Contents
114
St r aw Ba l e G r e e n h o u s e
6
120
G row i n g yo u r st r aw ba l e G a r d e n
S B G s i n s m a l l , u r b a n a n d U n u s u a l S pa c e s
28
132
S B G s a n d wat e r
St r aw
34
136
H a r v e s t Ti m e
P l a n n i n g Yo u r St r aw Ba l e G a r d e n
40
145
W h at R e m a i n s is G o l d
M a k i n g Yo u r Ow n Ba l es
76
150
Plant Profiles
Conditioning the Bales
86
172
RE S OUR C E S
O r g a n ic S t r a w B a l e G a r d e n s
96
173
C o n v e r si o n s
102
174
I NDE X
Introduction
P l a n t i n g S e e d s a n d S e e d l i n gs
Contents
114
St r aw Ba l e G r e e n h o u s e
6
120
G row i n g yo u r st r aw ba l e G a r d e n
S B G s i n s m a l l , u r b a n a n d U n u s u a l S pa c e s
28
132
S B G s a n d wat e r
St r aw
34
136
H a r v e s t Ti m e
P l a n n i n g Yo u r St r aw Ba l e G a r d e n
40
145
W h at R e m a i n s is G o l d
M a k i n g Yo u r Ow n Ba l es
76
150
Plant Profiles
Conditioning the Bales
86
172
RE S OUR C E S
O r g a n ic S t r a w B a l e G a r d e n s
96
173
C o n v e r si o n s
102
174
I NDE X
Introduction
P l a n t i n g S e e d s a n d S e e d l i n gs
Straw Bale Gardening vs. Traditional Gardening
At t r ib u t e
75% less labor
St r aw Ba l e Garden
X
Straw Bale Gardening in Four Steps
T r a d i t i o n a l C o n ta i n e r / s o i l g a r d e n R a is e d b e d Garden w i t h m ix NOT s o i l -
X (first year only)
Raised height, easy planting
X
-
X
No weeding
X
-
X (first year only)
Very low input/start-up cost
X
X
-
Extends the growing season
X
-
-
Higher germination on seeds
x
-
-
Predictable performance
X
-
X (first year only)
Impossible to overwater
X
-
-
Holds moisture well
X
-
-
Creates new media yearly
X
-
-
Easy to move location
X
-
-
Automated water daily is okay
X
-
X
No crop rotation needed
X
-
-
Can plant top and sides
X
-
-
Creates loads of A+ compost
X
-
-
Prevents disease issues
X
-
-
Prevents insect issues
X
-
-
Prevents rabbits/deer issues
X
-
-
Can be located anywhere
X
-
-
Prevents early season frost
X
-
-
No heavy work, tilling
X
-
-
No tools other than hand trowel
X
-
-
Warmed root zone at planting/seeding
X
-
-
Eliminates soil-borne disease
X
-
X (first year only)
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1. Place bales on any surface (driveways, rooftops, anywhere). Treat bales with high-nitrogen fertilizer (organic or conventional) to accelerate decomposition of straw inside bale. Water heavily for 12 to 18 days.
2. Plant seedlings and seeds directly in the bales. Seeds require a bed of potting soil to hold moisture atop the bale until germination. Heat generated by decomposing straw allows you to plant two to four weeks earlier than if you are planting in the ground. Continue watering.
3. Water, watch, and wait. No weeding.
4. Harvest. After the season, bales have turned into beautiful, clean compost for use in your other gardens. Next spring, repeat the process with fresh bales. Underground vegetables such as potatoes may be planted in second-year bales in some cases.
17
Right: Using a double layer of bales can create two distinct planting “shelves” and make it much easier to plant and harvest without needing to bend over much at all.
This Straw Bale Garden in North Hollywood California is a testament to the enthusiasm many gardeners have for this method. Even a front yard can make a beautiful and productive garden, with just a couple dozen bales of straw. Left: Summer bulbs such as these Dahlias are doing well in this bale at midseason and are being used as cut flowers for indoor display. The big advantage is that the bulbs are easily harvested and divided at the end of the season by simply opening the bale up, and no digging is required.
Onions and other root crops require a loose and airy “soil,” which is exactly what the inside of a straw bale provides. With lots of freshly developing compost inside, the bales have plentiful airspaces and this allows root crops to develop uninhibited.
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