My Hugalculture Experiment

[Lollykoko]

That was moving an awful lot of dirt, Guy. Something tells me you don't have to pay for a gym membership.

[matt walker]

Wow Guy. You're making me feel kinda inadequate over here. Lol. Like Lolly said, that's a lot of dirt to move. What a difference in soil quality from the Hugel bed. Very inspiring.

[pa_friendly_guy]

Yes, I was impressed to see how black it was after 1 year. I have been doing something similar for about 8 years now, but the Hugelculture thing was a new idea to me just last year. I had been putting down alot of leaves on the bottom layer for the same reason, to hold mosture. I had never thought of using logs. The way that I had thought up by myself was just not quite as good as Sepps, lol. I was very pleased to be able to dig this new section several inches deeper than last years area. Much less rock and what is there seems softer and easier to dig as well. You are right Lolly, I do not pay for a gym membership.

[pa_friendly_guy]

I finished sifting the soil on this springs Hugelbed and got my old tiller started today to till in the sub soil left on top of the garden soil from the project. I bought the tiller used many years ago. The rope pull had broken and the prior owner put a sprocket on that you rap the rope around and pull. When it does not start you rap the rope around again and try again. I cheated and used some started fluid spray and got the old girl running. My tiller is a Roper, I think they went out of Business about 20 years ago. Shes a Good One, but I'd sell her, Old front tine tiller really beats the snot out of me. I am tired and sore, but I raked things off and I am ready to plant any day now. Its a good feeling.

[pa_friendly_guy]

We are having an unusual warm spell here in Pa, it has been up to 40 yesterday and today and will be 50 tomorrow and maybe 60 Sat. It rained yesterday and it will rain tomorrow, but I took advantage of the unseasonable warn spell to go out and dig in the Garden today. I started to excavate a new Hugalbed last Nov and want to finish it way before spring. It is a bit bigger than the last several beds and is right beside the last plot I did last spring for the tomatoes. This one is 8 ft wide and 16 ft long. I have again been able to get a little bit deeper than the last bed, but not evenly so, some parts are deeper than other places in the hole.



I am hitting a lot of rock in this hole, I mean A LOT of Rock. Mostly all rock as a matter of fact. I do not know how the Veggies were able to put down roots at all through some of this solid sand stone.











This is the sub soil and rock that I have dug out so far, I am now about 90% done with digging the rock out, soon I will start to sift it back in the hole.



This hole has been harder than some. I am almost totally done with the left 1/2 of the garden. it feels good.

[matt walker]

Great job Guy, I'm telling you, you need to see GeorgeSr's trammel video. He's got a great way for you to separate your rocks from your other rocks.

[pa_friendly_guy]

I dug out about 3 tons of rock and dirt yesterday. The unseasonable warm spell continues today and is expected to last until Sunday. It is raining heavily today so I took the day off from digging and went to bring my Mother home from Rehab. She is 85 and had her 2nd hip replacement about 2 weeks ago. The 1st one was done 9 years ago and she recovered extremely well. This recovery is a bit slower but she is still doing great considering that she is now 85. She lives alone and is getting around with a walker. The day off from digging was very welcomed, my back is a bit sore today. I guess I am not used to pick and shovel work. Maybe I am just out of shape from lack of exercise this winter, naw, that can't be it, it must be something else. I hope to be back in the garden digging tomorrow if the rain stops, it is to be 50 tomorrow and 60 on Sunday. That is unbelievable for this area in January.

[pa_friendly_guy]

The warm spell continues here in Beautiful South Western Pennsylvania. I took advantage of the last warm day with out rain to finish digging out all of the rocks in my current excavation. I am tired and sore, but ALL of the dirt and rocks are out on the surface of my garden. It feels good. I walked down into the woods a bit today to see where I can get the logs easily for the Hugalbed. It is wet down there, and it is to rain tomorrow so they may have to wait a while. Monday is back to winter here, highs around freezing and snow. That is why I was pushing hard to finish the digging now. Next warm spell I will start to sift the dirt back into the hole.

[pa_friendly_guy]

It is about the middle of January and they are predicting a high of 63 F here today in SW Pa. We are warmer than Los Angeles and warmer than Phoenix. This is totally unbelievable here for January. Tomorrow winter returns with a vengeance but today will feel like spring. I will be out side working in the yard, and if it does not rain I want to start hauling logs to the garden for the Hugelbed. I hope to get a lot done today, but because it is such a nice day I may just take some personal time, and relax a bit and enjoy the warm weather while it is here. Some times you just need to sit back and smell the roses, I have found that the work will always be there, life goes by quickly, enjoy the ride.

[matt walker]

Geez, 60*! That sounds delightful, even if it is January and not quite right. We are in the middle of our typical cold snap with temps right around freezing, which we get once a year or so. I'd love to be digging in the garden instead. Enjoy it my friend.