Hügelkultur, no it’s not a new VW model 😁😉
by Mike
From Wikipedia – Hügelkultur (German pronunciation: [ˈhyːɡl̩kʊlˌtuːɐ̯]), also termed German mounds,[1] is a horticultural technique where a mound constructed from decaying wood debris and other compostable biomass plant materials is later (or immediately) planted as a raised bed. Adopted by permaculture advocates, it is suggested the technique helps to improve soil fertility, water retention, and soil warming, thus benefiting plants grown on or near such mounds.[2][3]
We have for some time been interested in the concept of hugelkultur, and decided to find out how well it works. Please enjoy a slideshow on our construction of a huge (60’x6′) hugelkultur raised bed:
We decided to go large and started by preparing a 60’x6′ area. 
The layers started with logs and other large pieces. 
Each successive layer was smaller and finer material. 
Twigs and branches covered the base layers. 
Over the woody material we layered grass clippings with some dry leaves as well. 
On top of the grasses and leaves we spread the topsoil that we had removed earlier. 
To add nutrients for this year’s planting we added organic compost. 
Time for final measuring before we added the weed guard. 
We decided to try organic WeedGuardPlus for weed control. 
For us the 4′ wide rolls made the most sense. 
The very first Six Figs Farm Hugelkultur bed ready for planting.
We’ll keep you posted on our results!
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