Back to Eden Gardening and Hugelkulture and other non-conventional garden methods

[KettermanHillCoop]

Makes sense! Here's an idea that might be helpful. Assuming you rotate your corn location, this is a temporary setup. If you're thinking HK, you probably have a lot of access to sticks? Maybe get a pile of straightish sticks that you can drive into the ground however deep so they are stable as a wind support for corn, and stick up about 4 or 5 above the ground after being driven...

Drive them on the east side of your corn row at whatever spacing makes sense to you... Maybe every 8 ft or so? Then run nylon mason's line between them at whatever height(s) makes sense to support the windblown stalks... maybe one at 2 or 3 ft off the ground and another line at 4 or 5 ft?

The nylon line will sag a little when it gets wet, but you're just looking for something to keep the corn from lodging right? It doesn't have to be THAT strong. Mason's line is dirt cheap, the sticks are hopefully on hand or easily found for free. It can be set up and torn down and stored each season.

No worries if that doesn't sound like it will work for you. But it's what I'm planning on doing this season if we need a little extra support. I'm actually amazed with the wind we get that we HAVEN'T had a lodging problem yet. [knocking on wood]

Staking is what I'm trying to avoid. I stake and run lines now to keep the corn upright as it is. Pain in the butt... I'm on top of a hill...and the wind howls up from the valley. My theory is that the garden hill would direct the wind up and over the corn... Theory...that is...lol

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

If you build a HK on the west side, be sure it does not interfere with drainage. I'm a techno idiot, so pics from me are a once a decade occurrence!

Garden area is relatively flat with a very slight sloping to the west. Would that be okay?

 

[lazy gardener]

Only you can be the judge of that. To be on the safe side, you might want to do a trench to a drain that crosses under the HK. This is what I intend to do with my HK when I complete it.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Staking is what I'm trying to avoid. I stake and run lines now to keep the corn upright as it is. Pain in the butt... I'm on top of a hill...and the wind howls up from the valley. My theory is that the garden hill would direct the wind up and over the corn... Theory...that is...lol

Gotcha... then I'm guessing you do rotate your corn so a permanent solution won't work.

Your theory IS theoretically possible It all depends on topology the "hilling" and the wind speed and direction. Tricky stuff! We've had to contend with a lot of wind challenges, too. Never a dull moment!

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

Only you can be the judge of that. To be on the safe side, you might want to do a trench to a drain that crosses under the HK. This is what I intend to do with my HK when I complete it.

So what you are saying is no moisture running into the HK?

 

[lazy gardener]

No, you want moisture running into the HK to hydrate that woody stuff in the middle. But, if your HK is built so that water backs up in front of it, between it and the garden, that would not be a good thing.

In my situation, the HK sits on top of the ground, as I don't have the excavation equipment to do the trench. So, there is a possibility that water could build up in front of it. I plan to lay a perforated drainage pipe across the lowest point of the ground so that any water that might want to pool in front of the HK will then be directed under it to the low ground on the other side.

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

No, you want moisture running into the HK to hydrate that woody stuff in the middle. But, if your HK is built so that water backs up in front of it, between it and the garden, that would not be a good thing.

In my situation, the HK sits on top of the ground, as I don't have the excavation equipment to do the trench. So, there is a possibility that water could build up in front of it. I plan to lay a perforated drainage pipe across the lowest point of the ground so that any water that might want to pool in front of the HK will then be directed under it to the low ground on the other side.

Awwww....I see what you are saying. Thanks for the tip!

 

[lazy gardener]

YVW.

 

[Ahavati]

Hi guys! Excited to see this thread! I've been doing BTE off and on for a few years. We just moved where we are 1.5 years ago and I have a decent garden going. As I type a friend is moving some soil into a huge garden that we are going to start. We have been pestering the tree people to drop some chips for us. We have gotten one load that we used in some of our orchard area and some in the garden. We live 12 miles outside of our little town so they don't like coming out. I do use hay and semi-composted chicken and goat litter for much in the meantime and it's worked good.

 

[HoopyFrood]

@lazy gardener Do you grow any stinging nettle? I'm finding conflicting information about how cold hardy it is (apparently somewhere between Zone 3 and Zone 6... go figure). Figured you might have some insight

Thank you!!