I was thinking about this again this morning and came back to add an extra comment, lol. The bit about exposure to the night sky was exceptionally interesting and helpful. Explains why some of my strawberries (ones in a similar situation to this corn) are about three weeks ahead of their cousins elsewhere in the garden. Also explains how Paul Gautschi can grow highly productive plants on a thick bed of mulch directly under his fruit trees. Very cool and makes for better use of space.
Paul Wheton has come to believe in cold climates (which I think he means to be anywhere where you receive frost) you should simply never run hugel beds on contour, no matter what direction that means they run, because if they're built on contour the uphill side becomes a frost trap. Alternately, if you do run one on contour, consider using the uphill side of the hugely mound, especially the base of the uphill side where frost will pool first, for plants that can handle being exposed to frost. (where effectively zero contour exists, like where I live in Manitoba, this is irrelevant and we'd be back to your original question of how to orient the hugel mound)
Rebecca Burnell yes I’m in Southern California. We experience frost every once in awhile only during night temps and never for that long from my memory. I do live at the base of a good size hill but about 1/4 mile from it so my grade does go one direction which will make it ideal for catching water on one side of the hugel beds. One issue I do have is Santa Ana winds they blow extremely hard here coming from the north east so I am factoring them in my design to use them as protection from the plants even thou they are only around from fall until mid winter if you call it winter. But factoring the winds and my grade or contour east to West beds wont be ideal but a little adjustment will give me wind protection and rain water catching swales I just need to see which direction will work best so I could still plant some trees or berries and not cast a shadow onto other side of bed. Cheers I guess the answer to my question is build them in a direction that best suits your land and ability to get all the benefits wind cover water drainage most sun ect.
@@caseG80 - I'm certainly no expert on growing in your local climate - our winter lows dip below -40F every year - but I have heard about how intense those Santa Ana winds are and I suspect that fact, and using the hugel beds to catch every drop of water you can, will give you the most important considerations in your planning conundrum. Orienting the beds on contour in southern California is probably far more advantageous than trying to avoid uphill-side frost traps... just plant the uphill side with frost-tolerant things (especially near the base of the mound on the uphill side where frost will accumulate first and may linger longest), especially if you're looking at perennials for the uphill side (cuz bad enough to lose a tomato or a pepper to frost; you really don't wanna lose the financial investment and time investment of a perennial planting that couldn't handle it, when a little bit of pre-planning can avoid the loss entirely). But for berries etc, could be that you want to orient hugel beds so that one side faces into the Santa Anas? Plant the exposed side with wind-tolerant species (or even actual wind-break species) and use the sheltered side to plant things that can't cope as well... even if that means your hugel beds can't be on contour to be built with wind protection in mind? After all, wind doesn't just stress plants because of its force acting on their stems and leaves; it's also a major force of evaporation, and you guys have enough trouble with precipitation as it is. Wind protection = important moisture preservation in your context. idk, give me -40F and a big snow bank over thay any year ;)
I was thinking about this again this morning and came back to add an extra comment, lol. The bit about exposure to the night sky was exceptionally interesting and helpful. Explains why some of my strawberries (ones in a similar situation to this corn) are about three weeks ahead of their cousins elsewhere in the garden. Also explains how Paul Gautschi can grow highly productive plants on a thick bed of mulch directly under his fruit trees. Very cool and makes for better use of space.
That was very interesting thanks. Food for thought!
We have no plans today
Great explanation of a tricky topic
Thanks for the kind words.
@@VergePermaculture see what
What’s the recommend direction for hugal beds or any garden bed. East west.
Good question. I think it depends on what you are trying to grow.
Paul Wheton has come to believe in cold climates (which I think he means to be anywhere where you receive frost) you should simply never run hugel beds on contour, no matter what direction that means they run, because if they're built on contour the uphill side becomes a frost trap.
Alternately, if you do run one on contour, consider using the uphill side of the hugely mound, especially the base of the uphill side where frost will pool first, for plants that can handle being exposed to frost.
(where effectively zero contour exists, like where I live in Manitoba, this is irrelevant and we'd be back to your original question of how to orient the hugel mound)
Rebecca Burnell yes I’m in Southern California. We experience frost every once in awhile only during night temps and never for that long from my memory. I do live at the base of a good size hill but about 1/4 mile from it so my grade does go one direction which will make it ideal for catching water on one side of the hugel beds. One issue I do have is Santa Ana winds they blow extremely hard here coming from the north east so I am factoring them in my design to use them as protection from the plants even thou they are only around from fall until mid winter if you call it winter. But factoring the winds and my grade or contour east to West beds wont be ideal but a little adjustment will give me wind protection and rain water catching swales I just need to see which direction will work best so I could still plant some trees or berries and not cast a shadow onto other side of bed. Cheers I guess the answer to my question is build them in a direction that best suits your land and ability to get all the benefits wind cover water drainage most sun ect.
@@caseG80 - I'm certainly no expert on growing in your local climate - our winter lows dip below -40F every year - but I have heard about how intense those Santa Ana winds are and I suspect that fact, and using the hugel beds to catch every drop of water you can, will give you the most important considerations in your planning conundrum.
Orienting the beds on contour in southern California is probably far more advantageous than trying to avoid uphill-side frost traps... just plant the uphill side with frost-tolerant things (especially near the base of the mound on the uphill side where frost will accumulate first and may linger longest), especially if you're looking at perennials for the uphill side (cuz bad enough to lose a tomato or a pepper to frost; you really don't wanna lose the financial investment and time investment of a perennial planting that couldn't handle it, when a little bit of pre-planning can avoid the loss entirely).
But for berries etc, could be that you want to orient hugel beds so that one side faces into the Santa Anas? Plant the exposed side with wind-tolerant species (or even actual wind-break species) and use the sheltered side to plant things that can't cope as well... even if that means your hugel beds can't be on contour to be built with wind protection in mind?
After all, wind doesn't just stress plants because of its force acting on their stems and leaves; it's also a major force of evaporation, and you guys have enough trouble with precipitation as it is. Wind protection = important moisture preservation in your context.
idk, give me -40F and a big snow bank over thay any year ;)