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

[chickengr]

Actually it can work quite well in your climate. It just needs a little water but not as much as other methods. Time is a bit of a factor for things to start breaking down but it does work. My compost pile is built like a hugel mound. We had some pumpkins grow quite well in it and I gave very little water.

the problem is heat. I cannot grow anything in containers or raised. maybe in a new place when I move there the things will be better as the nights there are much cooler than here.

 

[igorsMistress]

the problem is heat. I cannot grow anything in containers or raised. maybe in a new place when I move there the things will be better as the nights there are much cooler than here.

Yea, doesn't cool much here at night in summer. Sucks don't it? I hope you find somewhere cooler soon.

I'm hoping to keep a few things alive in pots until fall so I can transplant. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed

 

[chickengr]

Yea, doesn't cool much here at night in summer. Sucks don't it? I hope you find somewhere cooler soon.

I'm hoping to keep a few things alive in pots until fall so I can transplant. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed

I bought land but I am stuck with getting papers I need in order to obtain permits to build a house (not sure how you say it in english).

 

[igorsMistress]

I bought land but I am stuck with getting papers I need in order to obtain permits to build a house (not sure how you say it in english).

Just that way. Shoot, I hope you can get what you need though.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Ya we can be too hot here in the summers for a good garden, but then its nothing to hit minus 40C in the winter.

 

[lazy gardener]

My HK is in it's 3rd season now, and is finally coming into it's own. The squash planted there was watered in the seedling stage, but has received no care since then, It's growing and blooming. I intend to "neglect" it and see how it fares. Plants look good and green except for some wilt and laced leaves due to squash bugs/cucumber beetles.

The sheet compost area is growing well. Beans and squash/melons are very green, with leaves sizing up well. The corn, is almost knee high. The entire area was planted about a month later than it should have been planted, so any production will be a pleasant surprise. I added some grass clippings and opened some 3 year old bags of semi composted leaves to spread. Each bag came with a complimentary snake. I found myself letting out some "girlie screams" when those snakes came slithering out between my feet. Some were impressive in size!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Would have liked to be there I would have screamed also
from the surprise

 

[ageranger361]

I’ve got a question for this topic, especially since it ties in to chickens.

We have a large BTE Garden in year two also. However, the way we run it is like this; we have a 50X112 Garden covered in 8” of mulch. It’s divided in half to 25X112. On one half we grow food. On the other half we run layer chickens. We switch the chicken/garden areas out once a year in spring with fresh mulch application.

I want to add manure worms (either Red wigglers or super reds) to the BTE garden beds. I know that they love leaf chips and mulch as well as compostable items and composted manure. I also know that chickens love to eat them. We’re also in zone 7B with long hot humid spring, summer, fall.

My question is three fold:

Will the Red worms reproduce fast enough to keep up with the eating rate of 16 chickens, and if so, will they migrate away from the chickens towards the garden area every year, or will they migrate towards the chicken manure and compost / treats?

Also, will the super reds (deeper tunneling, cooler climate) or the red wigglers (shallower tunneling, hot climate) be best for our use?

Is anyone out there experienced in this avenue, and will it work or will we have to buy new worms every year after winter?

 

[pennyJo1960]

How many worms per year?

 

[ageranger361]

How many worms per year?

I don’t know but I was thinking of starting with 1000, 500 on each side.