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Jun 25, 2014 1:57 PM CST
Name: Ric Sanders
Dover, Pa. (Zone 6b)
And his children Are his flowers ..
Birds Seed Starter Keeper of Poultry Ponds Region: Pennsylvania Greenhouse
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We have often started new beds by what we called the lasagna method. Because of our hard clay we lay a heavy layer of cardboard and paper directly on the closely cut sod, then adding a generous layer of sifted compost treated with dolomite lime. After planting we mulch with a natural untreated 30% leaf mulch. By the 2nd year it is pretty easy to dig even below the level of the paper.

In my garden I use a lot of compost and mulch with straw and green clippings which is later turned in. Over winter any clippings and garden scrap in piled and burned in the spring to produce a small amount of biochar, which is turned in. The soil in my garden has reached the point that I would never till it. I simply turn it with a big fork and rake it out, the idea of tilling it to a powder does not appeal to my sense that it's fine the way it is.

Now I have 2 questions.
We are planning to add a large bed 3-4' x 45-50' for tree peonies. Would it be good in the long term to incorporate Hugelkultur in building this bed. We abut a woodland and deadfall is there for the taking.
Also, since I don't rotate all garden crops every year would using Hugelkultur in my hilled crops and raised bed be an improvement? I thought using deadfall would speed up the degradation of the wood and not inhibit moving beds around that much.
Ric of MAF @ DG

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