New member, long term gardener

[yoni]

Question:
Hi all, I have really enjoyed Mark's approach to gardening esp in raised beds. Love his no nonsense, use what you have build it up and get on with all things growing approach to most things. I am making the move to raised garden beds. HIp high ones. I am no longer bending with ease to manage my garden beds. I have 4 2.4 mt Birdies to get me started. I love the hugelkultur method (new to me, kind of) I have now used all my logs, in the first 2 beds and am wondering about using waste timber from my woodworking. I have a range of hardwood boards that are warped beyond use for my purposes and am wondering about using them as the base layer, positioned on the narrowest edge down, building it up to 30cm layer before proceeding as Mark advises with layers of gardenwaste, sticks, straw etc and other layers as I have in no dig garden beds. And finish with layers of quality topsoil enhanced with all kinds of goodies. any advice on using old boards will be gratefully accepted.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Welcome to the forum @yoni !

As for using old boards... it depends on if they are treated or not. Some treatments can be toxic. They can either kill your plants, or harm you in the long run as plants absorb those toxins.
Untreated planks could surely work. And any off cuts, sawdush and whatnot may as well be used.

Do beware, that using the hugelkultur method will make your bed "sink" as it decomposes and you may need to top up the bed every once in a while. In one particular video Mark showed us he had to dig out the support beams in the beds (the ones that go across to help the bed keep it's shape) as the sinking weight was bending them. It was an easy fix, but something to bear in mind nonetheless. If you'd like, I can link you the video on here.

With hugelkultur, usually put the bigger items on the bottom (take longest to decompose) and go smaller/finer as you go up. If you ensure that a good bit of top soil is put on top, you can start planting straight away. Just bear in mind that plants with deep roots may struggle in the first few months (before it all settles). So it just depends on how quickly you would like to start planting.

In saying this, I am no expert. I haven't done any hugelkultur myself, but am passing on what I've learned as word-from-mouth over the years.

 

[FarmingBoy!]

Welcome!!!