I’ve
stumbled upon this gardening idea called “Hugelkultur”. Translated it mean “mound
culture” and the idea is basically to use logs/sticks piled or buried that are
then covered in compostable materials and planted over. The mounds slowly
decomposed, nourishing the plants growing on them while the wood retains
moisture and decomposes more slowly. Brilliant! As it turns out we have
inadvertently done this with our brush piles that have made the biggest and
healthiest blackberry patches. Here's a google image that sums up the idea:
Typically
the piles are large, with pieces of logs or limbs with smaller branches stacked
and then covered with mulch. But why not make mini hugelkulturs for pumpkin
hills? Like, say with the brush that I am slowly hacking off of the fence line?
Basically I am telling you all I am lazy and tired of having to haul all this
brush off one truck load at a time. But I also really like the idea of putting
it to use. The goats can only consume so much of the plant, leaving a lot of
branches and thicker parts to sit there until I can chop it up, so why not pile
it up instead?
First I layered
cardboard down to mark the spot and hopefully choke out some of the grasses.
Then I started making small piles throughout the field where the pumpkin hills
will be going and will come back later with hay from the barn and compost to
layer over top. Supposedly the hugelkulturs require less watering since the
wood traps moisture. I’m not sure how well these small branches will trap it
but we shall see!
Oh, and the
goats have apparently come to associate the sound of my chopping limbs with
snack time since I often trim the hedges to make things more attainable for
them.
The fence is
certainly looking better!
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