Oaks (do you leave the stump or yank the roots?)

Layered garden beds are a little different. Look it up. I personally haven't done it but have seen the results. Something about the different layers breaking down at different rates allows for different nutrients to be uptaken by the plants when needed. The plant can grow it's roots into whatever layer it sees fit for the life stage it's in.

 

Agree, my results were horrible.

 

With regards to decaying wood, it does at surface level and in relation to plant needs (same as sawdust which I understand is a no-go in crop lands- however I'm not entirely sure if the same principiple applies when the wood is buried deep and the root structure of the plant is not affected by the log; meaning it wouldn't be to grow on, but to fill below, then add a good solid layer of compost to grow that on.

Did you use decaying wood as mulch?

 

No, I tried the Hugelkultur approach and dug what looked like a burial plot. Buried decomposing wood from the woods and leaves and branches. Then covered with soil that was also from the woods but full of earthworms and appeared rich in nutrients. I did this in the winter and planted vegetables in the spring and they never really did well. I was expecting amazing results but found better results just planting in containers. Could have been several other variables but I gave up on it.

 

I've had great results just using wood chips on the surface as mulch. It always breaks down and looks nice asc well as being a great weed barrier.

 

Ah, I'm sorry to hear that you had bad results.

I use wood chips for the walking paths to supress weeds, but I've yet to use wood chips as mulch, for that I lean towards pine needles (not popular but extremely effective)

 

My brother is an avid vegetable gardener, has a large one, feeds the town! He covers his garden in pine straw. I figured it wouldn't be good, too acidic or whatever, being a conifer, but he says it's good. He uses it as compost but also as weed barrier, I suppose, because it's a solid mat.

 

Hugel beds are the way I've seen seen it done. I'm pretty sure they did "no till" also.

Probably depends on what the original soil needs to be ph balanced. Most plants grow at around a ph of 7 or fairly close. If the soil isn't ph and nutrient tested, guesses are made on what to put back between each grow cycle.

 

I’d turn the heater on before I spent the time processing tree roots for firewood.

 

I had heard about the acidic thing myself but, as far as I've learned, they are acidic when the needles are on the tree. Once on the ground, now issue at all (I've used them myself and they worked wonders). I don't have pines closeby so this year I'm going to try cardboard mulch, see how that works.

 

it's that pointless, uh?

 

Well gentlemen, it's official: I'm a masochist.

In my defense, I'm also dumb and I think that I can split it without too much hastle if I find the right angle.

 

Oh hell no!

 

Don't worry fellas! I have a bow saw, a hammer and some wedges... what could possibly go wrong?

 

Right?!

 

Yous definitely a glutton for punishment.

 

or a clown.

 

Everyone's gotta get it outta their system one way or another. I'm sure I've worn that mask (clown emoji) a time or two. Only way to learn, imo.