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Post Date:

15th Feb 2024

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Straw bale gardening is not a new method of growing, but has gone out of fashion over the decades as newer techniques and methods came into vogue.

Guest writer, Simon Gibbins, shares advice on its resurgence...

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The Basics of Straw Bale Gardening

| Introduction

Straw bale gardening is a method of growing plants in straw bales instead of traditional soil beds. It is an innovative technique that offers several benefits, especially for those with limited space, poor soil quality, or physical limitations.

Straw bale gardening can be a creative and practical solution for various gardening challenges. It's essential to follow proper conditioning techniques and ongoing care to ensure successful plant growth.

In this article Simon Gibbins, an expert in the field of gardening with straw bales shares with us his journey. Here you will be presented with an overview of how straw bale gardening works.

There's much to cover so prepare the straw bales...

| Straw Bale Gardening the Basics.

Straw Bale 01

About sixteen years ago my wife and I moved house. Our new house had a very large garden. Although my distant family were all farmers I had very little knowledge of gardening. So, I bought books and learnt, fast. When in her teens my wife was involved in a car accident and injured her back, at the time the specialist said it would only get worse as she got older. He turned out to be correct.

As we both wanted to grow vegetables, I wondered if there was a way she could garden that did not involve bending so much. I searched around and after a while came across an American method called strawbale gardening. I read up on the method and I was hooked. Due to the height of the bales, it is ideal for people with mobility issues. I purchased ten strawbales and proceeded to experiment. I adapted it somewhat for the UK climate and was amazed at the results.

The first thing I would say is that you do not need soil, ever, so you can have a strawbale garden on concrete, grass, on your drive or patio.
There are no weeds. Great.

The main thing you need to do is get the bales composting. You do this by adding water and organic lawn feed in varying quantities over a period of time. I have a maturing schedule that lasts about fourteen days. By this time the bales should be ready to plant and/or sow in.

DO NOT USE HAY - it will not work anywhere near as well. Be warned, if you transport your bales by car then put some polythene sheets down. They moult.

I have developed a number of strawbale systems, my favourite is four bales with bamboo poles along the whole length. Growing tomatoes up the poles and then a different crop on the surface of the bale works really well together. I have grown most vegetables in straw. My favourites are cabbages, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, runner beans, peas, peppers, courgettes, kale, and cucumbers.

Potatoes love strawbales too. Grow a specialist potato, my personal favourite is Pink Fur Apple, a great little salad potato. With this method, there is no waste.

When the bales are tired, they last about a season, they make first-rate compost. Do not put them in the normal compost heap, keep them separate as they carry no soil-borne diseases.

What I tend to do is take the baling twine off the strawbales, and then you will find that the straw comes apart in slices. Lay them on the ground, two slices thick. Then make some mounds with good-quality compost. Plant marrow seeds in the mounds and they will grow like mad. The best variety I have found is Bush Baby, a variety which produces smaller perfect specimens.

There really is no limit on the size of your strawbale garden, should you wish to give the method a go. You are limited only by the space you have.

me on bale

I have a gardener on my Facebook page who lives in central London and has just two bales on the go and grows fabulous runner beans up a wall. Another member regularly has twenty bales at once growing all manner of vegetables. Invite your friends round for a garden party, you will be the talk of the neighbourhood. A straw bale garden looks great.

I get a lot of questions as to where to get the strawbales. Obviously, your local farm is the first port of call, then farm shops, pet stores or a quick Google. You should pay around three pounds fifty (£3.50) per bale. Think carefully about where you are going to site the bales because once you start the maturing process, they become very heavy.

As I said I have a Facebook page dedicated to strawbale gardening. Early on in my strawbale journey, I was having a pint at our local country pub. My pal said he was sure other people would be interested in strawbale
gardening and why didn't I start a Facebook group? So, I did, and we
have two-thousand five hundred members at the moment.

| This is How it Works...

Selecting the Right Straw Bales:

Use straw bales rather than hay bales because straw is less likely to contain weed seeds
Choose bales that are tightly packed and secured with twine, as loose bales may break apart

Positioning the Bales:

Place the straw bales in a location that receives adequate sunlight for the types of plants you plan to grow
Arrange the bales with the cut sides facing up and the strings on the sides

Conditioning the Bales:

Begin the conditioning process by thoroughly wetting the bales
Apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer (urea, ammonium sulfate, or a similar source) to the bales for several days to kick-start decomposition

Monitoring Temperature:

The decomposition process generates heat within the bales
Monitor the internal temperature, and once it begins to decrease, the bales are ready for planting

Planting:

Create pockets or openings in the bales for planting
Add potting mix or compost to these pockets if you want to supplement nutrients
Plant seeds or seedlings directly into the bales, following recommended spacing for each type of plant

Watering and Maintenance:

Keep the bales consistently moist, as they tend to dry out more quickly than traditional soil
Fertilize regularly with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer, as the straw bales have limited inherent nutrients

Benefits of Straw Bale Gardening:

Weed Reduction: The heat generated during the conditioning process helps kill weed seeds
Improved Accessibility: Ideal for individuals with physical limitations, as gardening is done at a raised level
Space Efficiency: Suitable for urban or small-space gardening where traditional soil may not be an option

Challenges:

Watering Requirements: Straw bales can dry out quickly, requiring frequent watering
Nutrient Depletion: Nutrients in the bales may deplete over time, necessitating regular fertilization
Limited Lifespan: The bales break down over time, usually lasting for a single growing season