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[Paul Jones]

Frank S,
Excellent advice from your experience in the Middle East and will work well in the Mediterranean-like climate we have in the parts of Southern California. We also need more organically enriched soils. I used to live in the Pacific Northwest on Bainbridge Island, across from Seattle, and water and enriching the soils was not a problem. The azaleas, rhododendrons and hydrangeas grew beautifully with minimal care except for occasional fertilizing and deadheading. The clay-like non-acidic soils in Southern California has to be organically enriched to grow these plants well (the plants grow well until their roots extend beyond enriched root ball). The hugelkulturs could be that source of enriched soils and other than the initial trenching, should almost take care of themselves with a little extra water and harder to burn.

Thank you for the ideas, Paul

Okay, now where where we on the alternative energy track before I got everyone distracted?