malissa purvis

What wood chips are safe and break down in garden for hugelculture?  

Thank you Bryant Redhawk 😄

Also how do I reply to individuals?

Thank Everyone for your helpful tips!!! .  I will dig under the leaves to get the composting ones.  I will also make a compost tea out of aged  chicken manure.  I do not have any mushrooms.   I plan  to pour it over the  dead wood to activate the composting.   I have all these materials available but was not sure if they were safe to use.    I am behind this year with so much unusually cold weather  this winter for Texas and the extra work it brought on. ( Lots of extra feeding and breaking ice this year. )   I am seeing signs of green and am getting excited about my garden.   I know I should have started earlier but this winter wore me out.  Little by little I hope to decrease the work required before planting. 😃

Good morning , this is actually a multitopic in regard to my raised beds and large containers.   All insights are welcome. 😃

The soil on my ranch  is very clay like and rocky.  My only options  were raised beds.   I was successful last year to a certain extent but not without my share of problems.

1. Texas Heat,
2.  The cost of dirt . Free is my goal
( Non backbreaking also a goal)
3.  Healthy soil

I am planning on gathering dead branches from all over my ranch and placing them at the bottom of my large containers and my beds to rot and help retain water.

Dose any one have any insights on the do and don't with Central Texas Hill country trees.  

Also I have read in many places that rotting leaves help feed my garden.  I have an over obundance  of oak leaves.  Is there any reason not to use these.  ??

I have plenty of chicken manure and other livestock manure for compost.  I DON'T have access to green materials  except for the occasional  kitchen scraps.     Suggestions  please???