But a straw bale garden is usually in one of my garden plans. Some folks have used hay bales if they were more readily. Straw bale gardening is a gardening method created and championed by minnesota horticulturist and writer joel karsten. A beginners guide to straw bale gardening raleigh news. A friend found a jackinthepulpit that produced fruit this fall. The bale is first conditioned and then vegetable plants are planted and grown inside the bale. His latest book on the subject, straw bale solutions cool springs press, 2018, covers all the ways that straw bale gardening has solved gardeners problems from dealing with steep slopes to clay soil to desertlike.
May 21, 2008 although this method is commonly called straw bale gardening not everyone uses or has access to oat, wheat, rice or other straw. Apr 6, 2017 fire ants best control in fall read about it here walter reeves. Contact your local county agent to find out where to get straw bales in your area. Pine straw will not work because it will not break down quickly. In early june, my straw bale garden is growing like crazy. The reception and enthusiasm for straw bale gardening, introduced in 20, has proved revolutionary in vegetable. We both left joel karstens talk very excited to try this new type of container gardening. But it also goes much deeper, with nearly 50 pages of allnew advice and photos on subjects such as growing in a tight urban setting, making your straw bale garden completely organic, and using new fertilizers and conditioning products. His latest book on the subject, straw bale solutions cool springs press, 2018, covers all the ways that straw bale gardening has solved gardeners problems from. I believe i transported the same bale of pine straw up the sloping path in my back yard at least four times.
You seemed a bit skeptical about planting that early, but since i had the plastic sheeting in place and was able to cover it for several days i went ahead and planted. Mar 20, 2011 the straw bales in the pic below are placed on three layers of decomposing bales or about 9 of decomposing straw. A pioneer and an entrepreneur, karsten has been featured in the new york times, national television and radio. There are two aspects to this i want to talk about. Although this method is commonly called straw bale gardening not everyone uses or has access to oat, wheat, rice or other straw. Bales are loaded onto trucks and delivered to garden centers all over atlanta. Straw bale gardening sbg is a revolutionary gardening method which joel has enthusiastically perfected and trialled over the last 15 years. Up until a few months ago, id never heard of the straw bale gardening method. The current straw bale gardening expert is joel karsten who wrote straw bale gardens by joel karsten fyi, joel will be speaking at this years free home grown food summit april 612, 2015. Garden expert, writer, radio and television host walter reeves grew up on a small georgia farm in fayette county, where his family raised.
Her setup that day was small compared to the 68 bale garden she and her husband, john, have at their home but it could be just the right size for a beginner. Feb 06, 2018 walter s tips and howto for gardening in the south. Thanks kent for putting me on to the straw bale thing. I called you in early april about whether to go ahead bottlebrush buckeye scorched leaves q. Straw bale planters are an easy solution for people lacking clean soil or extra space for gardening. This concept is so popular you can buy a whole book on it, straw bale gardens, by joel karsten. Once you get the bales in place, theyre easy to plant and care for. Straw bale gardening is simply a different type of container gardening. Straw acts as both mulch and compost, keeping plants warm and well fed. Why your garden needs a straw bale preparednessmama.
The straw bales in the pic below are placed on three layers of decomposing bales or about 9 of decomposing straw. You seemed a bit skeptical about planting that early, but since i had the. See more ideas about straw bale gardening, straw bales and hay bale gardening. Straw is typically yellow, dry, hollow and not food for animals. New york timestake your straw bale gardening to the next level in more places, with new products, and even, sometimes, skipping the straw. You can start your garden with seeds if you use some potting mix on top of the bales, but i transplanted all of my. Straw bale gardening, is a most informative and detailed book for the avid vegetable gardener. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A straw bale garden bed starts with a bale of straw. Start fertilizing amd wetting your bale immediately and plant your pea seeds in wide, shallow pots.
Straw bale gardening university of wisconsinmadison. It is worth a trip to the library to check out his book. Straw bale gardening is a great alternative for building raised garden beds, and the. Phil dudman explains how to turn a simple straw bale into a productive organic garden in seconds flat. We are following joel karstens book straw bale gardening. Mar 20, 2018 straw bale gardening is a gardening method created and championed by minnesota horticulturist and writer joel karsten. Garden expert, writer, radio and television host walter reeves grew up on a small georgia farm in fayette county, where his family raised chickens and cows. Gardening with straw bales alan windham professor, plant pathology what is straw bale gardening. Straw bale gardening is a great technique to have in the gardeners tool kit. Strawbale gardening is a way to enjoy growing fresh greens, root crops, even tomatoes and peppers in an area you may not normally be able to grow in. To me there is nothing easier as far as gardening goes. If you normally plant using seeds, then use seeds in your bales as well, but create a seed bed on top of the bales first using about an inch or two of sterile planting mix. Female flowers will appear in a week or two along with male flowers, pollination will occur and youll have squash. Straw is the remains of cut stalks of grains after the seed hears are threshed out.
Oct 15, 20 combining container gardening with vegetable gardening, straw bale gardening breaks the notion that plants can only grow in soil as these dirtless gardens plans will cause your plants to explode. How to condition and plant a bale of straw for gardening. A variety of crops can be grown in bales, including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, melons, and herbs. Preparing for another straw bale garden the gardeners rake. The straw bale process is for the person who is tired of tilling, trying to improve soil condition, weeding, constant watering, etc. Copies of his books will also be available for purchase. Straw bale gardening is a way to enjoy growing fresh greens, root crops, even tomatoes and peppers in an area you may not normally be able to grow in due to poor soil or lack of growing space. By denise i tend to have too many gardening styles. This complicates things since right now is the best. So over the weekend, i located a farmer near new trier who had some big, beautiful bales of wheat straw that i used to set up my straw bale gardens. Once the straw inside the bale begins to decay the straw becomes conditioned compost that creates an extraordinary plant rooting environment. Straw bale gardens complete contains all of the original information that has set the gardening world on fire.
Straw bale gardens complete by joel karsten overdrive. Straw bale garden one gardeners project walter reeves. The best idea is to submit them at attach photos for best results. We are trying the straw bale gardening are we doing something wrong. Click on the links below each picture to be taken to the page where you can download a digital version of the book. Walter reeves the georgia gardener talk and book signing. Straw bale gardening can be very productive but it takes at least ten days to prepare the bale. And because the bales keep garden plants off the ground, theres no more stooping. Its the bees knees and i am now convinced it is the coolest and only way to grow veggies. With a few years of experience and having written a book on the topic, i am sold.
Today, we are going to talk about planning out your garden. Make sure its level water carefully so it doesnt wash away or cut the bottom out of a plastic flat, pin it. Straw bale gardening kindle edition by karsten, joel. Container gardening without the container advantages of straw bales height 2 foot raised bed no digging, cultivation soil type doesnt matter inexpensive raised bed used bales can be used as mulch, compost mobile at least. I like to make a square bale garden form and fill the center with compost.
Selfwatering planter selfwatering bucket garden earthbox growbox terahydrobox tower garden verti gro gardensoxx straw bale gardening. Apr 16, 2012 last week, i attended a presentation on straw bale gardening with my friend, penny. Joel karsten, author of straw bale gardens, straw bale solutions, and straw bale gardens complete, developed the straw bale gardening method more than 10 years ago. Straw bale gardening features a great way to grow vegetables even when space is limited. Remove a chunk of straw and fill the hole with potting soil small seeds or to plant in rows put a couple inches of potting soil on top of the bales.
Jul 12, 2018 the current straw bale gardening expert is joel karsten who wrote straw bale gardens by joel karsten fyi, joel will be speaking at this years free home grown food summit april 612, 2015. Last week, i attended a presentation on straw bale gardening with my friend, penny. I foresee no problems unless you covered the seed too thickly more than a bale or two per thousand sq. Straw bale gardens by joel karsten cool springs press, 144 pp.
Walter reeves the georgia gardener talk and book signing join walter reeves, the georgia gardener. If you put young plants into holes you make in fresh straw, id expect insufficient watering to be a big issue. Straw bale gardening grow more food, in less space, with. This is the first time we have ever done a straw bale garden and we are letting you know how it goes. Growing 10 foot tall tomato plants in straw bales straw. This booklet is a guide to growing a successful straw bale garden written by the pioneer of this method of gardening. Straw bale gardens teaches gardening in a way that isnt only new but is thoroughly innovative and revolutionary to home gardening. Cherri hankins, of buckeye, gave a demonstration on straw bale gardening saturday at buckeye home, farm, lawn and garden centers open house. Planting seed large seeds and for individual plants cucurbits, legumes, beets and chard, kale, kohlrabi, etc. Gardening with straw bales university of tennessee system. The process of planting in straw bales requires that the bale be partially decomposed before you plant anything. Combining container gardening with vegetable gardening, straw bale gardening breaks the notion that plants can only grow in soil as these dirtless gardens plans will cause your plants to explode. Step by step of creating a straw bale garden straw bale.
The plant roots wont get the water they need because water simply runs past the root ball to the bottom of the bale. May 08, 2015 straw bale gardening sbg is a revolutionary gardening method which joel has enthusiastically perfected and trialled over the last 15 years. The main difference is that the container is the straw bale itself and is held together with two or three strings. Youll see a few wheat seedlings in the lawn in may. I would like to try planting english peas in straw bales. If you like tomatoes, then youll want to seriously consider growing them in straw bales. Straw bale gardening provides many advantages over traditional soil gardening, some of which have already been alluded to. And if youre interested in growing 10 foot tall tomato plants, then look no further this is your new growing method. One of my master gardener colleagues mentioned how shed read a book about it and wanted to give it a try. When it comes to thrifty, versatile ways to garden, its hard to beat gardening using a bale of straw. Nodig gardens growing vegetables with straw bales by isbn. Beyond that, plant everything else that you like to eat.
As interest grew, he became one of the most indemand garden lecturers in the country. It solves every impediment todays home gardeners face. We are trying the straw bale gardening are we doing. This year i have plans for two mini straw bale gardens. Be sure the bales are straw and not hayor youll be growing whatever is in that hay along with what you intended to grow. Make sure its level water carefully so it doesnt wash away or cut the bottom out of a plastic flat, pin it down onto top of bale, fill with soil and plant. Once a straw bale has been prepared for planting, it can be transformed into a beautiful threedimensional annual garden, or host a fresh vegetable garden. Buy a cheap copy of straw bale gardening book by joel karsten. Have you ever heard of planting vegetables into bales of wheat straw. The leaves of our bottlebrush buckeye are dying from the outer jackinthepulpit raising q.
I called you in early april about whether to go ahead and plant my straw bale garden. Hundreds of helpful, stepbystep color photographs illustrate how to arrange, prepare, and successfully grow a straw bale garden. Straw bales actually have some of the advantages of container or squarefoot gardening in the ability to grow more in a smaller space than you might in the ground, so be creative. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times.
This complicates things since right now is the best time to plant peas. Leafy greens love the bales, as do root crops, vines, cucurbits, herbs and even flowers. Jun 07, 2012 we are trying the straw bale gardening are we doing something wrong. Divyoull find a bumper crop of vegetable gardening books on the shelves today, but it is a very rare title that actually contains new information. Soilless mix, with no potential to harbor disease, insects or weed seeds. Straw bale garden one gardeners project update remember the straw bale gardener who decided to go whole hog and. I think the choice between bark and straw is a matter of personal taste.
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