I'm moving to Kennett, Mo. the first of July. It's a little late, but is there anything I coulld grow there then in straw? I know absoluting nothing about the process, but I'm disabled, and not able to have a regular garden. I'd even try flowers! HELP!!
Strawbaling in SE Mo. in July?
Doe: allow about 2 weeks to get your straw conditioned. While they are getting ready, just ask some of your gardening neighbors what is good for that time of the year.
Kent
How do you condition it?
Water and Nitrogen.
Thanks!
Doe- You might even be able to get a few bales prepared before you move and wrap them in plastic to take to your new home! To 'cook' your bales, just soak them (in water) for about 2 weeks and then apply a high nitrogen fertilizer (I use urea - 50 lb. bag for $20, or 5 lb bag for $14). Apply 1 - 1.5 cups to each bale (after wetting the bales) every other day for a week. Wash the nitrogen into the bales, but don't overwater and wash it out of the bales (That's why I wet the bales first). After this, your bales should have heated up internally (stick your fingers inside or get a bale thermometer). This 'cooking' will burn up any seeds in the hay (or straw) and get it nicely conditioned for planting. Once they've reached this point, you could let them dry out and bag them for transporting to your new home. You can grow anything other than root crops (not good for beets, onions, etc) in the bales. I often combine in my bales- plant 2-3 tomato plants toward the back of the bales (so they can grow up the fence) and put some basil or nasturtium plants in front.
Hope this helps! Good luck in your new home
Thank you for your reply! I could do that! How often do they need watering? I could go ahead and plant them there, and have someone water them for me!
It will depend on #1- whether you're using hay or straw (I've found that the straw will need watering more often, as it doesn't retain moisture) and #2- your weather. Obviously, if it's very windy and/or hot/dry, it'll need more care. Generally speaking, if the bales are nice and tight, I find my hay bales need watering once a day. I'm also semi-disabled, which is what brought me to bale gardening. You'll love it!! Please stay in touch and let us know how you're doing, ok?
Namaste- Suz
Will do!