Hi there, as a winter project we're hoping to better capture our water from the kitchen sink/drain. We are diligent about keeping protein out but bits and grease/oil make it in, so this is technically a black water capture. I'm going to lay ash from our fire below the drain to start a filter into the ground.
The bigger piece is replacing the blackberries and grapes the drain runs into today with a hugelbed. This is the southwest corner of our garden, shaded partially by a Bartlett pear, though less so in the heat of the summer. We are in the California foothills, zone 9a, though we tend to run a hair cooler with a year round creek at the bottom of the property. The idea is to plant cucs, melons, eggplants on the pear-tree/east of the hugelbed to lower their beatings from the sun and dots the backside of the hugelbed, which would be tough to access considering the (very needed) deer fence, with sun flowers and other flowers and plants that can stand the heat and wave the bees over.
This is our first hugel bed. We're looking to the community for feedback on planting strategies--what non veggies to mix in, how to space and place--and build strategies; you can see in the pic we envision it shaped a bit like a bean, with the downhill side getting more water than the uphill. The interior wood will be oak, maple and pine from the property, layered with manure from a neighbor's donkey, compost and green waste on top of that, good topsoil, wood chips and straw on top of that.
Let us know your thoughts, reactions and sage advices. Thank you so very much!
