Straw Bale Gardening - 2007 - (part 6)

Gwen: here's my potato row I'm going to try shortly. I'll probably halve what you see. This was the double row I had the cukes and squash in.

Older neighbors said they've grown potatoes in leaves and even old sawdust.

My wheat and oat straw had NO weeds, 2 years running.

Go with some sort of sturdy trellis for the tomatoes. You'll thank yourself for it later!

Not sure about the beetles/white stuff you referred to. I haven't planted potatoes for several years, but I always had to spray/dust for potato bugs. It'll be interesting to see if the straw plays a part in that, too.

Kent

That looks like some lovely planting, Kent.

Lana

Kent, Are you putting your potatoes in that row without bales? I think Gwendalou is talking about directly into the bales like we do the tomatoes. Do you think that would work? I think the only way you could do that would be to make sure the bales were VERY decomposed inside the bale.

Also, Gwendalou are you talking about the "least amount of weeds"? Or the least amount of seeds sprouting? Like seeds from the wheat or oats the straw is from? There is a difference.

I have noticed some of the pictures of tomatoes that had the "seeds" sprouting but then when I looked real close the bales were turned so the strings were on the sides of the bales. When I planted mine last year I planted them with the strings on top and on the ground. The tomatoes were planted between the strings. I had very little seeds sprouting. I did have the mushrooms that we all had but no wheat or oats etc.

Why do you think that would be Kent?

Jeanette

Darius

I'm disappointed about the hay but I appreciate you making the calls for me. I got an answer at the second number you gave me but they have already sold their hay. C'est la vie. Thanks, again.

What an awesome thread. I sat here and read straight through part one to the end! I can't do it unfortunately as I have only concrete around me and must use containers, but I'll remember this for when...and it's WHEN not IF....I get some ground to grow in!

It also reminded me this article I read years ago...where necessity was the mother of invention for growing.

http://journeytoforever.org/garden_con-mexico.html

Great article, GG! There needs to be a whole lot more of that done all around the world.

Lana

Good article Glory. Jeanette

ohhh Dear... after reading that... now the neighbors are really not going to understand when I direct fertilize my crops.
:0
Susan

Wow, what a great series of stories from that link! If you didn't read
http://journeytoforever.org/keith_tlwintro.html
and his touching stories on the sidebar, you are missing a treat.

Jeanette: yep, I'm planting the potatoes in the "churned up" straw. Don't see why it wouldn't work. It'll make it easier to grabble out the potatoes. We're going to find out.

Re: sprouts growing more based on the orientation of the bales, I think there's something to that. My daddy planted his bales with the strings up and he had alot less wheat sprouts than I did. Must be the orientation of the straw in the bales makes it easier to sprout when they are verticle.

Glory: kudos on the article. A good read.

I think you will have much better potato crop planting the way you are going to than if you planted directly in the bales Kent.

Jeanette

Would someone please start a new thread for this. I would but don't know how, It is taking a very long time now for my dial-up to load. Thankyou

Donna

This was getting extremely long for us dial-ups so I started a new part.

Please go to: Vegetable Gardening: Strawbale Gardening (part 7)

Active link to the new thread:

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/694756/

Shoe