Hügelkultur Raised Beds

[Sally PB]

That sourdough bread sounds great. I will have to learn how to make it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/any-home-bakers-here.921333/page-6023
There are plenty of sourdough bakers hanging out on this thread.

 

[gtaus]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/any-home-bakers-here.921333/page-6023
There are plenty of sourdough bakers hanging out on this thread.

Thanks for the link.

 

[fuzzi]

I, too, have lots of green tomatoes, but not as many ripe tomatoes as I would expect this time of year. Still, have been picking a few ripe tomatoes every day.

One thing I like to make when I have excess tomatoes is what my father used to call "poor man's pizza." It's simply toasted bread, some Miracle Whip, sliced tomatoes, cheese, and some garlic powder sprinkled on top - all cooked in the oven until the cheese is melted to taste. I like it when the cheese turns golden, almost a light brown. Makes a great late-night snack.

I use my little toaster oven and can cook up 2 slices of "pizza" at one time. Makes a great snack for me.

If you really want to add some meat for the flavor, you can get that sliced pepperoni and put a few slices on each "pizza" slice. Sometimes I do that, but mostly I just make them meat free.

And, you can't go wrong with BLT's this time of year if you have lots of tomatoes. I hope to have my share of BLT's this year as the tomatoes come in. That sourdough bread sounds great. I will have to learn how to make it.

We used to make French bread pizzas, though any roll including sub rolls will do. Toast the roll, flat side up covered with cheese, mushrooms, whatever your pleasure.

 

[gtaus]

A big part of the success of my hügelkultur raised beds is the chicken run compost that I mix with a high-quality topsoil 1:1 to top off my beds. I converted my entire chicken run into a composting system. Almost everything organic on my property gets tossed into the chicken run for composting in place.

Right now, I have about 18 inches of compost litter in the front of my chicken run. The chickens are constantly scratching and pecking in the litter finding tasty bugs and juicy worms to eat. This time of year, most of the top layer of the chicken run is grass clippings. Here is a picture from the other day after I dumped in another 8 bins of grass clippings into the run...

You can see all that new grass dumped in the run on the left side of that picture. The chickens will scratch and peck those new piles down to level in no time. Then the grass clippings will dry out and turn brown.

I am starting to see some leaves fall, but not much yet. In another month, the chicken run will be covered with leaves that I mow up from my lawn. The chickens, of course, will mix all those leaves in with the grass clippings and that is the basis of my chicken run compost - leaf mold and grass clippings compost with a bit of chicken poo in the mix. All natural, works great.

One thing I used to worry about was having a pile of green grass getting wet, heating up, and smelling really bad. That can happen if you have a big pile of grass clippings and leave them in a heap. However, I have found out that my chickens work the piles so fast, and every day afterwards, that I have never had a problem with a grass pile rotting out and smelling up the run. All I do is dump the grass bins in separate smaller piles, one bin each, instead of dumping all 8 bins into one large heap.

I was thinking about this evening because I finished another pallet wood planter for Dear Wife for her "wild" garden. I built a 16X16X16 inch planter and filled the bottom ~10 inches of the planter with pallet wood bits and pieces, cleaning out my garage. After all that wood, we will top if off with my mix of chicken run compost and topsoil mixed 1:1. All my pallet wood planters use the huglekulture method same as my raised beds. Just on a smaller scale...

Close up of the pallet wood "hügelkultur" off cuts filler used...

Rather than burning all those pallet wood pieces in the fire ring, I have been saving them to use as filler in my hügelkultur garden beds. All those small pieces are great to fill the gaps and voids between the large logs in the raised beds, or just as is in these smaller planters.

For people who live in town and don't have access to lots of natural trees to use, something like non-treated wood cut offs could be a valuable resource. Wood is wood, and it all should work well in a hügelkultur setup.

 

[Molpet]

Wood is wood,

So long as it's not black walnut. That will stunt if not kill some plants. But unless you're working with gunstock or cabinets, probably won't run into walnut

 

[gtaus]

Metal Raised Bed Considerations

I like the idea of buying a steel raised bed and having it last for many years longer than my pallet wood raised beds. If you can get a nice steel raised bed at an affordable price, what's not to like?

Well, I just came across a YouTube video review of steel raised beds and the lady in that video had a number of complaints on her choice. If you don't like to watch negative reviews, be warned that this video did not have much good to say about her metal raised beds...

Although the title only mentions 3 reasons not to buy metal raised beds, she actually listed many more reasons. I have listed the ones I picked up on and have a few comments...

1. The metal gets really hot and the soil dries out around the edges.

- I don't have any 100% metal beds, but I did make 4 raised beds with wood frames and corrugated sheet metal sides. I live in northern Minnesota, and I have never had a problem with the metal getting too hot. I made those metal sided raised beds during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic because the cost of wood was so extremely high. Using the metal for the sides saved me a lot of money at that time. Nowadays, all my raised beds are made out of pallet wood.

Picture of one of my metal sided raised beds...

2. Sharp edge on top of metal bed.

- Some metal beds come with a rubber gasket to put on top of the bed's edge. Nobody wants sharp edges on their beds out in the garden. I have seen some people use a pool noodle on those sharp edges. I think I would take an old leaky garden hose and cut it off to length and then cut a slit in it to go over the edge. Instant gasket.

3. Cost

- She paid $259.00 each for her metal raised beds. Maybe that was the going price back then. However, those metal beds are much cheaper today. For comparison to my 4X4 foot pallet wood raised beds, here is a listing on Amazon of a 2X8 foot metal raised bed...

Considering that the metal bed will probably last a lifetime, I don't think $90.00 is out of line.

Having said that, I make my 4X4 foot pallet wood raised beds for less than $2.00 each...

I prefer the looks of wood over metal, but I also enjoy making stuff. The pallet wood raised beds might not last forever, but if they last 3-5 years without any problems, I think I will have gotten my $2.00 worth out of them. My oldest pallet wood raised beds are 3 years old now and holding up fine.

4. Hard to add accessories to metal bed

- She mentions that if you want to add a hoop cover or trellis system to your metal raised bed, it can be very expensive. A DIY option is more difficult to make because the metal raised beds she has are more oval in shape.

I had to build a number of protective covers for my raised beds this year because I got hit hard by squirrel and rabbit damage. Here is a picture of one of the chicken wire protective cages I made for my lettuce and kale 2X4 foot raised bed...

I have a number of other chicken wire cages built for my 4X4 foot raised beds. They work great. I add chicken wire to the top to keep out deer from eating the plants.

I can make square stuff with wood. I don't think I would be able to make accessories for an oval raised bed. So, I guess I can agree with her on that point that accessories are more difficult on the type of oval metal raised beds she bought.

As to adding a trellis, I built a salvaged wood trellis for one of my raised beds and just screwed the framework into the raised bed wood corners...

I used all salvaged wood, and/or pallet wood, on that trellis. I had some leftover 2X4 inch welded wire fencing for the plants to climb up on. I just stapled that on to the trellis frame. Basically, everything was free to me because I had it on hand sitting behind my garage. I like to use what I have before considering a new purchase.

5. Does not align with Permaculture values

- She mentions that steel raises the carbon footprint. I don't know much about that. IMHO, if the steel bed lasts forever, it's probably a good investment if you don't have to spend too much on the purchase of the metal raised bed kit.

I like using pallet wood to make my raised beds. I get the pallets for free, I enjoy making my raised beds, and they work great in my setup. Plus, every pallet I use is one less pallet that gets dumped out at our local landfill. I guess that makes it a better "Green" option.

My local county landfill will not let us take any pallets from the landfill. They dig big trenches with their caterpillars and just bury all the pallets. I think that is a terrible waste. Any pallet that I can save from the landfill is a win in my book.

The older I get, the more "Green" conscious I have become. I wish I had that attitude when I was younger, but those were different days when I grew up. I am glad to see so many little changes in everyday life that reduce our waste products.

Well, like I said, she was pretty negative on her purchase of steel raised beds. That's too bad. I have heard many positive reviews by others on their steel raised beds. But I think it's important to listen to others and consider how well any type of raised bed will work for you where you live.

 

[gtaus]

So long as it's not black walnut. That will stunt if not kill some plants. But unless you're working with gunstock or cabinets, probably won't run into walnut

When I said wood is wood, I was referring to pallet wood that is processed into lumber but only heat treated (HT) with no chemicals added. I think pallet wood cut offs will work as well as natural tree logs and branches in the aspects of breaking down over time and acting like a giant water sponge for the beds.

Black walnut or chemically treated wood is something I would not use in a raised bed. I personally have never seen a pallet marked MB, for Methyl Bromide treated wood. But you would not want that stuff around your garden. I won't pick up any pallets that are oil or paint stained, either. Fortunately, I seldom see a pallet that has been used to transport chemicals or looks oil stained. So, I feel confident that the pallet wood I use in my garden is safe.

 

[igorsMistress]

Metal Raised Bed Considerations

I like the idea of buying a steel raised bed and having it last for many years longer than my pallet wood raised beds. If you can get a nice steel raised bed at an affordable price, what's not to like?

Well, I just came across a YouTube video review of steel raised beds and the lady in that video had a number of complaints on her choice. If you don't like to watch negative reviews, be warned that this video did not have much good to say about her metal raised beds...

Although the title only mentions 3 reasons not to buy metal raised beds, she actually listed many more reasons. I have listed the ones I picked up on and have a few comments...

1. The metal gets really hot and the soil dries out around the edges.

- I don't have any 100% metal beds, but I did make 4 raised beds with wood frames and corrugated sheet metal sides. I live in northern Minnesota, and I have never had a problem with the metal getting too hot. I made those metal sided raised beds during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic because the cost of wood was so extremely high. Using the metal for the sides saved me a lot of money at that time. Nowadays, all my raised beds are made out of pallet wood.

Picture of one of my metal sided raised beds...

View attachment 3929181

2. Sharp edge on top of metal bed.

- Some metal beds come with a rubber gasket to put on top of the bed's edge. Nobody wants sharp edges on their beds out in the garden. I have seen some people use a pool noodle on those sharp edges. I think I would take an old leaky garden hose and cut it off to length and then cut a slit in it to go over the edge. Instant gasket.

3. Cost

- She paid $259.00 each for her metal raised beds. Maybe that was the going price back then. However, those metal beds are much cheaper today. For comparison to my 4X4 foot pallet wood raised beds, here is a listing on Amazon of a 2X8 foot metal raised bed...

View attachment 3929194

Considering that the metal bed will probably last a lifetime, I don't think $90.00 is out of line.

Having said that, I make my 4X4 foot pallet wood raised beds for less than $2.00 each...

View attachment 3929197

I prefer the looks of wood over metal, but I also enjoy making stuff. The pallet wood raised beds might not last forever, but if they last 3-5 years without any problems, I think I will have gotten my $2.00 worth out of them. My oldest pallet wood raised beds are 3 years old now and holding up fine.

4. Hard to add accessories to metal bed

- She mentions that if you want to add a hoop cover or trellis system to your metal raised bed, it can be very expensive. A DIY option is more difficult to make because the metal raised beds she has are more oval in shape.

I had to build a number of protective covers for my raised beds this year because I got hit hard by squirrel and rabbit damage. Here is a picture of one of the chicken wire protective cages I made for my lettuce and kale 2X4 foot raised bed...

View attachment 3929204

I have a number of other chicken wire cages built for my 4X4 foot raised beds. They work great. I add chicken wire to the top to keep out deer from eating the plants.

I can make square stuff with wood. I don't think I would be able to make accessories for an oval raised bed. So, I guess I can agree with her on that point that accessories are more difficult on the type of oval metal raised beds she bought.

As to adding a trellis, I built a salvaged wood trellis for one of my raised beds and just screwed the framework into the raised bed wood corners...

View attachment 3929206

I used all salvaged wood, and/or pallet wood, on that trellis. I had some leftover 2X4 inch welded wire fencing for the plants to climb up on. I just stapled that on to the trellis frame. Basically, everything was free to me because I had it on hand sitting behind my garage. I like to use what I have before considering a new purchase.

5. Does not align with Permaculture values

- She mentions that steel raises the carbon footprint. I don't know much about that. IMHO, if the steel bed lasts forever, it's probably a good investment if you don't have to spend too much on the purchase of the metal raised bed kit.

I like using pallet wood to make my raised beds. I get the pallets for free, I enjoy making my raised beds, and they work great in my setup. Plus, every pallet I use is one less pallet that gets dumped out at our local landfill. I guess that makes it a better "Green" option.

View attachment 3929230

My local county landfill will not let us take any pallets from the landfill. They dig big trenches with their caterpillars and just bury all the pallets. I think that is a terrible waste. Any pallet that I can save from the landfill is a win in my book.

The older I get, the more "Green" conscious I have become. I wish I had that attitude when I was younger, but those were different days when I grew up. I am glad to see so many little changes in everyday life that reduce our waste products.

Well, like I said, she was pretty negative on her purchase of steel raised beds. That's too bad. I have heard many positive reviews by others on their steel raised beds. But I think it's important to listen to others and consider how well any type of raised bed will work for you where you live.

I agree the steel will last much longer than most other options. While permaculture values are important, it’s not always possible for everyone to do all those things. People may rent, or have disabilities, or have thick layers of caliche a few inches below the soil surface. Try breaking that up with a shovel, it’s like trying to break up concrete.

I did experience the hot metal so I took the temp of the beds during the hottest part of the day. It was about 100* near the walls of the beds but cooler in the center. I think a bit of shade cloth might help that.

The beds that I got have a strip of rubber to cover the top edge so no owies.

 

[fuzzi]

So long as it's not black walnut. That will stunt if not kill some plants. But unless you're working with gunstock or cabinets, probably won't run into walnut

The woods next to my house has black walnut trees. I have to pull up saplings growing in my yard, frequently.

 

[Molpet]

The woods next to my house has black walnut trees. I have to pull up saplings growing in my yard, frequently.

I have been digging potatoes... and the squirrels are planting green black walnuts