Master Gardeners to demonstrate hügelkultur build in downtown

Johnson County Master Gardeners will demonstrate how to create a hügelkultur (pronounced hoogle culture) in the garden at Ecumenical Towers, 320 E. Washington St., Iowa City, on Sunday, Oct. 15, beginning at 9 a.m.

The public is invited to attend to learn how hügelkultur conservation can benefit the environment.

Master Gardener John Weeg will lead the process and explain the steps involved with Master Gardener volunteers assisting. The word hügelkultur in German translates to “mound” or “hill culture.” A well-built hügelkultur is a self-watered, self-composting raised garden with few irrigation and fertilization needs.

The hügelkultur technique involves removing the grass and soil and creating a trench to bury and layer decayed wood, manure, greenwood, and plant debris and replacing the soil that has been mixed with compost. The process creates a water reservoir and a nutrient-rich mound for gardening, and one that John expects will improve the soil. Carbon is sequestered when wood and plant debris are buried. The final step is adding mulch and letting the berm rest over winter.

Last year, a hügelkultur berm was built in the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. Three garden preparation sites were created and compared this season. A) One tilled soil with only compost added. B) The second added wood, plant debris and compost buried one foot below the tilled area. C) The third area buried wood, plant debris and compost two to three feet below the tilled area. Options B and C required very little additional moisture during the growing season for the same produce production as option A, which was watered every other day.

The hügelkultur berm at Ecumenical Towers will be constructed adjacent to a water feature added earlier this summer. The setting will expand the perennial garden beds to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. In addition to improving the water retention, the garden should enhance the landscape for residents in the building and pedestrians who pass by.

The rain date for the project, should inclement weather be an issue, is Oct. 22.

The Johnson County Master Gardeners program was organized in 1982. The volunteer program is sponsored by Iowa State University and Johnson County Extension and Outreach. JCMG provides current, research-based, home horticulture information and education to Iowa residents through programs and projects. Master Gardeners receive horticulture training and volunteer to promote a mission of education and service.

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