Clay, shade, neighbor’s Norway maples.....we’ll work it out.
Daniel Ackerman wrote:Great thread! I’ll be watching with interest. Do you have any plans to channel runoff from elsewhere into the hugel? I’m thinking about a bed that’s at the top of our property, and right next to the sidewalk, and trying to decide if it’s worth running a trench from my downspouts, or if a hugel will retain enough water. Since it would be quite close to our (busy) sidewalk, mine would also be of a sunken design.
D
Some places need to be wild
Eric Hanson wrote:Kc,
Very nice project you have going there! I like the way you are combining several processes all at once. I especially like the fact that you are combining mushrooms to the project, if it were me, I would add in wine cap mushrooms as they really eat the wood quickly and leave behind a nice, rich bedding material when they are done. But even without going to wine caps this is nicely done. Please let us know how things work out for you!
Eric
Some places need to be wild
Visit Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil
How permies.com works: https://permies.com/wiki/34193/permies-works-links-threads
Jay Angler wrote:KC, even if the potatoes aren't edible, the plants may be doing a lot to condition the soil. The roots will be holding the soil and encouraging the microbiome. So long as you aren't counting on the spuds for food, you won't have lost anything in the long term! As Eric mentioned above in his post - it's amazing what happens given time and working to build soil.
Visit Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil
How permies.com works: https://permies.com/wiki/34193/permies-works-links-threads
Argue for your limitations and they are yours forever.
Ah! Location, location, location - or the permies version, "the problem is the solution". My question will be, how does the mass of tubers compare to the other beds that got more sun. I tend to find that it is the west sun that often does more harm than good. Many plants are very happy with morning sun. It dries the dew off and warms them up for the day without roasting them.The afternoon shade it gets that worried me a few months ago has now become a positive attribute since potatoes don't like it too hot, and the afternoon sun really sucks the moisture out of the soil & leaves.
Visit Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil
How permies.com works: https://permies.com/wiki/34193/permies-works-links-threads
Jay Angler wrote:Kc Simmons wrote:
Ah! Location, location, location - or the permies version, "the problem is the solution". My question will be, how does the mass of tubers compare to the other beds that got more sun. I tend to find that it is the west sun that often does more harm than good. Many plants are very happy with morning sun. It dries the dew off and warms them up for the day without roasting them.The afternoon shade it gets that worried me a few months ago has now become a positive attribute since potatoes don't like it too hot, and the afternoon sun really sucks the moisture out of the soil & leaves.
. . . bathes in wood chips . . .
Anne Pratt wrote:
Here in my new house in Vermont, while I don't have serious clay (in most areas), total sand, or some other soil disaster, I have built my raised beds on dirt left after a construction project. It is hopeless stuff, a happy home for occasional tufts of bermuda grass and some other random undesirables. So any description of creative soil-building gets my rapt attention. My raised beds have rotten wood on the bottom, chicken bedding, leaf mold, and more-or-less compost layered above. They produced quite well last year, and we have added three more this year. But I am also adding fruit trees, berry bushes, a Jerusalem artichoke bed, and making a food forest this year, so the hunger for soil continues unabated.
. . . bathes in wood chips . . .
They gave me pumpkin ice cream. It was not pumpkin pie ice cream. Wiping my tongue on this tiny ad:
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https://permies.com/t/204719/Plans-Pebble-Style-Rocket-Mass
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