Why Every Gardening Enthusiast Should Try Straw Bale Gardening

  • When it comes to gardening, there's an endless supply of ideas and inspiration. Just as with fashion, technology and other indutries, there are certain trends that come and go. Most people don't bother with trying the trends since by definition, their popularity is fleeting.

    However, certain seemingly trendy planting methods, such as straw bale gardening, are actually here to stay and for several reasons. Due to its multiple benefits and unique set up, every gardener should consider the straw bale method. If you're looking for a more portable gardening set up with better drainage that allows you to more easily access your plants, then straw bale gardening should become a part of your planting routine.

    Continue on to hear what a gardening expert has to say about the benefits of straw bale gardening!

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    5 Comments

    1. Jim Bodah said:

      I’m calling bullshit!! My neighbors tried this and it was a complete waste of time and money. The plants are root bound because the bales a so tight. Tomato plants in the ground are 6′ tall now loaded with fruit and the ones in the bales are barely 18″ tall with three or four tomatoes

    2. Thomas Cook said:

      We did this as a lesson plan at my college and I will say it produces pitiful results for FRUITING plants. They are good for some root crops but mostly perfect for leaf crops. The trick to these bale gardens is to stand them with the straw perpendicular to the ground (as if the straw was standing upright on the ground). Then you have to fertilize the bale every other day with a 15-10-10 fertilizer and water it into thoroughly to begin the decomposition. After 6 weeks (sometimes 10) the bale should be decomposed enough to where the center of the bale doesn’t go above 100f (wait for straw mushrooms to form). Finally you layer a 2 inch thick topping of dirt over the bale and plant your seeds into it (for direct seeding), or cut a hole out to transplant your crops into.

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