Aged Straw
Try to find aged or seasoned straw bales if possible, as this greatly shortens the "cooking" time of the bale and lets you start planting sooner.
Cooking Straw Bales
Place the bales in a sunny area with the twine running around the sides, not the bottom, because fabric twine decays quickly, causing the straw to separate. I use metal wire, or fence wire cut to the same height of the bale height to keep the bale from not falling apart. Water the bales thoroughly and let them rest for at least a week to give them time to heat up and start decomposing. Heating will kill any weeds in bale. COOKING must be at least 10 days in warm weather to get decomposition process going. TO TEST if bales are ready - insert your hand 3 to 5 inches deep, between cut ends, and feel for slightly warmth and wetness.
Straw vs. Hay Bales
Buy straw bales, not hay bales, because straw is simply the stem of the grass while hay is the entire blade, with the seed head still attached. Arrange the bales in a configuration that is attractive and provides easy access for planting, watering, plant growth and harvesting
Hay Bales as Option
If straw isn't available, you can use hay bales if you don't mind dealing with the weeds that will sprout from the seed heads.
Depth Using Trowel
Use the trowel to dig a "hole" in the straw by separating some blades to the same depth as the vegetables would be planted in soil. Space starter plants the same distance apart as you would if you were planting them in soil. Drop in a handful of compost or manure and set the plant's root system and the soil around it carefully in the hole. Bring the straw back gently around the base of the plant.
Depth Using Scissors
Use scissors or shears to trim a channel down the center of the top of the bale and place a mound of soil into the channel, the length of the bale. Alternatively, transplant directly into the bale. Spread open the cut ends of the straw and put the root ball into the bale.
3 Inches Into Straw Bale
To grow plants from seed in your straw bale garden, you first need to put down at least 3 inches of some type of soil, such as a blend of potting soil and compost or manure. Plant the seeds at the depth they'd be sown in a traditional garden and at the recommended spacing. Water lightly and as often as necessary during hot, dry weather.
Spread compost (organic), manure (organic) or a high-nitrogen fertilizer (this is NOT organic) over the straw bales to a depth of about 2 inches to hasten the decomposition process; water this in well. Check the bale's heat output several times after the first week by digging into it with your fingers to a depth of about 4 inches. Begin planting when the straw feels just slightly warm over a period of several days, because overly hot straw can burn a seedling's delicate roots and lower stems.
Fertilizing Bales
Sprinkle the bales with fertilizer for the next two days. This is not required, especially if you are an organic gardener, but it helps turn the bales into an excellent fertilizer medium. Use half a cup of fertilizer per bale per day. Water the into the bale. Add 1 cup of fertilizer to each bale on the 10th day. Water the fertilizer into the bales. If you are an organic gardener, you can use just a little manure or cover the bales with compost after you place your plants.
Wait until they cool again before planting.
Watering in Straw Bales
Water each plant separately after placing it in the straw, and water the straw bales daily in hot weather, twice a day if necessary, as water moves through them much more quickly than it does through soil. Clip off any visible seed heads to minimize sprouting of unwanted plants.
Soaker Hose
Transplant herbs, vegetables, fruits or flowers. Water up to twice a day if necessary. The No-Dig Vegetable Garden website says a straw bale garden uses more water than a regular garden, and recommends a soaker hose system. BUT you don't have to worry about weeds, bending over or sitting on the ground.
http://www.ehow.com/video_8213272_grow-vegetables-straw.html
Read more: How to Prepare Straw Bales for Planting | eHow.com http:
Cooking....I had someone ask me do I need to "cook" the bales. YES. It you don't your results won't be very good with this gardening. I had stacked these in my raised bed gardens too, it's something I enjoy. Don't forget. You can put metal fencing around the bales for support AND the metal will pull in the electricity from the air. It will make your plants stronger and well and grow faster. HAPPY PLANTING.
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