What I've learned with my first strawbale garden

Discussion in 'Discussion Group' started by All Children First, Apr 11, 2009.

  1. All Children First

    All Children First Well-Known Member

    I figured I'd start a new thread for this so that Kent's thread could stay with the "how to" on this type of garden.

    1. I can fit 12 bales in my minivan at a time if all the seats are tucked away.

    2. People look at you strangely if you buy 60 bales at a time. (See below conversation)
    "You mean you want 60 bales of pine straw."
    "No. Wheat straw."
    "No, honey, I think you mean pine straw."
    "No, wheat straw."
    "Oh, so you mean six bales, right?"
    "No. Sixty."
    Long silent look before ringing it up.

    3. Wear long pants and long sleeves when carrying straw bales to avoid looking as if you've lost a battle with a legion of cats. [​IMG]

    4. Vacuuming the loose straw will clog a regular car vac. Use the big one at the car wash.

    5. It takes a while to water 60 bales thoroughly. [​IMG]

    6. Neighbors who understand "Can you water my garden?" might not understand "Can you water my straw bales?"

    7. Bone meal and blood meal are in very similar looking packages right next to each other, but they are NOT the same! [​IMG]

    8. When watering, begin downhill at the end of a row and walk backwards. This allows you to not walk through the runoff, especially the dissolved blood meal run off. [​IMG]

    9. If you don't like the smell of a butcher's shop, don't use the blood meal. [​IMG]

    10. It feels great to see the bales begin to sprout. It makes you feel you're doing something right!

    11. Oh, and don't plant seeds inside until you're sure the bales will be ready when the seedlings are big...unless you have lots of space for peat pots to sit in sunny windows! (My beans are fourteen inches tall right now) [​IMG]
     
  2. Kent

    Kent Well-Known Member

    ACF: you have made my day!

    In just one post that is destined to become a classic, you brought so many things to light, and with such irony and humor!

    You've got to join us at Daves Garden.

    Everyone there would love you from the start, I'm sure.

    Keep up the good work.

    Now....pics please.
     
  3. kookookacho

    kookookacho Well-Known Member

    VERY funny post! Thanks for that! [​IMG]
     
  4. All Children First

    All Children First Well-Known Member

    And now I can add:

    12. All bales are not created equal. Some are baled in such a way that it is very easy to open them up and plant inside. Others take a crowbar to pry them apart (well, not really a crowbar, but almost!) [​IMG]

    13. You will either find you have too many or not enough plants depending upon the varying lengths of the bales. Next year, I'm taking a tape measure and only getting bales where the straw lies across and they'll all be the same length!

    [​IMG]
     
  5. ponychick

    ponychick Well-Known Member

    Wow, I feel for you! I get impatient watering my six bales. Kudos!

    I'm getting anxious to get started planting mine, but I'm taking Kent's advice and waiting as long as possible before setting out the first batch.
     
  6. Kent

    Kent Well-Known Member

    Yep, I know it's hard waiting, but veggies sitting in 40 degree temps don't do much. They get cold feet and don't want to absorb any nutrients.

    The bales don't hold the heat like the ground.

    I'm still putting my flats out for awhile during the day and then bringing them back in at night.

    Just let your plants grow, especially any tomatoes, and when you transplant, be sure to put them down to the first set of full leaves. They will sprout a good set of roots from the stem that's in the bales.
     

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