Straw Bale Gardening

[Mortblanc]

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.