BTE, hugelkulture, hydroponics and other unconventional gardening

[Hinotori]

I've been looking for the book, but it's probably been over a decade. It talked about fresh wood chips being used in the garden and the nitrogen issue. Decaying items will release nitrogen later on. It recommended just adding some high nitrogen fertilizer like chicken litter when first tilled in.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

@Lazy Gardener, we have an HK started too. That tractor sure would be nice!

Ours is long, maybe 50', and about 8-10 feet wide. We've been piling wood as we clear brush. Our plan was to cover it with compost from the county (free), but the last several times I was there, the man wasn't there to load it. I'm hoping to catch him soon. Then we plan on covering it with old hay. Right now its a half completed mess and possibly a snake bed. I need to get it finished or gone soon.
Our hope is that this area will keep rain water from the ridge behind us from continually flooding the back lawn and directing the water along the HK mound to the drainage ditch along the edge of the property.

I've been looking for the book, but it's probably been over a decade. It talked about fresh wood chips being used in the garden and the nitrogen issue. Decaying items will release nitrogen later on. It recommended just adding some high nitrogen fertilizer like chicken litter when first tilled in.

@milkmansdaughter : The best time to start a HK is when you have some materials to use! Mine is about 5 - 8' W x 35'. I started building it by hand about 5 years ago. It is built into a drop off between "civilized" yard, and a drop off into bony wet bramble area. No trenching involved in the area I built by hand. And I covered it with leaves, grass clippings, garden debris as it became available. I finished the first half of it. I did it in "bite sized chunks: usually building an 8' section at a time. Then hubby and I have (mostly) completed the back half, including trenching it with the aid of the borrowed kubota. It will be interesting to see how the trenched and soil covered area compares with the front end!

As for getting county compost loaded... what a blessing that is! We used to be able to have it loaded as well (from our town transfer station) until some bozo used a rake owned by the town to empty trash from his truck, didn't put it back, and it fell and scratched the paint of the vehicle of the next patron. Since then, they've absolutely refused to load for residents due to liability concerns. I'd be happy to sign a waver, but... since then, I have to load by hand. Your plan of using HK for management of water run off on your property is sound. It should work very well, especially if you have been able to trench before laying in your first layer of logs.

@Hinotori: Agreed, adding N as needed should cover the plant needs if there is any N robbing from the woody material being added to the soil. This is where farming becomes an art: Anticipating a need, and meeting that need before it becomes a problem. Meeting the need without going overboard. Current recommendations are to add the material to the surface of the soil, instead of tilling it in. While a lot of folks continue to till in compost and manure, there is a growing trend to lay even these materials on top of the soil, and let the microbes and worms work at the soil/compost interface. I have become a fan of no till gardening, and am of the opinion that the soil structure is improved by NOT disturbing it any more than necessary. This is why I love my broad fork. It allows me to loosen the soil without churning up the layers.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

My son did a job for a man and came home one day with a wood chipper!

I have tried for the last 2 years to find a source of wood chips (for little or no cost) with no success. I'm super excited to have our own chipper. I'm always picking up branches around here, and we've had a lot of big branches out of the pecan trees (these go on the HK mound.) God provides what we need over and over in amazing ways!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

What to give a 94 y.o. man for his birthday? My dad has been my mentor for 64 years now. He does not need any more shirts, socks, ties... or other "things". So, tonight, I dug some deep black soil from an area where hubby has moved a massive slash pile, added some potting soil to it. Then potted up a cucumber and tomato in a 5 G spackle bucket. Tomato cage was secured by 2 fiberglass posts that were zip tied to bucket. I filled a deep window box and planted a mixture of chard, mesclun, dill, basil, radish.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

That is so exciting! While I'd love to have a chipper, I'm not willing to spend the money to BUY one. But, a branch here and there, tossed into a chipper... over time adds up!

Yes, God does provide... in amazing ways... that often leave me speechless. I find myself fretting over finances. I now have a car payment. Then, when my mind starts to churn over the details of that, I stop and remind myself that God is in control of everything I have. He will continue to take care of the big and little details, as He has all my life.

I also can not get chips unless I go and load them into the truck myself. That's a LOT of heavy lifting. I have a total of 6000 s.f. that needs chips, between garden and orchard. If I could get chips dumped here, I would easily cover an acre with them.

At the moment, I am blessed by the lovely clarity of song provided by a Robin. He's singing his heart out in my front yard. Just now, he's being joined by an other voice. Oh how I love this time of year!

 

[milkmansdaughter]

also can not get chips unless I go and load them into the truck myself.

LG, I haven't even found a place to load them myself. There's a place where they sell them by the truckload for landscaping but it is expensive. They do not have a pile at the county lot or at the dump. The compost at the county lot are composted leaves. Rich and black, but not much worm activity. I've had to amend that with the free hay I got last year. I've been signed up for chip drop for two years now and never got a delivery. I think they might be directly selling the chips to the guy who sells it to landscapers. That's out of my price range.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I'm on the chip drop list as well. Coming to the conclusion that "Chip Drop" is a big internet joke. I've even offered to "pay" for a drop. One of the local landscapers is cleaning out the chips at the town compost facility. Used to be MOUNTAINS of chips there. Last time I was there, the single puny pile only came up to the bumper of the truck.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Not terribly unconventional. Last fall, I tore my front walk way bed apart. This bed is about 5' wide, and 35' long. It is bordered on the W with a railroad tie retaining wall, and on the E with a walk way leading to front door. I put a few of the perennials back, but for the most part left the area barren. Good soil, covered with cardboard and wood chips.

Instead of spending money on flowers, I'm tucking some of my left over squash seedlings into that bed. Will put up a heavy duty trellis, and plant multi colored lettuce, and some Bright Lights Swiss Chard, and beets in front for a border. If the squash produces, great. If not, at least I'll have a nice bit of green to enjoy.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Here's a fun video about air layering. Should work on many woody specimens.

Here's an other one: using Aloe Vera as a rooting hormone

And for those of you who have ducks, or are contemplating getting ducks to help with your gardening:

 

[Lazy Gardener]

And, here's an other one: worthy of a watch for crops that can be over wintered to produce early spring harvest. This guy is in Zone 8. (I think that's what I heard him say):