Hay Bale Gardening

[thepriceclan]

Does anyone out there have any information on hay bale gardening? We would like to try this if we can get further information.

[johnbmcginnis]

Never heard of "Hay bale gardening", but just a thought. My wife and I managed an acre garden for a number of years. And managed it the old fashioned way by hand pulling weeds. And that is a JOB to stay on top of. If you are considering using old unused hay bales in your garden as mulch or green manure, I see the potiential of a nightmare in weeds and grass from the seeds without the help of chemicals. We don't like chemicals. If you can get ahold of deseeded fescue bales, that would be your best bet using bales of hay. you will have a lot less seed.

John

[tabitha]

are you referring to raised beds using straw bales as the border? i saw a blurb about it is Mother Earth News a couple of issues back. it intrigued me... seems it could solve one of the bigger raised bed issues: water loss.

tabitha

[scakya]

Hi,
I bet you are referring to the type of hay bale gardening sometimes used by folks with access to old hay or straw bales. You simply make a place for the plants to be planted in, put your growing medium in and voila.Water accordingly. Folks in these parts usually do that around trailer homes where bales were used for a few seasons and are breaking down . It's no big deal and makes good use of something that might be tough to move(strings are rotted for example). The plants will grow into the bale, further helping it breakdown and produce something useable. Not advised with wheat hay as it will sprout as will many of the grain hays. Usually it's old alfalfa that's used.
I know some folks who use the big round bales for mulch, but unless you know it's relatively weed free, don't use it. Good way to get things like bind weed, goat heads or any number of undesirable things that if you don't have them now you will have them after introducing hay with them in it. Both mentioned can be a bear to get rid off, I'm doing it here, but have had many years of working at and know how to do it under my belt. It takes a lot of work and persistence!

Hope this helps,
scakya

[SherryLee]

My husband bought me some old rotted hay from a farm down the road for my garden. I have not put it on yet, because the farmer said he had some hay that was older and more rotted. So I was waiting to put that on as soon as we can get some. I have not thought about the weeds you speak of. How am I supposed to know what kind of hay it is? :( I have two of those big round bales sitting in my yard right now.


Thanks,
SherryLee

[chanie]

Does anyone out there have any information on hay bale gardening? We would like to try this if we can get further information.
go to nicholsgardennursery.com they have all the info!! have fun

[flowerpower]

How am I supposed to know what kind of hay it is? :( I have two of those big round bales sitting in my yard right now.


A round bale is prob mixed grasses and "weeds". In my area, bales containing mostly Alfalfa are more expensive than a mixed bale.It would be referred to as "horse hay". And you would only be able to get square bales.

SherryLee- be careful of the mold spores when you break open the bale. You don't want to inhale them.

[scakya]

Hi,
A round bale can be made up of many types of plants. Here it can be alfalfa, wheat, sorghum, alfalfa with oats or some other grain crop. Generally, it is something that lends itself to that type of baling.
Mold is generally present as suggested, so you need to be up wind when handling. Mold can play havoc with your breathing, so care is defintely required when working with.
It might be wise to get with your cooperative extension agent to find out about not so nice weeds in your area or that might be present in hay. The transport of hay from region to region has been known to spread many noxious weeds and caused problems of many types. Here in New Mexico, many types of plants have been introduced by accident, including tumbeweed.
scakya

[SherryLee]

Thank you for this information. I have not thought about the mold before. I will take percautins when breaking open the bale. I will seek some advice about the weeds too.

What does anyone know about the use of Turkey and chicken manure? The same farmer has a huge pile of this stuff he wants to sell. He says the Turkey manure is the best for the garden, with the highest content of nitrogen, etc and all the stuff you need for your garden.

Thanks,
SherryLee

[Pharmerphil]

Both chicken and turkey manure needs to be composted thoroughly before using, then, it's questionable what might be in manure from a commercial operation.

[tashak]

Straw bale gardening is also recommended for wheelchair gardeners and those otherwise orthopedically challenged (oldsters with knee problems, for instance), as the bales holding the enclosed garden plot(which is close to the level of the bales) make it like aconvenient-height raised bed and more arm-accessible.
And you can sit on the bales while you garden, if you wish.
I've seen it recommended for this reason in publications dealing with accessibility problems and solutions, both for handicapped and for seniors who have physical limitations. Sometimes these publications refer to it as "tabletop gardening".

[deb65802]

who cares about weeds. Do like Ruth Stout says and throw more hay on top. I do a no till hay bale gardening. It works wonderfully. My soil is sweet and deep rich black with thousands of worms. I have limited time to garden with limited physical resources. For me, this is the way to go. Plant water --harvest. Sit and watch your garden grow.

[wilderness1989]

I've mulched with old hay and wheat straw a lot in the last 30 years. Ive never had a problem with weeds from either. If you keep a thick mulch you should be fine. Good reading is THE RUTH STOUT NO-WORK GARDEN BOOK has a world of information about mulching and organic gardening, there are copies available on ebay.
John

[turnip]

Regarding chicken manure, be aware that chicken litter from laying flocks can have a lot of lime in it, from the oyster shell they are routinely provided.

[SherryLee]

I've mulched with old hay and wheat straw a lot in the last 30 years. Ive never had a problem with weeds from either. If you keep a thick mulch you should be fine. Good reading is THE RUTH STOUT NO-WORK GARDEN BOOK has a world of information about mulching and organic gardening, there are copies available on ebay.
John

Thank you John, for this information. Do you use any natural or organic ammendments before applying your hay mulch? Some one recommended using rotted turkey manure - Or do you just put the hay down each year, and eventually it breaks down with the help of the earthworms?

And also, what do you consider a thick mulch?

I understand that the squash bugs love to hide in the mulch. How can I thwart those critters. They practically divistated my squash, melons, and cucumbers last year.

Thanks,
SherryLee

[wilderness1989]

SherryLee, I just use the hay/straw no amendments. But I've been blessed with good soil to start with. If I fertilize its with compost.
John

[stonysoil]

i was intrigued by using hay bales as a way of oimproving my soils form the decomposition and also the mulching qualities... unfortunately i have had severe weeed problems inclusing quackgrass since i used it

[Wildflower]

I thought hay bale gardening was actually growing vegetable plants in the bale of hay or straw. Here's a site that explains it: http://msucares.com/safety/agrability/news_winter_05.html

Lots of information on the internet with acclaimed success. It sounds intriging. I bought a couple of bales yesterday and started treating them with organic fertilizer and will plant next week. If it works as well as everyone claims, I can't wait to experiment more.

[dirtundernails]

;) HAY, wildflower that's cool... My 13 year old son wants to try that with the round bales down the road at the dairy. He's looking over my shoulder.

dun

[Wildflower]

Here's additional links that explain more:

http://www.county.ces.uga.edu/chatham/hay_bales.htm

http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/strawbales.htm

http://www.rusticgirls.com/article1046.htm

[ctutt]

Best way to use hay, especially weedy hay, is to compost it first. A good hot compost pile will kill most if not all of the weed seeds and well finished compost will add black gold (humus) to your soil.

I've written a book on composting and homemade organic fertilizer. If anyone's interested I'll make a post when it is published.

[Cyberian Iris]

Looks like this thread wobbles a bit on topic, so I’d like to chime in on both. Using hay bales as a temporary garden bed sounds like great fun. Regarding hay as mulch, I’m ‘fer’ it—except I use straw, and try to let my chickens have a turn with it first. I also use straw + chicken poop mixed with grass clippings as a mainstay in my compost.

[johnsonjrbm]

I've been following a loooooooong thread on another website, and it convinced me to at least try bale gardening (using intact bales) instead of installing more raised beds.

I purchased 7 wheatstraw bales today, and arranged them in a row with the twine around the sides instead of on the top and bottom. I had placed cardboard on the ground first to use as a sheet mulch.

I sprinkled bloodmeal over them to begin the decomposition, and started a soaker hose on them (until the rain starts tomorrow). I also added a liquid inoculant of beneficial microorganisms. I'll add more bloodmeal and blended organic fertilizer (seed meal, bone meal, kelp meal, and lime), and after the bales cool down I'll plant spring peas (inoculated shelling, sugar pod, sugar snap, and edible pea vine), which will add more nitrogen.

Later in the year I'll replace the peas with beans, melons, cukes, zucchini for a friend, peppers, and smaller tomato plants. (Yes, I'll be starting more bales.) My larger maters will be in the raised beds so they'll be easier to support.

I'm not growing leaf veggies in bales yet because I'm concerned about confusing salad greens with weeds that might sprout.

[flowerpower]

I was just looking at the 2 1/2 ft high pile of spoiled hay at the edge of my garden. Filled with nice goat, chick and pig poop. Sitting there since oct. I start using it as soon as I can break it apart. If I see pig or chick droppings that still look fresh, I toss them at the end of the garden. Then put more hay over it. I let squash vines grow over that area. But I don't plant directly in it.

[Ozark Matt]

Used as a mulch works extremely well-we have minimum weed problems first year. After that very little issue. Something I would mention here though is when you start a no till method of gardening it usually takes a few years for it to really reach its peak-many forget to mention this. there are other things like heavy use of compost to speed cycle up. But as with most things with the ground it tales a while for changes to be seen in results...just thought to mention that to folks who expect miracles first year.

[Ozark Matt]

Our no till methods average three years to get to state we are satisfied with using just products we find on our farm/home area.

[ctutt]

I've been following a loooooooong thread on another website, and it convinced me to at least try bale gardening (using intact bales) instead of installing more raised beds.

I purchased 7 wheatstraw bales today, and arranged them in a row with the twine around the sides instead of on the top and bottom. I had placed cardboard on the ground first to use as a sheet mulch.

I sprinkled bloodmeal over them to begin the decomposition, and started a soaker hose on them (until the rain starts tomorrow). I also added a liquid inoculant of beneficial microorganisms. I'll add more bloodmeal and blended organic fertilizer (seed meal, bone meal, kelp meal, and lime), and after the bales cool down I'll plant spring peas (inoculated shelling, sugar pod, sugar snap, and edible pea vine), which will add more nitrogen.

Later in the year I'll replace the peas with beans, melons, cukes, zucchini for a friend, peppers, and smaller tomato plants. (Yes, I'll be starting more bales.) My larger maters will be in the raised beds so they'll be easier to support.

I'm not growing leaf veggies in bales yet because I'm concerned about confusing salad greens with weeds that might sprout.

I am very interested in your experiment. Please keep us posted.

[johnsonjrbm]

I am very interested in your experiment. Please keep us posted.


Will do. I'll try to post photos as things develop...