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About Wallowa County chieftain. (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Or.) 1943-current | View Entire Issue (June 12, 2019)
B2 Wallowa County Chieftain Wednesday, June 12, 2019 WALLOWA COUNTY C H I E F TA I N Hugelkultur explained Topsoil and finished compost Pronounced Hoo-gul-culture, these raised garden beds provide a long-term source of nutrients for your plants. Half-rotted compost Grade Sources: Wikipedia; permaculture.co.uk; Blue Mountain Eagle research Leaves and soil Tough, woody material Alan Kenaga/EO Media Group Hugelkultur: Compost gardening using a raised bed of natural material Continued from Page B1 son’s coaching, Mullins and her husband, Kim- ball Hawkins, gathered up a number of old logs, branches, and lumber, excavated a curving, elon- gate shallow trench, and stacked the wood of vary- ing sizes there. Then they covered the logs, lumber, and branches with decomposing sod torn up from where the foundation for their new house was to be built. On top of that, they placed chicken manure from Hawkins Sisters and a mixture of grass clip- pings, straw, kitchen compost, and other organic matter. They topped it off with soil and a protec- tive layer of weed-discouraging fabric. “A hugel provides a lot of long-term nourishment for the plants,” Mullins said. “The logs and wood at the bottom hold moisture for a long time. Even when it’s dry in the summer, plants can derive both mois- ture and nutrients from the wood and the organic materials buried in the soil. The decomposing mate- rials keep the soil warm so you have a slightly longer growing season.” The free-form shapes of hugels are more creative than square raised beds. You could build a donut- shaped one, a long winding one, or one in the shape of a dinosaur. While not as effi cient in design as tra- ditional square, lumber-bound raised beds, hugels would seem to be more fun. Alder, cottonwoods, and poplars are good sources of wood to use, accord- ing to Anderson. They decay quickly underground, and retain lots of water for plants above them. Pines and other conifers are less desirable because the rel- atively high concentrations of tannins in their wood slow their decay and nutrient recycling and can retard growth of garden plants. It’s best to use logs that have already started to rot, as they will not absorb nitro- gen needed by the plants growing in the soil you’ve placed above them. For more information on hugels and hugelkulture, visit https://richsoil.com/hugelkultur/ Cathy planted the fi rst bulbs and seeds in her hugel in 2016. Now, three years after the fi rst plantings, the Ellen Morris Bishop A bee browses on a purple sensation allium in Cathy Mullins’ garden. For more information on hugels and hugelkulture, visit https://richsoil. com/hugelkultur/ winding, sculpted mound is bustling with greenery and color. Along with sunfl owers, alliums (onions) rank among Cathy’s favorite plants. “They are color- ful, compact, and most importantly, the deer don’t eat them but the bees love them,” she said. Her favorite varieties include, Allium cristophii, or the Star of Per- sia which she has dubbed “purple fi reworks” and the more common Allium afl atunense, or purple sensa- tions. Star of Persia is a native of Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkey that grows to a height of two feet and pro- duces large rounded balls of small pinkish-purple fl owers in late May to early June. Mullin’s hugel is well on its way to becoming a pollinator garden. The alliums attract butterfl ies as well as bees. A little later in the year, a profusion of sweet peas will bloom. “They are really my favor- ites,” she said. “The fl owers are fragrant and abun- dant, and the bees and butterfl ies love them. Plus, they are legumes, and further enrich the bountiful nutrients stashed in the hugel’s rich, organic soils.” ‘The flowers are fragrant and abundant, and the bees and butterflies love them. Plus, they are legumes, and further enrich the bountiful nutrients stashed in the hugel’s rich, organic soils.’ Cathy Mullins ENTERPRISE BAKER CITY LA GRANDE 800 S. River St. 1606 Portland St. 2001 Second St. 541-426-9228 Store hours: M-F 9-5:30 Saturday 9-12 541-963-6033 Store hours: M-F 9-5:30 Saturday 9-2 541-523-1533 Store hours: M-F 9-5:30 Saturday 9-2 FREE FREE BED FRAME WITH QUALIFYING PURCHASE. SEE STORE FOR DETAILS DELIVERY WITH QUALIFYING PURCHASE. SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. Not just sorta comfortable. Serta comfortable. ™ Dare to compare the comfort of a Serta ® Perfect Sleeper ® . FREE FREE SET-UP WITH QUALIFYING PURCHASE. SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. REMOVAL WITH QUALIFYING PURCHASE. SEE STORE FOR DETAILS
