Beat those weeds
Sick of weeding? Want a garden but have no space?
Straw bale gardening may be your solution.
SBG is an alternative to traditional gardening that has many benefits and has recently seen an upturn in popularity.
SBG has been around for more than a half-century. It is most commonly employed where soil quality is problematic, or there is no soil in the first place. SBG is suitable for patios, in small spaces, or on rocky soils.
Primarily for growing vegetables, straw bale gardens can also be used for strawberries, herbs, and flowers. Often the flowers and herbs are grown out the sides to optimize the use of the bales' surface area.
The Antonettis of Zelienople have been practicing SBG for four years, starting out with 12 bales. This year, they will use 50 bales.
According to Mimi Antonetti, “Our soil is full of clay so it's difficult to plant without mushroom compost or manure amendments every year.
“I hate weeding. The breaking point was an infestation of squash vine borers. To get rid of them, we needed to solarize the soil for at least a whole summer.
“We started looking at containers and other gardening methods and happened upon SBG. We have not gone back to regular gardening since.”
To start a straw bale garden, first recognize the difference between straw and hay. Straw is the dried stalks of grain crops, left after the seed is harvested, and is used mainly for animal bedding or mulching.
Hay bales are composed of dried alfalfa or grass as food for livestock. Straw is a golden yellowish color; hay is dark green and heavier.
Buy straw from a local farmer or feed store. Decide how many bales you want and where you will place them. Set the bales cut side up with the twine holding the bale together on the sides parallel to the ground.
After placing the straw bales, start the 10- to 18-day conditioning process to create a favorable growing environment.
Apply a half-cup high-nitrogen fertilizer to each bale and thoroughly wet the bales to set off decomposition. Repeat this process every other day for at least 10 days.
On the days in between adding fertilizer, just water the bales well. On the last day apply a half-cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer to each bale.This process starts a composting cycle as bacteria grows and heats the interior. After the conditioning process is complete, position soaker hoses and begin planting.If the bales' internal temperature is more than 100 degrees, let them cool for a few days before planting.Carefully transplant potted plants directly into the bales by creating a hole in the bale and covering exposed roots with a clean planting mix. Plant cool-season crops by layering planting mix on the top of the bale. The planting mix can contain slow-release fertilizer.Tamp the soil mix down to a depth of 1-2 inches and plant the seeds at the depth recommended by the package instructions.Since the straw has no soil nutrients, plants may require frequent fertilization. West Virginia University Extension recommends compost tea or liquid fish emulsion once every other week for seedlings, increasing feedings to weekly as the plant grows.Likewise, the bales will need watering on a regular basis. Taller plants will need to be staked with outside structures since the straw bales are not sturdy enough to support excess weight.Possible staking structures include T-posts, 2X4's, PVC pipe and wire.Advantages to straw bale gardening include drastically fewer weeds and no requirement for soil amendments. Plants are less susceptible to many of the pest problems found in traditional gardens.For those with mobility issues, SBG easier, given the garden's height.Straw bale gardeners can plant about a month earlier because they don't have to worry about frost damaging the in-ground plants.Downsides are the amount of fertilizer and water required. Your neighbors may find your garden unsightly. Each new year requires additional costs in constructing support structures and purchasing straw bales.Straw bale gardening can be a great alternative if you're downsizing but would still like to grow a few plants. Both experienced and beginning gardeners can try it.Asked if she would recommend SBG to new gardeners, Mimi Antonetti responded, “Absolutely.”Angela Fishman is an apprentice master gardener, expecting certification in the fall of 2016. She is a math instructor, the Penn's Woods Fellow and Sustainability Lead for the Penn State Beaver Campus. She is an avid spinner and weaver and vegetable gardener. The 2016 growing season is her first foray into straw bale gardening.
