This past spring I began a new garden, in a new area, in a most inhospitable and hostile environment. The area is known for its high winds of 70 MPH or higher, that frequently flip over 18-wheelers on the highway. The temperatures are extremely cold in the winter and extremely hot in the summer. This past month has seen upper 90°F’s and 100°F’s most days. Thankfully, the generally desert-like conditions have been blessed with an unusual amount of rain this year.
In spite of the adverse climate, I am happy to say that my garden is thriving. I have succeeded in creating a lush, sustainable, garden of diverse flora, on a budget. I began in March, to dig hügelkultur beds. These are a raised bed created by digging trenches, filling them with broken tree limbs, dead branches, and other yard debris. The existing soil is added back in and any grass is placed upside down, on top. Ideally, the trenches should be dug down about 1 ½ feet and the beds should be 3 to 4 feet high. Mine were small because I had to dig them by myself with a small shovel, and I did not have the luxury of using a bobcat to make the work easier. I spent less than $20 initially, on 4 different packets of wildflower seeds, one for each of the 4 beds that I had made. I had a few seeds left over from previous year’s gardens.
The dead wood, as it breaks down, will feed the soil. This eliminates the necessity to fertilize with unnaturally green chemical fertilizers. I had begun a compost heap the previous November. A fair amount was “finished” by late July, for adding around the plants. I also added some natural fertilizers around the plants that are heavy feeders.
Since an irrigation canal runs behind my beds, I curved them slightly away from it, to stop the erosion and runoff that had been happening prior to their existence. Much of the water is retained within the beds, rather than running off and carrying nutrients with it. I had some leftover straw that I used to mulch around the plants, which also helps it to retain moisture. For the area around and in between the beds, I obtained free mulch from the local recycling center, to discourage weeds, to provide a more aesthetic appearance, and to make walking through the garden a pleasant experience. Starting everything from seed requires a certain amount of patience. Of course, I wanted my garden to be filled with endless flowers and many are only now, beginning to blossom. The entire back side of the garden is lined with sunflowers. Most of the perennials will look better in the following year. I started 6 tomato plants inside, from seed, and they are now huge and filled with green, ripening tomatoes. I have been eating fresh salads most every day and it is now time to plant a fall crop. My primary goal was to create bird and butterfly habitat, and to entice the bees and other pollinators. With my polycultures of rich diversity that includes several herbs and flowers, in addition to vegetables, I have succeeded beyond my hopes, and proven to myself, that by working with Mother Nature, and not against her, I have created the healthiest garden in town!
