It’s counterintuitive, but ditching the dirt could be the secret to a thriving garden.
Here are their tips for starting a straw bale garden.
What is Straw Bale Gardening?
Photo:Debibishop/Getty Images
Straw bale gardening is a method of gardening that uses a straw bale as the medium to grow plants.
It is an easy, low-cost, and impermanent way to create vegetable beds.
Karsten says that hes had readers send him pictures of their straw bale gardens from all over the globe.
Joel Karsten of strawbalegardens.com
Theyve raised a portion of their vegetables in straw bales ever since.
Joel Karsten of strawbalegardens.com
How Do You Start a Straw Bale Garden?
Youll need more than just a straw bale to start a straw bale garden.
Joel Karsten of strawbalegardens.com
First, you need a site with full sun exposure.
Pothour advises that you plan your placement with aesthetics in mind too.
[Eventually] they can look kind of unsightly.
Otherwise, youll need to water by hand daily and twice per day in the peak of summer.
The bales should be positioned cut side up with the strings around the sides of the bales.
How Do You Condition the Straw Bales?
(The moisture and nitrogen from the fertilizer speed up the natural decomposition process.)
For the conventional method, Karsten recommends 1 lb.
For the organic method, youll need a lot more: 5 lbs.
of blood or feather meal and an organic source of Phosphorus and Potassium, as well.
Conditioning via the conventional method takes 10-12 days depending on the air temperature.
Mushrooms might pop up on your balesthey are a sign that decomposition is taking place.
What Can You Plant in a Straw Bale Garden?
Pothour also cautions against plants that will grow very tall like some varieties of tomatoes.
However, most tomatoes work great in straw balesjust choose dwarf varieties.
How Do You Plant in a Straw Bale Garden?
Once your bail has been conditioned, its time to plant.
How Do You Care for a Straw Bale Garden?
Your straw bale garden will need to stay moist, so watering is essential.
However, Karsten cautions, The number one mistake people make is to overwater their straw bale gardens.
It’s really easy to do.
Youll also want to start fertilizing your straw bale garden once the seedlings have their third leaf pairs.
Spray on a liquid or soluble fertilizer every few weeks to keep the plants nourished.
As the straw bale starts to decompose, it shrinks.
So youve got to keep those strings tight, says Pothour.
