Our 5th grade boys classes have taken pride in constructing 5 large hugelkulturs around our circular garden. A hugelkulter is German for "mound culture". This is a great way to grow potatoes, melons, or squash.
You start with a pile of dead branches or rotten logs, fill in with dead leaves, manure, grass clippings, dirt, and mulch. After a few weeks of rain (or watering) the pile should be decomposing. You can start walking on the pile to crush it down.
(they really loved this part!)
As the wood rots, it slowly releases nutrients. The first two mounds that we started in September have been planted with potatoes- and we're so excited the potatoes are sprouted and flourishing!
We'll keep you updated on the progress of our potato crop...
