Occurred to me Friday while putting in a new raised bed that some musty old bales of hay at the horse pen would finish the bed nicely. So I got four bales (110 lb alfalfa/grass mix) and "installed" them. I started the 12 day program yesterday, tomorrow is the third day of watering them, then next day add fertilizer. Some questions come to mind.
First, what's the purpose of all that nitrogen?
What would a good application rate be for hayinstead of straw?
I have mucho 5-3-0 organic fertilizer. Would it do as a source of N if the amount applied gave the same total N? Would the phosphate in the 5-3-0 have an adverse effect?
This may seem an odd question, but have you mulched bales while growing stuff in them? The low humidity and full sun days here dry beds quickly. In regular beds a thick later of mulch and side barriers of plastic are essential. I anticipate doing the same with the bales.
This year's strawbale garden, next year's compost?
Frank
Why so much nitrogen?
Hi Frank,
Welcome to the strawbale gardening club. LOL, we, Kent and some of us, almost started a club last year. Didn't get off the ground. Maybe someday----
Ok, the purpose of the nitrogen is to break down, decompose, the straw. Yes, I think, that once you have your bales on their way I think the nitrogen in the hay to some extent would take over with the nitrogen bit. Wouldn't discount it altogether tho.
About the NPKs, I think you are worrying too much about the ratios. In a perfect world we might get it right, but from what everyone writing in this thread, including myself says, we are all using different things.
Yes, a lot of us use soil in the holes with the plants, some pile soil on top of the bales, and yes, I am sure some mulch on top. Whatever you think is going to work for you.
Absolutely, good compost next year.
You are so lucky to be starting out your garden now when most of us are going thru the seed catalogs and dreaming as we look out at many inches, some feet, of white stuff.
I must tell you tho, there is one thing that is absolutely necessary if you are going to join this group, and that is that you have to post pictures of your garden along the way so the rest of us in the previous paragraph can drool. Like we do with Lena's garden in New Zealand.
Have fun, and keep us "posted". Jeanette
Jnette, picture to follow! But so far there are only empty beds - nothing growing yet. Too early for warm weather crops and this will be the first year we've tried cool weather stuff.
Nighttime temps still hit freezing occassionally here, but we have full sun and mid-60s most days. It's nice. There's no free lunch, though, and we sure pay back in July and August. Still, it's a trade-off I'm happy to make.
I was wondering about the effect of that much K. The nitrogen will be locked up by the decomposing process, but if I use 5-3-0 there will be a LOT of phosphorous in there.
Frank
ps - Is there also a town in WA named Southwest? Just curious.
Negative on the Southwest. At least not that I am aware of. Doesn't mean there isn't.
Kent would be better discussing the NPKs with you. LOL, that's his bag.
No, you don't have to send us a picture of a bare bale. Just don't forget when things start popping out of them.
Jeanette
Frank,
Most likely the phosphorus will wash out of the bale during the watering/soaking phase of preparation.
http://searchwarp.com/swa290149.htm
Frank: just now getting a chance to catch up; as Jeanette said, welcome aboard.
I'm not an expert on NPK, but I agree with dovey about any of the extra PK washing out of the bales.
That's also a reason you have to monitor your feeding, too. Totally different than dirt farming, I think.
Kent
Thanks, Strawbaleman. The question became kinda moot when I found an old bag of 28-3-3 out in the shop yesterday. Seeing how quickly the bales began decomposing with this technique, tomorrow I'll start it on a pile of loose hay I'm composing.
Not sure I understand your comment "you have to monitor your feeding".
Frank
Frank: feeding/fertilizing your plants in bales requires a different mindset than for the same plants in soil, such as requiring more nitrogen (for straw bales, at least, vs hay/grass bales) along with more frequent feedings.
So, just watch your plants and feed accordingly.
Kent
Hey! Glad to be 'joining your club'- have been emailing with Kent, and am so excited about this straw bale gardening! I haven't been able to garden for years- disintegrating discs and sun-sensitivity- but this will make it possible for me! Anyway, I've already got 3 families involved, helping to pay for the straw bales/fertilizers/etc., and promise to keep you updated with photos as I go!
I did post to a different thread, but am wondering if any of you have tried growing: carrots, beets, scallions, broccolli, brussels sprouts, etc. in straw bales and, if so, what can you tell me that'd be helpful? Thanks!
Namaste- Suzan
(where else? in Gardenville, PA)
Is it Susan?
Hi, I have not tried any of those, however others have had good luck with the cabbage family like the broccoli, brussel Sprouts etc. But, as for the root crops, I have only heard one person say theirs did ok and I think that was because the middle of the bale was pretty much decomposed. Otherwise, they cannot expand in the straw. To my way of thinking anyway.
Glad you are going to try the stawbale gardening. It is great for people who cannot get down close to the ground. Also, very nice that you have others to help out. Especially with man-handling the bales. Good luck, and if you don't get better advice on the root veggies try them in tubs or raised beds. I got some large tree tubs for $3 one time from a nursery that was going out of business. I have horse radish in one. But they would be ideal for root crops.
Jeanette
Frank- I only know about Kent's 10 day conditioning program. Can you fill me in on the one you're talking about (12 days)? Also, it sounds like you're going to use hay- have you tried hay before? I'm having a hard time finding straw bales and what I HAVE been able to find are very pricey. Hay's plentiful, though, and cheap.
Thanks for any help in advance.
Suzan
Suzan, I used Kent's schedule - just made a typo. This is the first time I've tried this method, so I have no experience with straw bales.
Frank
Suzan & Frank: I think the 10-day conditioning is pushing it for most people because I'm seeing folks get antsy and starting too soon with outside temps mighty low. So it's going to take longer.
When that straw starts to get soft and slimy, that's a good indicator it's OK start planting.
Kent