Straw or hay for mulching

Tania · January 10, 2012

I am thinking about using straw or hay for mulch, but as I've never done it before, I am not sure how much I need.

I a local feed store they sell 60 lb straw bales ($13) and 92 lb alfalfa hay ($23.50). I have not shopped for better prices yet...

Do you know how many sq. feet 1 bale would cover?

Any other advice re this type of mulch is also much appreciated.

Thank you so much for your help!

dipchip2000 · January 10, 2012

Tanis

Last year I used 4 bales of straw to cover and mulch a 30X40 tomato bed about 4inches deep. It worked great and almost eliminated all weeds and grasses from the bed. I am going to use it this year in my new raised beds and probably make it a little deeper, maybe 6in deep. Hope this helps

ron

ps
straw bales here in okla are $5.25 a bale

TomNJ · January 10, 2012

I have been using a spoiled feed hay mulch for many many years. Around here a long bale of spoiled hay is only $5. Spoiled hay (exposed to water and not suitable for feed) can be moldy, so a breathing mask is recommended when spreading.

Many people prefer straw to hay since it is less likely to contain viable seed, but I have never had a sprouting problem with spoiled hay. This year I got some straw for free from a local farmer (in return for buying and planting his garlic) and it works very well. One advantage for hay is it is higher in nitrogen and will break down faster when turned in at the end of the season without taking nitrogen from the soil. Of course a little nitrogen fertilizer neutralizes this advantage.

WRT coverage, I use one bale for each 125 square feet which gives about a 5-6" depth and compresses down to 2-3 inches over the season. This prevents just about all weeds and greatly reduces watering. It also stablizes the moisture level in the soil, which reduces the potential for BER, and a deep mulch attracts worms as well.

TomNJ

PaulF · January 10, 2012

All the above sounds good. What I also do to help with weed control is put down several layers of newspaper before adding the straw. I use straw because of the weed seed thing. If you have a newspaper nearby you might ask for endrolls that many papers get rid of anyway. Much easier to roll out the paper than to unfold a lot of old papers.

The paper will last the growing season and then can be tilled under. Ink is soy based, but there may be some residual chemicals, so unused newspaper is best.

tuk50 · January 10, 2012

I use a lot more of both, but TomNJ's climate is closer to yours than mine. I have about 2000sq ft and last year used 20 bales. I irrigate daily during june and july when the temps are over 100. This will make a 6in layer disappear by aug. and I will usually keep a light layer going every month. I buy mine during the summer when prices are at lowest and let it set out till its needed the following year. It works well putting slabs down between rows for paths and using it loose around the maters and peppers. We have horses and I just pile the poop up in a pile all summer and last week we spread it out over the remains of the garden and I'm going to try no till this spring (first time).

henry · January 10, 2012

Just a warning on using straw to mulch garlic it may contain [wheat curl mite] which is a problem for garlic growers.

Henry

Ruth_10 · January 10, 2012

I like straw for mulch. I occasionally get some wheat sprouting, but it's easy to remove. A bale of straw here is nowhere near 60 lbs. More like 15 lbs. I can lift one easily, so it's not that heavy. I use layers of newspaper under the straw. For my 700 sq. ft. main tomato patch, I used about 5 bales of straw with 4-5 sheets of newspaper underneath.

People who can get their hands on spoiled hay use it because it can be cheaper than straw. I assume most of the weed seeds sprouted or molded when the hay got exposed to the weather. Otherwise you can introduce a lot of weeds with most hay.

Mudman · January 10, 2012

Tried hay a few years ago and added about a dozen new types of weeds to my garden.

recruiterg · January 11, 2012

I use straw. It works great. I just turn it into the soil at the end of the season and it composts quickly and adds an organic element to the soil.

biscgolf · January 11, 2012

tomnj was spot on on all counts...
we sell straw for $3.50 a bale from our farm.

Douglas_OW · January 11, 2012

Ruth Stout is often cited as an authority on this topic.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organ...arden-Hay.aspx

http://organicgardening.com/learn-an...th-stout-style

For me, the cheapest straw I can buy is $7/bale. Hay is $3-4/bale.

craigslist.org almost alwys has listing for "Mulch Hay", usually $1 or less per bale, or for free for you to pick-up. I don't know if that is any help to you.

Jim

chiefbeaz · January 11, 2012

I have been using wheat straw for mulching for the last five years and have had no problems. My rows are about 130 foot long each and It takes about 1 and 1 half bales to cover the row. Straw in Tennessee cost about $3.50 a bale .

GIZZARDFARM · January 11, 2012

i use wheat straw on my entire garden got a large farm buddy who cleans out his straw barns in early spring brings me dumptruck load of busted bales for free, i pile it around everything and cover my walkways through the garden with it, ususaaly 5 or 6 inches deep..

delltraveller · January 11, 2012

Does anyone have concerns about herbicide residue when using straw or hay?

Sundrops · January 11, 2012

I use a combination of wheat straw, alfalpha and leaves. I collect about 300 bags of leaves in the fall along with a large pile of shredded leaves that my neighbor brings me. I mulch my whole garden (60' X 100') every year with all of the above, in whatever quantities I can get my hands on. I am lucky in that I have a neighbor who has a whole building full of broken bales of alfalpha. He is from Poland and refuses to sell anything. He likes to barter so in exchange I take him stuff from my garden. He's a great guy and loves to barter.

I haven't tilled in 4 years, keeping the soil covered with some kind of mulch year round. I have not been bothered with harboring pests or disease of any kind by doing this. My ground is fed by the decomposing mulch and I like doing things this way. It seems to be a lot less work.

Additional benefits of mulching is moisture control. Because my garden is too far from the house watering during the summer is not an option. I have found that all of the leaves, alfalpha and such keeps the ground from drying out and I don't worry so much about my garden being stressed.

Ruth Stout was one smart lady.

January 10, 2012	#1
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	Straw or hay for mulching I am thinking about using straw or hay for mulch, but as I've never done it before, I am not sure how much I need. I a local feed store they sell 60 lb straw bales ($13) and 92 lb alfalfa hay ($23.50). I have not shopped for better prices yet... Do you know how many sq. feet 1 bale would cover? Any other advice re this type of mulch is also much appreciated. Thank you so much for your help! __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase

January 10, 2012	#3
TomNJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Floyd VA Posts: 771	I have been using a spoiled feed hay mulch for many many years. Around here a long bale of spoiled hay is only $5. Spoiled hay (exposed to water and not suitable for feed) can be moldy, so a breathing mask is recommended when spreading. Many people prefer straw to hay since it is less likely to contain viable seed, but I have never had a sprouting problem with spoiled hay. This year I got some straw for free from a local farmer (in return for buying and planting his garlic) and it works very well. One advantage for hay is it is higher in nitrogen and will break down faster when turned in at the end of the season without taking nitrogen from the soil. Of course a little nitrogen fertilizer neutralizes this advantage. WRT coverage, I use one bale for each 125 square feet which gives about a 5-6" depth and compresses down to 2-3 inches over the season. This prevents just about all weeds and greatly reduces watering. It also stablizes the moisture level in the soil, which reduces the potential for BER, and a deep mulch attracts worms as well. TomNJ Last edited by TomNJ; January 12, 2012 at 09:11 AM.

January 10, 2012	#4
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	All the above sounds good. What I also do to help with weed control is put down several layers of newspaper before adding the straw. I use straw because of the weed seed thing. If you have a newspaper nearby you might ask for endrolls that many papers get rid of anyway. Much easier to roll out the paper than to unfold a lot of old papers. The paper will last the growing season and then can be tilled under. Ink is soy based, but there may be some residual chemicals, so unused newspaper is best. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

January 10, 2012	#5
tuk50 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Tucson, Arizona (catalina) Posts: 413	I use a lot more of both, but TomNJ's climate is closer to yours than mine. I have about 2000sq ft and last year used 20 bales. I irrigate daily during june and july when the temps are over 100. This will make a 6in layer disappear by aug. and I will usually keep a light layer going every month. I buy mine during the summer when prices are at lowest and let it set out till its needed the following year. It works well putting slabs down between rows for paths and using it loose around the maters and peppers. We have horses and I just pile the poop up in a pile all summer and last week we spread it out over the remains of the garden and I'm going to try no till this spring (first time). __________________ Hangin on for dear life!

January 10, 2012	#6
henry Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Midway B.C. Canada Posts: 311	Just a warning on using straw to mulch garlic it may contain [wheat curl mite] which is a problem for garlic growers. Henry __________________ Henry Last edited by henry; January 11, 2012 at 02:15 AM. Reason: spelling

January 10, 2012	#2
dipchip2000 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Muskogee, Oklahoma Posts: 664	Tanis Last year I used 4 bales of straw to cover and mulch a 30X40 tomato bed about 4inches deep. It worked great and almost eliminated all weeds and grasses from the bed. I am going to use it this year in my new raised beds and probably make it a little deeper, maybe 6in deep. Hope this helps ron ps straw bales here in okla are $5.25 a bale

January 10, 2012	#7
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	I like straw for mulch. I occasionally get some wheat sprouting, but it's easy to remove. A bale of straw here is nowhere near 60 lbs. More like 15 lbs. I can lift one easily, so it's not that heavy. I use layers of newspaper under the straw. For my 700 sq. ft. main tomato patch, I used about 5 bales of straw with 4-5 sheets of newspaper underneath. People who can get their hands on spoiled hay use it because it can be cheaper than straw. I assume most of the weed seeds sprouted or molded when the hay got exposed to the weather. Otherwise you can introduce a lot of weeds with most hay. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

January 10, 2012	#8
Mudman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NW Wisconsin Posts: 910	Tried hay a few years ago and added about a dozen new types of weeds to my garden. __________________ Mike

January 11, 2012	#9
recruiterg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Edina, MN (Zone 4) Posts: 945	I use straw. It works great. I just turn it into the soil at the end of the season and it composts quickly and adds an organic element to the soil.

January 11, 2012	#10
biscgolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 353	tomnj was spot on on all counts... we sell straw for $3.50 a bale from our farm.

January 11, 2012	#11
Douglas_OW Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NJ z5 Posts: 281	Ruth Stout is often cited as an authority on this topic. http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organ...arden-Hay.aspx http://organicgardening.com/learn-an...th-stout-style For me, the cheapest straw I can buy is $7/bale. Hay is $3-4/bale. craigslist.org almost alwys has listing for "Mulch Hay", usually $1 or less per bale, or for free for you to pick-up. I don't know if that is any help to you. Jim

January 11, 2012	#12
chiefbeaz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Middle, TN Posts: 271	I have been using wheat straw for mulching for the last five years and have had no problems. My rows are about 130 foot long each and It takes about 1 and 1 half bales to cover the row. Straw in Tennessee cost about $3.50 a bale .

January 11, 2012	#13
GIZZARDFARM Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: COMFORT TENNESSEE Posts: 300	i use wheat straw on my entire garden got a large farm buddy who cleans out his straw barns in early spring brings me dumptruck load of busted bales for free, i pile it around everything and cover my walkways through the garden with it, ususaaly 5 or 6 inches deep..

January 11, 2012	#14
delltraveller Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Posts: 481	Does anyone have concerns about herbicide residue when using straw or hay?

January 11, 2012	#15
Sundrops Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 36	I use a combination of wheat straw, alfalpha and leaves. I collect about 300 bags of leaves in the fall along with a large pile of shredded leaves that my neighbor brings me. I mulch my whole garden (60' X 100') every year with all of the above, in whatever quantities I can get my hands on. I am lucky in that I have a neighbor who has a whole building full of broken bales of alfalpha. He is from Poland and refuses to sell anything. He likes to barter so in exchange I take him stuff from my garden. He's a great guy and loves to barter. I haven't tilled in 4 years, keeping the soil covered with some kind of mulch year round. I have not been bothered with harboring pests or disease of any kind by doing this. My ground is fed by the decomposing mulch and I like doing things this way. It seems to be a lot less work. Additional benefits of mulching is moisture control. Because my garden is too far from the house watering during the summer is not an option. I have found that all of the leaves, alfalpha and such keeps the ground from drying out and I don't worry so much about my garden being stressed. Ruth Stout was one smart lady.