How-To: Raised Garden Bed Layers - “Hügelkultur” Method

Garden Bed Layers - Percentage to Fill:

• 1st Layer: 5% Cardboard

• 2nd Layer: 25% Logs

• 3rd Layer: 15% Branches

• 4th Layer: 5% Woodchips

• 5th Layer: 10% Plant Waste

• 6th Layer: 10% Compost

• 7th Layer: 25% Top Soil

• 8th Layer: 5% Worm Castings
  

1st Layer ( 5% ) :

Cardboard / Newspaper

Ensure any labels / tape are removed from the cardboard, allowing only decomposable material in the lower layer. This layer blocks out weeds and acts as a barrier against rhizomatous, weedy or invasive plants. You are essentially taking rotten wood and allowing it to compost for a super fertile, moisture retaining garden bed.

2nd Layer ( 25% ) :

Logs

Mixture of dead logs, along with rotting firewood/ stumps and hard longer-lasting woody materials are ideal. The best woody species for Hügelbeds are alder, apple, cottonwood, maple, oak, poplar, dry willow, and birch. Avoid wood from allelopathic trees like black walnut (for its juglone toxicity); high-resin trees like pine, spruce, yew, juniper and cedar; and hard, rot-resistant woods such as black locust, Osage orange and redwood. Any type of wood with sprouting potential (such as willow) should be completely dead before using.

3rd Layer ( 15% ) :

Branches

Small branches, twigs are used to fill voids in the woody base before construction is complete and periodically as the bed breaks down. The branches can break down faster then the larger logs beneath.

The break down of woody base materials can rob nitrogen from the plants for the first year or two. Avoid this by adding additional manure on top of the woody base.

Use a thinner layer of logs/branches for nitrogen hungry plants, such as, peas, beans, corn, spinach, Brussel sprouts, kale, cucumber and tomatoes.

4th Layer ( 5% ) :

Woodchips

Sawdust and coarse woodchips are used to fill the voids in the woody base.

5th Layer ( 10% ) :

Plant Waste

Plant waste or "Hot Matter" should fill at least 10% of your raised bed. Hot matter is compost that contains high-nitrogen materials to get the pile of materials to heat up. The ratio by volume should be 2 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen.

6th Layer ( 10% ) :

Compost

Layer with 10% compost is an essential ingredient. This layer holds moisture and provides key nutrients.

7th Layer ( 25% ) :

Top Soil

Organic top soil is always free from chemicals. Top soil starts with equal parts of sand, clay, and silt, also organic matter gives it the nutrients that are lacking. Organic soil retains moisture but also drains well.

8th Layer ( 5% ) :

Worm Castings

The purpose of using worm castings at the top layer of your raised bed, is to increase soils water retention, improve soil aeration, and anchor plant nutrients that would otherwise leach away with water. Castings also feed soil microorganisms that produce, store, and slowly release plant nutrients into your soil to feed plants.

Ideal Raised Garden Bed Size:

• Shallow Rooted Plants - 12 - 18 " (1 - 1.5 feet)

• Example: Lettuce, Onion, Strawberries, Chives

• Medium Rooted Plants - 18 - 24 " (1.5 - 2 feet)

• Example: Peppers, Peas, Cucumber, Eggplant

• Deep Rooted Plants - 24 - 36 " (2 - 3 feet)

• Example: Tomatoes & Kale