Hugelkultur on an existing pile of branches and logs

I have a pile of logs, branches, and some dirt that is around 3 ft / 1 m high by 6.5 ft / 2 m wide by 9 ft / 2.75 m long. I believe it was left by the logging operation that was here before me. I’m looking to build a Hugelkultur hugel, and thought this could be potentially a starting point for one. But i thought of a variety of points i should consider, to decide whether this route to building a hugel could be sub-optimal in any big way.

Here are the questions i came up with, and the answers i came to with a bit of research. I figured this might be a helpful way to seek input from the community, where some of the more basic easily-found answers to my questions are already here. Please let me know if there is anything missing from these answers in your view, or if there are different questions that i should be asking instead.

The two main sources i used to answer my questions were:

https://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/
https://www.growingwithnature.org/build-hugelkultur-bed


Is it important to dig down into the soil layer and lay the first logs of the hugel in direct contact with it?

Some part of the rationale for digging a pit to start laying logs in is that then you have a pile of soil to lay on top of the wood mass later. But i could get dirt and soil elsewhere (more on that below).

Since the pile has been there for years now, and this whole area is patchy wild grass, nothing like a lawn, my guess is that by now the bottom layer of logs is touching soil and decaying plant material.

The conditions at the site seem to be shallow soil, which the [richsoil.com](http://richsoil.com) guide says is the case where you plop down the logs on the ground and add soil on top.


I’ve got a pile of clayey dirt from a digging project, could that be used for cover?

Based on a comment in this thread https://permies.com/t/154266/hugelkultur-clay it might make sense to use it in the bottom parts of the hugel, but i’ll definitely want to source more fertile black soil for the top layer.


What would be the best way to use the soil/dirt from another hole i’d dig to cover?

There are other places around the property where the topsoil is fertile, more black. But i’ll need to dig up lots of it, so i’d want the hole(s) left behind to be useful. My first idea was that the hole could become a mulch pit that greywater and urine get diverted to. Or if i’m pulling less material from a few areas, they could be laid with mulch to become “Pee Here” spots.


Is not having lots of air gaps important?

Sort of seems essential. Even though things will break down and settle over time that could happen very unevenly if there are big air gaps within the pile. So perhaps this is going to need more disassembly and reassembly than i had hoped…


Will i still be able to get a BB for Hugelkultur if i don’t start from scratch?

Seems like i would be able to if i were to document the work i do from this point, and then if i were to help someone else working towards a Hugelkultur BB i could do the initial setup parts i’m skipping over here. Leading them to need to do those parts for someone else, leading to a neverending cycle of more hugels being built mwahaha



~Stray thoughts~

Really appreciate you reading this far.

If you were to do this project, how would you feel about altering the habitat that this pile is currently offering wildlife? Seem to be some birds that like to spend time on and around it.

I’m curious if anyone would have a guess as to why the loggers would section a bunch of logs and pile them up like this.

If I dumped dirt on top of that pile in my climate, it would end up being a very dry hugel. I've written on here about my first hugelculture beds and how terrible they are. The ones I built after are awesome. The way I made them awesome was by making sure there is dirt in between all the pieces of wood. I can't say what would work in your climate, but from reading about other people's problems with hugels, it seems like it's often a case of too much wood, not enough dirt.

Liam, it looks like you certainly have done your homework.

Your pictures show a really lovely place to start a forest garden.

I would look for places that will be close enough to be able to water the hugel beds, then make the beds there. No one ever knows when a drought might happen.

You will also want the placement of the beds close enough so harvesting will be easy.

I love the idea of documenting your work and progress.

Thank you for sharing that bit of experience Jan - the real upside to a "failure" is learning what not to do, and sharing that with others makes their attempt that much easier. I'll be seeking out your hugel thread

Anne - well i guess this is really the spot then, as it's just a stone's throw from the cabin where i cook meals. Now i believe my plan will be to disassemble the pile somewhat before building it up more so i can ensure there's dirt sufficiently integrated in with the wood.

Thanks, yes i'll definitely be starting a thread for that work! Will link to it from here

Here's the thread where the adventure continues: https://permies.com/t/212487/Wood-dirt-pile-Hugelkultur-ongoing