I have always had trouble growing herbs indoors, mostly due to my inexperience and lack of knowledge. I have read a few threads on here along with external articles about buried wood in pots and I wanted to give it a go with my herbs in mind. My grandparents had this old enamel pot that partially corroded and it seemed perfect for this experiment. I am hesitant to call what I have done here a hügelpot, as I understand this is not true hügelkultur. This is simply an attempt to keep some of the herbs from my garden beds growing through the winter!
My structure and methods are made obvious in the attached photos. My intention was to use the wood to help regulate and distribute moisture, and generally balance the pot's ecosystem. I hope to get some feedback, if you see anything that could be improved or cause concern.
It was raining as I worked outside, so each level was thoroughly soaked. The wood is vertical and stands 1–2 inches below the top layer of soil and buckwheat hulls. I do not know what kind of wood it is.
It has been a few weeks since I transplanted the basil, lemon thyme, and mint (a tangle of stem and roots buried in the space left of the thyme). The plants receive light from south-facing windows for roughly 5/6 hours a day. I have since watered one time: a very small amount into the center of the pot. So far, all the plants seem to be quite happy and the mint has sent out one shoot that is visible. I will happily post progress photos and perhaps the root system once spring comes back around!
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Old enamel pot with slight corrosion where it was dented
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Holes made with hammer and nail
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3/4in layer of soil at bottom
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Food scraps sparsely distributed throughout lower layers
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Tomato stems and brown matter
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Mixed with soil and spaces filled
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Sticks, stems, roots, and leaves
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Crumbling wood chunks
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Coffee grounds, pulverized egg shells, compost, and diluted urine added
Looks good Joshua. I think it will work well. Check the drain holes occasionally. I've had a few similar containers get clogged up after the dirt settles. A thin layer of pea gravel at the bottom seems to help.
Argue for your limitations and they are yours forever.
It has been just under one month since transplanting: I have watered the pot maybe three times total with very little water (roughly one cup each time). All herbs seem to be healthy and adjusting to their new environment!
Here is a photo of the mint's growth since it was first visible ten days ago. It popped up about 5 inches to the right of where the roots were originally placed.
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