Meadowlark
Member
- Location
- East Texas
- Hardiness zone
- 9a
BACKGROUND
The common response when I present the techniques, I use for gardening is that the techniques will not scale down to small applications. In this two-part thread, I will demonstrate that this premise is incorrect, that in fact the techniques do scale down to as small as ONE single container.
The container used in this demonstration is a converted cattle feed tub with drainage holes added and decaying wood (permaculture) as the bottom layer, composted twigs, leaves, pine straw, etc. (permaculture) as the next layer, and my garden soil as the top layer(organic). I call these Hügelkultur containers (HK containers).
Prior to this demonstration, I conducted an experiment on growing potatoes in these HK containers and I have selected one HK container from that experiment to use in this demonstration. The soil in that container after growing potatoes was very much depleted. See Table 1 below.
My normal approach to this situation would be to change out that soil exchanging it for “No N-P-K required “garden soil. However, for this demonstration, I will attempt to replenish that soil in situ using the same techniques I use on a larger scale.
MAY
The first step (May 31) in this application is to add well composted cattle manure to the top layer of the HK container (biodynamic farming). The compost is mixed in well in the top layer.
JUNE
The next step (June 3) in this demonstration is to plant a legume fixing agent. Sunn Hemp (cover crop, soil replenishment, crop rotation). Other legumes could certainly be used but I have found this particular one, Sunn Hemp, to be the most effective at soil building during summer months. One tablespoonful (15 ml) of seed was scattered on the surface of the HK container. The seed germinated quickly.
Two weeks later (June 16) I had a nice stand of green manure.
Now to enhance this soil conditioning, I “mowed” the container with a hedge trimmer carefully allowing the clippings to fall into the container soil. This is sometimes referred to as chop and drop.
View attachment 130
By the end of June, the Sunn Hemp had regrown to another nice stand of green matter.
To Be Continued in Part 2
The common response when I present the techniques, I use for gardening is that the techniques will not scale down to small applications. In this two-part thread, I will demonstrate that this premise is incorrect, that in fact the techniques do scale down to as small as ONE single container.
The container used in this demonstration is a converted cattle feed tub with drainage holes added and decaying wood (permaculture) as the bottom layer, composted twigs, leaves, pine straw, etc. (permaculture) as the next layer, and my garden soil as the top layer(organic). I call these Hügelkultur containers (HK containers).
Prior to this demonstration, I conducted an experiment on growing potatoes in these HK containers and I have selected one HK container from that experiment to use in this demonstration. The soil in that container after growing potatoes was very much depleted. See Table 1 below.
| Nutrient | Your Results | Optimal Range | Rating |
| pH | 6.6 | 5.8-7.0 | Optimal |
| Total Nitrogen (N) | 3.21 | 32.0-60.0 | Low |
| Nitrate (NO3-N) | 1.64 | - | - |
| Ammonium (NH4-N) | 1.58 | - | - |
| Phosphorus (P) | 45.25 | 8.0-20.0 | High |
| Potassium (K) | 6.87 | 38.0-80.0 | Low |
| Sulfur (S) | 9.8 | 7.0-22.0 | Optimal |
| Calcium (Ca) | 460.86 | 80.0-320.0 | High |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 18.45 | 27.0-70.0 | Low |
| Sodium (Na) | 15.69 | 0.5-30.0 | Optimal |
| Iron (Fe) | 1.12 | 3.0-10.0 | Low |
| Manganese (Mn) | 5.54 | 4.0-10.0 | Optimal |
| Zinc (Zn) | 0.52 | 0.1-0.25 | High |
| Copper (Cu) | 0.07 | 0.06-0.3 | Optimal |
| Boron (B) | 0.09 | 0.2-0.6 | Low |
My normal approach to this situation would be to change out that soil exchanging it for “No N-P-K required “garden soil. However, for this demonstration, I will attempt to replenish that soil in situ using the same techniques I use on a larger scale.
MAY
The first step (May 31) in this application is to add well composted cattle manure to the top layer of the HK container (biodynamic farming). The compost is mixed in well in the top layer.
JUNE
The next step (June 3) in this demonstration is to plant a legume fixing agent. Sunn Hemp (cover crop, soil replenishment, crop rotation). Other legumes could certainly be used but I have found this particular one, Sunn Hemp, to be the most effective at soil building during summer months. One tablespoonful (15 ml) of seed was scattered on the surface of the HK container. The seed germinated quickly.
Two weeks later (June 16) I had a nice stand of green manure.
Now to enhance this soil conditioning, I “mowed” the container with a hedge trimmer carefully allowing the clippings to fall into the container soil. This is sometimes referred to as chop and drop.
View attachment 130
By the end of June, the Sunn Hemp had regrown to another nice stand of green matter.
To Be Continued in Part 2
