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Straw Bale Gardening
17 October 2015, 20:31, (This post was last modified: 17 October 2015, 20:32 by MaryN.)
#1
Straw Bale Gardening
Has anyone on the Forum tried straw bale gardening? That is, growing crops directly onto/in straw bales. I read an article on it recently and it piqued my interest. Living as I do in East Anglia, I do have a problem in the Summer if conditions get a bit too hot and dry. The soil here is very fertile, but it is light and easily dries out. We fight a battle every year trying to prevent the pasture from cracking up in even modest heat.

I quite fancy trying to grow crops like tomatoes, peppers, cukes and suchlike in bales or part bales - I reckon the bulk of the bale would provide a bit more moisture.

So has anyone tried it, and do you have any recommendations?

And of course there is the possibility that the decaying straw bale will provide a nice source of compost.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
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17 October 2015, 21:01,
#2
RE: Straw Bale Gardening
Not enough knowledge to help Mary...try YT i,m sure you will find help there.
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17 October 2015, 22:34,
#3
RE: Straw Bale Gardening
Yes Mary there is loads of help on youtube....must say i fancy a go myself....in fact i bloody well will have a go !
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18 October 2015, 10:55,
#4
RE: Straw Bale Gardening
How about trying the tried and tested medieval method of Ridge and Furrow. This worked well for centuries Mary.
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18 October 2015, 19:25,
#5
RE: Straw Bale Gardening
I don't know anything about that method TH. It sounds like it might rely on some sort of plough though. Any info??
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
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18 October 2015, 23:19,
#6
RE: Straw Bale Gardening
I have used straw bales in the past. In fact, I used them the first your in my present location when I did not have time or equipment for proper gardening. The bales are great for a small plot, or even a fast garden on the balcony of an apartment or patio.

I favor using 4 bales in a square with the middle open. I plant directly into the straw and fill the hole in the center with dirt and plant potatoes in the center after filling with dirt. You can get three tomatoes in each bale, perhaps 4 pepper plants.

You simply soak the bales down with water, pull chunks of straw out of the top of the bale, throw in a handful of fertilizer and plant directly into the bale. I did not have to water at all unless it got really dry. There was always a lot of moisture down inside the bale.

At the end of the season I broke the bales up and used them as mulch.

My biggest problem was that straw bales have gone out of sight pricewise, but if all I had was a patio, and did not want to do containers, the expense of the bales might be worth it.
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18 October 2015, 23:27,
#7
RE: Straw Bale Gardening
Does it work with hay too ? I've noticed that old hay bales rot down to a really good compost, so growing in hay bales on poor ground could have two benefits - you get to grow straight away and it would improve the soil underneath.

Does anyone know ?
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19 October 2015, 03:28,
#8
RE: Straw Bale Gardening
Hay/straw...6 of one half dozen of the other.
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Every person should view freedom of speech as an essential right.
Without it you can not tell who the idiots are.
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19 October 2015, 06:32,
#9
RE: Straw Bale Gardening
Would not use hay bales as they can contain grass seed so you could end up growing grass as well as a crop, I would stick to straw, you can prime the bales with natural fertiliser like comfrey juice or watered down urine if you do not wish to use a chemical fertiliser, make sure the bales are well soaked through before well in advance of planting your plants.
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19 October 2015, 09:34,
#10
RE: Straw Bale Gardening
You can apply the priciple of ridge and furrow anywhere Mary. The plants are grown on raised "ridges" of soil with a "furrow" between them. The "furrow" is used to apply mulch/straw/water etc. Using this method makes weeding/hoeing very easy. If you apply a layer of mulch between rows it acts as a moisture conservation method when it's dry, very useful in places like Anglia. Another benefit is that you never have to stand on the Ridges where you intend to grow your crops, using the furrow to walk in thus never compacting your soil.
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