Hey all,
I have a small
yard that's only been growing 2 things since I got here, Bermuda grass and palm
trees, both of which I consider useless and both want my expensive California
water. As my water bill is $135 every other month BEFORE they add the water cost that I actually use, and we average 11 inches of rain each year here... I'm hoping to improve my soil by adding organic matter. Perhaps I could solve several issues at the same time, by cutting down the palm trees and burying them under what little soil I have, and continue adding the free
compost I can pick up from the
city?
I've heard from a landscaper that the palms don't decompose well, so they tend to not put their cuttings in the green recycling. But if it takes longer to break down in the soil I don't
think that would be such an issue for
Hugelkultur beds, so long as they eventually do and also help retain moisture along the way. So far the first baby steps have included scraping back the few inches of topsoil next to the patio, tossing some palm trimmings that I had in, and then tossing the soil back over along with a load of
compost. That was followed by putting together a small
raised bed made from cedar and corner supports held in place with
rebar. That bed was filled with chopped up dead bushes I had out front, and then covered with another load of
compost.
So phase 3 would be more significant by removing the palm trees if they could be used effectively. Being massive they would certainly add a lot of material to the ground, and removing them would increase the water in the soil for other plants. Haas avocado trees do well here, and getting
fruit for 10 months of the year would be great. They like a well-drained soil, so if I can build up the yard a bit and then plant the tree where it can get to the water that would be great. My only current source of organic matter is picking up compost that's made by the city, and perhaps I divert some liquid fertilizer that I currently flush away with my drinking water.
The starting soil condition: dry, full of dormant Bermuda, patrolled by the faithful hound
A few cuttings tossed in (I know it's not Hugelkulture), which later had compost added
Chopped up bushes from the front were piled into a raised bed
The bed made from cedar boards, I dug into the existing soil a bit them added carbon and compost
So if anyone has any tips regarding the use of palm trees in Hugel beds I'd appreciate that feedback. The trunks are about 12-14" in diameter and 20-25' in height plus the
canopy of big leaves. I have 3 in the back and 2 in the front strip between sidewalk and street. I'm thinking the tough outer husk on the trunk would really impair the process, so perhaps I saw the trunks down the middle to expose the insides? Or I could buck the trunks real short to expose more cut ends?