Do NOT buy this book! It isn't a book yet. There's 87 pages of stuff, and maybe in the next few months I'll flesh it out a bit. Or maybe it will be years. We'll see.
During my last Kickstarter I offered it as a stretch goal. So I am putting it here for those folks. And, I figure, if somebody is willing to part with 10 bucks then they can look at an unfinished book too.
Format: PDF
No of pages: 87
$10.00
Hugelkultur: The Ultimate Raised-Bed Gardening ebook DRAFT
I skimmed it; most of this info I've heard Paul talk about before. I like the section on toxic cardboard. I've always seen this topic handwaved away "trust me it's toxic." I wonder how much it would cost (or if it's possible) to have a few samples of cardboard tested for various toxins.
Hügelkultur: The Untimate Raised-Bed Gardening ebook DRAFT by Paul Wheaton is a fantastic reference for those interested in dabbling in hugelkultur! It includes notes of what he will be changing/updating in the future. My personal hugelkultur knowledge has doubled after reading it. Paul covers many different shapes, sizes and materials to build your hugel with. Various examples share what works, and why. Numerous projects are cited with relevant information to include in my project that will ensure it's success.
Paul includes a number of topics that clarify the "why" of his instructions. Why build a hugel in this manner? Why use this wood and not that wood? Why does it matter if I use this soil over that soil? Why will I not need irrigation after my first couple years? In this thought-provoking book, Paul encourages us to experiment with our own hugels to find what works best for us...a completely Permaculture way to go!
For anyone who wants to build with hugelkultur, this is a must-have book to learn about hugelkultur and keep for your future reference.
As many of us have heard, many others confuse hugelkulture with permaculture. You know hugelkulture and herb spirals and you’re doing it.
Sadly, some permaculturists with good intentions installed a hugelkulture bed in a demonstration garden in a public place. The only problem is that we are in an arid climate, and it is near impossible to keep it watered.
It’s my opinion that in arid conditions the wood for the hugellkulture needs to be buried underground, then gardened on top of, or as a means of acidifying as well as moisturizing and fertilizing something like blueberries.
I’m hoping this information gets included in your book, so that the dry hugelkulture mound doesn’t get repeated enough times to become a bad example of how not to “hugelkulture”
Thekla McDaniels wrote:As many of us have heard, many others confuse hugelkulture with permaculture. You know hugelkulture and herb spirals and you’re doing it.
Sadly, some permaculturists with good intentions installed a hugelkulture bed in a demonstration garden in a public place. The only problem is that we are in an arid climate, and it is near impossible to keep it watered.
It’s my opinion that in arid conditions the wood for the hugellkulture needs to be buried underground, then gardened on top of, or as a means of acidifying as well as moisturizing and fertilizing something like blueberries.
Thanks
*Yes! I did my first hugelcultur berm two years ago. I dug at least a 18” down, filled it w logs & branches and then mounded leaves & soil on top. Let it sit one year & last year - after getting advice from all you Permies people - I planted it with a real mix of veggies to see what grew best…bush beans, kale, zucchini, pumpkins, tomatoes, milk thistle, peppers.
I agree that the top of the berm dries out & it needed some watering throughout the growing season. But I’m a fan of hugelcultur…it’s fascinating to create one, uses up logs & branches, and seems a healthy place to grow food. HARD work but worth it!
Gaurī Rasp wrote:*Yes! I did my first hugelcultur berm two years ago. I dug at least a 18” down, filled it w logs & branches and then mounded leaves & soil on top. Let it sit one year & last year - after getting advice from all you Permies people - I planted it with a real mix of veggies to see what grew best…bush beans, kale, zucchini, pumpkins, tomatoes, milk thistle, peppers.
I agree that the top of the berm dries out & it needed some watering throughout the growing season. But I’m a fan of hugelcultur…it’s fascinating to create one, uses up logs & branches, and seems a healthy place to grow food. HARD work but worth it!
That is so cool! I'm glad to hear those did to good! I'm slowly building a hugel with fallen branches, old dying sod clumps (with lots of dirt pieces), covering it with some compost, and connecting it to my drip irrigation temporarily (this year, maybe next year). I also have a couple buckets of compost I'll throw on the wood before the sod. We eat ragweed in our salads...because we used to be allergic...so I'm planting that, tomatoes, beans, and a bunch of other stuff to experiment.
I am not American and I can't buy this ebook draft and other products. Is there a work around to this problem in general or should I just ask for other forum members to buy me X product, email it to me and I send them money somehow in return?
I am not American and I can't buy this ebook draft and other products. Is there a work around to this problem in general or should I just ask for other forum members to buy me X product, email it to me and I send them money somehow in return?
Hi Zoltan! Welcome to permies! Are you able to buy pie? If so, you can give me 3 pieces of pie and I will buy the book as a gift and send you the code via purple moosage. Thanks, Tina
I am not American and I can't buy this ebook draft and other products. Is there a work around to this problem in general or should I just ask for other forum members to buy me X product, email it to me and I send them money somehow in return?
Hi Zoltan! Welcome to permies! Are you able to buy pie? If so, you can give me 3 pieces of pie and I will buy the book as a gift and send you the code via purple moosage. Thanks, Tina
Allright, I'll send some pie your way Tina. Thanks for the advice!
Click on the thumbs up for this post if you would support a kickstarter making this book "a real book". About 200 polished pages. Printed (and ebook). Maybe even an audiobook.
I vote for audiobook. Have you listened to/read the book Published by Chandler Bolt?
I think it will fill in the gaps of what you may have been missing in previous books, Paul. Best seller Hugel book!!? I can see it.
Self-publishingschool.com/friend is a free download
Hugelkulture is excellent! I hope the book is a tremendous success.
I frequently come across misconceptions about hugelkulture in the desert.
A raised bed in an arid climate seems entirely inappropriate to me, as it requires MORE water, is almost impossible to maintain adequate moisture. There is erosion down the sides, and plants don’t grow. It’s a bare mound years later. And seems “proof” that permaculture is sketchy st best.
I do hope you will include some reference to where hugelkulture is appropriate and where it isn’t, in your book! A great way to teach the idea that what is best varies according to the local conditions!
In arid regions, the best plan is to bury the wood, dig a hole and fill with wood, then cover over with dirt and or soil. I think a slight depression might even be an improvement on a mound or heap…
I encounter hugelkulture demonstrations that are the traditional mound shape. The good people who installed them read it in a book, heard about it on line, took a class, and there is no way to convince them of the lack of fit.
I feel I am continually beating the same drum. Somehow what people learn first, and from designated experts is what they stick with.
Hugels dont need to be 7ft high, the thing Ive found is to remember that you are trying to recreate a rain forest floor and its many layers of compost. I have had great success in a semi arid environ with shovel dug trenches on contour filled with timber and covered in soil then a quick compost layer of lucerne and poo on top.
As to the drying out of the pile, Ive found that as the mound is being made a lot of effort must be put into eliminating air gaps in and around the timber and the soil must cover all wood to prevent moisture losses.
The other great thing is the north and south sides of the Hugel are two different climate zones, one side grows sweet potato and the other side daisys.
I think that if somebody asks me, I will say "7 feet tall or taller". My favorite hugelkulturs here are 11 or 12 feet tall. And I agree with sepp holzer about a good, well placed, 15 foot tall berm with some hugelkultur flavoring.
Less than 7 feet starts to lose the magic and superpowers of hugelkultur. I suppose there can be a list of other things to compensate, or a bunch of conditions that would mitigate ...
In general, my position is "7 feet minimum". And there will be a lot of people that will hear that and make dismissive hand gestures in my general direction while they proudly make something 2.5 feet tall.
on contour
I generally push for contra-contour. The opposite of on contour. On contour is a breeding ground for frost pockets and, therefore, short growing season. And for me, I want to create a longer growing season.
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I didn't say it. I'm just telling you what this tiny ad said.
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