Oh my gosh! I had no idea why my attempts at potatoes in straw bales were so unproductive. Now I know. Thank you -- I'm excited to try conditioning them first.
1:36 Pro Tip: use a large leaf bag and bag the bale, or even an old sheet or a tarp to protect you car's carpeting from the hay. It can be a real bugger to rid the car of straw pieces.
I have a few straw bales sitting in my barn for the last few years, I guess I will dig them out and start them off with fertilizer. I read in the book that urine is great for Nitrogen. It is free and very readily available. Using a "hat" made for the toilet to catch urine is a great way to do that. They can be found in medical supply places. I also looked at my Greenhouse Journal to see when I started my pepper and tomato seeds in a warming tray and it was March 10th last year. Time to clean up the greenhouse and get going!! Happy Gardening!!
A great idea if you can find cereal crop straw that has not been treated with herbicide. Glyphosate dessication is common practice in cereal crop farming in Canada.
I’ve watched many of your videos but never come across this as regards different vegetables (only potatoes and straw bale houses!) brilliant I hope to try this in the near future. Keep up sharing the positive education as many appreciate it. Cheers
This is my third year using straw bales in concert with my raised beds. One of the best things about this method is the ease in harvesting. No bending over. I also plant vining flowers like Black-eyed Susan vine or nasturtium in the bales to add a decorative touch. Garden on!
Absolutely love your videos. I'm trying cardboard covering this year and was going to do straw bales at the end of my raised beds. After watching this video, I would not have done ANY of the prep work and probably would have failed horribly. I can't wait to try this and plan on planting tomatoes and maybe a melon or two. Thank you so much!!!
I’ve started using straw as a veg mulch in my garden. Initially to stop critters nibbling my crops as they develop. We’re about to have a dry month and all my water storage will be exhausted so spreading more straw to inhibit water loss. Next year I’ll try growing toms in straw. Great idea. Thank you.
Used straw bales one year for zucchini and had the best producers. Probably a a bit late to start now in 8b . Also, thanks for the info on what the straw is treated with. Never even thought of it.
@@GrowVeg I’ve done this before and had the same cleaning challenge later. We found straw for months afterward! But today we are using our large pickup truck instead. We don’t care how messy the back of that gets. Regardless, fitting 3 bales into the back of your vehicle was impressive!
I like the idea, novel. I have just bought 2 bales of horse bedding ryegrass. I was going to use it as a mulch over potato pots and around strawberries, but so far I've chickened out because I'm the new boy on my allotment and I'm worried that the straw will blow around annoying other more experienced allotmenteers. But you've set me thinking...
When harvesting the straw before bailing, the drying process may include drying agents such as glyphosate a chemical that is found in Round-up and considered un-safe. Otherwise the system seems a bit tedious.
I planted 9 bales for the first time about a month ago everything is growing fantastic. I know it’s likely a mistake but I over planted as I just couldn’t stop myself. Since it’s my first time I figured I can always remove plants but later on maybe I can’t add any. I also did something I haven’t seen on other videos. The question was how to plant seeds into the sides. Seedlings plant fine but what about seeds. I took several seeds along with compost and made a ball using a paper towel. Stuck this seed/compost ball into the side and watered. So far the paper towels haven’t decomposed but neither have the seeds sprouted through yet. :):)
That sounds like a potentially genius idea there Richard - good thinking! I hope they sprout soon. Certainly planting the sides of the bales is a thing - there's no reason you shouldn't.
So much great info! I'm not sure I'm going to get more raised beds built this year, but this would be a great alternative. I'm looking to grow flowers for cutting mostly along with tomatoes and peppers.
ok i'm getting a bit of a late start but i'm going to try this method this year. thanks for including the chart, that helps me know how much blood meal to purchase
Straw bale is very importance for gardening work every vegetable and plant need to cover soil , thanks for sharing to us such informative and educational garden tips
Okay, you've talked me into it--I have access to plenty of manky hay and straw bales, and I maybe planted a few too many tomato seeds. So, why not? I'll combine them and see if I can get it to go!
My bales are lined up. Not sure whats going in. I let them sit all winter, as i did build frames for them. Planned to plant whatever the heat will allow. Tomato, peppers,squash, Cucumbers, zuccini. Love your green house. Take care.
this looks handy if maybe the plants needed moving around some. i may try this with a couple of smaller bales later this week, im going to grow my tomatoes in them to start and see how it works for me from there. we are still getting frost and snow so my plants are starting off inside. just got a bad ice storm last night and about a week ago it was a foot and a half of snow! i dont have a proper greenhouse yet, i *did* however build a teensy cold box like you showed in a previous video and its working pretty well. my grandma used to throw sheets over her flowers against frost but i didnt want to risk the ground until i knew for sure a sheet would be enough. i hope my already sprouting few will survive, ive been worried maybe i started too early (got really motivated to get started watching your videos!) but i think they will be alright in these little planters to be moved outside to the ground later.
A gardener in Spain showed how laying bunch of cactus pods in deep hole to plant trees so later in time less need to water the tree! Wonder if also we could use aloevera leaves since it also works great as fertilizer! Thanks for sharing!
When my adult kids were young one year we grew watermelon plants in a straw bale. We harvested 19 melons that year! I decided to try the straw bale planter again this year...I have watermelon planted in one bale and cantaloupe in a second one. 🙂 We are located in Central Texas, zone 8a...hot, hot summers!
@@virginiaomalley I'm in Central Texas...last frost date was March 17th. I planted my melon seedlings starting the last week of March. This morning I found I have my first Baby Doll or Sugar Baby melon growing. 🙂
Hello Ben, I like how you use straw. I have seen this before, but not as you did it with all the plantfood. Here there are spaces cut out, compost filled in and than planted. I am taking straw together with gras cuttings and hay to make a raised bed for potatos and pumkin. I dont know if it will work, but I will find out. Once again a great Video. Thank you 🙂
You can, yes. But I would add a layer of soil to the top surface of the straw bale and then sow or plant into that. You will need to keep a close eye on watering initially. I haven't grow onions or beets in bales, but I know others have quite successfully.
Hi - I just replied similarly to someone else (Light Frequency Healing I think was the name). There’s a retired couple in SE Arizona with a YT channel called The Upside of Downsizing. The wife, Yvonne, has an outdoor straw bale garden. It gets quite hot in the summer but they get snow in the winter. Not sure what zone they are. My earlier comment has a list of the specific videos from their channel where Yvonne gives a garden update. Well, those for the last year, anyway. The bulk of their channel is about building a homestead using straw bales, so they are all-in with this medium.
Is it Ruth Stout type of agriculture? She deserves to be credited since she actually came up with that technique...even if that technique keeps evolving. I understand this technique is an evolution, since no ground is necessary, it is a great technique!
@@GrowVeg I realize now, I might be perceived a bit rude....english isnt my mother tongue,actually I learned by myself so ...I apologize if it sounded/felt rude.
@@LorenSuJa Yes. No digging, almost no weeding and less water. Remember, you can also plant on the sides of the bales...a great place for herbs and flowers. Maximizes your growing space. Good luck! You will love your straw bale garden!
Great video! I’m wondering how they would go on grass in regards to slugs/snails? I’ve found straw mulch can be a great habitat for them 🙄 but might be different when it’s still in bales?
The bales are quite tall and you're planting into the top of them, so they should be fine. I've seen these in all sorts of positions, including outdoors.
Thankyou so much for this video. I always end up with way too many tomatoes and having chickens this would make an excellent alternative then pots up high.
I’m trying this for the first time this year! We have terrible soil and a few raised beds, but I’m looking forward to having more room to plant in straw bales. How often do you feed established plants?
I prepped my straw bales as instructed and planted tomatoes and cucumbers in them but the plants are wilting and dying. The bales are definitely wet enough. I’m wondering if it’s too hot (inside bale temp is 95F) or if perhaps they were treated with herbicides. 😢 Thoughts?
I've a suspicion that it may be residual herbicide that's causing problems. That said, it is quite warm in the bale, so maybe you planted a touch too soon, before it had fully cooled down. I'd maybe continue to water as needed and hope that maybe things will settle down in a week or two. Fingers crossed for you.
Hi - I just replied similarly to someone else (Light Frequency Healing I think was the name). There’s a retired couple in SE Arizona with a YT channel called The Upside of Downsizing. The wife, Yvonne, has an outdoor straw bale garden. It gets quite hot in the summer but they get snow in the winter. Not sure what zone they are. My earlier comment has a list of the specific videos from their channel where Yvonne gives a garden update. Well, those for the last year, anyway. The bulk of their channel is about building a homestead using straw bales, so they are all-in with this medium.
The bales do naturally get looser as the season goes on. I found mine were still holding together well at the end of the season, but in constant rain I guess they could break down a bit sooner.
I'm not sure it works very well for carrots, but it should work for beets I'd have thought. I would be sure to start root vegetables off in a little potting mix/compost on top of the bales to get them going before they hit the straw.
I would add more of a balanced fertiliser than just these. If you're growing fruiting vegetables like tomatoes etc., go for a tomato feed or a seaweed feed.
Absolutely. There’s a retired couple in SE Arizona who have a RUclips channel called The Upside of Downsizing. The wife (Yvonne) has created a straw bale garden - I look forward to those updates because it’s fascinating the productivity she gets. Obviously, it’s pretty hot there in the summer but not as humid as So. Florida. Also, it looks like they can get snow in the winter. Most of their channel focuses on the the structures they’ve been building from straw bales, but here’s a handful of links from the past year where Yvonne has given a garden update. Enjoy - hope you find something inspiring. ruclips.net/video/IYtvkm0mERA/видео.html ruclips.net/video/51HLHgwxGf0/видео.html ruclips.net/video/2p2TMjZVc8k/видео.html ruclips.net/video/OcIsdvXsO4o/видео.html ruclips.net/video/sSMfNN4W6xY/видео.html ruclips.net/video/48GhAMd_BcE/видео.html ruclips.net/video/dVpRH1t6nEM/видео.html ruclips.net/video/ZE1aNoP1Pxw/видео.html ruclips.net/video/7079mj_bYP4/видео.html ruclips.net/video/gr2iF3pOSVs/видео.html ruclips.net/video/zs26oD8s6EE/видео.html
In most cases the grass will get smothered/outcompeted when the plants you grow in the bale take off. But try to pick out as much of it as you can. :-)
You mentioned that it can keep ponds clear. Do you just sprinkle it on the whole pond? Or just throw it around the edges and it migrates? Does this keep algae from growing in the pond?
It's barley straw that keeps pond water clear. You basically stuff pantyhose/tights with straw, tying a knot in the end to hold it in place, then throw it into the water. And that's it! Very effective.
You could use hay, but it will have a high number of seeds in it, which would germinate and cause lots of weed seedlings. But if you are happy to pluck these out as they appear, this could work well.
Perhaps too much water has been added and it's washed the urea out? Just add enough water to wash it down a bit into the bales, then stop there. Check to see how wet the bales are. If they're really very heavy and sodden, then perhaps go easy on the watering. Hopefully, with persistence, they'll soon start to warm up.
Great idea but in the UK straw bales are unfortunately in short supply at the moment after last year's floods badly affected the barley crops. (I have struggled to find any for my pigs' bedding!)
For organic, a high nitrogen fertiliser would be something like blood meal. Otherwise something like sulphate of ammonia would be good for starting off the bales. For a balanced fertiliser you could use blood, fish and bone, or water on something like a liquid seaweed feed.
The friends I got this off treated their crop with fungicide only. I think a lot of treatments are quite short lived - but this will be something you want to check with the farmer. In most cases its fine, but still worth checking.
How to avoid slugs and snails attack? I used straw bales as mulch for strawberries and zucchini last year. They finished all my strawberries and ate up all the zucchini leaves. 😢
Straw is a great growing medium for mushrooms such as oyster mushrooms. You can watch how in this video: ruclips.net/video/Cp8Jc1GnDEo/видео.htmlsi=DmFPNtR4IJK28Nf_
Ordered the book on Amazon on the 8th of February...... Still not shipped! Is this just an Australian thing or is there a problem with the book supplier due to covid? Thanks, Matthew
Hi guys. We had a similar issue in the UK. Basically it's out of our hands - delays in shipping etc. which is, in part, due to the pandemic. Honestly - we were horrified by the delays some orders on Amazon were experiencing. I can only apologise. If you want to contact our customer services team and check on the extra chapter, please do so - tell them I sent you! They can get this emailed out to you if you haven't already received it: www.growveg.com/contact.aspx
Hi Rach. You wouldn't believe how long I was picking straw out of the car for - still finding bits a year later! For the fertiliser to prime/ready the bales, you really need something very high in nitrogen, which is why blood meal is recommended. I think if you started early enough though, blood, fish and bone would also work. And, unsavoury as it may seem, clean (non-medicated) urine is also really good for this.
Use urine to condition the bales. Its free and abundant. Pee on the bales or save it in a jar.
I have used strawbales for 5 years and plant tomatoes - I have wonderful harvest. Love the concept.
It's just so easy! :-)
Oh my gosh! I had no idea why my attempts at potatoes in straw bales were so unproductive. Now I know. Thank you -- I'm excited to try conditioning them first.
I love your garden and your vids i have been watching your channel for 3 years now keep up the good work
Thanks for watching, it's appreciated. :-)
I’m so inspired!!! My poor soil made the garden a struggle last year. I think this might work! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
So many problem in garden like soil , bug and disease on vegetable and plant , happy gardening
Glad to have inspired you Ruth. It's a great project to try - and good fun too!
1:36 Pro Tip: use a large leaf bag and bag the bale, or even an old sheet or a tarp to protect you car's carpeting from the hay. It can be a real bugger to rid the car of straw pieces.
Haha - yes, I've learnt that the hard way. Will definitely be doing that next time.
I have a few straw bales sitting in my barn for the last few years, I guess I will dig them out and start them off with fertilizer. I read in the book that urine is great for Nitrogen. It is free and very readily available. Using a "hat" made for the toilet to catch urine is a great way to do that. They can be found in medical supply places. I also looked at my Greenhouse Journal to see when I started my pepper and tomato seeds in a warming tray and it was March 10th last year. Time to clean up the greenhouse and get going!! Happy Gardening!!
Urine can be great too - many guests were invited to contribute their efforts to conditioning the bales!
1:27 I wouldn't imagine him driving anything less...hehe
A great idea if you can find cereal crop straw that has not been treated with herbicide. Glyphosate dessication is common practice in cereal crop farming in Canada.
Great video! Mother's day (US) is coming, let's see if I get your book as a gift! You (and your team) are truly inspirational to novice gardeners!
Thanks so much Tess. I do hope you get the book! Happy Mother's Day too.
Great video Ben. Really like the way you break up the bales at the end of the season and the get used elsewhere 👍
Always keen to maximise the uses out of it - no waste there!
I’ve watched many of your videos but never come across this as regards different vegetables (only potatoes and straw bale houses!) brilliant I hope to try this in the near future. Keep up sharing the positive education as many appreciate it. Cheers
Thanks very much. It's a really great method for growing veg and honestly really works so well. :-)
I love your dog!
This is my third year using straw bales in concert with my raised beds. One of the best things about this method is the ease in harvesting. No bending over. I also plant vining flowers like Black-eyed Susan vine or nasturtium in the bales to add a decorative touch. Garden on!
Garden on! :-)
amazing idea! my husband keeps gifting me morning glory seeds and i think i'll try planting them in the bales, that would be beautiful!
Yes, interested in straw bale Gardening.
Place areas where growing veggies is poor.
Absolutely love your videos. I'm trying cardboard covering this year and was going to do straw bales at the end of my raised beds. After watching this video, I would not have done ANY of the prep work and probably would have failed horribly. I can't wait to try this and plan on planting tomatoes and maybe a melon or two. Thank you so much!!!
Glad this video was helpful Mary. Best of luck with your straw bales. :-)
Excellent idea Ben and good video. Have a good weekend and happy gardening.
Thanks David. Have been busy weeding today, with the dried out muddy hands to prove it!
I’ve started using straw as a veg mulch in my garden. Initially to stop critters nibbling my crops as they develop. We’re about to have a dry month and all my water storage will be exhausted so spreading more straw to inhibit water loss. Next year I’ll try growing toms in straw. Great idea. Thank you.
Straw makes for a great mulch. I often use it around things like tomatoes - bigger veggies.
Absolutely brilliant! What a fantastic idea 💡
Used straw bales one year for zucchini and had the best producers. Probably a a bit late to start now in 8b . Also, thanks for the info on what the straw is treated with. Never even thought of it.
I look forward to trying this with peppers, potatoes, and tomatoes.
Oh yes I will try this I am so filled with joy and will keep you updated
Please do. :-)
I totally didn’t see those bales fitting into your vehicle! I stand corrected.... 😂
I spend ages sweeping and cleaning the car when I got home, so maybe lay something down first!
@@GrowVeg I’ve done this before and had the same cleaning challenge later. We found straw for months afterward! But today we are using our large pickup truck instead. We don’t care how messy the back of that gets.
Regardless, fitting 3 bales into the back of your vehicle was impressive!
I like the idea, novel. I have just bought 2 bales of horse bedding ryegrass. I was going to use it as a mulch over potato pots and around strawberries, but so far I've chickened out because I'm the new boy on my allotment and I'm worried that the straw will blow around annoying other more experienced allotmenteers. But you've set me thinking...
If you wet it and weigh it down with sticks/canes etc. it shouldn't blow about.
I;m giving it a try . starting with six bales
Great stuff! :-)
Np i can't wait for your next video i usually watch 5-10 videos a day
There's a new one out now - go watch!
I'd love to see you planting sweet potatoes in a strawbale!
That sounds like a fab idea! :-)
When harvesting the straw before bailing, the drying process may include drying agents such as glyphosate a chemical that is found in Round-up and considered un-safe. Otherwise the system seems a bit tedious.
On point as usual, sir.
Cheers Aaron!
The book is excellent! I highly recommend it.
Thanks Michelle!
I have your book and I love it!
Thanks so much - really pleased you're enjoying it. :-)
I planted 9 bales for the first time about a month ago everything is growing fantastic.
I know it’s likely a mistake but I over planted as I just couldn’t stop myself. Since it’s my first time I figured I can always remove plants but later on maybe I can’t add any.
I also did something I haven’t seen on other videos. The question was how to plant seeds into the sides. Seedlings plant fine but what about seeds. I took several seeds along with compost and made a ball using a paper towel. Stuck this seed/compost ball into the side and watered. So far the paper towels haven’t decomposed but neither have the seeds sprouted through yet. :):)
That sounds like a potentially genius idea there Richard - good thinking! I hope they sprout soon. Certainly planting the sides of the bales is a thing - there's no reason you shouldn't.
So much great info! I'm not sure I'm going to get more raised beds built this year, but this would be a great alternative. I'm looking to grow flowers for cutting mostly along with tomatoes and peppers.
ok i'm getting a bit of a late start but i'm going to try this method this year. thanks for including the chart, that helps me know how much blood meal to purchase
It's a great method - I really enjoy growing this way. :-)
Might have to try this for next year's growing,saves buying loads of compost I guess 😂
It really does - works a treat!
Thanks again ben🤘💚
interesting video
Cheers matey!
what a fantastic idea I love it, deffo trying this with peppers and tomatoes
Amazing idea! Thank you for sharing
Straw bale is very importance for gardening work every vegetable and plant need to cover soil , thanks for sharing to us such informative and educational garden tips
I'm thinking about doing a straw bale garden next season I was going to do it this year but I don't have a lot of space left in my garden
Hoping to start my courgettes, peas, French beans and purple sprouting broccoli this week.
Great stuff! :-)
Okay, you've talked me into it--I have access to plenty of manky hay and straw bales, and I maybe planted a few too many tomato seeds. So, why not? I'll combine them and see if I can get it to go!
Great stuff!
My bales are lined up. Not sure whats going in. I let them sit all winter, as i did build frames for them. Planned to plant whatever the heat will allow. Tomato, peppers,squash, Cucumbers, zuccini. Love your green house. Take care.
Thanks Bobbi - you too!
this looks handy if maybe the plants needed moving around some. i may try this with a couple of smaller bales later this week, im going to grow my tomatoes in them to start and see how it works for me from there. we are still getting frost and snow so my plants are starting off inside. just got a bad ice storm last night and about a week ago it was a foot and a half of snow! i dont have a proper greenhouse yet, i *did* however build a teensy cold box like you showed in a previous video and its working pretty well. my grandma used to throw sheets over her flowers against frost but i didnt want to risk the ground until i knew for sure a sheet would be enough. i hope my already sprouting few will survive, ive been worried maybe i started too early (got really motivated to get started watching your videos!) but i think they will be alright in these little planters to be moved outside to the ground later.
Tomatoes are a great first plant to grow in bales - they should do well.
This looks like a great idea - going to give it a go. THANK YOU!!!
A gardener in Spain showed how laying bunch of cactus pods in deep hole to plant trees so later in time less need to water the tree! Wonder if also we could use aloevera leaves since it also works great as fertilizer! Thanks for sharing!
Interesting theory - maybe! I do find the straw bales are excellent at holding moisture once they settle down, meaning less frequent watering.
When my adult kids were young one year we grew watermelon plants in a straw bale. We harvested 19 melons that year!
I decided to try the straw bale planter again this year...I have watermelon planted in one bale and cantaloupe in a second one. 🙂
We are located in Central Texas, zone 8a...hot, hot summers!
That's an amazing number of melons. Hoping you'll have a very successful crop this year too!
@@GrowVeg Thank you!🙂
Valorie when did you plant your watermelons?
@@virginiaomalley I'm in Central Texas...last frost date was March 17th. I planted my melon seedlings starting the last week of March. This morning I found I have my first Baby Doll or Sugar Baby melon growing. 🙂
Hello Ben, I like how you use straw. I have seen this before, but not as you did it with all the plantfood. Here there are spaces cut out, compost filled in and than planted. I am taking straw together with gras cuttings and hay to make a raised bed for potatos and pumkin. I dont know if it will work, but I will find out. Once again a great Video. Thank you 🙂
You're very welcome Marie. Good luck with your project.
Hi Ben, Thanks for this wonderful video! Do you think onions and beets can grow in straw bales?
You can, yes. But I would add a layer of soil to the top surface of the straw bale and then sow or plant into that. You will need to keep a close eye on watering initially. I haven't grow onions or beets in bales, but I know others have quite successfully.
My mum stuffs things that size in her little Mazda. I've been known to transport sheep and goats in a small kia
Haha - car size no object - I love it!
I drove a SMART car for a few years, named it the Tardis. It held two big bales, carried 8-foot lumber, etc. Bigger on the inside than the outside.
Love everything you post! Can the bales be placed in the open please?
Hi - I just replied similarly to someone else (Light Frequency Healing I think was the name). There’s a retired couple in SE Arizona with a YT channel called The Upside of Downsizing. The wife, Yvonne, has an outdoor straw bale garden. It gets quite hot in the summer but they get snow in the winter. Not sure what zone they are. My earlier comment has a list of the specific videos from their channel where Yvonne gives a garden update. Well, those for the last year, anyway. The bulk of their channel is about building a homestead using straw bales, so they are all-in with this medium.
Yes, absolutely. :-)
Is it Ruth Stout type of agriculture?
She deserves to be credited since she actually came up with that technique...even if that technique keeps evolving. I understand this technique is an evolution, since no ground is necessary, it is a great technique!
Same as Straw Bale Garden by Joel Karsten. Great method, wherever you get the information.
Yes, broadly. This straw bale method is pioneered more by Joel Karsten though - and it seems to be gaining in popularity.
Ok. Thank you. I will check Joel Karsten aswell!. Great method, also looks easier for ppl with little space available! :))
@@GrowVeg I realize now, I might be perceived a bit rude....english isnt my mother tongue,actually I learned by myself so ...I apologize if it sounded/felt rude.
@@LorenSuJa Yes. No digging, almost no weeding and less water. Remember, you can also plant on the sides of the bales...a great place for herbs and flowers. Maximizes your growing space. Good luck! You will love your straw bale garden!
Great video! I’m wondering how they would go on grass in regards to slugs/snails? I’ve found straw mulch can be a great habitat for them 🙄 but might be different when it’s still in bales?
The bales are quite tall and you're planting into the top of them, so they should be fine. I've seen these in all sorts of positions, including outdoors.
Would straw mulch around my planted tomatoes help protect them from the heat of summer in North Carolina?
Possibly. Straw is a lighter colour so would result in less heat being absorbed, so I could see how this would help on the heat front too.
Thankyou so much for this video. I always end up with way too many tomatoes and having chickens this would make an excellent alternative then pots up high.
Love it. Genius
I’m trying this for the first time this year! We have terrible soil and a few raised beds, but I’m looking forward to having more room to plant in straw bales. How often do you feed established plants?
It works really well! I feed plants about once every two weeks.
Cute doggo
Great ideas!
Have you had any catch fire? Those of us who have hay and straw bales have to make sure moisture levels stay below 17%
Gosh, I'd never considered they might do that! No, that hasn't happened to me.
I love how you get three in that car but my X3 suv I only got 4😂😢
Thanks
Great idea thanks for sharing 🙂
I prepped my straw bales as instructed and planted tomatoes and cucumbers in them but the plants are wilting and dying. The bales are definitely wet enough. I’m wondering if it’s too hot (inside bale temp is 95F) or if perhaps they were treated with herbicides. 😢 Thoughts?
I've a suspicion that it may be residual herbicide that's causing problems. That said, it is quite warm in the bale, so maybe you planted a touch too soon, before it had fully cooled down. I'd maybe continue to water as needed and hope that maybe things will settle down in a week or two. Fingers crossed for you.
Does this also work outdoors, say in Zone 5B|6A ? Fascinating!
Hi - I just replied similarly to someone else (Light Frequency Healing I think was the name). There’s a retired couple in SE Arizona with a YT channel called The Upside of Downsizing. The wife, Yvonne, has an outdoor straw bale garden. It gets quite hot in the summer but they get snow in the winter. Not sure what zone they are. My earlier comment has a list of the specific videos from their channel where Yvonne gives a garden update. Well, those for the last year, anyway. The bulk of their channel is about building a homestead using straw bales, so they are all-in with this medium.
Yes, absolutely!
I did it last year!! Sorry no pictures. I planted summer squash n watermelon. Grew very well. Then the bales are used as compost for this year crops.
So much use from the bales - great to hear!
Hi Ben, do you think the straw bales would work with pumpkins? Thank you!
Potentially. I grew a courgette/zucchini in them without any problems. I'd try to hand-pollinate though, if you are just growing a few.
Does the straw descays if raining a lot? Or watering it
The bales do naturally get looser as the season goes on. I found mine were still holding together well at the end of the season, but in constant rain I guess they could break down a bit sooner.
Can I ask if this has to be specifically straw? I have about 8 hay bales that this would be perfect to use them for!
You could use hay bales, absolutely. Just be aware that you may get more weed seedlings popping up with it, that's all.
I've been wanting to try this method but im not growing tomatoes.... will this work for beets or carrots?! I know it will for potatoes!!
I'm not sure it works very well for carrots, but it should work for beets I'd have thought. I would be sure to start root vegetables off in a little potting mix/compost on top of the bales to get them going before they hit the straw.
Question, please. Would epsom salt and blood meal work as a fertilizer?
I would add more of a balanced fertiliser than just these. If you're growing fruiting vegetables like tomatoes etc., go for a tomato feed or a seaweed feed.
@@GrowVeg Thank you.
I wonder if i can use this method in South Florida where the temperatures are up pretty high ?
Absolutely. There’s a retired couple in SE Arizona who have a RUclips channel called The Upside of Downsizing. The wife (Yvonne) has created a straw bale garden - I look forward to those updates because it’s fascinating the productivity she gets. Obviously, it’s pretty hot there in the summer but not as humid as So. Florida. Also, it looks like they can get snow in the winter. Most of their channel focuses on the the structures they’ve been building from straw bales, but here’s a handful of links from the past year where Yvonne has given a garden update. Enjoy - hope you find something inspiring.
ruclips.net/video/IYtvkm0mERA/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/51HLHgwxGf0/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/2p2TMjZVc8k/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/OcIsdvXsO4o/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/sSMfNN4W6xY/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/48GhAMd_BcE/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/dVpRH1t6nEM/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/ZE1aNoP1Pxw/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/7079mj_bYP4/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/gr2iF3pOSVs/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/zs26oD8s6EE/видео.html
It should work well in So. Florida I'm sure. Thanks for sharing all those links @All the Sage.
My straw bales are growing lots and lots of grass too much for me to pluck out what do I do
In most cases the grass will get smothered/outcompeted when the plants you grow in the bale take off. But try to pick out as much of it as you can. :-)
Can you replant the same bales in subsequent years?
Yes, if they are still structurally sound then that would work. They usually last up to two seasons.
G’day mate cheers for the video and info as always :)
Cheers mate!
Brilliant ✅
You mentioned that it can keep ponds clear. Do you just sprinkle it on the whole pond? Or just throw it around the edges and it migrates? Does this keep algae from growing in the pond?
It's barley straw that keeps pond water clear. You basically stuff pantyhose/tights with straw, tying a knot in the end to hold it in place, then throw it into the water. And that's it! Very effective.
I have a bale of hay. Would this be ok instead of straw?
You could use hay, but it will have a high number of seeds in it, which would germinate and cause lots of weed seedlings. But if you are happy to pluck these out as they appear, this could work well.
I’ve been using a half cup of urea per bail every other day and soaking it in for a week and they are still cold and not heating up . 🤷♂️
Perhaps too much water has been added and it's washed the urea out? Just add enough water to wash it down a bit into the bales, then stop there. Check to see how wet the bales are. If they're really very heavy and sodden, then perhaps go easy on the watering. Hopefully, with persistence, they'll soon start to warm up.
I’ll check it out.
What about doing it outside of a greenhouse where its exposed to the weather?
Yes, that would be fine also. :-)
Can i use hay bales instead? 👍
You can, but they are likely to have many, many more seeds in them, which could add to your jobs later down the line.
Would this work with old hay unusable as feed?
Yes, but hay will have more seeds in it, which may sprout. Straw also tends to be more open, allowing for good aeration at the roots.
@@GrowVeg I see, thankyou for your reply.
Can you only get one year out of the bales?
I easily get two years out of mine. After that time they start to fall to pieces a bit, but if you're careful you might get a third year.
Great idea but in the UK straw bales are unfortunately in short supply at the moment after last year's floods badly affected the barley crops. (I have struggled to find any for my pigs' bedding!)
Hadn't realised that - I guess I got lucky.
Can you tell me some recommendations for a high nitrogen fertiliser and balanced fertiliser?.
For organic, a high nitrogen fertiliser would be something like blood meal. Otherwise something like sulphate of ammonia would be good for starting off the bales. For a balanced fertiliser you could use blood, fish and bone, or water on something like a liquid seaweed feed.
@@GrowVeg perfect thank you.
Do farmees use weed spray on the whwat? There are some that hang around for years in the straw, even after composting and will harm your garden
The friends I got this off treated their crop with fungicide only. I think a lot of treatments are quite short lived - but this will be something you want to check with the farmer. In most cases its fine, but still worth checking.
How to avoid slugs and snails attack? I used straw bales as mulch for strawberries and zucchini last year. They finished all my strawberries and ate up all the zucchini leaves. 😢
So sorry to hear that!
Did you reverse all the way to your friend's farm? 😂
P.S. Excellent idea, I may give this a go!
Looking forward to trying this!
Nice. Sort of Ruth Stout deep mulch gardening on steroids. I imagine it's useful in the greenhouse.
It is a bit like that Leo, yes. Great in a greenhouse for sure, but also on a patio etc.
My bale looks like a chia pet!
Growing mushrooms. Is that good?
Straw is a great growing medium for mushrooms such as oyster mushrooms. You can watch how in this video: ruclips.net/video/Cp8Jc1GnDEo/видео.htmlsi=DmFPNtR4IJK28Nf_
Ordered the book on Amazon on the 8th of February...... Still not shipped! Is this just an Australian thing or is there a problem with the book supplier due to covid?
Thanks, Matthew
Same here (Tasmania) no book and no extra chapter!
Hi guys. We had a similar issue in the UK. Basically it's out of our hands - delays in shipping etc. which is, in part, due to the pandemic. Honestly - we were horrified by the delays some orders on Amazon were experiencing. I can only apologise. If you want to contact our customer services team and check on the extra chapter, please do so - tell them I sent you! They can get this emailed out to you if you haven't already received it: www.growveg.com/contact.aspx
Incidentally, spent a very happy couple of months in Tassie when I was a student back in 2000. Loved the place!
Thank you Ben.
Any suggestions for keeping fire ants out of straw bales?
I would have thought that a consistently moist straw bale wouldn't be that attractive to ants - so keeping it well wetted should help.
@@GrowVeg They are attracted to decomposing carbon, especially damp carbon. Not sure if this would help?
This is great. But not as great as you trying to hoover your car after 😂
Q:- blood fish and bone? Can I use that as the fertiliser?
Thanks
Rach 👩🏼🌾
Hi Rach. You wouldn't believe how long I was picking straw out of the car for - still finding bits a year later! For the fertiliser to prime/ready the bales, you really need something very high in nitrogen, which is why blood meal is recommended. I think if you started early enough though, blood, fish and bone would also work. And, unsavoury as it may seem, clean (non-medicated) urine is also really good for this.
@@GrowVeg thanks Ben.
And not sure what's funnier... you saying your still finding straw or to wee in a bale 🫣🤣🤣 I'll get Eric on the case 🤭
Looks brilliant that, is there time this season to start this method?
Absolutely! I've only just started mine off and will be planting them up in two weeks once they've finished conditioning.
Having trouble finding enough nitrogen to condition the bales. Where is everyone buying it?
It’s widely available in garden centres. Bloodmeal or even urine is a good organic alternative.
your cute dog wanted to smell every straw
She tried her best to do so!
Did I see a 1 foot tall wookie on the hay?
I think so!