Strawbale gardens

[canesisters]

I don't know if this will work ..
This is a link from facebook of a short vid of my SBG

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1275156682502042

You'll have to excuse the voice, I have been fighting some sort of crud for a several days and has almost no voice yesterday morning.

... also - didn't realize how many times I said 'Monster' this or that until I watched it.. LOL

 

[canesisters]

@ChickenMomma91 - it's looking GREAT!!!

 

[ChickenMomma91]

@ChickenMomma91 - it's looking GREAT!!!

Thanks! Organic fish fertilizer is my secret lol. And yesterday before going to a family function i noticed two summer squash finally!

 

[Smart Red]

Very nice ChickenMomma91. One of the few videos I've been able to see and hear with my old computer.

 

[catjac1975]

I like the weed free concept. I wonder about the cost of all of those bales. Anyone try strawberries in this way? I gave them up due to weed infiltration. Do you reuse the bales for a couple of seasons?

 

[canesisters]

I paid $1.50 per bale for rye straw.
They say that you can re-use them as long as they hold up - but I can't imagine them staying 'cube' shaped for more than one season.

 

[thistlebloom]

I'd try it again if I could get straw for a buck and a half. I paid $6 for wheat straw. So far I'm not excited. Mine seem to need a tremendous amount of water, and maybe if we got more from the sky that wouldn't be an issue, but they need watering daily. My in-ground plantings only need water twice a week.

 

[canesisters]

Found a local source for rye straw @ $3/bale.
Is rye ok to use????

CORRECTION - I paid $3/bale. See how the memory fades and colors things favorably? Here I was thinking that I could get a 30bale garden next year for <$50 - LOL

 

[canesisters]

I'd try it again if I could get straw for a buck and a half. I paid $6 for wheat straw. So far I'm not excited. Mine seem to need a tremendous amount of water, and maybe if we got more from the sky that wouldn't be an issue, but they need watering daily. My in-ground plantings only need water twice a week.

YES!!! They go through a LOT of water. I have a hose run from the house - to a timer - to a splitter that feeds the soaker hose and the cow's water trough. 5am the timer goes off and runs for 10 mins. That's enough time to get the bales a little water and to over flow the trough so that it's FULL of COLD well water. I usually hit the manual button on the timer when I get home and run it for another 5mins so that the trough is filled again with cold water - and the bales get another little drink.

 

[canesisters]

I'm having trouble with summer t-storms knocking my yellow squash plants off the top of the bale. They're so big - with sail-like leaves and the bale is so narrow. Trying to decide if I should try some sort of bracing - like a cattle panel along the side next year? Or set up 4 bales in a big square and plant 1 per bale towards the middle of the square so they have 'bale' to fall over on?