We are in the process of installing a food forest at a school in Cripple Creek Colorado (elevation 9440'). To mitigate our high winds, we are surrounding the whole area with 6' hugelbeds. We will have roughly 3000 square feet of hugelbeds to plant. I'm hoping to utilize it as a way for students to earn scholarship money--which can be used for
permaculture courses, adventurous educational endeavors and standard academic paths. We probably won't be able to plant anything this summer until late July. I have tons of questions, but I'm going to try to hone it down to the most pertinent for this
project. Thanks for any help you can provide!
-In order to keep wind-blockage to a maximum as the pile shrinks, I want to put
perennial shrubs/plants on the top of the hugelbeds. Can I do this the first year or do I have to wait for the pile to settle before planting perennials? Plants I'm contemplating for the tops--Jerusalem Artichoke, Siberian
Pea Shrub, Raspberry, Serviceberry, Comfrey, Rhubarb, Maxmillian Sunflowers... Any recommendations are appreciated.
-The hugelbeds won't have the soil on them until probably mid-July which means we only have about a month (or so) of growing season left.
Should we plant a cover crop or should I just mulch for the winter? If a cover crop, what kind? Probably some heavy nitrogen fixers and erosion-controllers with our heavy rains...
Thanks for any input.
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