Gnome Automatics hugelkultur

[Waira]

@FullDuplex .... are the bodies gone yet?

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Interesting, very interesting. I like it. When starting a new soil bed I do something similar; a method called double dig. Dig down the depth of the spade and set the soil aside. Fill the hole with 3 inches of amendments, compost, straw and green matter (fresh leaves, alfalfa, whatever as long as it is green). I have access to mushroom farms and a truck load of spent media is dirt cheap (pun intended). This stuff is loaded with mycelium - bonus. Then raisin stems if I can get them - sugar (old apples). Problem with that is most raisin processors have contracts for cattle feed lots. So I beg and grovel and sometimes it works. Distillers grains are a real plus when available. Go to a local brewery and find out if there is a home brew club around. Home brewers are generally glad to just give it to you. I never thought about adding branches? I do add hardwood ashes. Turn all of that under to the depth of the spade mixing in with the native soil. Now put the top soil back in the hole add 3 inches of all of the above plus any minerals or PH adjustments to this layer. Turn it all in mixing well. Cover with straw or whatever and come back in a year to plant. If you live in the frigin desert like I do you need to water it and keep moist. If you live where it rains a lot cover it with plastic when needed to keep it from getting soggy. From this point on amendments to the soil are worked in to the top 3 to 4 inches of depth.

 

[FullDuplex]

Here’s a bit of an update fellas. @Rev. Green Genes I like that idea and they are similar. @Mañ'O'Green sounds similar but the idea here is promotion of local indigenous microbes. The branches are the food and amendments. They are all hardwood and actually apple trees. The layers of organic matter are yard compost and kitchen waste. No meats but veggies and fruits and egg shells and so on and so forth.

I let all this settle for a few months turned it adding IMO 2 from the KNF cook book. Then added hardwood shavings , then a three part mix of mushroom compost, Olympic mountain fish compost ( shit is loaded with mycelium too) and then leaves from the apple trees in the back yard. So now @Waira it really looks like I hid some bodies

 

[Waira]

-- way to scare the nosy neighbors FD!

...layers and layers,... What's the plan for this FD, I forget? Direct planting, or is the soil going to be excavated for use elsewhere?

I still see green in the greenhouse,.... I'm hoping the African Queen made it across the finish line!

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Now that is how you make "Live Organic Soil" There really are no shortcuts in my opinion. When you get 10+ earthworms per shovel of soil it is prime. I can just smell that earth from here........ Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

 

[Lord of the beanz]

Update? How are things this summer?

 

[FullDuplex]

Update? How are things this summer?

 

[Lord of the beanz]

Bad ass!

 

[FullDuplex]

@Mossy finally got autos in the ground and under the sun. Been a long time waiting for this one.

 

[FullDuplex]

Last girl left.