How to Prepare a Hay Bale Garden
- Select the Bales. Alfalfa hay bales have an advantage of providing extra nitrogen while decomposing, but any type of hay, typically used as winter forage for livestock, will contain more ...
- Choose the Site. You can place hay and straw bale gardens wherever they are convenient for you. ...
- Heat Them Up. ...
- Cool Them Down. ...
- Add Watering Aids. ...
- Water the bale thoroughly, until water runs out the bottom of the bale. Sprinkle the surface with a nitrogen source (see box), applying at the recommended rate.
- Every other day, add more of the nitrogen source; water thoroughly. ...
- On the days you don't apply nitrogen, just water the bales thoroughly.
How to prepare hay bales for gardening?
Steps
- Buy straw bales. Bales are readily available at nurseries or farms. ...
- Lay your bales out side by side. Put your bales in an area with good access to sun. ...
- Water the bales heavily for 5 to 7 days until they are cool. ...
- Use a trowel to dig a hole in the top of the bale for each plant. ...
- Fill the holes with composting soil or potting soil.
How do I grow vegetables in a bale of hay?
Hay bales of various types also make acceptable growing mediums, but you may need to do extra weeding ... about chemical fertilizers in fruit and vegetable gardens. Make sure you've set the ...
How to set up your bale garden?
Let’s Get Started With Straw Bale Gardening!
- Source Your Bales. It may sound obvious and indeed it is. ...
- Location, Location, Location. Once you have sourced your bales, you need to select a good place to put them. ...
- Prepare the Bales. This is also known as “conditioning” the bales. ...
- Get Ready to Grow. ...
- Plant Your Garden. ...
- Care for Your Straw Bale Garden. ...
- Enjoy the Benefits. ...
- The Beauty of the Finished Product. ...
How to know if Hay is ready to bale?
Why Choose Hay Bale Gardening?
- Affordability. A straw bale is considerably easier on the budget than raised beds and soil. ...
- Accessibility. The height of a bale makes plants easier to reach and tend for anyone in a wheelchair or unable to kneel easily.
- No Soil Required. If you lack good soil, a bale gives you a place to plant. ...
Can you use hay bales for gardening?
No Soil Needed Hay bale gardens are perfect for gardeners with no space or poor soil for cultivation. Hay forms an ideal alternative to soil. Since the straw bale makes a natural pot for your plants, you can plant anywhere you have room for your bale.
Can you use hay bales instead of straw bales for gardening?
DON'T FORGET TO KEEP YOUR GARDEN SAFE There is a difference between straw and hay, so you'll want to use straw bales, not hay bales, if possible. Hay is grass and straw is stalk — think grains like barley and wheat after the harvest instead of dried grass.
What fertilizer do you use for straw bale gardening?
Use a ½ cup of a complete garden fertilizer or three cups of an organic fertilizer like Milorganite®. Then completely moisten the bale. The organic fertilizer feeds the microorganisms that help decompose the straw into a nutrient rich planting medium.
Can you grow vegetables in hay bales?
A hay bale provides the growing environment for veggies without the need for soil or a raised-bed frame. You don't have to amend soil or dig weeds before planting. The bale naturally raises the veggies for easy harvesting.
How do you condition a straw bale for gardening?
Per bale, evenly sprinkle top with 1½ cup of 8-8-8 or 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Water in application thoroughly. If using ammonium sulfate (21-0-0), proceed with the following directions for Days 5-10. Days 5-6: Per bale, sprinkle top evenly with 1 cup of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) each day.
What are the disadvantages to straw bale gardens?
ConsWeeds: Even if you use straw bales—not hay bales, unless you suffocate the weeds before you plant your garden—your bales will sprout and if left alone will start looking like giant Chia Pets. ... End-of-Season Funk: By the end of the growing season, a straw bale garden can look ragged.More items...•
How do you prepare straw bales for planting?
The first weekWater the bale thoroughly, until water runs out the bottom of the bale. Sprinkle the surface with a nitrogen source (see box), applying at the recommended rate.Every other day, add more of the nitrogen source; water thoroughly. ... On the days you don't apply nitrogen, just water the bales thoroughly.
What's the difference between straw and hay?
Hay is a crop that is grown and harvested as a feed crop for cattle, horses and other farm animals. Straw on the other hand is a byproduct of a grain crop; in our area it's usually usually wheat straw that we see.
Can you plant vegetables in straw?
Growing vegetables in straw bales is an easy, low-maintenance method to grow nearly any vegetables anywhere. Especially if you don't have access to wide open garden space!
Can you grow tomatoes in a hay bale?
So, can you grow tomatoes in straw bales? Yes, you can grow tomatoes in straw bales. You will need to water and fertilize the straw bales to prepare them for planting and keep your tomatoes growing. Remember to tie your tomato plants to stakes or cages to support their weight as they grow!
Can I use hay instead of straw in my garden?
This material is used more for animal bedding as it has little nutritional value left. But, it's also a great option for gardens. When deciding on hay vs straw, straw is the better option for the veggie garden. Hay bales often contain weed seeds and you don't want to make more work for yourself!
Can you use hay in raised garden beds?
Hay will not give you a dry layer of cover that is pleasing to look at, but it is a great mulch for growing flowers and vegetables, and you'll get a fantastic yield. To start a garden, with seeds or starters, first create a thick layer of hay, up to eight inches (20 cm.), right over your garden soil.