Hiya.
I have seen info on straw bales, and know that hay bales are supposed to be different. I have acquired a handful of bales of orchard grass hay - partially composted by weather, even. I'd like to start using them come the spring...
... eh...
what do I do now? Are there any good resources? I know I need to wet them down, right? Do I need to do something else with them? Cook them somehow? Take their temperature? Baby them?
-Sev
Hay bales - beginner stuff
_grin_ Hi Sev! 40 is more than a handful!! If they're already "partially composted" you may not need to do anything much. I treated them just like the straw bales, I sprinkled them with bloodmeal and watered them every other day or so, but I wasn't fanatic about it. There's a "beginner" thread in the forum, and that should be a good start. I will say that it seems most are not going to be usable for a second year. I think I'll be spreading them out, and still debating whether to put new bales on top of that, or putting them in a new place. I have straw this year, and may have hay, but who knows....the cows come first:)
Hehe well, yes, ok, 40 is more than a handful. And in the yard, they look as if I'm building a fort - all lined up in rows. It was a good solution to the soil problem, though, y'gotta admit.
And I figured out what I'm going to do with them once they're 'used up' too, but we'll have to wait and see how they look after that.
So I just basically water them every now and again and wait? It's still cold out up here in 6a, although we're thawing again this week. Kooky weather! I grew up in the Boston area - thaw in January is _bizarre_ to me.
Where do I get bloodmeal, and what does it do for them?
I have Messenger and its plant food version. And I have these great little flats of tomato and eggplant seeds and such started, with 4.5" pots ready for them so they won't be stifled before transplant...
Arrrgh, where's Spring already?
-Sev
Sev: Blood Meal is a nitrogen source that acts as a catalyst for the decomposition process of "new" bales. Hay and grass bales have a natural nitrogen source within, so you shouldn't need much if at all.
If your bales are already seasoned, I'd just keep the bales moist for about a week or so before you are ready to put your plants in the bales.
Shoe, another bale gardener who loves using hay/grass bales, would be a better info source, or there may be others "watching" who use hay/grass.
Kent
Thank you! I read the article you posted, strawbaleman - that's how I convinced hubby to let me do this, instead of working with the heavy, rocky clay we have where we're living now. Well, in addition to - some things don't seem to mind this soil. :)
It's so nifty to see the bales out there, all lined up like that. The kid in me is going "I've made my fort, I've made my fort!"
LOL
-Sev
Building castles for Princess Tammy's amusement...
This message was edited Feb 1, 2008 1:52 PM
Sev: by the way, welcome aboard. Put your marker at www.frappr.com/strawbalegardeners
Kent
Have done so. I'm on there - listed in Randolph, NJ, which is close enough to not make a difference to me. :)
Editing to add:
Today when I got up, the weather was doing the watering for me. What was strange is that there was a layer of ice over everything. It was all black ice! We had to scrape off the car to go anywhere, but the ice looked like ancient glass, you know, sort of wavy and buckly. It was _wet_.
Our driveway was slippery and wet-over-ice. What bizarre weather lately! But it means the hay got watered without me LOL
I bought bone meal. It doesn't have much nitrogen in it at all, but lots of phos. I guess the nitrogen in the hay is enough?
-Sev
*waves at Princess Tammy*
This message was edited Feb 1, 2008 10:17 PM
Sev: maybe I missed something. Are you preparing your bales now?
Kent
Sev, if you want to "hurry" things along, you need bloodmeal, not bone. I do remember someone using bonemeal, and I bought some, but I have no idea what it was for...sigh....getting old $#@&$!
I just wanted to follow this thread and learn more about Strawbale Gardening.
Kent, I have them in the yard. Last frost date is in April, and I was wondering if there was something I needed to do for the bales. I don't know how long it takes or what exactly needs to be done for hay, since it's supposed to be different from straw.
I have some 14-guage wire fencing type stuff that I'm going to build trellises and bridges and whatnot out of, so things can grow nicely.
Other'n that, I'm impatiently awaiting planting time! Ants in mah pants and all that.... :)
-Sev
Petit Fours to Princess Tammy - the nice chocolate ones!
Sev: down in NC, I don't plant until around May 1st, maybe late April if the weather forecast is real favorable. Since you have already placed your bales out you shouldn't have to do anything else until you're ready to plant/transplant into the bales.
I'd add a handful or two of potting mix to each "hill".
Yes, I'm ready for some home-grown tomatoes, too. Seems like a long time since I had any.
Kent
I'm considering trying a small straw bale garden, but I'm concerned about water usage. I'm on a well and with the drought conditions in Tennessee last year we really were worried about the well going dry. Seems to me that the large amount of exposed surface area would dramatically increase water usage? Would it make any sense to enclose the bales in some type of water retaining film to retain water? Any input would be appreciated.
Harry
SC had a major drought (still does) and we had no trouble keeping the bales moist. I put a drip hose on top of the bales, and ran it about an hour a day at first, but as the bales decomposed, they needed less and less. The drip seemed to let the water really soak the hay, and it retained it well. Even during the hottest days of August, I was only watering every third day, I think.I thought about putting plastic "sides" on the bales, but I'm afarid they'd cook the plants.
I'd be interested in any other (more experienced) opinions.
Harry: that's why I'm a stronger advocate for putting the bales string side DOWN. The bales retain water better. You really won't have to use that much water. I'd say I used about a gal/bale, if that much. Just make sure the center of the bales don't dry out. Just watch your plants, and make sure you're feeding them enough.
I'm with catmad; I don't think plastic is the way to go, but you can always try a bale or two and see if there's a difference. I've been wrong before.
Welcome aboard!
Kent
Kent, weren't there a couple of people that tried that? I know they were talking about it. But, I don't recall hearing any results. Maybe someone could step up and tell us. I would be very interested too.
Glad to "see" you Harry, and give it a try Dean. We can always use more.
Jeanette
Thanks,
Jeanette, I'm still reading from the sidelines.
Jeanette: can't recall, but with the bales shrinking as times goes by, it seems the plastic will just get loose and be a nuisance. But, I'm just guessing.
Kent
Kent, I see Catmad uses her bales more than one year. I tried that but they were so shrumk up that there wasn't much left for the plants. Also, the tomatoes didn't produce a lot and they were the strangest tasting tomatoes I have ever tried. Don't know if being the 2nd year had anything to do with it or not.
But, I don't think I will try that again.
Jeanette
Jeanette: So far, the only 2nd year use for bales that I got was my potato row which did outstanding.
Kent
Did you mix them with soil or anything? Maybe just put the seed spuds on the soil and top it off with the bales? Now, I think that would work great.
Jeanette
No Jeanette :). I said I don't think they will be usable again for me. There are a couple that I never actually planted in, and they held together better, so I may try, but they're really "virgin" bales, just old!
I put my potatoes on dirt in the middle of a "bale corral" and covered with hay. I planted late, so didn't get much, but I was able to take some little blue 'taters to NY and make my little brother eat them.....:)
Jeanette: nope, not one speck of dirt/soil went into my potato row. Prettiest red potatoes I ever grew.
Kent
Cat,
Did anyone answer your bone meal question?
Bone meal is very slow release form of the mineral phosphorus. I usually toss a small handful in the bottom of a planting hole, it is fabulous for stimulating healthy root growth.
Thanks Dovey :)
Now if I can just find it.....
In my area there are two companies that sell Bone Meal (and other organic fertilizer mixes)
E.B. Stone (my favorite) and Espoma's Garden-Tone.
Garden-Tone also sells a mix for the vegetable garden that has great ingredients. Although the mix contains corn gluten meal, so you may not want to use it if you plan to direct sow your seeds. No worries, if you plan to start your seeds indoors or buy plants from the local nursery.
No, I meant remember where I put what I have....:)
*LOL*
Oh not that's a tough one that I often have problems with myself
Okay, okay, I am having a problem visualizing string side up or sting side down. I am getting my bales this week and I want to do it all by the book. I do better with visual aids. May be thats my artsey f__tsey side of me. Can you explain it so I can see it better. Thanks, Jan
Hi Jan,
So the strings would be touching the ground. How much are the bales costing in Oregon? Are you on the coast or inland?
Jeanette
Jan: here are some bales in a field with STRING SIDE UP. They're OFF the ground as you can see. Just tip the bales over and you get STRING SIDES DOWN.
With strings OFF the ground I think you use more water. Strings ON the ground worked better for me last year.
But, go with whatever convention suits you. No right or wrong way.
What's rasslin' to one is dancin' to another. :-)
Kent
This message was edited Mar 17, 2008 4:27 PM
They are going to be about $4.50 apiece. I am coast but inland about 6 miles. Is that to much?
Thanks Kent now I understand. Sometimes I just do better with visual aids. Hehe
This message was edited Mar 17, 2008 1:33 PM
Jan, is what too much? 6 miles inland, or $4.50 for the bales?
6 miles, not too much.
$4.50, whatever you have to pay and feel it's right. Did you check in the paper under livestock feed? They do post straw and hay both there. Also, are there any farms around where you live? Ask them.
If you are happy with the $4.50 then it is not too much. I live in farm country and still pay that.
Jeanette
Thanks Jnette, I was speaking of the cost of the bales. I figured that $4.50 didn't sound that much to be figure the cost of living and the transportation of the bales.
You are absolutely right, depending on how many you are going to get. Some of them start out with a lot of bales. I think it was Catmad that got 32 bales on her first garden. That is a lot I think. It would be for me anyway.
I wonder how many Catmad is going to get this year. Maybe double. I think Catmad is the one that hauled their own. I don't know how far.
being a newbie SB gardener, Has anyone every tried growing bulbs in SB's? I just had a thought but I better find out before I try it. Better safe then sorry. I just figured that alot of bulbs will start to root in sawdust so maybe they might just like growing in SB's. No such thing as a stupid question only stupid people for not asking.
Hi Jan,
I think the only way you could grow something with a bulb or big root like carrots etc. would be if the straw were very decomposed in the middle. I could be wrong 'cause I have never tried it. Hopefully you will hear from someone who has.
Jeanette
Jnette wrote;"I wonder how many Catmad is going to get this year. Maybe double. I think Catmad is the one that hauled their own. I don't know how far."
Could have been 32, sounds about right :). We did haul some of them, but had others delivered, so I think it was someone else who did more hauling.
Sadly, this year may be NO bales for me. Hay is very expensive, and hard to find. What we find needs to feed the cows. I'm not giving up yet, but there's always next year. I'm still hoping for at least Tomato bales......
margo
And I thought my memory was going. LOL. I remember you planting potatoes in the middle didn't you Catmad? Guess I had better stop while I'm ahead. That is what I do. Just tomatoes and a couple for othr things like cucumbers and beans.
Jeanette
Jnette wrote;"I remember you planting potatoes in the middle didn't you Catmad?"
You got that right :). They grew, the problem was that I couldn't get to them. I had never expected the viney things would be so prolific, and I couldn't get theu the numerous squashes, pumpkind and melons to get the 'taters out. I did get enough little blue potatoes to take to NY so I could make my brother eat blue potatoes...
Someone told me they may re-appear this year, but I'm betting the bugs got them.....