Hügelkultur: Building Raised Beds with Buried Wood

What is Hügelkultur? Hügelkultur (hill culture) is a traditional German and Eastern European garden bed construction technique that creates highly productive, long-lasting growing mounds over buried wood. As the buried wood decomposes over years and decades, it functions as a slow-release fertiliser, a moisture reservoir (wood acts like a sponge, absorbing and releasing water), and a habitat for the fungi and other soil organisms that drive fertility. A well-built hügelkultur bed can remain p…