Root crops.

Have any of you grown root crops in your bales?
Radish, beets, carrots?

This is my first try at Strawbale gardening.
For the fall/winter crop I'm thinking of planting lettuce. I am also thinking about planting broccoli, cauliflower and maybe some cilantro.

Looks like from the responses I got this is a bad idea. No root crops.

I'd also like to get some ideas about these crops. Radishes are recommended in permaculture and for repelling insects like stink bug. Carrots might do OK since their roots need soft enough soil to grow. I see a lot of hay bales sitting around farmer's fields. Some of them look like last year's bales. But they're usually the large round bales, which cost $20 or more and are hard to move where you need them.

The hay you use are bales. I use wheat straw I think some use hay.lowes has wheat straw at 4.11 a bale . I am trying to find a farmer for next year because I am planning to use 50 or more. This was my first year learned alot so next year plan to expand. My house is on 1.45 ac and I own the lot beside me 1.35 ac so have the room to expand a little.Wanting to try beekeeping so have been checking about that too.Now that I am older there are many things I want to do.Just turned 55. Deanna

Ive read that people grow potatoes in straw bales.

Yes you can use some real loose mulched or if you use the bale(sq ones) I believe it is recommended to use a more seasoned one not the new ones.If you do a search in the forums there is a few references for that. Potatoes in straw bales or just bales will yield results.I have not tried to grow potatoes yet.We are on part 16 in strawbale gardening.You might want to read through the other parts, there is a wealth of info. Good Luck. Deanna

Hey, Rayman; I'm reading up here, too. Since you really didn't get an answer, I went looking. Found this:

"Root crops, such as carrots, parsnips and onions don't seem like good candidates for straw bale culture because the roots will be too crowded by the straw and would be hard to harvest. I also would not recommend corn or pole beans."

That from this site: http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/strawbales.htm

Sounds logical to me.

OK, then, how would they do in a lasagna garden--that is, a foot or 2 of overlapped newspapers with green and brown material layered on top? If the seeds or potato pieces were put into a pocket of compost/mulch, would they be able to grow without waiting for the pile to cook down? I realize that I'm talking about a different thread.

Sounds like I need to stick with what I mentioned above. I think two of the bales are getting close because they are starting to cool down a little. They are down to 110 degrees.

Whoopee, Ray! Sounds like you could boil your veggies right in the bales.