Hugelkultur in the Home Garden

[@happyg8059]

*I only discovered your channel this year, my friend JENNA, but it is by far one of the best gardening channels out there! I have definitely rekindled my flame for a return to the ground, please don't stop gardening, keep up the content, bravooo, GO GO GO GOOOOOO*

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Wow, thank you! It's wonderful to hear feedback like this 😊. I truly appreciate it. Take care!

[@happyg8059]

@@GrowfullywithJenna *It is with great pleasure that I watch your videos my friend, it is a pure delight, please do not stop gardening, because you are an inspiration in the field*

[@kumudinihomegarden9139]

I totally agree it's a beautiful garden channel 💞

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

@@kumudinihomegarden9139 Thank you!

[@LaurenWise]

I couldn't agree more! We are newbies and hooked

[@alveygardens]

We installed a 50 feet long by 10 feet wide hugel mound and planted 233 strawberry plants. The plants are now massive and ready to supply us with tons of strawberries. Didn't have to water much due to how the mound holds moisture.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That's awesome! I'm glad to hear your strawberries are doing amazing- I'm tempted to plant some strawberries in my hugel beds as well. Thanks for sharing!

[@cajungirlgardens2943]

I found out about this method while searching for raised bed alternatives - I didn’t want to build boxes. I’d lost several of my plants to too much rain in a low area of my garden and needed a fix. This method worked perfectly- I dug a trench about a foot deep and filled with branches and twigs, not packing the gaps, which allows the extra water a place to go. My plants are high and safe even in the rainiest seasons!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Excellent! I'm so glad this was a great fix for you and thank you for sharing your experience!

[@RichWoods23]

It's not always so much about drainage as it is about water storage. Rotting timber can absorb up to twice its volume of water -- you can test this for yourself by taking a half-pint glass filled with fine sawdust and slowly adding a pint of water to it. Much of the water locked up over your rainiest season will be available to your plants over any drier season, as long as you have a good mycorrhizal network present to enable the shallow-rooted plants like lettuce to access it. For this reason I think the best technique is the combination of raised beds (drainage), hugelkultur (water storage, plus wood slowly turning into nutrient-rich soil over the course of a dozen years) and no dig (to allow and encourage the growth and maintenance throughout the year of fungal and microbial life all through the bed).

[@jamesguest4873]

I do this for the base layer in my raised beds. Logs and limbs, whatever soil that is not looking good or had too much clay, leaves and plant stalks, more poor soil, then my good soil and compost mix. Works like a dream in 18 inch deep beds. :) Glad to see you turning other folks on to this old method. Be looking forward to next year's results.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice! That sounds like a great way to do it, James!

[@dementus420]

This is a very good idea. I've done something similar, but I didn't know what it was called. It just seemed logical to me. It's like slow release compost.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Your logic was spot on!

[@GardenerScott]

Great video! You did a wonderful job explaining and demonstrating Hugelkultur. I have Hugelkultur beds and use the same principles in my raised beds too.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you very much! I've not tried this method in an actual raised bed yet, but am hoping to do so next year-- I'll have to check out yours!

[@LaurenWise]

I guess we've been Hugeling and never really knew it. Dumping brush, leaves, grass clippings, kitchen scraps etc. We often toss our extra seedlings on the pile in the spring. They do as well as in the garden! ~~

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

@@LaurenWise glad to hear that it's been working for you!

[@stacyclark5910]

I discovered hugelkulture a few years ago when all of my gardening was in containers. Works great! Really puts great water retaining organic materials in & helps fill containers with good stuff!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks for sharing!

[@TheTrock121]

I started a Hügelkultur Mound last year and have the best cucumbers there now. Doing better than anywhere else.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That’s awesome!!

[@kathiesimpson571]

I Hugel, too! I started because I needed to terrace the super sloping property here that was in poor shape due to topsoil washing away. One thing I add for nitrogen is alfalfa pellets and give them a good soaking with the garden hose. I occasionally add them to my compost when it needs to heat up a bit. Would love to say that was my idea, but I borrowed it from someone’s blog. Thanks for a great video, I’ll be sure to check more.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm glad you mentioned this, Kathie! Hugeling is an excellent way to deal with slopes- we're very, very flat here, so it's not an issue I deal with. I've been thinking about using alfalfa pellets (I have friends who produce & sell them)- so I'm glad to hear you like to use them. Take care!

[@elisabetk2595]

We use alfalfa pellets to cook down our big leaf piles, too.

[@mrsauk1105]

Hi....I would love some more info on using this method for slopes and damaged topsoil run off. How does this help, would you dig out for a bed? How does the material not wash away down the slope is it bordered? Thanks for any insight!

[@cactusprick]

Fascinating, thank you Jenna!

[@daisygurl3601]

Yes, I hugel! I use the same principal in all of my raised beds. I add logs, branches, leaves, yard scraps and chicken leavins’ before adding my compost layer. This not only creates a healthy foundation for growing, it saves money as less compost is needed. Hugel On! Blessings... daisy

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice! I'm sure your plants appreciate all that goodness- thanks for sharing. Take care!

[@overrevkev3851]

Yes but in the walkways of the garden and kitchen scrap compost. I mostly use bark and rotten stump/log material.Keep up the videos 😃👍

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Sounds good!

[@ardflipse65]

Yes! 8 hugels. About 300 feet in Total. Nice project 🤗

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Wow! That’s a lot of hugels- awesome!

[@ludlowfalls8856]

Great video, I don't mound Hugel but I put that stuff in the bottom of my raised beds when I built them.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That's a great idea!

[@franthomas5867]

Just found this segment on Hugelkultur, wow, I had no idea! We too live on similar property which allows much room to try this! Thanks for the video!

[@sivartsivart7955]

Just recently found your channel , I live in Ohio as well. so your youtube channel will help alot. Thank you.

[@robertaaOHIO]

I've incorporated the hugelkultur method into my garden beds. 2021 has been the first year for our no till raised beds garden, and so this has been a year of learning new things for me. I love the whole idea of hugelkulter, and will be using it for developing new beds and for recharging old beds in the future. I have to say this video is so well done! You explain the process so thoroughly. Love your videos, I've learned so much from them. Thanks.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm so glad to hear that, Roberta- thank you! I'm also glad to hear that you hugel too! Take care.

[@deettanoggle6480]

I am in the process of building my first hugelkultur after seeing an article in the paper. I have the space for a large one and plenty of matter. I am so excited and just started digging today. I am glad there are not a lot of rocks so it is easy digging.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Yay!! Happy hugeling!

[@creativealchemy5452]

I had never heard of hugelkulture, but I think it is perfect for my needs on both my east and west sides of my property where I have long, narrow strips that I want to plant in. This gives me a way to manage all that red clay and make some nice beds for planting.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I think you'd be very happy with it!

[@johnjude2685]

I once had 85 different Hosta flower plants .I noticed mulch comes as almost wood chips up to extra fine. When I plant my hostas I like the coarse as I plan to watch them get big in 3 plus years and after 5 years it seems best to replant for better growth. That coarse compose is what you're making with mother nature as your mulcher tool. Great stuff for 3-10 years and beyond. Thanks and I enjoy learning

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Oh wow- that is a lot of hostas! And your observations are very interesting- I think you're right-- good stuff for 3 years and beyond! Thanks John!

[@charliehoos9773]

This is incredibly interesting! I didn’t know it had a name, but guess I’ve been doing it in a small way every year. I dump pine shavings with rabbit poop from my pet bunnies on garden beds year round, but in the winter it really breaks down creating beautiful fluffy soil by spring, insulates garlic/onions for great spring growth and if you dump it over rough garden debris it really helps quickly build a new bed over winter for spring planting.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Good stuff! Sounds like a perfect method to build new beds!

[@xse-qb2vv]

Ive been adding that to my beds 4 spring, love that humic acid.

[@xse-qb2vv]

😊

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Glad to hear it! 😄

[@xse-qb2vv]

@@GrowfullywithJenna ☝😃 Beauty and Brains

[@irenan6585]

I thought it was a way too complicated , but you simplified it nicely, so I 'll give it a try, thanks for that.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Hooray! I’m glad to hear this!

[@hankwaddingham5025]

just came across this hugelkultur method..i have a allotment and going to start one ,great method..

[@donaldcowick4280]

All my raised beds are Hugel based, and I have made irrigation water available at their based so when I do a heavy flooding, a few times a year ,water is absorbed for a few days. Our annual rainfall is only 8.5 inches yet any heavy rains are soaked in because of my small backyard berm and swale design for irrigation.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice! Sounds like you've got a great system in place. Thanks for sharing!

[@Hayley-sl9lm]

I had amazing success with this last season. I was growing in a new yard for the first time with some areas of weedy grass, some areas of completely dead clay. I buried a pile of grass that I had pulled up all winter with a little all purpose organic vegetable fertilizer and covered with mulch in March. I let it sit for 2 months and then planted zucchini directly in. Plant was the hugest, happiest zucchini I've ever seen. Zucchini seems particularly tolerant of growing along side still-decaying matter. And since I needed to wait for it to be warm, it worked out doing the digging in early spring which gave the area some time to cook before planting.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm so glad to hear this worked well for you. Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@lwallick5565]

Jenna, you are an inspiration! I moved to a new home recently where my husband and I have started a large garden. Meanwhile, I stumbled across your channel and have watched countless of videos. You are an inspiration and a wealth of knowledge for the gardening community! Off to hugel! Thank you!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you! And I'm so excited to hear you've started a large garden!!

[@ionianatlas7037]

You are such a hard worker. Hugel beds look like a lot of work.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks! They are, but I find they are 100% worth the effort.

[@geralddill7677]

I hugelkulture, using raised beds with sides. I live in a woods so rotting wood is plentiful, this year we incorporated some composted horse manure I got from some Amish neighbors and our garden did really well

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm so glad to hear your garden did really well!

[@floydgraves3997]

We Hugel in Dragon Rib Terrace Beds. Working AWESOME!!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Glad to hear it!

[@sivartsivart7955]

Awesome video. I have done hugelkultur. works great. started it 5 years ago. still growing strong.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Great to hear!

[@Midnight-rj4ed]

Yes I did this in 3 spots last year.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice!

[@2148738]

Yes I have 15 raised garden beds and we -Hügelkultured each one of them and thus far each is doing very well.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Glad they are doing well!

[@bikerthom]

I plan to Hugel this year we are in 5-a/b so your tips are well worth my time.....good work on your channel

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you- and best of luck with your new hugel!

[@bobthomas4651]

Never heard of it until now. Just move onto 2 acres with lots of cleaning up to do and that’s just where my branches leaves and all other material will go. Thanks Jenna.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

It's definitely a great way to use up that type of material!

[@MichaelJosephJr934]

Cool stuff. Thought I'd share a quick story. I, a first time gardener built 8x4 wide - 26 inch tall beds on my new 1 acre property. From my forest I used logs and branches to fill the bottom half to 3/4s of the beds and then topped with soil from my property. As I started planting I learned about Juglone. Yikes! My entire property is a forest of black walnut!!! Nothing else. No I didn't remove the fill. I watered a bit heavier in the beginning and was surprised to see a very great crop! No issues at all. The only issues were some tomato and cuc plants that happened to be on the side of the garden where a black walnut stood. "Removed Now". I wanted to share this with you because you'll probably run into this question. I feel the Juglone is only an issue when the tree is alive. Once it's cut the juglone washes down and away with rain and watering. I even put black walnut mulch in the bottom of beds. I'm on year two now and the crop is even bigger than last year. I even started a second garden where the removed black walnut stood last fall and I already have melons and butternut. Maybe I was lucky but just thought I'd share.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

This is perfect, Michael- thank you so much for sharing. I have had a lot of questions about this exact thing, and I've found nothing but contradictory information online. My gut feeling was as you described... but I've never tried to build one from only walnut. We do have a few black walnuts on our property and I regularly use the leaf mulch in our garden and fallen branches and sticks with no issue. I'm so glad to hear from someone with firsthand experience- thanks again!

[@allenu5152]

Great Ideal Jenna, A must try! I grew up in the desert and never had this problem till I moved to Ohio

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Welcome to Ohio... gotta love our soil 😆.

[@bobbiejean864]

I Hugel too! We live in a very low lying area with clay soil and water that sits on top waaay too long. (mosquito heaven) My hubby installed a french drain and it helped a lot. But what is helping the most are my Hugel mound and all of the organic matter we layered on the ground. We used hay, then wood chips. My husband was right and we got patches of grass growing from the seeds in the hay. Oh well. I slap some clean (stickers removed, no gloss, unbleached, staples removed) cardboard down over the grass and put some more wood chips down. So far, it is working great!! When I plant where the cardboard is, I either make a small hole in the cardboard or place a good amount of compost on top. Once my heart gets stronger, I hope to build more Hugel mounds.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That's awesome, Bobbie! I'm glad to hear you are having good results with your hugel mounds. I hope your heart gets stronger soon- best wishes for a speedy recovery & good health!

[@dola7045]

Excellent tutorial! Thanks for the free lessons on planting. Though I grew up on farmland, yet I lost my green fingers.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I bet you can get those green fingers back!

[@inregionecaecorum]

I pollarded a couple of trees on my allotment so I have a lot of material to get rid of, and this seems like a good way to use it up. I will be going for the trench method, and also I have access to lots of horse manure. Will have to wait till after harvest to start though.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

This would be an excellent solution for all that material!

[@CBsGreenhouseandGarden]

Thank you for the information Mrs. Jenna. Stay safe my friend and have a wonderful weekend.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you! You too, CB!

[@tomst9417]

I plan to build some hugel beds in spring. My current garden is 14 conventional raised beds , each bed is 4' x 10'. I have a lot of partially decomposed logs and plenty of small branches and sticks and lots of leaves I can use to build the hugel beds. This was an excellent tutorial on how to build a hugelkultur bed!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm glad you found the tutorial useful! Best of luck with your hugel beds!

[@rossplainold1565]

I just found your channel a few months ago about the same time I bought the home I'm living in. After watching your video I plan to give Hugelkultur a try.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm glad that you found my channel AND that you're going to give hugelkultur a try!

[@metalmartha2571]

5 yrs ago I came across this “Hugel”method. I wanted a larger garden but financially couldn’t afford to fill the raised beds I had built earlier that season. It Was a great way to fill my beds with all the debris from around the yard then topping off with sheep‘s manure and topsoil… I sing the praises of this method now to anyone who will listen. I live in a very dry climate and am astonished on how little water those beds demand. The plants grow exponentially taller and healthier than other beds with the same variety plant starts. I will try this spring to build another bed this time more alike to your ditch method. Love this channel! So informative and entertaining to watch.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

This is awesome! I'm so glad to hear you've had such a great experience with hügelkultur. Thanks so much for sharing your experience!

[@marjonvaldehuesa3975]

Your video is very informative. I have already applied what you shared in this video when I transferred my peach tree in the soil. Watching you here in Tacloban City. Big Thanks!

[@austin-chows4]

I have new property with woods and plan to do this!! Love it.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Excellent!

[@davidmalboeuf1157]

I burn wood and always have bark and sections of rotten logs from whenever I process the wood. Its all free so I take it all, good & bad. I made a retaining wall out of rotten logs and throw all the bark inside. My landfill has free wood chips & compost so that fills in the gaps. Lastly, I dump all my fall leaves on top of the pile each year. Its going on four years now and I have a super rich soil that is plants thrive in. Plus, it looks pretty cool too.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice! Such a great way to make use of all that material!

[@mirandaf2112]

I have begun experimenting with hugel beds and so far I love them! I just want to build more now.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Glad to hear you're a fan too!

[@OliviANDixie]

This is so cool and makes so much sense! I'm coming to learn that gardening is SO much more than throwing seeds in the dirt!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

It really, truly is!

[@nlcpope]

Using this method in my raised beds. It’s great!!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Great to hear it!

[@wingrider1004]

I started a hugel pile just for fun a year ago and it is producing as well as my regular compost piles. I don't draw from it regularly, but when I do it is excellent stuff. I had an abandoned garden plot at the bottom of an incline that was tough to use because the water tended to keep the area too moist. Thanks for the video.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice!! I’m so glad to hear this. I’m glad it’s doing well for you!

[@christinaturner3845]

So excited to try this new method at our new house! Several trees to chop down and lots of room to build beds!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Ooh! I hope you love it as much as I do!

[@lisamesillas2328]

Yes! I Hugel. I live in SoCal zone 9a/10b. We went with this method to fill our raised beds to help retain water. It's amazing how it works. Everything grows so well. Looking forward to try this in other creative ways around the yard👍🏽

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That is awesome! Thank you for sharing your experience, Lisa!

[@michaelmarchione3408]

I just started a Hugelkultur last spring on a no-till area I started a year before that. I planted Boston Marrow winter squash and a couple left over tomatoes. They did pretty good. I also had built a new raised bed for tomatoes that I filled with chucks of wood, branched, and leaves. I then filled the top with good soil. Those tomatoes didn't do anywhere as well. Not enough nitro I think. I'm building two more raised beds next spring the same way. I'll be adding nitro to them. Enjoyed as always! Take care!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'd love to hear how the beds do next year and if the addition of nitrogen helps. Thanks for sharing your experience, Michael!

[@franksinatra1070]

I have mostly raised beds with boxes. Lately when I need to replace a rotting box I use this method similar to what you do. My boxes are generally a foot high so I dig down maybe 6" below grade and use rotted logs as a base and then take a trip to the horse farm and get manure and used bedding and put that on top of the logs along with any other old plant material laying around. Then I back fill with the soil I removed and finish off with compost and leaf mulch on top. It's extra work but it pays off in the long term. These beds have been doing great for me so far.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

This is a great idea! I've got a couple raised beds where the wood is only going to hold out another couple of years- now I know what to do with them. Thanks!

[@johndegroot3124]

Just discovered this technique. I have lots of sticks too small for a wood stove (except kindling). I'm going to use them, leaf litter, grass clippings, twigs from ornamentals, and the stems and inedible material from my 2021 garden to build one hugel bed this year. Will add another next year. What an interesting technique !

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Sounds like a great way to use up those sticks! Glad to hear you're using this technique too!

[@danasaulnier8889]

Yes and I love it! It was our covid vacation along with building a chicken coop. My strawberries are thriving in it!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Excellent! Sounds like a great use of a covid vacation, Dana. Take care!

[@SavingGreensHomestead]

I hoogle 🤣🤣 I all of my raised beds are hugelculture beds…. I put all kinds of yard waste in mine which saved me so much money because i used less compost and soil to fill the beds…. I started mine about five years ago and it is still feeding my garden today…. I love it 🥰

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice!! Saving money on fill dirt for beds it a great reason to do this. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@bte_permaculture]

Yes we do it here in Kerala, India ❤️

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Glad to hear it! Thanks for sharing!

[@johnjude2685]

I've only one 4x8ft 14" height raised bed and pretty much as the hugall system. Thanks for the teaching. Now have 3 to 6 inches of mulcher crushed leaves covering my vegetablegarden ( I think they will not blown away like the full leaves last year) Have viking purple potatoes and the red& black salad tomato seeds as you bake on your video.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Sounds good John! I think that bed will do really well for you.

[@woutmoerman711]

I've planned to do this this winter. I have two plumb trees which have to be replaced and I will bury all the branches and part of the trunk. This will become the place where some new trees will be planted.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Sounds like an excellent idea for those trees!

[@poodledaddles1091]

thanks...I did a huglekuture bed far away from my garden...I have grown squash on it, but found a small happy snake...so I haven't been back

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Oh yes-- the garter snakes adore my hugel beds... but I'm happy to have them. I'm somewhat in the minority being that I love snakes!

[@snowbirdgardener1]

I'm planning a hugel mound in northern AZ, this summer. There are several downed trees to get me started! Thanks for all the information!.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice! Glad to hear you're able to use those downed trees- that will be a great start. Best of luck with your new hugel beds!

[@addysbeeandgarden320]

We hugled today!! Can't wait to plant. We had some super old logs that were practically lovely dark dirt already. I'll be planting carrots tomorrow! I refuse to let this season go!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Ooh Yay!!! That's awesome. And you reminded me... I've got some hugeling I need to do myself 😄

[@geraldbock1012]

I love Hugelkultur. I even love the way it sounds! Especially if the words are spoken by a German.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I absolutely agree with this!

[@breehenson1316]

Might have to give this a try, thanks!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

You should!

[@GibClark]

👍👍👍👍 year 2 of hugelkultur beds, and building more

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice!!

[@gmo3686]

I filled my first year bed with rotting wood, sticks, leaves & cardboard. Then covered it all with a mixture of my homemade worm castings, compost & local dirt. My soil is very rich

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm glad to hear it! Thanks for sharing!

[@mattkolb1717]

New viewer here! We live in a zone 6a/b in southern Ohio and have the same heavy clay soil lol! I first found your channel when looking for a method to plant fruit trees in clay soil, it was a happy outcome to see you are in a similar area and also use hulglekulter. 3 year ago I built our first 4 raised bed with hulglekulter to save money. This past month I've been building 4 more! Happy to find your channel!!!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Hello & welcome, Matt! It's great to hear from a fellow Ohioan and fan of hügelkultur!

[@h.salemink5152]

Just saw this video so mid march and though it's way too late now i'll give it a try by fall: seems a good idea as where i live now there are trees and fallen branches all around . Greetings from the Northeast of the Netherlands! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Absolutely- I hope you give it a try this fall! Take care!

[@oldgoat1890]

I used to live at a place that was red clay with hundreds of stones up to the size of a potato. This soil packed like cement and it was a pick and digging bar job just to go down a foot. It was on a hill and I doubt you could find 3" of topsoil on my property. I planted various pine trees in three rows along the road out back. When they were about 8" thick I cut and chipped them and spread the chips about 3"-4" deep over a wide area for a garden. The added bonus was where the pine trees were planted, the soil was now dark and full of tiny hair roots. It is long term planning, but if you have the land laying there, it is better than buying "Topsoil" that won't even grow weeds. Untreated pine chips break down pretty far the first year.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Excellent! I'm so glad you found a good way to improve your soil.

[@vonries]

Yes I have a couple of beds. One that I planted directly into the end of summer. It's growing some great Cayenne peppers at the moment. The second I just finished the other day. However this time I'm using the space for my compost pile. At the moment it's sitting at one end of the bed. When it comes time I'll unwrap it move my ring to the other end of the bed and refill it as it's being turned. This way it should be even richer then before. I plan on using this bed next spring. The ring covers about half of the bed so most of it will be covered between the two compost locations.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Sounds like you've got a great system! And I'm glad to hear your cayennes are thriving! Thanks for sharing your experience & take care!

[@gardeneroncarriagehill]

Great info! I just winged it last year and did this with some raised beds. Primarily to get rid of branches/sticks/leaves. Didn’t know I should wait for planting but no problems that I could see.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I've heard from quite a few folks who have had great results planting the very first year out- I suspect if you have plenty of soil/compost/other good stuff on top of your wood it helps a lot. I'm glad to hear yours worked out well.

[@SomeRoomtoGrow]

Great hügel video! It sounds like we built ours around the same time you did. They worked incredibly well in 2021 and they should do even better this year.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Very cool! What do you plan to plant in yours this year?

[@someroomtodrum]

@@GrowfullywithJenna A LOT! We grew all of our kitchen veggies in them last year and we’ll do the same again. How about you? Please let me know if you’re interested in collaborating on a video, it would be great to compare progress.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

@@someroomtodrum I'd love to hear your thoughts on how something like that might work. Please email me at [e-mail] .

[@SomeRoomtoGrow]

@@GrowfullywithJenna excellent, will do!

[@alisonrittener5606]

Similar to ‘Back to Eden’. Great way to build the soil!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Definitely a great way to build the soil!

[@jessicaj8148]

I did my first two hugelkultur raised beds this late summer/early fall. I have some cabbage seedlings, lettuce seedlings, parsley and chives in there and some garlic that I planted recently. Just experimenting and plan to do some Charles Dowding type beds this spring.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Sounds great!

[@theurbanthirdhomestead]

I just posted a video of my hugelkultur experience! After watching yours, I thought, oh, I should've waited to plant it, but actually, I have no regrets. Everything in my hugelkultur bed thrived despite me planting it immediately. 🤗

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Heading over to check it out! I'm glad to hear everything thrived!

[@Lochness19]

I planted only 2 weeks after building it and things grew great too. I did mix soil (low organic sand with a bit of clay) among the layers, and then sand mixed with composted manure on top.

[@kristab1638]

I had a low poor draining clay site next to my garden so I started a hugel bed and planted zucchini last couple years but decided to put raspberries there on one end and I'll be adding asparagus next year on other end because I'd like it to be perennial bed.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That sounds like an excellent plant- I was hoping to put raspberries in mine as well and I love the idea of adding asparagus. Thanks for sharing!

[@lynnlovessoil]

I have considered it because I have a partially wooded lot but it seems like such back breaking work.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

It can be hard work- but my best advice it just to build a small bit at a time- over the course of a couple of months you could have an entire bed built with very little work each week!

[@fergusdangerfield156]

Hi jenny, have just found you and have subbed. I'm building a greenhouse and a couple of hugelkultur raised beds. I'll also be growing things like potatoes in containers. Looking forward to more of your posts xx.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Hi Fergus- I appreciate the support and I'm glad to hear that you're building hugel beds & a greenhouse! Very exciting! BTW... it's Jenna 😉

[@ronniebrace2917]

Another great video! I just filled 2 new raised beds like this and love this idea! Thanks for sharing!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thanks so much, Ronnie! Glad to hear you're giving this a go in your own raised beds. Take care!

[@JoyoftheGardenandHome]

One of many 2020 projects, Love my hugel!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Hooray! Great to hear from a fellow hugel lover 😀.

[@milkweed7678]

How about a hugelkultur compost pile? Then add and mix into ALL existing beds or garden areas when broke down. People bring in and bury chunks in big piles but it's not in big piles in the woods, for the most part. It's just spread out on top of the ground usually and works into the top of the soil over time. Just another thought-method. Great video!!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I think that would work exceptionally well!

[@jeannamcgregor9967]

The hugelkultur bed I built last summer is doing so well that I'm planning another this winter. It's on a bit of lawn that gets great sun and I plan to put tomatoes and tomatillos in it, so I appreciate the advice to add nitrogen the first year. I can up the percentage of free city green-waste compost and it should provide that nitrogen, easy peasy. Thanks! I'm now subscribed!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Nice! I'm glad to hear your current hugelbed is doing well. And you've gotta love free compost! Take care!

[@michaellippmann4474]

Hey Jenna Yes I have tried this when I was building some new beds a few years ago. I used the trench method and filled it with some of my old rotten firewood and horse manure. The bed is really productive and am pretty happy with it all. The horse manure was an add in as I had a pick up load of it sitting there. This bed has been in production for 3 seasons now and part of it has my strawberries and part of it is rotated crops...kale, collards, potatoes and tomatoes next year! Have a great day, Thank you for the video young lady and Merry Christmas to you and yours! Mike 🇨🇦🍁👍

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I'm sure your plants LOVE that bed! Thanks for sharing your experience. Hope you have a great weekend, Mike!

[@chadwolfeschledgelsteinhau9697]

I always done that before they had a name for it. Looks good!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

You were hugeling before it was cool 😆!

[@jmajick4415]

Supposedly placing the logs vertical helps wick the water to the top. I'm in a similar situation with a small wooded area with lots of downed logs, branches and leaves. I'm also working in a lot of cardboard just to avoid burning it or sending it to a dump. Not sure yet what I'll plant on it yet though but I'm thinking about butterfly attracting wildflowers. Hoping it will be a low maintenance decoration for the yard. The main purpose of it is to fill in a low lying area that may also suck up some of the water that makes the surrounding clay the worst mud you will ever have to scrape off of your shoe. I'm sure that's why you wear those boots when working in it lol

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Oh, that's interesting about the logs! I'd love to hear what you end up doing with your bed. And yes- you are spot on about the boots- that clay is a mucky, sticky mess this time of year. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@flatsville1]

My growers' group constructed a hugel mound & became unhappy that the dimensions were too narrow. (They tired of digging.) We extended it out by about 3 ft on the perimeter by building directly on the ground with a 12 in high rotten branches, sticks & wood chips mix & then packed cardboard boxes (zip tied together) with grass, leaves & compost & placed them on top of the wood base It got covered with grubby topsoil & bombed with a winter kill cover crop mix. It has a nice 2 tiered, terraced shape design. Looks like it was hardscaped or sculpted. Greenest thing in the area now.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

@@flatsville1 very cool! Thanks for sharing this!

[@suygur]

hi Jenna, many thanks for your detailed explain. ım planning a small hugel in my garden.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Glad it was helpful!

[@suygur]

@@GrowfullywithJenna I already completed in my front yard. Can you check ?

[@Radi0ActivSquid]

I learned about this method from Self Sufficient Me here on KZbin last year. Now, if only my back could stand all the digging. Lol. I may have to go the raised bed method. Been saving up to purchase some raised beds.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

It can definitely be a lot of digging! Raised beds would be an easier way to go for sure- I hope you are able to get some soon!

[@cb-tc9lw]

I have a number of hugel beds of different sizes and shapes. My one big bed was planned and started before I realized that to build a full sized bed(6ft tall) people generally use heavy machinery. I had to feet and a heartbeat so it took me the majority of the growing season. It did eat up 5 mature poplars though.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Yes- heavy machinery would definitely come in handy for building a big bed! I had to have my husband drag some of my bigger logs for the first bed out of the woods using a chain on his ATV. And digging the trenches would sure be easier with equipment! It's doable by hand, but like you said- it takes quite a long time. Glad to hear you persevered! Take care!

[@pseudopetrus]

Bur Oak love the clay bottom lands in my area. Clay soils are nutritious for some plants and trees, but tough for others. Great videos, as a whole they are very informative, but I would watch as many of Jenna's videos as you can to get a well rounded view of soil amendments. It is hard to cover every detail in just one video, but what I am seeing is excellent detailed information spread over a number of videos.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! And you are spot on- there are some plants that will thrive in clay- and those are certainly worth seeking out for those of us 'blessed' with clay soil on our properties! Thanks again & take care!

[@pseudopetrus]

@@GrowfullywithJenna I mostly just know about trees, I am a certified tree seed collector in Ontario, collecting indigenous seed, and that has given me an opportunity to study the natural habitat of many native trees in my area. I am old and still learning! Thanks for the great videos!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

@@pseudopetrus that’s really neat- very important work you’re doing!

[@carldaniels4827]

greetings jenna, to the lower layers i add mycorrzial fungi to jump start the break down. you will be surprised of the fungal growth in the following warm weather period.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Oh- I love that idea! Thanks for the excellent suggestion!

[@crazysquirrel9425]

We spent 5 months hand making a hugelgarden 12 TONS of wood and soil and 5 TONS of used coffee grounds. 1st summer the soil reached 130F just 8 inches below the surface. Had to use 1,000 gallons of water a day to ensure no fire. Weeds LOVED all that but tomatoes and such did not. It shrank about 1/3 by the following summer and soil temps went back to normal. Things did grow a little better than my regular garden. And I still had to use 1,000 gal a week, sometimes 2 times a week to keep it hydrated (I live in a hot and pretty dry climate with lots of wind). Only initially made mine 3 feet tall. Under that hugel was hardpan. Dang near impossible to hand dig with a shovel or a home tiller. About clay soil - use pelletized gypsum. It can loosen heavy clay soil. It also adds calcium to the soil too. My shape was a rectangle inside a rectangle with the center at ground level. How I watered was to place the hose in that depression and let the water fill it. I knew it was filled when water ran out the outside bottom of the hugel. Easy to water that way. This year I may let it sit fallow. A lot of work WEEDING constantly too.

[@brianbarnes9635]

I've heard of people doing this but didn't realize it had a name. I am also in ohio in a town called paulding who has no shortage of clay! I've been working on the soil for a few years now and while I'm making it better, I'm seriously considering trying this out too. Thanks!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Hi Brian- If you've got the resources on hand, I highly recommend trying at least one bed!

[@violal1480]

Thank you for sharing ! This is very helpful for us as we have clay soil here too!

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

You are most welcome! And best of luck with your clay soil!

[@NafeesAthar51]

My favourite Chanel big fan of you waiting for your next video...👍👏🤗..Randomly finded your Chanel and subscribe and started watching it regularly because of your content. It is very good content keep it up you are doing great work 👍👍

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Thank you so much and welcome! 😀

[@davidcrosby8552]

Looks good! I imagine the rotten logs as opposed to more fresh wood wouldn't pull too much nitrogen out and would bring in lots of fungi. Now that I've got some land to play with maybe I'll put in a bed like that next to the Permaculture orchard and plant legumes in it for nitrogen. Currently I'm trying to get an old lawn tractor running so I can move in dozens of new plants in the spring. City is donating 10 cubic yards of wood chips too! My back hurts just thinking about it all. :)

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

Spot on- which is why I prefer using the already rotting logs! I'd love to hear if you do put in a bed like this. Have a great weekend, David!

[@andrewerlandson4030]

my grandfather taught me to use rotten logs that you find in the forest. he told me to get the logs that fall apart. he had the best garden as a child I loved his strawberries. gramps was born in 1901. he lived to 101 1/2. raised healthy food live longer.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

@@andrewerlandson4030 ​ it's wonderful that you had the opportunity to learn from your grandfather! And 101 1/2 -- WOW!! That's awesome!

[@jamespalmerministries6131]

I'll definitely consider this. The self watering properties is a bonus! Should we avoid fir trees, pine, and acidic nut tree's? I know they harm growth on top the soil.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

There seems to be a of debate about 'safe' woods for hugel beds- but in general the recommendations I've seen say just to stay away from allelopathic species like walnut, eucalyptus and tree of heaven. Some places go on to recommend avoiding rot-resistant species like cedar. But some sources claim that since the wood is buried at the bottom of your pile, by the time your plant roots reach them, they've decomposed enough that it won't matter anyway. Personally, I would not have any problems using pine, and I've used hickory wood in my own beds.

[@jamespalmerministries6131]

@@GrowfullywithJenna Awesome! Walnut is definitely Kryptonite!

[@richardsedgwick1113]

Great information. Might try next year, buying a house with 1.5 acres. The area I’m proposing as a garden is bare sandy soil! The weeds don’t even grow there! Thanks, Rick in San Diego.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

I would think this would an excellent fix for poor sandy soil as well! I'd love to know how it goes if you do end up trying it! Take care!

[@leochiang6659]

I’m in the process of setting up some tall meta raised beds (Birdies’ Raised Beds) and I’m abiding by a similar process, because bagged soil is too expensive. I’ve noticed a significant sinking since first building the pile, but I plan on adding more compost on top of it throughout the winter.

[@GrowfullywithJenna]

That's a great idea! I want to try doing this in some framed in raised beds next year as well!