them as our ground squirrel population got completely out of control and they were killing everything. We got cats. Pluses and minuses there but that's for another post. I bought a colossal chestnut tree and planted it in the bottom of one of my kraters yesterday and I was SHOCKED at what I was digging in there. At least 3 inches of rich black dirt is in the bottom of my kraters. There were WORMS. I've never dug a worm up on my property before. Sad, I know. I didn't have a camera but I have some more things to plant and when I dig my next krater I'll get pics for ya'll. All the detritus of years has been just sitting untouched in those kraters and it's been amazing!

I am also trying a crater garden. How deep was yours and how deep was your added amount of mulch and organic matter?

Skyler Weber wrote:I am also trying a crater garden. How deep was yours and how deep was your added amount of mulch and organic matter?

I have permission to build a 20' diameter krater up to 3' deep. I didn't put any mulch in it. I planted various things and over time they mulched themselves.

Some pics. I planted trees/bushes I dug up from my work in the kraters. One in each. The soil of each krater varies wildly.

There was one krater that I couldn't dig a hole in, the soil was so HARD. It did have stuff growing in it but it's not doing as well as the others. Very hard and rocky soil in it.

Another krater already had a peach tree in it already so I didn't bother planting in there. I have 3 kraters left to do.

So did the chestnut survive? What variety? Any of the other trees or bushes survive? Also, what are you planning on doing with the krater now?

Skyler Weber wrote:So did the chestnut survive? What variety? Any of the other trees or bushes survive? Also, what are you planning on doing with the krater now?

I'll let you know next year. I just planted them.