Hugel-whatzit

You know how it seems like fallen branches multiply at the end of winter?  I decided to transform my surplus supply into two new hugelkulture beds.  The idea behind these beds is that the wood bits absorb water and start to rot down, which provides a great source of nutrients as well as moisture for the growing plants above ground.  Right now, there's a mass of branches, small logs and other woody debris layered in the base of two eight foot-by-four foot beds (remnants of my torched chicken tractors).  On top of this, I'll add some half-done compost, and then on top of that layer, I'll add nice rich topsoil.  Both beds will be slightly mounded in the center, which will promote good drainage. 

Into each of these beds, I'll be putting my new blueberry plants.  They should be arriving as bare root plantlets later this week, ready to be popped into the ground and wake up with the growing season.  They should love the good drainage and constant moisture, as well as the acidity contributed by the rotting pine branches and needles.  I'll be mulching them with a layer of cocoa beans mixed with pine bark mulch, which should also boost the acidity.  I'll dress them with Blueberries Alive! organic fertilizer, which I purchased from the Gardens Alive catalog.  Hopefully, they will be extremely happy and reward me with a bumper crop of blueberries in a couple of years.