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Zone 3 inside-out hugelkultur?

 
Posts: 68
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
25
6
kids hugelkultur forest garden plumbing urban building
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I had a rotten tree in my front yard that absolutely had to come down before it fell on someone. The stump was so rotten that it looked like a planter so I filled it with a 50/50 mix of homemade compost and top soil. I planted an asparagus, strawberry and tomato (because I had a spare that one of the kids started). I also seeded for white clover, creeping thyme, apple tree and borage. A neighbor walked by and called it a "tree garden". I hope that as the plants get bigger and the stump rots it will not be an eye sore. With luck an apple tree will sprout and make a nice shade/fruit tree. The rest of the wood went into a proper hugelkultur mound.
20210703_170335.jpg
Empty stump
Empty stump
20210703_173518.jpg
Planted and mulched
Planted and mulched
20210716_161700.jpg
2 weeks later
2 weeks later
 
pioneer
Posts: 91
Location: North Texas, Zone 8a, Black Clay
10
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Cool. Looks like you left a small trunk growing off the side? Or is that a completely different tree?

I would be concerned about an apple tree growing faster than the stump rots and potentially becoming root bound and top heavy. Also, if the apple tree did grow and the stump did rot, eventually wouldn't you end up with an apple tree with an above ground root system?

Not trying to be negative, just thinking about what could happen long term. I guess you could always build a tall "raised bed" box around the stump which might solve for the apple root system, and if you did it now you would also be rotting the stump from the inside and outside.
 
Rex Reeves
Posts: 68
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
25
6
kids hugelkultur forest garden plumbing urban building
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Yes, that trunk was the healthiest part of the tree so I left it for now to be a nursery canopy but if it shows signs of rot I'll remove it too.

I hadn't considered root binding an issue as tree roots break underground pipes and stone. And the tree was rotten right into the soil so there appeared to be plenty of room. I am planning on mulching around and on the stump yearly to eventually get to a mound and adding guild plants as I can. Baby steps.

I am open to criticism. I have been studying permaculture on and off for years and have been gardening for  the last seven or so but this year I finally have my own place and the freedom to do whatever I want. As long as the local zoning people don't come knocking. I have used and built planters but they end up being more work than anything.
20210703_173531.jpg
[Thumbnail for 20210703_173531.jpg]
 
gardener & hugelmaster
Posts: 3698
Location: Gulf of Mexico cajun zone 8
1975
cattle hugelkultur cat dog trees hunting chicken bee woodworking homestead ungarbage
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It's hard to say about what the apple will do long term but the veggies will probably do well. I did that once with a pumpkin & a tomato. Worked great.
 
Rex Reeves
Posts: 68
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
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Late September update.
The tomato is doing well and so is the asparagus. The strawberry is poorly but it has been shaded all summer. Soil is sinking a bit but I'll top it off with compost and mulch before winter. No sign of any apple seedlings but borage and clover did sprout
20210924_173456.jpg
Sept 24, 2021
Sept 24, 2021
20210924_173528.jpg
Not quite ripe yellow pear
Not quite ripe yellow pear
 
Dinner will be steamed monkey heads with a side of tiny ads.
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