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

I think it clings to the little 'hairs' on the legs/body and maybe eventually works its way into a soft spot, or drives them nuts trying to get it off, lol. Don't have a clue, just as long as it works! I hate spiders too, but I think they are actually good for gardens aren't they? Don't they eat something nastier than them, like moths and other veggie eating insects? Where's Darius when ya need her?

Thank you!

I agree with all of that Darius, but there are those of us who like spiders in their place, but not in mine. If the spiders annoy, or irritate Jan that much then she needs help to get rid of them or get them to move to a different place.

Jeanette

Thank you all so much. Yes they do bother me alot and yes Darius, I agree with what you have said. It just bothers me that there are so many of them. Smaller then a dime and I see there little webs here and there. Will they not bother the plants. I mean, they aren't going to eat my peas and strawberries? I will leave them alone as long as they leave me alone.
Thanks again everyone. I just can't stand the little buggers. I'm such a wuss.

You know Jan, there are plenty of garden "dusts"out there. Also, Safer puts out fairly good products. If you look in that section at Home Depot or one of them, or go into a local nursery, not Home Depot, and ask them what to do.

I would not ask HD employees for advice, just at nurseries, but at HD you would have to read the information on the product for yourself. Be sure, if that is what you do, that whatever you get is safe to use in edibles.

Jeanette

LOL, I have no problem getting rid of spiders... don't like them much myself. I was just responding to the question of what good spiders are in the garden. I have heard that if you have an Orb Weaver (http://tinyurl.com/59qnen) in your garden, it's good luck.

darius, I am definately going to rush right out and buy one of those orb eaters. NOT! I guess there are folks that like spiders. I just don't happen to be one of them. I don't like scorpions either. Been stung too many times and just the thought of living in the desert again give me the creeps. We will never live in Arizona again. Sorry my ole AZ friends.
Jan

Jan-

Look at it this way- now you know where all the little spiders are, and that they're actually helping your garden and not looking for you! I have had a terror of snakes all of my life and found a neat little snake relaxing under the cover for the soaker hose in my bale garden last week, and I was actually glad to see him! They're all just out there, doing what God made them to do- it's easier to live in peace with 'em and just stand back when you water.

Enjoy- it's all good.

Suz

OH DARIUS!! Yuck!! I don't like spiders either. And especially not one that looks like that. I think I'll pass on any luck that the Orb Weaver would give me thanks.

I think the Orb Weaver is pretty LOL although I'm not sure about the part about them living in your house. "You will want a lid on the container, so they will not wander away into your closet or someplace else".

I have just started my hay bale garden. I have tomatoes and peppers and squash planted in them. They seem to be growing very good, except my tomato plants are getting yellow leaves close the the top of the plant. Can anyone tell me what I need to do.
They have only been planted for 1 1/2 weeks.

Fay, do you see any insect, bugs, or??? on those yellow leaves?

Jeanette

OK, I'm in! I placed three bales and watered them well, started a DG Diary/Blog thingy, and added my marker to the map... whew! I'm still undecided as to what to plant in them. I know I'll have extra seedlings, seeds, and running out of room in the garden.

Has anyone grown bush beans in straw bales? Would that work?

I have not, but I can't imagine why it would not work. Others have started beans in bales however I do believe they have said to use quite a lot of potting soil to get them going.

Jeanette

i had 2 squash that have been puny from the 1st .one finally bit the dust .the remaining puny is still puny. other 3 healthy ones are going strong .

Well, some make it, some don't. I lost the 2 cucumbers that I had not given away. They both bit the dust. I ended up buying a couple. Better luck with these I hope. I don't dwell on losing a plant now and then.

Jeanette

jnette, i wouldn't dwell on losing cucumbers . for some reason, i never liked them for anything but sweet or bread & butter pickles. my dh eats them raw.i can stand them with onion ,mayo,sugar . but thats why we all have different tastes i guess .i hate to lose the growing time to start another hill ,might stick a tomato sucker in there.i might be sweet to dh and plant him a cuke.lol sally

I know that about losing the starting time Sally, that's why I bought a couple. I stopped at a plant sale where a woman was starting plants in her back yard greenhouse and selling them. She had really nice plants and was selling them for $1 per 4" pot. They even had blossoms on and one had a cucumber on it.

Sure can't beat that. I'm with your husband. I could eat them almost anyway you fix them. Raw with a salt shaker is wonderful. But, not the burpless or the long English ones. LOL, my spellcheck didn't like burpless.

Jeanette

jnette , isn't spellcheck wonderful?

Yes Sally it is for me. I used to be a very good speller. No more. Think the mind is going???

LOL, Jeanette

jnette , seems i remember something about it ,but remind me ,what''''s a mind?

Don't remember Sally, probably what I sit on.

Oh, I finally have blossoms on almost all of my tomatoes and some little green balls on some.

Russ, those Dr. Wyche tomatoes are really strong growers. Very sturdy little plants. And Box Car Willie is going to be a giant I'll bet!!

Jeanette

i have 3 good squash plants and one sleeper. my good plants had itsie bitsy squash yesterday.the good ones look bushy, the sleeper (a bonnie) looks like an anemic vine 12" long.my tomatoes are to die for. if i can grow tomatoes,squash in these bales,i'm happy as a little pink pig.boy,this is fantastic . russ,i've switched from white potatoes to sweet because of my health minded family.(it's hard to admit your kid and grandkids know more than you do ).when these bales go by for next spring, i'd be real interested in learning how to grow sweet potatoes and your recommendation for varieties.that seems to be your thing,and i'm spending a lot at the store for them.great in stew. sally

Hi, I saw Digger's post pop up (hi, Sally) and thought I'd check this out. That would make me new here. I straw baled potatoes years ago with mediocre results. There was seed in the straw that plagued me for years. I'm all for learning though and would try it again. Can you bale gardeners post current photos of your gardens' progress and your opinions so far? I realize that we are all in different zones with different conditions, but we are starting to pick tomatoes and will have yellow squash later this week. Am I only seeing hot stuff grown in these bales? Tell me what you think works best in bales (or where to look).

Thanks,
Laurel

Laurel, there are tons of photos, tips, etc. on the many other threads in the Strawbale Gardening Forum. Please check out all that info. first...
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/strawbale/all/

Wow, tomatoes and stuff. All we have is rain and more rain. A couple of sunny days doesn't do anything for strawberries or tomatoes. Dang, I knew we moved to the wrong part of the country.

Darius, thanks for the link.

Laurel

hi, laurel ,i need to put some spinach in my bales.think i have room between other plants. is it too late in year ? sally

Hi Sally, It's definitely too cookin' here now for spinach. I usually plant spinach in late March through mid-April. What you could do is try New Zealand spinach which I've done here with good results. The seeds are big and don't germinate that well. Presoak seed if you grow it. The plants are kind of bushy, branched and spill, so they would look neat in the bales. Malabar spinach, which is not a spinach at all, but tastes similar and is a very attractive vine is probably even a better alternative.

L

yeh, now all i have to do is find some

Burpee has New Zealand and Parks has Malabar. The Buford Hwy and International farmer's mkts usually have Malabar for Carribean/African cousines. Maybe you can root it? I'm going to check that out as I'd like to grow some too. It's also known as Calaloo.

L

I tried that Mlibar spinach one year. It is kind of interesting. It is also a climber. I got the seed from Parks. I am assuming it is the same thing. That they haven't changed the characteristics of it, because you can grow it all summer. It likes the sun. Different from the other.

Jeanette

Thanks for the input. I have grown New Zealand, but not Malabar. Do you think it would work with the bales? Can it ramble or is it better vertical? I have no more room or water. Digger and I are in year three of a serious drought and I am spring fed. We are growing a bunch of heirloom veggies this year. I'd love to try it next year though. Do you think it could be rooted like sweet potatoes? Your tempting me.

Laurel

Laurel, I think it would do just about anything you wanted it to. It is a very pretty foliage plant. burgundy stems and the leaves have the burgundy veins. It is different from spinach in that, and if I can remember correctly, it has been a while, but it was a fleshier leaf. I think maybe more like chard.

I should probably not be saying this because it has been so long since I have had it. But, I don't think it is too late to start some and I even think Parks have the seed for sale in their end of the year seed sale. Try it.

Jeanette

boy,i'm glad i had my maters tied up to the wire last nite .the wind turned my squash over, and limbs fell on my figs, the okra was laid over . thank goodness thats all the damage there was,and nothing serious .how about it laurel are you ok ?anyone else in north georgia get the wind and hail?

Everything's good here. Much needed gentle rain even though I'm just down the road 'a piece'. Besides, after the tree that took out our chimney and damaged the roof last month; well we've paid our dues for this season.

Jeanette, I will! Thanks.
Laurel

me too jnette. sally

Let me know how it does. If I had room I would try it. Jeanette