I built my first
hugel this summer. I was so happy with the results, and excited to see what came next. I planted pumpkins and they did amazingly well at first. Then things went down hill, the leaves started turning yellow and the
pests came. I don't know why this happened, could be lots of reasons, but I forgot the
water on one evening, and didn't discover it until the next evening, so I believe I probably washed away most of the nitrogen, and other nutrients I put into the soil. Before I found out if I was going to be able to fix the problem the
chickens dug the hugel to the top
wood layer. Since then I have lost count of how many times I have put the soil layer back on top of my hugel. I even made a
chicken yard, so the
chickens could be out without access to my hugel. Put the soil back on my hugel and planted bush peas, and threw in some chrysanthemums I have rooted from cutting. Finally I was going to get my
hugelkultur established.
The chickens can get out. Once those little buggers figured out they can fly, there is no stopping them. I keep adding things to the
fence, and gate, but so far the rooster and a hen or two get out a couple times a week.
Last night I went to see if I could see pea sprouts emerging yet, and I find a bare hugel. The only thing that seems to withstand the chickens are the two lavender plants (I planted them when I first planted the pumpkins. For some reason the chickens don't mess with them.) Part of me thinks the universe in sending me a message, I'm just not meant to have a hugelkultur. I'm just to stubborn for that. I don't know how I will keep those (insert curse word of your choice) chickens off my hugel, but I will find a way. Hind sight is 20/20. Before I fenced the chickens in, a 4'
fence kept them out of my veggie garden, now they get into that too. If only I had just fenced the hugel, instead of the chickens. There is a part of me, the tired and broke part of me that says give up, but so far the part of me that loves to garden, and can't wait to see what the hugel will do that says keep going! I think it might be hard to hold my head up if I can't out smart a chicken.