How does hugelkultur work? In a hugelkultur bed, organic matter breaks down over time, giving nutrients, warmth and moisture to plants. It's a way to take waste — both the rotting wood and organic matter — and using it to grow plants. The decaying wood will retain water, but it will also break down in years to come.

How long does hugelkultur last?

The number of years you get out of your hugelkultur and hugel bed will depend on the density of the wood originally used to build it. Typically, it will last from around eight to 10 years. However, if you are able to use hardwood trees, you may get as many as 20 years of great gardening out of it.

What should you not put in hugelkultur?

Avoid wood from allelopathic trees like black walnut (for its juglone toxicity); high-resin trees like pine, spruce, yew, juniper and cedar; and hard, rot-resistant woods such as black locust, Osage orange and redwood. Any type of wood with sprouting potential (such as willow) should be completely dead before using.