Can You Mulch With Hay - Learn How To Mulch With Hay

Hay will not give you a dry layer of cover that is pleasing to look at, but it is a great mulch for growing flowers and vegetables, and you'll get a fantastic yield. ... Mulching your garden with hay using this method may require a large quantity, but you won't need to add the same amount year after year.

Can I use hay instead of straw in my garden?

Most garden authorities recommend using straw rather than hay but we make our own hay so I use what we grow following Mrs. Stout's method, just not in the buff. ... Farmers make every effort to harvest the grain from straw, leaving straw bales relatively seed free especially when compared to hay.

Can you use hay bales for gardening?

Hay bale gardens are perfect for gardeners with no space or poor soil for cultivation. Hay forms an ideal alternative to soil. Since the straw bale makes a natural pot for your plants, you can plant anywhere you have room for your bale.

How long does it take for hay straw to decompose?

59- 10320 straw decomposed 49% in 3 months.

Is hay better than mulch?

A low-quality straw mulch is a better choice than a low-quality hay, since the poor-quality hay likely contains invasive seeds, and straw does not. When high-quality, seed-free is hay available, it makes a better mulch because of the nutrients it introduces to the soil compared to straw.

Should I use straw or hay to cover grass seed?

Straw is preferred to hay as a grass seed mulch because of its lower seed content. Straw is made of the stems of grass plants, while hay contains the stem plus the flowers and seeds. Still, straw will contain some amount of seed from farm grasses and weeds.

Why are hay bales left in fields?

Storing bales reduces the number of exposed surfaces and can reduce losses, especially if shelter can be provided. Once the bales have cooled, the bales can be taken to the feed yard and stacked. Unless the bales are used for bale grazing, leaving that hay out in the fields until freeze-up can prove expensive.

How do you prepare hay bales for planting?

Before you can plant in the bales, they need some special preparation, so buy the bales at least two weeks before you want to plant.
...
The first week

Water the bale thoroughly, until water runs out the bottom of the bale. ...
Every other day, add more of the nitrogen source; water thoroughly.

What can I do with old hay bales?

Uses for Old or Spoiled Hay

Build a hay or straw bale garden. ...
Use the bales like bricks to build a compost pile. ...
Mulch your garden. ...
Use the bales as seats for an outdoor event such as Calgary Stampede, a country wedding, picnic or BBQ.

How do you start a hay bale garden?

For effective straw bale gardening:

Use straw, not hay. Hay is made from alfalfa and grasses that still have the seeds attached, and these seeds will turn into weeds when the germinate and sprout. ...
Locate the garden near a water source. ...
Solarize the bales. ...
Use short plants. ...
Plant in full sun. ...
Avoid pooling water.

Is Hay good for soil?

Hay will not give you a dry layer of cover that is pleasing to look at, but it is a great mulch for growing flowers and vegetables, and you'll get a fantastic yield. To start a garden, with seeds or starters, first create a thick layer of hay, up to eight inches (20 cm.), right over your garden soil.

Is hay or straw better for compost?

A low-quality straw mulch is a better choice than a low-quality hay, since the poor-quality hay likely contains invasive seeds, and straw does not. When high-quality, seed-free is hay available, it makes a better mulch because of the nutrients it introduces to the soil compared to straw.

What happens to Straw after grass grows?

Once the grass gets growing and you start mowing, the straw will get chopped up and end up disappearing into the blades. If you've got mats here and there, rake them up and compost the straw. Or work it into a garden bed.

Does Hay kill grass?

Even though hay is dried before it's sold, the dormant seeds can germinate given the right conditions -- often the same conditions your grass seed needs. Using hay as a mulching material for your seeded lawn might lead to weeds and unwanted grasses sprouting from the seeds in the hay.

Does hay make good compost?

Create nutrient-rich compost for your garden from common household leftovers. Dried leaves, hay, straw, sawdust, wood chips, and shrub and tree prunings. Ned Conwell collects his brown matter, but you can also use straw from a feed store.

How much do hay bales cost?

“A five-year average fourth-quarter price for central Alberta mixed hay gives us a value of approximately $120 per ton or six cents per pound,” said Nibourg. “Assuming a yield of 1.8 tons, or three bales, per acre weighing 1,200 pounds, we arrive at a value of $72 per bale.

Will grass seed grow if you just throw it on the ground?

The simple answer is, yes. Beyond just throwing the seed out into the lawn and not performing any grass maintenance there is a whole world of lawn care. ... Even though the seeds will sprout if just thrown on the surface of the dirt there are negative effects of planting the seed in that fashion.

Does Hay help grass?

The hay helps hold the newly turned soil in place, preventing erosion so the seeds stay contact with the soil. Also, it adds nutrients to the soil as it decomposes, helping feed your grass as it grows.

What is the best thing to cover grass seed with?

The best choice is green mulch, which is made from recycled paper, polymers (think of the moisture-holding capability that polymers give a baby diaper) and starter fertilizer.

Is it worth wrapping dry hay?

Wrapping dry hay allows farmers to protect feed from the weather without building more structures. ... Some farmers believe that more layers, up to six, are well worth the extra cost. A thicker barrier is more dependable than a thin one, but more costly.

Why do farmers wrap hay bales?

Plastic wrap is most commonly used in high-moisture baling. In this method the forage crop is cut sooner, immediately baled, and wrapped in plastic to ferment like silage. ... Because forage is at it's highest quality when cut, baleage is higher in protein and more palatable for livestock than dry hay.

Is Straw cheaper than hay?

Straw is far less expensive than hay in our area, selling for under $4/square bale. ... Since hay is more nutritious but more expensive, we buy hay solely for the horses to eat. Since straw is cheaper, dried and therefore less likely to mold or attract moisture, we buy straw for the backyard chicken coop and nesting boxes.