Kelly Green

My mistake with both my hugelbeds was to not put enough soil on top. The one started last year is finally able to grow a nice crop of peas, so will improve as I finesse it.
The second one I'm still tweaking. Again, I don't think there was enough soil and it may have also been a bit steep sided.

I have photos posted on one of the other threads of the beginnings.
There are ones from this year on my camera and I'll post them as soon as I can get around to it.

My next attempt will be better and the next, better still.

I do not have new photos of the bed I posted a few months ago, but there are peas growing in it, so progress is being made. The hugelbeet I made last year also has peas growing on it. They're doing better than the newer bed.

Having made two of these, I can see the things I've done not quite right, and what I will do differently with the next one. For instance, if I am going to make it high I need to make it a bit wider. Practice and experience, successes and failures are all good teachers!

I do have a question on pronunciation.
At a conference in my town last weekend I was talking to a guy who does permaculture design. I mentioned my hugelbeets and pronounced it 'hoogle'. He told me it is pronounced 'hagle' with a long a sound.

Can someone please tell me the proper pronunciation of hugelbeet or huglekultur or huglebed? This bothers me more than it should, but I would like to know.

This weekend I will try to get an updated photo posted.

M Troyka wrote:Spring would be awesome for peas. Also, I wonder if I could grow hazelnuts here, I love hazelnuts :X

I think so. According to the Arbor Day site they grow in zones 4-9.

I will definitely post progress reports and photos.

Probably would work if you threw enough dirt on top for the roots to get hold in. I don't know that, though. Just guessing.

You can't really tell from the photo, but it ended up being a little over four feet high. I have to make my stuff fit in my limited space.

It sure would be fun to get out in a big space with a backhoe and front end loader and lots of wood!

In a couple of weeks five little hazelnut trees from the Arbor Day Foundation will be arriving. Gotta get their space ready!
I know they have nothing to do with Hugelkultur.....but I'm so excited I had to share that!

This also has nothing to do with Hugelkulture, but I had 142 pounds of pecans from one old native pecan. Picked them up from the cracker's yesterday. I know what I'll be doing in the evenings.

Well. It isn't really right, but it's much better than the first attempt. Ha!
I didn't have any sod, but I put the soil I dug out back on top, then scattered a bunch of alfalfa seeds on top since I had those on hand.

I'm thinking in early spring it would be good to plant peas. Yes?

Hope the photo thing works. I tend to forget how it's done!

I forgot to say that I think both Irene's and Jay's photos are wonderful.

I live in wheat country, so I use a lot of straw, not only for pathways, but everywhere! I just let it grow in some spots.
It crowds out weeds and dies later on, making a nice layer of organic stuff.

My 'homestead' is very small, slightly under an acre. I am a 60 year old female who has been single (by choice) for 10 years. My 80 year old mom (widowed) lives in a separate house on the same property. We have always gardened, but have only been reading on this site and making changes in the past year.

I don't have ramps to my house, but I did have porches added and the steps made with shorter heights and wider treads to make it easier for whoever needs it now and may need it in the future.

It is baby steps to permaculture in the yard and garden, but I am taking them and I hope to stay here forever.
There are several old pecan trees here and I am going to plant hazelnuts this fall. I have two hugelbeets in the works. Lots to do, but I love doing it.

There are grown kids and lots of grandkids around the area, so I will be able to get help with any heavy lifting. But for now, I do it all, and in good health. And I am ever so grateful for that!
Hopefully one or more of the younger generation will get it and carry on with this place.

I went back to page one and started reading this thread again to refresh my memory. It will take me a couple of days or so to complete because my poor ole brain begins to misfire with too much information at once.
Good to know the 'green' can be omitted from the hugelkultur bed and go to the compost pile.