Green wood in hugels

I made my first hugel! Well, started. It’s pretty big, but not super well constructed. I am building my house this summer so I had an excavator out on site with someone else operating it. I had to cut down some live cottonwood trees to make space for my building site. I made a pile of logs, dumped 18” of soil on it, another pile of logs, then soil again. Quick and dirty, because this summer is about building the house, not the garden.

A few of the logs that I did not bury are starting to leaf out… after some research I see that cottonwoods do this and more.

I fully expect cottonwood trees to start growing up out of the hugels.

Is this a bad thing? Seems like it could be a good thing. More biomass, more to chop and drop. I would think that eventually after many chop and drops the tree would finally die and donate it’s biomass and root structure to the good of the hugel.

Is this accurate?

I now know that it is better to bury older, punky wood rather than fresh green wood.

I will start by saying that I am not a hugelkultur expert. In fact I have never made one, but I have read a lot and watched a lot of youtube. I don't think the green logs will be that much of a problem. I think they will take longer to break down, and you suspect, you will probably get some sprouts. I think you are on the right track... it just might take a little longer for the core to break down than normal.

If cottonwood is anything like willow you might regret not digging them up right now... In my experience willow can survive chop and drop for years. Especially when buried. Yes the roots will keep the hugel together but they will also consume water and nutrients instead of retaining/ creating. I always allow willow to die off/ dry vertically for at least a year to prevent regrowth. If only the tiniest part of fillow touches the ground it will def leaf out.

As long as you keep up with the chopping and the dropping, the thermodynamics of the situation means it will die. But if you let it slide a year, it could really set you back.

I'm on year eight of consistently chopping my willows to the ground 3 times a year or so, with zero apparent trouble for the willow. Thermodynamics be damned, willows are full of necromantic energy, and when killed - they rise again.

Cottonwood is taxonomically a close willow adjacent. I wouldn't anticipate it dying.

That said - cottonwood is amazing medicine, great fire board, fabulous carving, lovely baskets, and decent firewood. It's a tree I cultivate on my homestead.