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How to Create a Straw Bale Garden
How to Create a Straw Bale Garden. If your garden soil could be marketed as potter's clay or if the weeds outnumber the flowers, straw bale gardening could be the solution. Bales are inexpensive and can be used as mulch or mixed into compost once the growing season is over. It will take a few weeks to get the garden started, so plan ahead.
If your garden soil could be marketed as potter's clay or if the weeds outnumber the flowers, straw bale gardening could be the solution. Bales are inexpensive and can be used as mulch or mixed into compost once the growing season is over. It will take a few weeks to get the garden started, so plan ahead.
Garden Layout
Straw bales are typically 24 by 42 by 18 inches and are sold by farmers or farm stores. Buy bales tightly wrapped with twine in two or three places. This helps keep the bale -- and your garden -- together. Before you plant, position the bales in a single layer in any configuration. Consider the sun exposure the plants you want will need. Keep in mind that once the bales are conditioned, they will be heavy and difficult to move.
Conditioning the Bales
Plants can't grow in clean, dry straw. It will take up to four weeks to get your garden ready for vegetables or flowers. For the first three days, water the bale thoroughly to keep it wet. The interior of the bale will start to break down and the decomposition reactions will make it heat up. On days three through six, sprinkle the top of the bale with 1/2 cup of urea or 1 cup of ammonium sulfate and water the bale thoroughly. On days six through nine, cut the fertilizer application in half and continue to keep the bale moist. Stop the fertilizer treatment on day 10 and continue to water the bale. The straw will be quite hot. Wait until the top of the bale has cooled to below 99 degrees Fahrenheit before you plant. Check the temperature with a soil thermometer.
Planting the Garden
You have two options for planting in a straw bale garden: You can either loosen the straw with your fingers to make 4-inch-deep pockets or spread growing material in a 3- to 4-inch-deep layer on top. Compost, soil and manure are all good options. Once the pockets are filled or the soil spread, water the bale and plant seeds according to the package instructions. The number of plants you'll be able to fit depends on their growing requirements.
Maintaining the Garden
Proper watering is the most critical aspect of maintaining a healthy straw bale garden. One option is a soaker hose on a timer. Another simple solution is to fill a gallon milk jug with water. Poke a few holes in the cap and invert it near one of the plants. The water will trickle into the straw during the next few days. At the end of the season, use a pitchfork to break apart the bale. Put it on the compost pile or work it into the soil in a traditional garden.
