Hugelkultur new gardening trend in Regina

It's a gardening trend that's relatively new to Regina and Canada — hugelkultur. The technique is popular in Europe and involves a raised mound of dirt.

"The centre is basically wood or carbon and then on top is basically your top soil," explained Steve Fairburn, a member of a group called Permaculture Regina. He's been gardening with hugelkultur for three years. 

It's quite interesting on how the plants love the 3D space.- Steve Fairburn

The technique is considered nutrient rich as the wood naturally rots. It also requires less watering. Fairburn says it naturally absorbs water from the ground, which means — once it's set up — there's a month before the growing season and month after the season when watering is unnecessary.

Fairburn recommends starting with a mound that's 1.5 by 1.5 meters, but he says they can be any size.

"You don't really need a lot of space because you're using your vertical space as vertical gardening," he said. " You're growing up instead of just flat."

There are tricks to making it successful. Fairburn recommends planting carrots half way up because they help suck the water up to the surrounding plants. Planting raspberries on top makes them easy to pick. 

"It's quite interesting on how the plants love the 3D space," he said. "They love going up and out and working together."

On Sunday Fairburn held a workshop on hugelkultur and he hopes it catches on. He said he prefers it to more traditional ways. 

"It's very easy because you're not stepping and walking all over it like you would in a traditional row market gardening. All the weeds easily come out and I'm amazed at how easily things grow."