How to Garden in Bales of Straw

Overview

In only 10 days, you can prepare an innovative garden bed that will produce large, healthy vegetable plants, ornamentals, and just about anything else you want to grow. Growing in straw bales is a smart way to have the garden you want if your soil is poor, your space is limited, or if you have a physical limitation that makes bending and squatting difficult. Straw bales are inexpensive and can be found at farm supply stores and shops that sell animal feeds.

Step 1

Place your bale or bales of straw in a position that will be convenient for you. Situate your bale so the string that holds it together is not lying on the ground. If you place them on lawn, be aware that it will die underneath your straw bale garden.

Step 2

Run a sprinkler on top of the bale until it is soaked; 30 minutes should do the trick. Repeat watering for three days.

Step 3

Sprinkle ½ cup of ammonium nitrate on top of each bale and water again. Repeat this application and watering for three consecutive days.

Step 4

Sprinkle ¼ cup of ammonium nitrate on top of each bale for three more days, watering well after each application.

Step 5

Pour 1 cup of a general purpose fertilizer having an N-P-K ratio of 10-10-10 on top of your bale on the 10th day of this project. Water it again in the same way you watered in the ammonium nitrate.

Step 6

Plant starter plants into your bale on Day 11. Use a trowel or a spatula to create a hole, or crack, for the roots. Then place your plants into their planting holes down to their first leaves. Close the hole by squeezing the sides of the bale or by tearing off a small amount of straw from the side and inserting it into the crack you made.

Step 7

Water your bale or bales frequently: they will dry out quickly, so you might need to water them twice a day, in the morning and again in the evening, according to No-Dig-Vegetablegarden.com. Drip irrigation systems and soaker hoses work well and can save time if you install a timer.