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I’m a big container
gardener. Love growing vegetable in pots. But I’ve discovered another way
to grow veggies besides in the ground or in a pot. It’s called gardening by
the bale!
Growing veggies and
flowers in straw bales is nothing new…they’ve been doing for years down
south. It’s easy, you can set them up anywhere there’s sun, it’s instant,
once wet they hold moisture and nutrients for the plants, and it’s pretty
inexpensive.
To garden by the bale,
place your straw bales in a sunny location. Make sure it’s where you want
them, because once they’re wet, they can be a bear to move!
Put a stake on the ends
to help hold the bales together in case the strings should break.
Get your bales ready for
planting by thoroughly watering them every day for 4 days. This gets the
bale started cooking. On day 5, we’ll start a process of sprinkling a
fertilizer on top of the bale, and again, watering it in. This process
lasts for 6 to 8 days. After day 12, your straw bales are ready to plant.
Sprinkle a little
compost on top, and then plant your veggies as you would in the ground, but
instead, inside the leaves of the bale. Water and fertilize as needed, and
that’s it. One bale is good for 2 tomatoes, or 2 peppers, 6-8 cucumber
vines, 3 squash vines, etc.
You can also plant a few
flowers in your bales to add a little color. Or you could plant all annuals
and perennials and have a straw bale flower garden! If you would like a tip
sheet for the complete rundown on gardening by the bale, email me. |
