Straw bale gardening....

[Crabby-Chicken]

I know we talked about doing it last year on here. Just want to see if anyone had tried it. I went to the feed store and got three bales of straw! So it will begin tomorrow! What I am going to plant,,, who knows!

 

[gimp]

Yes, I love it!! You will be hooked. I found something else nice about it this year. I buried a couple of stumps under the three bales from a couple of years ago. The mulching resulted in the complete disintegration of the cluster of maple stumps!!! I do love the added bonus of mulch for the beds, however I haven't used them since starting the bale gardening.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Starting my first tomorrow also!

 

[Crabby-Chicken]

Thanks guys! I am excited. I got three, think I will get two more. So did you, or will you add the compost or dirt to the bales, or just poke holes in the bales for the plants.

 

[Minimor]

I tried it; wasn't real impressed. The potatoes, most of them, did really well--but then it turned out that they didn't keep well. They were fine when I "dug" them, but about 1/2 spoiled in no time at all. The melons did great; tomatoes did not. The things--carrots, squash, beans, beets--that I started from seed (using dirt on top the bales) didn't do anythng at all.It was very disappointing and I won't be doig it again.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

I'm just going to start with maters, taters, and maybe some onions and peppers.

My neighbor has already started hers. She has 22 tomatoes, beans, cucs, and lots of strawberries!

I'm going to do the one where you put compost/enriched soil on top for two weeks, then start my plants down in the bale.

Good luck everyone!

 

[shorthorsemom]

Tell me what straw bale gardening is please.

 

[Crabby-Chicken]

It is using actual straw bales,. curing them so they start decomposing some and planting on them. I am doing it for fun, but people make actual big gardens from this and it looks great,. Google search "straw bale gardening" and lots of info comes up. Here is one.... http://www.no-dig-vegetablegarden.com/straw-bale-gardening.html

 

[Valerie]

Last year was my first attempt at the straw bale gardening, and to me.....it was a lot of hype over nothing......I seemed to have better plants if I started them from seed in the bales...... that being said, it is a year later and I broke open some of the bales & they were really nice & rotted.....so I kept a few to do a few plants/seeds in this year and I hope for a better outcome.

I think I am having more fun starting seeds and plants in my greenhouse right now...haha.

Good luck & keep us posted, I sure hope others have better success...... I thought my lettuce and sweet peas did pretty good, but again, I just put some soil on top of the bales & then seeded them in.......... the squash and cukes did not do well at all........ but a year might help things along too?... We will see.... I will keep you all posted as well.

Oh and for those that think the bugs will not get in the bales...they will.......I had weird ants and did notice the worms were quite happy in there....and the worms I am totally cool with, but not ants and spiders.

 

[Crabby-Chicken]

Oh Valerie you will have to let us know how the 2nd year bales do. I have a total of six straw bales now. So I hope it works!!!

 

[minie812]

I too am giving it a shot this year. We have a tiller but poor garden soil and we have to spend a fortune to bring in good topsoil figured we would try this...hope it works!