1st time bale gardeners - Who's trying it this year?

This is my first time to try and i have squash, cucumber, to mato and another type of sqush not doing so well the squash. maybe too much water from our sprinklers. Fran in Orlando.

Digger,
another good use for old venitian blinds is to weave them through chicken wire for making a not so pretty fence look pretty. After the weaving is done you can either spray paint it or leave it as it is. I made it look like picket fencing. Its a little time consuming but what the heck. Time is precious but it is about the only thing that is free these days esspecially on a nice day.

Well who KNEW it would difficult to get straw bales in horse and cattle country?!? It seems most are roling the straw into big round bales like this http://www.buildinggreentv.com/files/u9/round_bale.jpg

Straw is the left-over stalks after the grain is removed. I should think threshing would nullify the ability to make round rolls like they do for hay.

gourd, you always come up with some of the best ideas.i do have a bunch left over,i'll use your arty idea, and, i have to replace 4 blinds that the heat on the south side of house bent, they are sandwiched between window and storm window. sally

Thanks darius. I guess it would help if I knew something about straw wouldn't it. Even the UFA (United Farmers of Alberta) store doesn't know where I can get it. Too weird. I'm not giving up though.

dahlia, almost made your rodeo back in the late 60's

It is the best show on earth but then I'm biased ^_^ although the rodeo folks who come up from the US say so too. I encourage everyone to come. We always go to rodeo finals although you have to book a year in advance to get good seats. Back to baling, I'm hoping Stampede and Exhibition Company may be able to get me hay bales. I've emailed them. They were wonderful and got me some first-cut lumber 2 years ago to re-roof my garden shed when first-cut was no longer available retail. I have my fingers crossed.

I used Sams choice deep feeding fertilizer for all plants. 15-30-15 Fran

Dahlia, have you looked in your local papers, weeklys are sometimes the best, under livestock feed, different headings. Normally right after the livestock column.

I think the farmers are using just about every part of their plants now for bedding, or whatever, that is why it is getting so expensive and hard to find. Only thing I can think of is to just go knock on their doors and ask. Also, there are a lot of people out there raising their own food now. Including rabbits, chickens, goats, etc. Again, using it for bedding.

Might try a wanted column on Craig's list. Let us know what works.

Jeanette

Dalia... I know its obvious, but have you tried Lowe's or Home Depot? They carry bales here... Or do you even have those big box stores?

I'm sure you've tried the feed stores haven't you? Just thinking when I saw Darius's post.

Jeanette

thank youall sally

Bet you weren't looking for/or wanting all of those FREE suggestions. LOL

Jeanette

Rona's and Home Depot don't have it. No Low's here yet. Good idea re: classifieds. Thanks!! I have found some at a garden centre for $10/bale. That's over my budget - I need 15 bales.

Hi
I have been reading your posts for the past yr. or so. I do a bit of gardening and have about 100 mixed fruit trees just starting to mature. I decided to try straw bale gardening this yr. I have about 40 tomatoes in the ground but I planted 6 in bales along with 4 peppers, 4 summer squash, 2 pumpkins, and I planted a mixture of lettuce and other greens in potting soil on top of the last 2 bales on Sat. I had to replace 2 tomatoes(I think there was still a little heat in the bale) but they are looking great now. Maybe I'll get around to taking some pix later if I can figure how to post them. I am in So. Ill. where the summers are HOT and dry.
RED

Jan, I love your creativity. We got a bunch of shelvings thrown out by a box store, and we turned them into trellises.

Okay Kent, I admit, if I had known how easy this is...there would be more than 5 bales!
Tadaaaaaaaaa!!! Buffkins Strawbale Veges 2008!!

Cayenne pepper, with companion plant.

Lookeee here, tomato babies...and babysitter!

Sharing the Joy!!
My very independant Ichiban eggplant!
Just these and Kel and I are already planning for more strawbales for fall veges.

Wow, those look great. Love the companion plant. Keeps them looking nice.

Jeanette

Thanks Jeanette. The blooming companion plants actually distract insects from the veges. I have a tomato that has a sweet potato vine as it's companion, and bugs do go to that plant. :(

Imred: glad to have you with us.

If anyone hasn't put their mark on the map, here's your chance:

www.frappr.com/strawbalegardeners

I know I keep pushing this, but it's fun to see where we all are.

My tomatoes are looking good after a rough start with one of my bales. I apparently got one bale that was not packed very tight and it is decomposing at a fast rate that had my seedlings with too much air space. I think the bale has collapsed enough or enough root growth has occurred to overcome the problem and they are all doing well now. Another lesson. Check how heavy the bales are when you buy them. I thought this one was a little light. Mushrooms love it though lol.

oops HELP! Kent I put myself on the map to see if I could do it but can't get it off now and I don't have any bales yet. Thanks. (Blush I'm so non-techie)

So what Dahlia? No big deal. You were just in a hurry. You will get your bales.

Jeanette

Dahlia: that's right, just like Jeanette said, no biggie.

We'll just make you an honorary member until you "officially" become a bale gardener! :-)

Help, I am being invaded by scads of little black spiders. They are running all over the bales. Any clue to what they are? How do I get rid of them with out hurting my strawberries or tomatoes or herbs. What can I use to get ride of these pesky little critters. They don't seem to be doing any damage but I don't yike em! I don't yike spiders and snakes and that aint what it takes to Love my bales.

All: check out this link: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/856246/

love the design!

Hey, anyone have any solutions to my spider problem that I posted above. Please let me know what to do. I have my bale on the lawn so they are proable some type of lawn spider. I don't know cause they move to fast and I don't really like to get that close to them. But these little buggers are taking over. HELP!
Kent, any suggestions would be great.
Thanks all
Me

Jan, have you tried anything at all? Let me do some research. Jeanette

Jan, have you tried anything at all? Let me do some research. Jeanette

Ok, Jan. Go to google and type in lawn spiders.

Look at the first 3 items. The first is a who's who of spiderdom.

The 2nd is different letters asking for help about lawn spiders.

The 3rd is very specific to lawns.

See if you can't find something there.

After looking at these things I am starting to itch so I didn't go any farther. YOU check them out. LOL

Jeanette

you know what, I couldn't even look at them. It will give me nightmares. Ewwwwww... I have the creepy crawlies too. How am I going to figure this out. I can't even look at the pictures. Dang.
Thanks away
Jan

Try diatomaceous earth for the spiders. The box I have is called "Concern," it cost me $6.25 for a 1-1/2 lb box. It's organic with no chemicals. Just don't use where honey bees or other beneficial insects can be affected, or use it around kids and pets that can breath it in.

Thanks Sundownr, without her telling me which they were it would be hard to tell her what specifically to use. The DE should be good. I never would have thought of it.

Jeanette

I've not tried DE for getting rid of spiders yet myself, but a few web pages claim it works on them, as well as other creepy crawly things. And it's not supposed to hurt earthworms!

That is strange. Like slugs, which I have heard it works really good on because it cuts up their bellies or whatever you would call it, you would think worms would be the same. Spiders, I would think might be opposite. With legs they should be able to go over it. Without knowing what kind of spiders they are, who knows. Maybe their legs are so short they would touch it.

Jeanette