straw bale gardens

Comment

Comment by Kathy Fathers on April 4, 2013 at 5:46pm

There is a very good book - No-work Garden book, by Ruth Stout, probably out of print - my copy bought second hand about 1980 was published in 1971.  This type of gardening has been going on for years, and it works.  She was American - and never had any problems, except for people who didn't believe gardening could be so easy. 

Comment by Kathy Fathers on December 31, 2012 at 7:46am

Make a hole in the straw and pot in a handful or two of compost and plant in that.  I used this method to start my garden in 1987.  It works a treat.

Comment by Justin JX on August 18, 2012 at 10:57am

Hi guys, I just got around to have enough interest to try out straw bale gardening 2 weeks before Spring. I realized that you have to let the straw bale sort of mature over winter before you can plant into it. Is there a way to kick start the process? I am not planning to grow food out of it, but to merely plant clovers in it.

Comment by Chris Hardaker on October 12, 2011 at 1:52pm

Hi. Just wanted to post a link to a local TV piece on the strawbale demo gardens we now have in Willits.

Worked out pretty good.

Willits Community Television

http://www.willitstv.org/

Episode 18

Comment by Margaret Beers Oliver on May 6, 2011 at 6:15am

Whoot! seems that I may have hit the mother load of straw bales! Seems this guy doesn't want the moldy bales that he has behind the barn! Guess what I am doing this weekend!

Comment by Chris Hardaker on May 6, 2011 at 2:53am

J

ust wanted to Howdy! We are trying out an experimental strawbale garden  at the local community garden in Willits, Ca. in redwood country a couple hours north of SF. Added about four cups of bird guano to each bale in early April. Inside temps have not reached more than 80 degrees after about a month of being watered about an hour a day with a soaker hose. The mission is to grow a lot of flowers and vegetables, but also to generate soil on top of the river rocks and clay currently making up the front yard of an office bldg.

Chris Hardaker

 

Bales2011.jpg

Comment by Craig Miller on March 9, 2011 at 11:38am

Started my first straw bale garden. letting them season for a month or so before I get the chance to actually plant

Comment by Margaret Beers Oliver on February 25, 2011 at 6:21pm

Dachshunds work well for vermin of all kinds. However to have a straw bale garden the bale must be kept well watered and that is usually enough to make them seek their nice dry home elsewhere.

Comment by Chris Hardaker on February 25, 2011 at 5:44pm

Hi. I want to build a large experimental straw bale garden but a friend told me to watch out for rats and mice who like to nest in them.

If so, what is a good organic defense?

Chris Hardaker

Willits, CA (Mendo)

Comment by Margaret Beers Oliver on November 14, 2010 at 9:55am

Oh my I have been all caught up in life as I know it and away from the computer for much of the last few weeks. I am going to try to get bales in the garden here at the new house next spring. I am growing some veg under lights in the house for the winter. Dorthy I have always loved the tire (tyre) gardens. My auntie used to paint her tires in bright colors, though I don't to this day understand how she turned them inside out to make those daisy looking gardens.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• Next ›
• Page