How to Use Straw Bales in Raised Gardens

Straw bales make excellent raised planting beds. They are the perfect height for a raised garden. Using straw bales as planting beds requires just a small amount of soil. Very little maintenance is required for this type of garden. Once the bed is ready for planting, weeds are not an issue. Using straw bales as raised garden beds provides higher plant yields with less work.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Plastic sheeting
• Straw bales
• Garden hose
• Water
• Blood meal
• Bone meal
• Dried seaweed fertilizer
• Garden thermometer
• Cardboard
• Tape
• Compost
• Garden plants

Create a Straw Bale Raised Bed

1. Decide where you want to place the straw bale garden. Line the area with plastic sheeting. Straw bales are usually 24 inches wide. Plan the garden around this measurement.

2. Water each of the straw bales with 1 gallon of water every day for two weeks. This will start the decomposition of the straw bales. Keep them covered with plastic sheeting during the two-week watering period.

3. Mix equal parts of bone meal, blood meal and dried seaweed fertilizer to make 2-1/2 pounds of mixture for each straw bale. Apply this mixture to the top of each straw bale.

4. Water the straw bales daily with 1 gallon of water per day for one more week. Remove any plant sprouts that appear in the bales. Keep the bales covered with plastic sheeting.

5. Check the temperature of the straw bales after one week with a garden thermometer. When the temperature drops below 100 degrees, the straw bale is ready for planting.

6. Create tubes with the cardboard and tape. The size of the tubes will depend on the type of plants you are transplanting into the straw bales. Push each tube a few inches down into the straw bale.

7. Remove the transplant from its container and place it in one of the tubes. Fill the tube with compost. Water well. The plastic sheeting is no longer needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Epsom salt can be used instead of seaweed fertilizer. Mix equal parts of bone meal and blood meal to make 2-1/2 pounds, then add 1 tsp. of Epsom salt per plant.
• Do not put plants in the straw bales until the temperature drops to under 100 degrees. Planting before the temperature drops will kill most plants.

References

• Mother Earth News: Tomatoes in the Straw

Resources

• Organic Gardening