My Straw Bale Garden Experiment

August Reflections

I wish I could tell you this has been the most successful garden ever. I can't. The deer gave us a set-back and the tomatoes are doing well now, but I believe I made a huge mistake preparing the bales for planting. I left out a very important step. Due to a desire to save money, I didn't get a bag of Ammonium Nitrate to add to the bales. I thought Miracle Grow sprayed on the plants and into the bales would be enough. Not so. I've added an all purpose garden fertilizer (10-10-10) which has helped a lot, but the plants aren't as big as expected and fruiting has been sparse. The Peppers I added along with the fertilizer (after the deer ate the others) are growing well, the Tomatoes have borne some fruit, but next year's attempt will include lot's of fertilizer, for about 4 weeks prior to planting. 

I'm happy overall with the ease and containment the straw bales afford. I don't have to stoop, hurting my arthritic knees and most of the tomatoes are at eye level. We've bordered the garden with tall stakes and stapled a mesh netting all around it (leaving one end to be fastened with clamps for access). This is keeping the deer away. We've seen plenty of hoof prints in the soft mulch nearby. I will also most likely plant the Squash directly into the ground again next year, because I'm afraid the containers will only support one healthy plant. We're getting some Zucchini and Pumpkins as well as plenty of blossoms for the frying pan. 

All in all, I'm reasonably happy with this experiment. I know I'll have to make  improvements for next year. I hope to be able to use these same bales one more year. I've staked each row of them at the ends to keep them together, as the twine breaks and disintegrates. 

          
     Fuzzy photo, but this is one of our deer.       This is our solution to the Deer problem.
      When I snapped this photo I startled the      We've purchased some mesh fabric and
                  fawn she had with her.                            stapled it to stakes keeping bales intact

      
     
 Cherry Tomato & Cucumber    Better Boy & Whoppers (behind)        Jalapeño Peppers


The Tomato and Pepper plants seem to be doing very well, but would most likely have been even better, had I used enough fertilizer before planting. Our Cucumbers are a little disappointing. Once again I think it's due to lack of fertilizer at the beginning of their growth. I am thrilled with the compact size of the garden ability to contain it and the ease of management, when planting in straw bales. I've not had to use as much water as I first feared, because the bales hold it very well. 


The only truly disappointing growth are the Squash plants. Planting in the containers most likely has stunted their growth and ability to bear. We're enjoying fair success with the Pumpkins but they were planted in a much larger rectangular container and I've been harvesting plenty of blossoms.  We've allowed one pumpkin to grow (so far) and it's growing very well.

 
Brown on the edges of the leaves may            Pumpkin growing well                be due to chlorine in city water and the                                                                      heat of drought. Could be Powdery                                                                          Mildew. It has been only a small                                                                       problem this year.     



I'll try to keep updating the photos, about every 3 or 4 weeks, to show the progress of my experiment. 

Thanks for visiting, 

God bless, 

Steve (Pappaw)

Some of the web sites I used to gather information:


Nichols Garden Nursery

Carolina Country

Pioneer Thinking

The Decatur Daily (Living Today July 30, 2004)

Dave's Garden

Beginner Gardening

I Can Garden

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Pappaw's Thoughts
® 2004