Beginning my first Straw bale garden with 4 legged helper!

I decided to keep a journal of this adventure! Sharing the experience with you all was an easy decision!
Okay, location! Im in process of tearing down and cleaning out an old tin storage shed. This will be perfect for storing garden tools and fertilizer. A little maintenance and a door and I will be set. I also have a water connection here too, .... now the fun begins!
I have decided to use the top of an old aluminum tent frame that I used as a Chicken tractor 2 years ago, as a cover/support for my bales!
Boy it sure is ugly right now but with alittle work clearing this area, I think I am going to have a beautiful garden!

Okay , frame in place. Now to begin the rolling of the black weed mat.
Uh Oh , Diesel wants to help!

I was really lucky in finding rolls of weed mat, for only $5 , at the Dollar store. I used it last year and it works great to prevent grass and weeds in my garden.
HEEEEY DIESEL , NO lleave it!

Using a couple of old shingles to weight the matting down, I finally got it right. I now plan to go around the edges and the middle area , creating a bed just wide enough to put inthe bales. Hope fully giving me three rows of bales.

Very interesting discovery! While cleaning up the junk out of the shed,I I heard a lot of buzzing! I thought at first , Yellow jackets, because of the warm temperature today, High 60's! ...but NO, Honeys Bees!!!! Getting a drink from an old leaf filled bucket! Yaaay!!!
I havent seen a Honey bee in almost 3 years!

{{my jealousy knows no bounds....that's wonderful!!}}}

Eufaula: welcome aboard. We'll enjoy watching/reading your pics this season.

I would be hesitant myself using the weed barrier. First off with the bales on the ground no weeds are gonna grow through them anyway. Second with the barrier in place the native worms are not going to come up below the bales and help the natural decompsition and enrichment of the soil. Lastly, if you are going to grow tomatoes, the roots on them can easily extend through the bale into the soil underneath but not through the barrier. Just my opinion!!! I would just use the bales by themselves.

Doug

Thanks Postmandug, I had not thought about that!! Maybe I will just leave the weed barriers between the bales. I have a really fast growing hay grass in this spot, and once the really nice weather gets here it will take over. I wanted to avoid having to mow between bales if at all possible.
Well Diesel made up my mind for me about the weed barrier, he must have agreed with you!!

Ive got the first row of blocks down. I will raise the frame , now that I have the dimensions right. I will be placing clear plastic over it to help keep the moisture in. Ive also gone around the garden with Rabbit wire.
Now... where are my bales??

Eufaula, I just used old pieces of carpet between my rows of bales last year to keep the grass and weeds from growing. It worked great except when the crabgrass started growing around the edges so I just sprayed it with Roundup.

Doug

ooh, good idea there...

Boy Eufaula, with all this help how can you go wrong???? LOL Very good suggestions and in a timely manner. Not after the fact when it is too late to change anything. But, will you ever get your bales in place??

Waiting for the next installment. One question: How are you going to keep Diesel from eating your garden once it is up?? I think I read something about rabbit wire, but nothing about hog wire??

Jeanette

Doug, The carpet idea sound great! As a matter of fact I have a stack of commercial grade 12"X12" carpet squares somewhere around here! As for the Round up , I envy everyone that can use it! I just happen to be highly allergic to it!
Hey Jeanette, Mr Diesel wont be a problem! He has his own yard. He also knows that misbehaving gets him time out in lock down!!!!!
He knows I mean business!!! You see his reaction here, during his last time out yesterday! "AWWWWWW MOM!!!!!"

Try bleach in a garden sprayer instead of Roundup then. I've heard that works pretty good too.

Doug

Or white vinegar.

Thanks , I like the vinegar idea. Im sure the bleach would be great but Im afraid of it being absorbed into the bales.

Sorry I havent had an update recently! I have been in the bed for 3 days, down in my back. cant sit up too long yet! Hopefully I will be recovered enough by Monday to get back to my day job and into the garden!

What happened to you Eufaula? Jeanette

Awwww, Jeanette, I was very silly! I couldnt wait to get out in the beautiful weather and get started on my Garden Plot! Well, I didnt prepare my ole body FIRST! I Pulled my Back out by lifting to much to Quickly, and getting in a hurry instead of taking it easy and moving at a slower pace! After being Wintered in for so long I couldnt wait and I should have done my excersizes and Stretches before getting started!
So to all of you , Please take it easy and prepare your muscles before you prepare your garden. You just dont realize how much of a little movement that your not used to can effect your muscles!
This applies to all you Youngsters too!! LOL!!! E.

Oh, so sorry E. That happens to everybody I know. Believe it or not you just happen to be the first of the year. So far as I have heard. I guess it starts with the warmer weather people and works it's way to the rest of us.

We'll get ours yet. Take care and let those muscles heal.

Jeanette

Okay, Im Baaaacckk! Litterally! My back is great and just got over a round of the 3 day flu Bug! Then the Tornados came and brought the Hail storm!! I didnt suffer any damage on my place but neighbors to the north and to the south of me within a 5 mile radius had major damage , I was definitely blessed!
I got eight bales today. They were the bottom bales from last year, so they were already a little wet, "Perfect"! Since all the "Bottom" bales were going to be destroyed I got them for gas money and a little trading! I can go back and get as many as I need! Oh how great is that!
I had to restring some of them but it was well worth the trouble.

Eufaula, I think you want to place those with the strings on the ground. I haven't dealt with hay, but that is how we have found works best with straw. You might ask Kent what he thinks.

Jeanette

I have the frame raised up now where I wont have to bend over to walk next to my bales. The cover will come in handy to keep in moisture and heat.
I spread a layer of Horse Compost under the bales and hope this will help with the cooking! It should , hopefully, bring a few earth worms right away!
I will be getting enough bales to make at lest three rows.

OOOH! I thought I was supposed to keep the strings OFF the ground! Oh well , off to do some more reading on that! I have plenty of time to finish the final setting up! Thanks J for the heads up!

From the sounds of it, I think we all should come to GA and work on Eufaula's. Sounds like it will be enough for all of us.

Jeanette

Eufaula: I'm not sure about the orientation of the strings with hay.

With straw it works much better with strings ON the ground. Less water runoff.

Try a bale and see what you like better.

Jeanette: greetings. I guess we're on at the same time.

Hey this is all experimental to me! I might just try a row on the ground , a row off the ground and then a double bale high in the middle row! LOL!!
Hey Y'all, Come on down , I would love to have the company as well as the help!! I'm praying that my little garden turns out really well! I plan to take most of ( Ahem!) the Overages of veggies to the Outreach where I work and distribute them to those who cant afford to buy them.

LOL, I think your "little" garden is going to produce more than you think.

Jeanette

Question with the cover.no rain can fall on bales????

Hi tubbytee, oh no the cover is just to keep the moisture in and the last of the frost off when the new plants are in. I will then use the frame for support of trellises, for tomatoes and cukes, and whoever else wants to run!!
Oh Jnette, wouldnt it be wonderful if my little experiment "exploded" with produce, LOL!!! That would make me so very happy and I'd feel like a real "Farmer" then!!
I better get my Be-hind up from here and get to my day job or I will have to become a farmer for sure!! Later Guys! Have a Happy!!!E.

Don't give up your day job. They are hard to come by.

Jeanette

UH-OH!! Now this couldnt be good!! Snow in Georgia, ..and On My bails!! Ahhh Shucky-Darn! LOL!

Okay! Ice on the peach Trees Im used to!

..Now this is just NOT Right! Spanish Moss Frozen to the trees under Snow! After having yesterdays 74 Degree high! Last weeks Tornados and Hail, maybe this is the end of the bad weather hopefully! Come On Spring!

Eufaula "Okay! Ice on the peach Trees Im used to!"

Is this going to effect your trees fruit production.Hope not

Tubby.

Tubbytee, Ive gone through this almost every year with Ice on the peach trees, but not snow! Most times the ice just makes the open blooms drop , but doesnt harm the buds yet opened. This year I have buds on all my trees that are quite tight still so heres crossing my fingers and hoping that all goes well and the buds arent damaged.
How is everyone else on the Eastern coast?? Did you get a lot of the white stuff?

It snowed here in Huntsville AL, but was mostly gone by 11:00 AM yesterday.

Eufaula can't speak for the eastern coast..I think they are get snow around New York..Here in the center of USA..Midwest..We had 4" Friday..Sill on the ground To cold to melt..Warm up coming tomorrow..High 55 Thursday..I'm ready for it warm up & STAY.. Best of luck with the peaches

Tubby

See, you all are getting a "cold snap". That would be our normal weather. It finally is above freezing some nights. Just barely.

Jeanette