Straw Bale Gardening is essentially container gardening, without the cost of a container or the planting mix to fill it. Just buy a bale of straw, go through the "conditioning" process and plant, then water, then harvest, it is about that simple. Get the full details at
www.strawbalegardens.com
Here is a great post and website from the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences and the Clay County Extension Service.
http://clay.ifas.ufl.edu/documents/MG/Haybal...
1 Remember to place the bales so that the string is touching the ground and that the straw is running horizontal and not vertical. That way it retains the water better, 2. be sure you follow the aging process. Soak real well for a couple days and let the bales heat up for about 8 days. You will know it ready to plant when you can stick your hand down between the flakes of straw and its cool. ...»
Follow Ken's instructions. http://clay.ifas.ufl.edu/documents/MG/Haybal...
I never found it necessary to add the extras I just let it break down on its own and never had any problems.
Good luck.
Oh and when the oat straw starts to go to sprout, just trim it off like it was your lawn. It will stop sprouting shortly.
Jan
primitivejan@gmail.com
I even planted sugar snap peas and herbs and tomatoes in one row.
When you are planting seeds you need to add soil so that the seeds don't slip down through the straw. Not a lot, just enough to hold the seeds till they begin to root and attach themselves to the straw,
I did all this except adding the ammonium Nitrate. You may not even be able to get that because its sort of like, bomb making ingredients and some places won't sell it to just anyone. But like I say I didn't add this. It is suppose to aid in breaking down the straw and start the decomposing to go faster. ...»
Days 1–3: Water
the bales thoroughly
each day.
Days 4–6:
Sprinkle the bales
with ½ cup of
ammonium nitrate
or sulphate (34-0-
0) per bale per day
and water it in.
Days 7–9: Cut back to ¼ cup of the
nitrate/sulphate per bale per day and
continue to water it in.
Day 10: No more nitrate/sulphate,
but continue to keep the bales damp.
Day 11: Transplant your veggies into
the bales. Use a trowel to help make a
crack in the bale for each plant. Place
the plant down to its first leaf. I like
adding some potting mix to chink the
crack around the plant. Close the crack
back together.
How many plants per bale?
Try 2 or 3 tomato plants, 3 peppers, 2
sets of squash, up to 4 cucumber sets,
and 3 or 4 okra plants per bale.
Be prepared to stake or trellis any
plant with a stalk. I recommend using
a tall trellis for tomatoes. Tomatoes can
easily get 8 feet tall.
I don't recommend corn with this
method. They will get too top heavy.
Water the bales as needed but at least
once a day in the beginning. Just don't
let the bales get dried out.
I recommend some sort of liquid
fertilizer. I use liquid Miracle Gro as
needed.
The bales may start to sprout, but
that is no problem. I give my bales a
"haircut" every so often with a knife.
I don't have nearly the worms, bugs,
or other pests as a traditional garden,
but use pesticides or fungicides as
needed.
At season's end you can use the bales
for mulch, or bust them up and set
new bales on them next year.
For additional info and a lot more
photos, please visit my online bale
gardening thread at: www.4042.com/
4042forums/showthread.php?t=12405
Thanks for all your help.
It is for Straw Bale cold frames. I am thinking this would be a great idea and I may have to get a few more.
Check this idea out
http://ozarksalive.org/larrapin/?p=929
Great use for old sliding doors or heavy windows so long as there are no children or dogs that may jump up onto the glass, When it is warmer out you can always prop the glass up allowing for more circulation inside the cold frame
Bushes definitely I would plant in the ground.
Hi - I am in Orlando, FL and yes, you can grow awesome veggies and herbs in the straw bales down here - I planted my garden last fall and it is still producing - had to replant the tomatoes - frost got them - but still going strong - cabbage so big we had to share with the neighbors, same with the broccoli - had bowls and bowls of it. ...»
Today I am going to harvest another load of green beans - the rain has gotten them so big and juicy looking - can't wait for dinner tonight.
Look up my posts - have a few on straw bale gardens in Florida - including some pictures.