My straw bale garden

[Marko]

This year I decided to grow peppers and eggplants on straw bales. I have 10 bales, in 8 are peppers and eggplants in 2. 3 peppers/2 eggplants per bale.
Plants are fantastic, I never had such peppers so early in the season. Next year I'll try tomatoes in straw instead of containers. Watering is easier and straw doesn't overheat like containers.
Peppers were planted on may 2 and eggplants few days later. I had first green ripe pepers in mid june.

[FILMNET]

I hope my Red peppers come out like yours!!!!! you sent me seeds for them, i have 3 plants.

[kath]

Very interesting idea, Marko! Your garden looks very neat and the plants are beautiful. It reminds me of using the "lasagna" method and planting in the layers of mulch right away. I tried that once and had very good luck with melons and squash. We're breaking new (VERY rocky) ground to expand the garden next year and this might be a good technique to use while we still try to incorporate organic materials into the new area to improve the meager amount of soil that's there.

Is that a white mulch material underneath the bales, or concrete or decking material?

[TomNJ]

Fascinating! I would not expect micro-elements to be present in the hay. Can you tell us about your fertilization program? Has anyone else tried this?

TomNJ

[les matzek]

i tried straw bale's two years
ago it was not a good trial
as the wind here beat the
tomatoes plants to death.

if it had not been for the
wind they more than likely
would have done good //
regards.

les

[Aphid]

I tried it 6 years ago , two problems

the straw was diseased (thanks Lowes)

It got so hot that summer , It became a fire hazard.
I was worried about spontaneous combustion

[Marko]

@FILMNET
if your peppers are flowering now, you'll have ripe green peppers in 40 days and red two weeks later

@kath,
underneath the bales is concrete plate atop of heating oil tank

@TomNJ
I'm fertilizing with alfaalfa pellets, composted chicken manure, liquid seaweed and little Tomaten Dunger

@Aphid
straw is dry only on surface, inside of bales is wet compost

[FILMNET]

What a pro!! Marko

[livinonfaith]

Hi Marko! How did your garden turn out?

I'm seriously thinking of doing this with all of my tomatoes, peppers and eggplants this year. Last year I found out that half of my garden is in the root path of a black walnut tree, (not good) and my entire yard was also taken over by vicious heirloom-eating voles. (Vicious, I tell ya, and impervious to any and all attack!) There were a few more issues, as well.

Seriously, since I've put so much work into my main garden bed and it's in the best space in the yard, I first thought about using grow bags. But with buying all of the soil and such, it was going to get pricey.

So a guy at one of the nearby nurseries said he grew his tomatoes last year in bales. He had great luck with them. He watered his bales very well about two weeks before planting time so that they would start to break down. He also stuffed Tomato Tone down into them. Is that similar to what you did?

Just wondered exactly what your methods were and how large your bales were. After the season, when you look back, would you have changed anything?

[tuk50]

A few years ago while building a new home out here I didn't have time for a new garden so we used 16bales of straw total with two rows of 8 each. I dug about a 6in deep trench and set them in there. Put composted chicken and horse manures about 4in deep on all the top. Started fertilizing with fish emulsion about two weeks prior to planting, at planting time I used about two bags of cheap potting soil to cover the top and planted the seeds in it. Onions and Chard loved it. Some Okra, but not as tall or productive. Tomatoes not as tall or productive, but good overall. We did manage a couple of pumpkins on the end bale about 12in diameter. At the end of the season the bales were about decayed away. Our summers are very hot and this may have been why. Beats not having fresh veggies all summer, but prefer using a garden.

[Marko]

Originally Posted by livinonfaith

Hi Marko! How did your garden turn out?

I'm seriously thinking of doing this with all of my tomatoes, peppers and eggplants this year. Last year I found out that half of my garden is in the root path of a black walnut tree, (not good) and my entire yard was also taken over by vicious heirloom-eating voles. (Vicious, I tell ya, and impervious to any and all attack!) There were a few more issues, as well.

Seriously, since I've put so much work into my main garden bed and it's in the best space in the yard, I first thought about using grow bags. But with buying all of the soil and such, it was going to get pricey.

So a guy at one of the nearby nurseries said he grew his tomatoes last year in bales. He had great luck with them. He watered his bales very well about two weeks before planting time so that they would start to break down. He also stuffed Tomato Tone down into them. Is that similar to what you did?

Just wondered exactly what your methods were and how large your bales were. After the season, when you look back, would you have changed anything?

livinonfaith, in one word - PERFECT! The total yield was 60 kg (132 lb) of peppers and 20 kg (43 lb) eggplants.
Bales dimensions are 100x60x40 cm (40x24x16 in). First I watered them well for three days. Then I started to add ammonium nitrate dissolved in water. After a week the bales became very hot inside. I measured temperature daily and when it dropped below 80F (in ~10 days) I planted peppers.
In the begining you should add more nitrogen, because straw is still decomposing, but from august very little fertilizers are necessary.
Straw hold water well and despite very hot summer last year I didn't have any problems with watering.
Anoter good thing with straw bale gardening is that you get a LOT of compost at the end of season.
The only thing I will change this year is support system. You just can't drive a pole in straw and expect it will stay still and support loaded pepper plant.

[livinonfaith]

Originally Posted by Marko

livinonfaith, in one word - PERFECT! The total yield was 60 kg (132 lb) of peppers and 20 kg (43 lb) eggplants.
Bales dimensions are 100x60x40 cm (40x24x16 in). First I watered them well for three days. Then I started to add ammonium nitrate dissolved in water. After a week the bales became very hot inside. I measured temperature daily and when it dropped below 80F (in ~10 days) I planted peppers.
In the begining you should add more nitrogen, because straw is still decomposing, but from august very little fertilizers are necessary.
Straw hold water well and despite very hot summer last year I didn't have any problems with watering.
Anoter good thing with straw bale gardening is that you get a LOT of compost at the end of season.
The only thing I will change this year is support system. You just can't drive a pole in straw and expect it will stay still and support loaded pepper plant.

That's what I wanted to hear! After I wrote to you, I did a little more research and most people who are successful seem to be using the same or a very similar bale starting method as you. It is really helpful to have someone actually tell me the dimensions of their bales. While its likely that the bales around here are going to be around the same size, it's nice to make sure so that I know how many plants will work.

Supporting the plants, especially the tomatoes, does seem to be the main problem. After four years, I've finally gotten enough tomato cages for my garden. But unless I can find a way to stabilize them, those aren't going to work. There has to be a way to attach them to the ground, possibly with long stakes between the bales. That's something to think about.

Being able to reuse the straw at the end of the season is a huge benefit, as well. I have several places in my yard that will be very happy about that. Heck, the neighbors will probably be happy, too!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! I honestly didn't expect you to answer so quickly.

[RonnyWil]

I tried some tomatoes a couple of years ago and they did very well but when I went to pick them the bales were full of fire ants and I was too close to the bale. A dozen bites on my foot and I decided no more bale gardening.

[livinonfaith]

Originally Posted by RonnyWil

I tried some tomatoes a couple of years ago and they did very well but when I went to pick them the bales were full of fire ants and I was too close to the bale. A dozen bites on my foot and I decided no more bale gardening.

Yikes! I have fire ants in the yard. They are a menace!

I can live with the odd bee sting or bug bite that you get when you garden, but I've had fire ant bites that left permanent scars. I'm looking at one on my hand right now. From one tiny little ant!

I try not to use many chemical insecticides, but baiting fire ant hills is my main exception. Hopefully, being forewarned, I can put it out around the bales early and keep them under control.

[janezee]

Now you've got me rethinking my plan for my tomato beds this summer. I could do that, then still afford the cattle panel hoop house for them! Raised beds next year, with a good compost start!

Thanks for the info.