Ron, don't have any suggestions (take that back, I am putting in a purple Tomatillo for salsa ... you might like to try that) but I do have some questions.. I love okra, but it takes up so much room in my raised beds and is there ( like tomatoes) for the whole growing season. Never thought about putting it in straw bales... Did you start with plants or did you direct seed them. Would love to know as I may adjust some of my plans for the garden to accommodate this wonderful vegetable. Thanks
General Discussions - 2010 - Chapter 30
Nini,
I started from seed and put the seeds right in the bales. Had 3 plants per bale but could probably go as high as 5, maybe even 6. It takes a while for them to get going but once it gets hot I swear you can watch them grow!!!!! The only problem I had with them last year was I wasn't getting enough of them to can (Wife and I LOVE pickled Okra) before some would start to go bad. I fixed that this year as I have dedicated one more bale and will be planting more seeds per bale. Hopefully I will have many more coming in at the same time this year. I run all of my climbing plants through cattle/hog panels. That way they have plenty of support and wont knock the bale over or just flat FALL over. With the Okra I just used some green gardening tape every time I saw a part of it getting out of hand. Just tie it up to the panel and let it go, er, grow!!!!!
It really worked out quite well last year and hopefully this year will be even better!
Good Luck!
This message was edited Apr 1, 2010 1:30 PM
"Has anyone here ever planted bush beans in strawbales, and if is it necessary to inoculate them?"
I planted bush beans in ine row, and pole beans in a a row behind them. They did very well, and I didn't inoculate them, I wouldn't know how :)
Any posts show what the bales look like when they decompose?
C
C
I can take a picture of what they look like the next year if you want. However, mine were grass hay and did not decompose nice. Just collapsed. I am going to try to beef them up some and, with some boards from my deck I replaced last year, am going to reuse the bales this year. Otherwise, if I could get new bales I wouldn't use them.
Well I think my bales began to decompose while I wasn't looking! I put out some tomatoes in huge pots because I got tired of waiting and had given up on the bales. Still I kept them moist and yesterday I noticed they felt a little warmer and mushier inside so this weekend I am planting in them, FINALLY! If I do this again I am giving them more than a couple weeks to cook.
C
Here are the first little plants in my first attempt at straw bale gardening. From the left is a 4" purchased Celebrity tomato planted this week (purple tag), the middle is a 6" purchased Celebration tomato planted 2 weeks ago and then a Contender Bush Bean I started from seed that started to flower in a 4" pot before going in this week. Actually, to the right of the bean plant are 2 from 6pak purchased broccoli plants that I put in a month ago and they have not grown or died. Their siblings and cousins (Brussels Sprouts) are in the pots in the background and are growing slowly. They better pick up the pace or it will be too hot for them out here. On the cold side of the scope, we have had a couple nights (early AM) down to 30's with frost on roofs, so I have not planted more of my seedlings that are ready. The watermelon seeds I planted just over a week ago have not sprouted yet.
Since the 6" tomato was so hard to dig a deep hole for (I would NOT use that large a plant again), it was hard to bury it deep, so I mounded dirt/compost and straw from hole up around the bottom of the stem. I am surprised that what with the wind velocity we get here sometimes, that the straw has not blown away.
I reworked the drip/soaker hose system and made it a double row so it will be watered on both sides of the stalks. I figured that with the high temps and some wind in the summer I can run the water a shorter time. Do you guys use timers? Thing is, they are 2 kinds of hoses. The water is hooked up to the round soaker hose and it barely makes it to the end of the hose, even with our 65 GPM well and lots of pressure (too much for the regulator I tried before for a drip system). The second hose is a nylon (?) flat ribbon type soaker hose and I guess I will attach a second hose to that. I have those brass turn off valves at both ends of the hose that I use to control how much water I am letting out.
It was cute the other morning when I went out to turn the water on. Their was a lizard sunning on the black soaker hose and when the water started weeping out he was kind of surprised, then started drinking, then decided it was too much water. Lizards are out big time chasing those bad bugs. Also saw the first lady bug. UNFORTUNATELY, also saw a grasshopper the size of my middle finger.
Well, looks like you guys are on your way!!
Hi Jeanette, Got some of my dirt, root crop in. Carrots, radish and potatoes. Still not sure what to plant in what few bales I have. Maybe a few tomatoes where I can't get to, with my tiller.
With only a few bales, it's hardly worth the effort, for me, considering the size of my garden. But I will use them some where.
I'm just now seeing some results on some of my seedlings. Oh well when I set them out, I think they will take off full bore.
Well better go see what else I can get into. LOL Got some dry manure that needs scattering. Might use the shredder on that job as there is quite a bit of straw in it that would plug up the tiller.
Russ - when you say shredder, is that a chipper that you put sticks and branches in? You opened a whole thought process. Our horse manure that I dry for compost is in balls/clumps and is a pain to break up. Even after being in compost pile for awhile it stays clumped. This winter we used straw in their corrals also, so I have some of that in compost too. Can you put all that through the shredder and not glum it up? Step son has a chipper he bought years ago and hardly has used. Maybe I could even spread out the existing compost to dry it, then chip/shred and pile it back in with moisture and 'green' added in.
qg I had thought that would be the thing to do if I had animals. I don't know if it would work but think I would sure try. Just think if it worked how nice it would be. It would decompose so much better. Plus you could turn it over and stir it up with a shovel or something so much easier. I don't know about the straw. Maybe if there wasn't too much in it.
Let us know how it works.
Jeanette and others. It works, as long as it is dry. though it don't go as fast as leaves. Any wet manure will stick and plug it up. When I shredded the remains of my bales a couple years ago I plugged it a couple times but it done a great job, so I made sure to run enough dry with the wet to clean it as I shoveled away. One more thing I did though was to take out the bar at the outlet that makes it chop up things much finer. Some of the straw will still be around 6" long but everything is mixed well and won't plug up the tiller, when I till it all under.
I did find some wet in this today but worked it in with more dry and it still plugged once. One easy way to clean it out at least after the outlet is clear, is to run it full speed while running water through it.
After running all the corn stalks through it for 2 seasons I had to sharpen the wood chipper knives on the other side of the wheel inside the chipper shredder.
Russ
There you go qg. If it were me, I would do it.
For those who have friends on Face Book who aren't members of DG, but would like to learn about Straw Bale Gardening, I've created a Page for them:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Straw-Bale-Gardening-No-weeding-no-hoeing-no-tilling/106143169423324?ref=ts
Plus, any DG'ers are more than welcome, too!!!
Thanks Kent. Just went over to face book and cruised around the page. Loved the videos of your garden. Great page and it should help a lot of folks who have never heard about this gardening technique.
Kent wrote;"I'm seeding some tomatoes for the 1st time since High School and can't wait to see what they do. I'm a little late with the seeding, but that's the way it worked out."
Hey Kent, know anybody who travels to the Anderson Jockey Lot? I found Kellogg's Breakfast, Chrokee Purple and lots of other Heirloom PLANTS yesterday. I was amazed. Used to be just Better Boys and Early Girls:)
Somehow a KB and a Marglobe crawled into my pocket while I was there. I dug them into my bales, just because I HAD to....and I figure I can protect two if need be...
You guys are going to have to be sure to critique the KBs for us and next year I will order some seeds if you say they are worth it. So far I have 39 tomato plants up from seed (repotted) and am getting another flat of seeds to "babysit" for my sister who is going to Arizona for a week.
Kent once you get those babies growing from seed and then repot and repot again, you are going to be hooked. Not that you are saving a ton of money growing from seed, well you might be, but it is great watching them grow and trying to keep them from getting leggy, etc.
Oh BTW, how are the plans for the greenhouse for retirement coming. A retirement gift to yourself isn't it? What a cool way to retire. You will have so many plants you will soon be selling them. LOL, can hardly wait huh? Well just 2 years, 4 months, and how many days?
nini: thanks. I had been wanting to do a FB page for some time. Finally got around to it. Another guy spurred me on because he started a FB page where he shows a few bale garden pics and SELLS you a little how-to booklet for around $15.
More power to him if he can get it, but I'm just interested in getting the word out and passing what I've learned myself and from all of the other bale gardeners over the years here at DG and elsewhere.
It's my way of giving back what I've learned over the years.
catmad: I'm not familiar with that location. I can't wait to try KB for myself!!! I want an Earl of Edgecombe, too!!
Jeanette: seeding can definitely be addictive!!! LOL
Greenhouse plans no closer that when I first mentioned it.
Still planning on retiring from the Sheriff's Office at 55 on 8/12/2013, my anniversary date, if all goes well!!
Well, I couldn't stand all the warm weather ( and the tomatoes I had started from seed and just plain gotten so big) that I set them out yesterday in their bales. Still have the peppers and eggplants to go, but these guys had grown so much that I needed to get them in their permanent location. I still need to put in the soak-er hose (though you can tell that it is still very wet on the ground in this area) and I need to install the tomato cages before these fellows take off. I have posted a picture of them in their bales. really like the look of it, but it will look very different once I have installed all the cages.
Here's a close up of the plants
Gosh nini your plants look right at home there. And look wonderful. You're on your way. Better get out the canner and make sure you have all the jars, lids and flats. LOL, with that many plants you are going to need a lot.
Don't forget to feed them. The straw does not have any food value!!
Jnette.. Actually I do not plan to can anything, I'm actually looking into drying them. Much rather use them that way than canning. Great on pizza, in soups and chopped in pasta! Actually, these tomatoes are in hay bales. I also put some organic slow acting tomato fertilizer under the dirt, so that should take care of the fertilization issue for awhile. I will keep an eye on them and add more periodically. Cannot wait to get the peppers and eggplants in this week.
I am anxious to see how they do with the slow release fertilizer nini. Should be interesting. Also, I hope you have a big dehydrator with that many tomato plants you are going to need one.
Naw... doesn't need to be big.... but I think the dehydrator will be running non-stop for a good portion of the summer. Come June will be the call.... and their off and running...running neck and neck, tomatoes and the dehydrator... who will win this race... check in in August or September to see who wins. :0)
I never did see what tomatoes you are growing.???
Let's see if I can remember:
2 - Red Pear Piriform, 2 - Kellogg's Breakfast, 2 - Black from Tula, 2 - Sun Sugar, 2 - Black Pearl, 2 - Aunt Ruby's German Green, 2 - Matt's Wild Cherry.
I tried to go from one end of the taste spectrum to the other. Should be an interesting summer!
Jnette wrote;"You guys are going to have to be sure to critique the KBs for us "
I've grown them before, and will keep doing so. They are one of my top 3, at least for now *G*. They are a big gold beefsteak, with a real tomatoey taste, a good balance of sweet and acid. Good grief, I sound like a seed packet! Still I do like them. I will say they have not been productive for me, but I blame that more on conditions and me than the 'Maters. I;ve had the same performance from another of my faves, Lucky Cross. Maybe this year will be better. So far, so good.
Kent, the Jockey Lot is a big "swap shop" place down here, but there are lots of vendors from NC and Georgia.
http://www.pbase.com/laplageauxfolles/anderson_jockey_lot
Four years ago there were nothing but hybrid Maters, now there's a wonderful variety. The KB is new this year, and there are other new ones I'd like to try. I don't have room :(. Next year....:)
Since we're talking about tomatoes, here's a book I highly recommend:
http://www.amazon.com/Smith-Hawken-Heirloom-Tomatoes-American/dp/0761114009/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270471616&sr=8-1
Dr. Carolyn Male is a regular in the DG tomato forum.
She goes by the name "Carolyn".
Anything she says about tomatoes, you can depend on, especially her info on BER, blossom end rot. Her info is in the stickies section.
Also, Craig LeHoullier - The NC Tomato Man - is also a "must-see" site:
http://nctomatoman.weebly.com/
His videos are great.
Kent
Is NCTomatoMan something else.....I've done a flat of mass seeding like he shows, I'm interested to see if the tomatoes seedling are as hardy as they look in his video.... I can't believe him growing that many and not having a greenhouse, just that wonderful NC weather I guess.... maybe I need to move to NC... this northern weather is killing me in the winter.... summers I enjoy greatly...but miss the southern live style.
Carolyn has incredible knowledge on Tomatoes, I've been reading all her posts lately....
Glad you are on FB...
Hope you had a wonderful Easter, we had beautiful weather for such an incredible holiday.
Janet
Janet: yeah, the NC Tomato Man is great. I can't believe he can get a couple thousand tomatoes started in 1 flat!!! LOL
Another beautiful day here. I have 1 more day off and then back on the job. Enjoying it while I can.
Kent
Kent
enjoy your day, I did take a look at that other guys fb where he is selling his info and I wasn't really impressed, at least not impressed enough to send money....
Again thanks for sharing with all of us.
I've got 3 bales cooking right now, but come this weekend will be adding 5 more and will have 4 bales on each side, I'm picking up the cattle panels this weekend as well, as I'm going to create tomato arbor like yours.... I've been so taken with that from the first time I started watching and reading your threads here.
once I get it started will post pictures here on my blog and FB.
Janet
Janet: I think you'll be very pleased with the cattle panels. They are so much better to work with than that concrete wire.
Looking forward to seeing that arbor hanging full of tomatoes!!!
I scored 5 Kellogg's Breakfast tomato plants today from a local nursery. Whoo!! Hooo!!
I'll keep'em inside mostly until transplanting time.
Kent
Kent yes me too on seeing an arbor full of tomatoes....
so hasn't the weather warmed up down there yet?
Janet
Kent.. Thanks so much for starting the FB page. I passed the link on to several friends in Gloucester Virginia and they have all become fans. Even my daughter in Hawaii joined your page! She plans to give it a go and see if she can get some tomatoes going. Her soil in pots gets so hot and drys out that she thinks she will have more success with the straw bales. Should be an interesting experiment. If she sends me any photos I will be sure and post them.
I only dragged four bales (from two trips) in my Beetle today to the garden. I hoped to move in at least four more, but geez they are heavier than pine straw, aren't they. What a great idea for gardens with heavy clay, too much sun, a plot hard to tend. This will be an adventure!
That's a good amount to start with. Good luck.
Hello all...have a question...I'm new at this, so here goes...what is the inside of the bale suppose to feel like when it is ready to plant? One of my bales looks like a "chia bale" with grass sprouting all over it, the others; some have some growth, enough to cut while others have very little. I can't tell if they have "cooked" or not and I really don't want to use nitrate on them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. HELP :o !
Thanks
Jane
More of the same Ghia Garden
ditto
If they are loose enough just stick your hand down in them. If they feel kinda "mushy" but not hot, you should be able to plant in them. I assume you are past your typical last frost date?
Doug