have you added worms?

Green, most of my bales this year were year old hay and didn't need any jumpstarting. In fact they have decomposed so much I'm leaning towards using "new" bales next year instead.

Doug

I tried that last year with a couple of bales and they did pretty good, but pooped out before the season was over. They did produce a lot tho.

Jeanette

Jeanette, mine didn't produce very good. I think because they were year old hay and deomposed so fast that they just wouldn't hold water. My cukes and squash just dried up and died. I had a drip irrigation hose on one row and a soaker hose on the other one but it didn't save them. Live and learn, that's what this bale gardening is all about!

Doug

Hi Doug, Mine were straw. Your hay probably decomposed faster with the nitrogen in it. However, I would not ever just use year old bales of either. Unless maybe you have enough good soil under them for the roots to use that??? I don't. But, not too many of the plants we are putting in have roots that go that deep I think. Don't think??

How is the rest of your garden doing? Are you as hot down there as they are in Texas?

Jeanette

The rest of the garden including the bales with tomatoes is doing great. In fact I picked my first ripe tomato last night and had it for lunch today! Corn should be ready in a week or so. Actually we haven't been as hot as normal. We've had rain just about every time we've needed it and the temps for June and the first half of July have been below normal.
It's supposed to be in the low to mid 70's tomorrow and Sunday with little to no humidity (unheard of around here for mid July) The past two years we were in a drought sitiuation this time of year so it's a welcome relief. The rest of the shade garden and Cheryl's sun garden beds have loved all the rain too. We've really planted a LOT of new plants and shrubs the past two years so the rain this year has been a blessing in helping them get established.

Doug

Sounds ideal for you. It has been in the 90s here for the last couple of days and from now on for a month or so it will hover around the 80s and 90s. Pretty normal for us except that it has been pretty cool up to now. I sure do not envy the people in the south and places with the terribly hot weather.

I know they got a nice crop of produce, but I think I would prefer mine to be spread out a little more.

Jeanette