Starting A Straw Bale Garden How To Plant Straw Bale Garden Beds

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.

When should I start my straw bale garden?

You can start a straw bale garden in the early fall, but spring is the best time to plant vegetables.

What vegetables grow best in a straw bale?

Best Plants to Grow in a Straw Bale Garden

Tomatoes. Tomatoes are cheap to grow but expensive to purchase from a store. ...
Root Vegetables. ...
Potatoes. ...
Strawberries. ...
Eggplant. ...
Peppers. ...
Lettuce. ...
Spinach.

How do you grow tomatoes in a straw bale?

Remove straw to form a hole that is as deep as rootball of your plant (though if you're planting a tomato, of course, you'll want to go deeper.) Place the plant in the hole, add some quality potting soil around it for extra nutrients and stability, then fill the rest of the hole in with some of the straw you removed.

How do you plant straw bales from seeds?

Time to plant

If you're planting seedlings, use your trowel to separate the straw in the shape of a hole and add some sterile planting mix to help cover the exposed roots. If you're planting seeds, then cover the bales with a one to two-inch layer of planting mix and sew into this seedbed.

How long does a straw bale garden last?

Instant Raised Bed

In fact you have to make the garden each year. Even a raised bed will last for 10 years.

Should I use hay or straw in my garden?

Straw is the bare stalk remaining after a nutritious seed head, such as barley or wheat has been harvested. ... If your goal is simply to cover the soil, as for paths, then straw is fine. If your goal is to enrich your soil, then the nutritious hay is much better.

How do you fertilize a straw bale garden?

Per bale, evenly sprinkle top with 1½ cup of 8-8-8 or 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Water in application thoroughly. Sprinkle appropriate amounts of lime and fertilizer evenly over the bale. Water each application in thoroughly.

Do tomatoes plants like coffee grounds?

Glad to hear coffee grounds are working for your tomato plants! ... Nevertheless they're often used on acid-loving plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries ... and tomatoes. Be careful, however, not to overload tomatoes with too many coffee grounds. Tomatoes like slightly acidic soil, not overly-acidic soil.

How do you plant vegetables in a straw bale?

To plant seedlings — tomato, pepper, eggplant and greens — make a gap or divot in the top of the bale and set the roots in place. Fill in around the roots with a good-quality, peat-based potting soil, ensuring that the seedlings are well-seated and level with the surface of the bale.

Is it OK to put straw around tomato plants?

Straw: Straw makes great mulch for tomatoes. But stay away from hay, as it's full of seeds. Spread a 3-6” layer around tomatoes. Newspaper or Cardboard: Newspaper is best for blocking weeds.

How much is a straw bale?

How Much Does Straw Bale Insulation Cost? Straw bales can cost anywhere from $0 to $12 apiece. In some areas, farmers might give them away if they have an excess supply taking up space in their barns.

Is straw bale gardening safe?

Bales are Heavy: Straw bales are heavy, especially when wet. Potential to Contain Toxins: If the straw comes from a field that was sprayed in the last few years with a persistent herbicide (containing the chemicals aminopyralid, clopyralid, picloram, or aminocyclopyrachlor), it can actually harm your garden plants.

Can you grow potatoes in straw bales?

Hay or straw bales make an excellent garden for your potatoes. This method of growing potatoes is ideal for those with limited space or whose soil is unsuitable for growing.

Can I use old straw for mulch?

Don't use your leftover straw bale as mulch; it will only present you with nasty weeds next planting season. Instead, use them to actually grow a garden.

Can you grow onions in straw bales?

Growing onions in bales of straw is a great way to garden no matter where you live. ... Onions are easiest to grow from sets, which are available locally or through the mail, and will get you off to a good start.

What can you do with old straw bales?

Straw bales aren't just for horses and hayrides anymore!
...
Here are just five fabulous and festive things you can do with a bale of straw.

FRONT PORCH DECOR. ...
STRAW BALE SEATING. ...
STRAW BALE PLANTER. ...
STRAW BALE GARDENING. ...
STRAW BALE HOLIDAY DECORATIONS.

How big is a bale of straw?

Straw bales are basically produced on farms and they are called field bales. They come in different sizes ranging from 2-string (18 inches or 460mm), either by 14 or 16 inches (350mm to 400mm) high and 32 to 48 inches (0.8 to 1.2m) long, to 3-string that are 21 in wide, by 16 inches high, by 3 to 4 feet long.

Is Straw good to use in the garden?

Straw is one of the best mulch materials you can use around your vegetable plants. It's clean, it's light and it breaks down relatively easily, giving your plants more of what they need to grow.

What does straw do for a garden?

Like most mulch materials, straw helps conserve soil moisture and prevents rapid soil drying and drought stress. Using straw to kill weeds is also effective, as it suppresses most unwanted plants so they can't grow and establish in the bed.

How long does it take for hay straw to decompose?

59- 10320 straw decomposed 49% in 3 months.