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You can grow parsley, carrots, arugula, and spinach in a straw bale garden, and they'll produce just as much as if they were planted in the ground. DeymosHR/ShutterstockKey Insights
- Straw bale gardening requires preparing the bales with water and a nitrogen-rich substance, such as blood meal, to initiate the decomposition needed for healthy plant growth.
- The bales are conditioned for two weeks, with water and nitrogen added to ready them for planting.
- After two weeks, on day 14, you can plant seedlings directly into holes in the straw or sow seeds into a layer of potting soil spread across the tops of the bales.
There are many methods to create a garden. You can opt for a traditional in-ground garden or build raised beds filled with soil.
Another option involves using straw bales. They’re affordable and easy to find, and you can grow herbs, vegetables, and flowers right in the bales. If straw bale gardening sounds perfect for you, here are a few essential tips to help you get started.
Choose Straw, Not Hay
If you didn't grow up on a farm or around livestock, you might not realize that bales of straw and hay are entirely different. Straw is dry, firm, and yellow. It’s a byproduct of grain crops like wheat—once the edible seeds are harvested, the straw is collected and baled. It lacks significant nutritional value, so it’s often used for bedding, not as food.
Hay, however, is specifically cultivated for feeding livestock. These bales are made from plants—typically grasses or legumes—that are harvested and dried to serve as food for cows or other grazing animals. Since hay still contains seeds, using it in your garden is likely to lead to a bunch of unwanted sprouting plants.
The simple solution for straw bale gardening is to make sure you're buying straw bales, not hay!
Straw bale gardening provides an affordable and effective method for growing plants, maximizing space and offering raised beds for those who find it difficult to bend or kneel.
Wikimedia Commons (CC By SA 3.0)Get the Right Straw
Straw bales are easy to find; you can purchase them at most hardware or farm supply stores all year long. However, not all straw is the same. Some farmers apply herbicides to their crops of wheat or oats to control weeds. These chemicals can also harm your vegetable plants. After harvesting, the herbicide can remain on the straw, which can negatively affect your garden, or worse, prevent your straw bale garden from thriving, causing stunted and malformed plants or no growth at all.
To avoid this issue, simply choose organic straw or buy from a local farmer who can guarantee the straw hasn't been treated with herbicides. If you're unsure where to find untreated straw, try asking at your local garden center for advice on sourcing clean straw.
Prepare the Bales
Once you've obtained your bales, a little preparation is required before planting. Pick a location for your garden — the sunnier, the better — and arrange the straw bales. Ensure the cut end is facing up so the straw pieces function like straws, soaking up water effectively.
The first task is to thoroughly water the bales. Use your hose to soak them until water starts running out from the bottom of the bale.
A gardener is transplanting an eggplant seedling into a straw bale. You can plant seeds directly into straw bales or transplant seedlings once they've grown larger.
Miriam Doerr Martin Frommherz/ShutterstockSince straw bales lack the nitrogen present in soil, you'll need to supplement it. One of the best sources of nitrogen is blood meal. Sprinkle around three cups on top of each bale, water it in thoroughly, and let it soak in. That's the end of day one. For the next two weeks, follow this routine:
Day 2: Water the bales thoroughly, ensuring that each bale gets at least 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of water.
Day 3: Spread 3 cups (0.75 quarts) of blood meal across each bale and water it in with 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of water. Once you start adding blood meal, avoid over-watering, as this will wash the nutrients out of the bale. The bale should be moist enough to start decomposing, but not so drenched that the blood meal drains out from the bottom.
Day 4: Water the bales.
Day 5: Add 3 cups (0.75 quarts) of blood meal over each bale and water it in with 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of water.
Day 6: Water the bales again.
Day 7: Sprinkle 1.5 cups (0.3 quarts) of blood meal on each bale and water it in with 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of water.
Day 8: Distribute 1.5 cups (0.3 quarts) of blood meal over each bale and soak it in with 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of water.
Day 9: Sprinkle 1.5 cups (0.3 quarts) of blood meal over each bale and water it in with 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of water.
Day 10: Water the bales.
Day 11: Water the bales again.
Day 12: Water the bales once more.
Day 13: Water the bales and add 2 cups (0.5 quarts) of all-purpose 5-5-5 fertilizer.
Day 14: It's time to plant your garden.
The nitrogen will start the straw to compost, creating a healthy growing environment for your plants. On day 14, you are ready to start planting. Dig a small hole in the straw and place your seedlings inside, pressing a peat moss and soil mixture around them. If you're planting from seeds, cover the top of the bales with a 1-2 inch (2.5 to 5 centimeters) layer of potting soil, and plant your seeds according to the instructions or in your usual manner.
Water Well
Since the straw bales are elevated and water can easily run through, they tend to dry out quickly. Make sure to water your plants regularly, ensuring the soil around their base stays moist at all times.
As plants grow, they quickly deplete the nitrogen you've added to your straw bale. To keep your plants healthy, make sure to replenish it by using a complete fertilizer like 8-8-8 or 10-10-10. Apply between 1/2 cup to 1 cup (0.25 to 0.125 quarts) of fertilizer per bale each month and water it in properly.
Benefits of Bale Gardening
There are many benefits to straw bale gardening. It's incredibly convenient since it requires no bed construction or tilling, and as long as you can place a straw bale, you can grow a garden. Straw bale gardens are perfect for those with mobility limitations because they eliminate the need for constant bending and stooping. You can even stack the bales for easier access.
Additionally, at the end of the season, cleanup is a breeze. By then, most of the bales will have decomposed enough to be spread across your lawn, added to a compost pile, or used as a nutrient-rich mulch.
Joel Karsten, the author of "Straw Bale Solutions," invented the concept of straw bale gardening about two decades ago. He was looking for an affordable method to grow vegetables and realized that straw could replace the need for soil. This discovery provided a solution for those with limited gardening space or mobility issues.
