Water Conserving Gardening Method

[LowKey]

I found an interesting raised bed concept. Apparently it's been around for centuries.
A method of water conserving gardening that is purported to work in very dry areas.
It's called Hugelkultur and consists of raised beds over wood that rots. The rotting wood holds the moisture.
Here is a website that illustrates it:
http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/

Not sure I'd build one of these real close to the house. Looks like a huge termite magnet. But I might try setting one up way down back when I do the fall clean up and see if I can get my blueberries onto it. They hate where they are now and just aren't producing.

[hunter63]

I guess I haven't seen or heard about this particular method....although I have heard of burying burnt/charcoal in poor soils.

Reminds me of the method used in the jungle,...... slash and burn to open up a canopy and amend the poor thin soils under.
Like they are saying, hold water, keep heavy soils from compacting, and adding organic material.

If you are going to try it keep us posted.

Reading the article, ...he mentions certain woods, cedar, locust....that aren't good to use.
Personnel experience, chestnut tree roots will kill plants around the base of the trees.... as do most pines.

The other problem I have found is that the rotting or composting part of it, robs nitrogen for the compost process....and doesn't allow plants to grow......This happens if you over load leaves tilled in.

There are two stumps in my yard.....and elm and a apple tree that have been buried for 20 years...and have not rotted, I hit them regular while planting annuals in the bed.

Would have never though of termites...but we do have carpenter ants around.

Interesting though...but doesn't really sound like there is any back up to his claims.....like says, "you need to do research", etc etc....
Sounds like wishful thinking.....
Besides where are you going to get the wood to rot in a desert?

[crashdive123]

Cool idea, but not sure how well it would work in the south. Termite pressures are pretty high here (keeps me in business year round). Especially in areas of the south where Formosan Subterranean Termites (Coptotermes Formosanus) are present.