Straw Bale Gardening

Photo credit:Prepper Nana

Water is important with celery

Growing in bales is different than growing in soil.
The excess water will run through the bale - the bales are actually quite airy.


Photo Credit: Prepper Nana


Preparing Your Bales (cooking the bales) by: Prepper Nana

It takes at least 10 days to prepare your bales.
 
Days 1–3: Water the bales thoroughly and keep them wet.

Days 4–6: Sprinkle the bales with 1/2 cup of ammonium nitrate (32-0-0) per bale per day, and water it well into the bales. It can be found at the ag-supply store in I think 40-pound bags.

Days 7–9: Cut back to 1/4 cup of ammonium nitrate per bale per day and continue to water it in well.

Day 10: No more ammonium nitrate, but do add 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer per bale and water it in well.

Day 11:We placed a bit of dirt on top of the bales around the bales, and in the hole where the plant goes. A lot of those who do this use only enough to actually surround the plant- a sort of way of using the bale only as an 'organic planter box'. Transplant your plants into the bales. I used the next of a wine bottle, twirl it from side to side and in a circle motion to make an opening in the bale for each plant.

We get our bales in January/Feb and let the snow and rain have their way. After bales start to cook, ugly 'mushrooms' will emerge. This is a good sign, as that means the bales are starting to breakdown. Any green grass that sprouts and mushrooms are cooked - brown - dead. You can stick your hand into the bale and feel warmth and the straw turning to 'mush' from decomposing. Our son uses about 40 bales in his garden. Treatment is key. We place bales with the string going around the sides and not on top.