[mercury]

has anyone grown tomatoes on straw bales, i'm thinking of trying the method with just a couple of plants, my question is, what straw is best for the method, wheat or barley, and any other tips you might have. thanks. :?:  

[muntjac]

barley straw is more available than wheat mate   and incidently you can use it in your pond to help with clearing algae,and it helps produce daphnia for feeding the fish

[Charlie]

my dad grows toms in bales in his greenhouse, this is how he does it (i think)    
make planting hole in bale,
add small ammount of compost
plant
water very well
when plants are established place a box arround the stem (4 or5 inches high)and gradually fill with compost
remember! that they will need more water than normal.
i hope this helps

[shaun]

why would you want to do this ?

[Charlie]

my dad reckons the toms are better, and, after a couple of years the straw has rotted down and can be used as a mulch or to dig in

[Salkeela]

So what about hay bales..... we've plenty of those!  Could be a patio project...?

[muntjac]

Growing plants in straw bales is not a common practice. Straw bale culture is a form of soilless cultivation or hydroponics. The technique is quite effective at growing healthy plants and can grow tomatoes, peppers or even cucumbers to list a few. Root vegetables like turnips or carrots are not ideal for straw culture. Certain herbs like cilantro, basil and parsley should do well when grown this way.

In general, plants grown in straw bales appear to require less water than when grown in soil. Another benefit to using straw bale culture is the garden bed will turn into compost offering some additional nutrients to your vegetables and herbs. The constantly composing environment warms up to provide gentle heat to the roots of plants and for your greenhouse. After some preparation and processing the compost will also begin to generate Co2 which will help to boost your plant's growth rate.

Instructions:

Wheat straw bales are a good choice for cultivating plants. You should try to remove any weeds that may sprout, then follow the instructions below to get started growing your vegetable crops "Straw Culture" style.

Construct Garden Area

The straws should be tied and in a vertical position. Build a (plastic) barrier/fence around your garden area to hold the bales in place. If you do build a barrier around your garden, make sure the bales are packed in well. The barrier should be made of plastic or other synthetic material and not consist of wood or other biodegradable substance.
 
 


Place a sheet of plastic on the bottom of your grow area to help the straw retain moisture. Tightly pack in the tied straw bales until the entire area of your garden is filled in. Soak the entire garden with water and place another sheet of plastic on top. Each bale will require approximately 1-gallon of water daily. For example, if you used 10 bales, you will need 10-gallons of water. Place another sheet of plastic on top of the bales after watering. The plastic should remain on between feedings until the processing period is over.

Preparing Bale (Processing)

The straw bale will require 3-4 weeks of processing before it is ready to grow plants. After the 3-4 weeks processing time, the bale will begin to decompose and form compost. This is when you will add fertilizers and top with a dressing of bagged compost or manure about 4 inches high. Do not use soil.

Adding Fertilizer:

Once you've topped with compost/manure it's time to add the fertilizer. Spread the dry (soluble) fertilizer over the surface of the bales and then water according to manufacturers directions. After you add fertilizer, the rate of bacterial action in the decomposing straw will increase, raising the bed's internal heat. Cover with plastic and let it sit for an additional week. After a week, the bales should be cool enough to start planting your seeds - just drop em' in to sprout.

[mercury]

why would you want to do this ?

 

Just curiosity i suppose shaun, thanks for the advice everybody.

[shaun]

just that i have never heared of it before seems like a lot of work to me