One of the glorious things I dream about while living in a city apartment is one day having a garden. Yes, I know it takes work, commitment, time, patience, devotion, love, (I could keep on going here), but as a lover of all legumes (in my humble opinion, there’s no such thing as a yucky vegetable) the ability to grow my own fascinates me. Oh, and the herbs! Thyme, and parsley and basil — oh my!
So for you wonderful people out there who have a bit of green space or a communal garden facility, I live vicariously through you with this fantastic straw bale gardening method. If you’re already familiar, well then you are ahead of the pack. For those just tuning in, it’s a fabulously frugal way to grow a little or a lot of whatever it is that you want to grow from flowers to veggies. It doesn’t break your back, and it is a fantastic fertile option for all of your newfound plant friends.
Read on for ten steps to get the best out of your straw bale garden harvest.
1. Straw Bales, Not Hay Bales
Sounds redundant to make the distinction, but it’s important. Straw is the used up stalk of grain whereas hay is dead grass and alfalfa used to feed livestock. Furthermore, hay releases nitrogen which gives off that terrible sewage smell, and if it’s cut too late in the season, you might have seed heads that will be mature enough to sprout alongside your carefully tended plants, resulting in a mess of sprouts!
2. Location, Location, Location!
Once the bales are brimming with life, they will become way too heavy to move. Therefore, as the figure of speech goes – measure twice, cut once. Where you move them is where they will stay, so do your homework. Figure out where the most sunlight is and lay down a barrier to prevent weeds growing up through the bale with a tarp, newspaper or landscaping fabric. The beauty of the bale is that it can fit anywhere!
3. Wrap Twine Horizontally
The bales will beautifully decompose through the season which is what provides the richness for the vegetables to grow in. However, you want to ensure that when you are laying out the bales for planting, the twine holding everything together runs horizontally along the side of the “bed.” This step will help keep the bales intact for as long as possible before they naturally degrade.
4. Two Weeks To Prepare
In the weeks leading up to planting day (it’s helpful to estimate when you want to plant, then work back 14 days) the bales need to be conditioned. This process is essential if you want an abundant harvest. Nicole from moderndayfarmer.com breaks it down really, really simply:
1.) Water thoroughly/soak beds every day for at least 10 days
2.) Sprinkle 3 cups of fertilizer on days 1, 3, & 5
3.) Sprinkle 1.5 cups of fertilizer on days 7 &9
4.) Sprinkle 1.5 cups fertilizer mixed with 1.5 cups phosphorous on day 10
For the remaining four days, continue to water, and you will notice the straw beginning to decompose. Black spots will form in the hay and become hot to the touch throughout this step, but once the bales are cool to the touch, you can jump right into planting!
5. It’s Time For A Planting Party
Ready to get planting? If you’ve got transplants, all you have to do it use your trowel to create a space in the straw for the root ball. If you’ve got seeds, line the hole with peat-based moss 2” deep, then plant as per instructions.
6. Don’t Plant These
Bales are the perfect home for annuals – not perennials. Plus, perennials don’t like being moved too often. And tall plants, like corn and sunflowers that rely on soil stability to support their towering height, are happier planted in-ground or in permanent beds. Save your straw bale real estate for tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, summer squash, leeks, garlic, carrots, beets, radishes, etc.
7. Lots Of Water Required
Straw is a sucker for moisture, pun intended. With that in mind, the bales will get thirsty and will require lots of watering, every day. There are a few options. One, pull out the ‘ol gardening hose and enjoy the moving meditation of showering your plant babies. Two, set up an automatic watering system or use soaker hoses and switch valves for the cheap and cheerful route!
8. Fungi Is A Great Sign
Are you noticing little mushroom heads popping up? Fear not. Mushrooms mean your straw bales are full of life! These sprouts are a sign of health when it comes to this kind of gardening. They help break down organic matter and convert it into the rich compost plants love.
9. Bring Food To The Table
While straw bales are a kind host for plants, they are not nutrient rich and require the use of compost and fertilizer to help provide “food.” It’s simple enough, however. Adding fertilizer every other week is recommended.
10. Excellent Leftovers
At last, the season has come to an end, and while your straw bales look like a used up heap of matter, this is the black gold of your crop! At this point, it can be used as additional fertilizer, or you can continue to let it break down over winter. Although it looks rough, it will become a huge pile of beautiful, rich soil to use next time around when you do this all over again!
And there you have it folks, 10 ways to get growing using your very own straw bale garden!
