A garden is only as good as the ground that it's planted in. Discussion forum for the many ways to improve the soil where we plant our gardens.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Cuyahoga Falls,Ohio
Posts: 818
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I went out and bought a couple bales of straw to use for mulch and keep the moisture in the ground but this morning the temperature got down to 48 degrees.Soil temperature is now 58 degrees.It's going to be sunny and 75 today,I'm hoping it warms the soil back up into the mid 60's before I add it to the garden.I did spread a layer of Alfalfa pellets just before it rained to start the breaking down process,The worms are going to love that but it's been a very wet spring.
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#2 |
Guest
Posts: n/a
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Straw was the mulch of choice in my New England garden and yes, worms absolutely loved it.
Plus it was inexpensive and only needed renewing once or twice over the growing season. The trick was to keep field mice from nesting in the spare bales, lol. |
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Cuyahoga Falls,Ohio
Posts: 818
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I have the spare bale in the garage covered with a tarp.Yes I agree but as long as they stay in the garage and not the house I can live with that.lol
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Brownville, Ne
Posts: 3,291
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A layer or two of newspaper covered by 6-8 inches of straw is my mulch of choice for the garden. After trying many other styles and forms of mulching, this is the one I have used for many years. At the end of the season it all gets tilled into the soil to add to the organics.
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there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes. |
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Cuyahoga Falls,Ohio
Posts: 818
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I mow my straw down before I plant my winter cover crop in the fall.I also do no till.
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Williamsburg VA Zone 7b
Posts: 1,110
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I just picked up some straw. Usually I gather enough oak leaves but all the extra rain this year caused rapid decomp.
A bale of straw here in Virginia at Lowes/Home Depot runs around $6. What are others paying? |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 1,420
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I buy mine from a local farmer fro $5 per bale and I try to pick up free ones from decorations after Thanksgiving.
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Brownville, Ne
Posts: 3,291
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Local source $5/bale; hardware store $7/bale.
__________________
there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes. |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Williamsburg VA Zone 7b
Posts: 1,110
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I'll keep an eye out for local - and also post Halloween/Thanksgiving. Thanks.
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Southeastern PA
Posts: 1,420
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I got a HUGE commercial bale for free this year. It was formerly used for target practice with bow and arrows. It doesn't matter if it has been wet but this one was packed so tightly that is is dry in the middle.
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California Central Valley
Posts: 2,542
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I paid $4 from a farm but it’s $7 from someone in my neighborhood who brings a trailer full for anyone who wants them. It’s worth the extra.
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#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Cuyahoga Falls,Ohio
Posts: 818
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Added my 3rd bale today as it's composting down really well.I had spread alfalfa pellets down then added my straw with the first two bales.But I have to say bales are not as large as they were 15 years ago when I first started doing it.
![]() Last edited by cjp1953; July 1, 2019 at 06:55 PM. |
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#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: south carolina
Posts: 562
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Our problem has been the opposite. One extreme heat wave has already wiped out half of the tomato plants. We're a couple of days into another one and lots of the plants don't look too good. We also haven't had any rain in over a week. The ground is hot and hard. Do y'all think a good watering and then laying down mulch would help the plants to live and produce if we're in for a abnormally hot summer?
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#14 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Williamsburg VA Zone 7b
Posts: 1,110
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I use a lot of oak leaves but have also used fresh wood chips, mulch, pine needles and straw. They all work well. I encourage you to search for what Bill (B54red) writes about keeping tomatoes producing during high heat. I've learned a lot from him about bleach spray, grafting, lean n lower, pest management. Last edited by jtjmartin; July 1, 2019 at 08:40 PM. |
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#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 614
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I found there's pine straw (baled pine needles) available near my area for about $5 per bale (27" x 13" x 14".) I was thinking of using some of it as the frame for some small raised beds, and other as mulch. I was worried that there might be something wrong with using pine needles, but I read elsewhere they're not too acidic. I guess a pH tester is on my wishlist too.
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