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Mechanically Stabilized Earth - for hugelkultur, earthworks, & natural building

 
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About twice or three times a year, usually when talking about hugelkultur and how to make a nice steep slope, I reference this video about adding structure to earth to increase the structural integrity while also increasing the angle of repose.  

Figure it needs its own thread so it's not so hard to find.

The idea for hugels is that you can jab sticks and stuff that you're already mulching with into the soil in the side of the hugel to hold the loose stuff together while the roots are growing into place.  Eventually, by the time your sticky bits break down, it will hold itself together pretty well and only need minor periodic maintenance.  

I think there are also some good images of this sort of thing in the Berm Shed movie.

 
Beau M. Davidson
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Pearl had a great idea to make a chart of sorts of the kinds of materials that work well, and maybe various properties of the materials on the other axis.  I don't know of one that exists, but we could make one and add it.

What do y'all use?  I'll start.


materialsturdinesssizedecomposition speed
Hardwood SticksExceptionalVariousSlowly
Softwood SticksGoodVarious1-2 Seasons
Stalks (corn, mullein, etc)MediumVariousFast (use quick germinating ground cover)
BarkMediumSmallish-MediumishFast
Leaf LayersMedium, as horizontal sheetsSmallFast
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