If you found this video helpful, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 Reasons To Grow Plants In Straw Bales 1:44 Step #1: Days 1-3 [Watering] 4:33 Step #2: Days 4-9 [Fertilizing] 6:42 Fertilizer Measurements & Application 9:47 Checking Straw Bale Temperatures 12:36 Step #3: Days 10-14 [Cooling Down] 15:34 Adventures With Dale
I’ve been using straw bales for years between the roadway and sidewalk out front of my house (best sun). I post in local groups just before Halloween each year to try to solicit free fall decorations including pumpkins, squashes, fodder shocks and bales of straw. The straw bales are awesome scores when I get them. I align them in the same orientation as shown but disperse organic fertilizers and limestone pellets into them randomly in the fall through winter. The rain works these components into the bales so by the spring the bales are fully conditioned. Even easier than intentional watering!
Love this! More more more! Would really like to see you experiment with a couple bales of Hay. Like you always say we should always test for ourselves. I’m sure your subscribers would like to know as well
I don't use hay. Hay is full of seeds, more expensive and more likely to be treated with herbicides. Straw is better in all cases in my opinion. That being said, if you have a safe source of inexpensive hay that you know isn't treated, you can use that, sure.
I have a question on straw bale gardening that I didn't see on his video. How long do straw bales last? They break down I assume. I have a small garden and "had" make shift raised beds that seemed to me take a lot of my space. I pulled those down last year and now I have a flat garden pretty much. I am retired and unfortunately getting harder to bend and kneel. The bales seem to be ideal to have it raised. One guy in this channel said he put the bales in boxes as it last longer and the straw isn't everywhere when the wind blows, good idea. I will join Anthony when I get back from my long vacation out of state. I enjoy listening to his wisdom and knowledge.
I'm so interested in your progress. Much of your advice on this method differs from that of Joel Karsten. I went organic with my conditioning. It definitely took longer!
I don't see the point in seasoning straw bales organically. Straw is rarely organic to begin with, and "organic" is defined as what you do after you plant the plant. "Organic" in backyard gardening means very little to me. At grocery stores, "organic" is a powerful word, because it means you can avoid all sorts of potentially harmful pesticides, but what does it mean in a backyard garden? If you grow two plants and the only difference is one plant gets a feeding of MiracleGro twice a month, is there any difference in the fruit? Almost certainly not, so I don't worry about USDA guidelines growing in my yard. 100% of everything I grow is better than the finest organic produce in a grocery store.
Do you have any thoughts on using fresh chicken manure instead of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer to condition the bales? The manure is obviously going to be less predictable as far as NPK goes, but it's usually fairly high in nitrogen so my gut feeling is that it would still be capable of kicking off the hot composting process. Obviously there is some concern with pathogens that would need to be neutralized, but as long as the hot composting process actually happens I don't see that being a big problem. It might take a bit longer to cycle, but I think the end result would be just as good, if not even a little better since the composted manure might provide a little more soil for seedlings to get established in while the bales are still breaking down. What do you think?
I can't seem to find in any of your videos - what do you have on the ground? I noticed that the same black material is in between raised beds and now you are soaking bale on top of it too. I'm guessing it's permeable. Can you please tell what material it is? Thank you from California!
Wow, I love your videos. I tried this before and it didn't work very well. i did treat them, but the details you provide I think will be very helpful and with more success. I am going to try this again. And i must say this is my favorite gardening channel... and i watch a lot of them. Thank you so much. BTW if you happen to see this or anyone else who knows, is there a link to where you buy your strawberry bare root plants. I think I saw it on one of the videos, but can't seem to find it now. Thanks a million for all your hard work!🥰
Are these wheat straw, pine straw, or what? Any specifics, links, and tips are very helpful please? Best places to find etc.. I got some long needle pine straw bales delivered and they are sad and tiny.
Yes, if you're sure it isn't treated with herbicides. Hay is much more likely to contain herbicide, so ensure you ask the seller if it's treated before purchase.
This is fascinating. I’m definitely going to try this out next season. It’s sooo hot a humid here in south Louisiana it’s really hard to keep the pests and diseases off my plants. I just have to find out where I can buy some good straw bales.
Last year I used hay. Enormous success. This year I'm using straw. So far, 3 weeks in, they WILL NOT condition. I havve switched to higher nitrogen .... nothing! I HATE straw!!! Any suggestions???
Such a great video. All of your videos are wonderful. I have learned so much. I also laugh during your Dale segments. Keep it going, we are watching. Off to get my hay bales.
Now I’m at a dilemma point, gardening with straw bales or continue with my in ground garden preparation! I can make arguments for both methods. It’s the middle of summer here in zone 9 and still in the 110-115 degrees daily. I will put up my shade cloth in the coming days and still consider which way to go. Thank goodness you have given terrific instructions and advice for both ways to garden. Thank you again, Dennis
QUESTION: I'm confused about the orientation of the bales. Aren't most bales straw running up and down when in the flat position? You have them upright. The bales I just bought are difficult to tell. It seems flat is the proper position. Wish I could post pics of them. ** Update - I was able to email pics. **
I love Sydney! I went there 4 years ago. As a guy that doesn't really care for cities much, I *loved* Sydney! It may be the nicest, cleanest city I've ever seen. Just awesome.
Hey there. I watered the nitrogen into the straw bale and soked it too much. I've been through day 4-9 and would be in day 10-12. Should I put 3 more days with nitrogen and do not soak it so much in as until now? Or leave it like it is? Tomorrow arrives my thermometer but as I layed my hand on the bales it definitely felt only lukewarm. I hope I can save something in this stage.
I got one of the XLwhite bag with a round bale in it. How could I decompose the bale in the container. If I mulch the hay, I will have seeds everywhere. I enjoy your topics.
I'm on my 7th year of successful straw bale gardening. One thing i kind of disagree with is the orientation of your bales. If you inspect the bales you will see three sides that are similar (cross-hatched shafts) and one side that looks like a bunch of small-diameter soda straws standing vertically. THAT is the side you want pointing up. It gives a better track for the fertilizer to get deep into the bale. It appears from the video that your bales were 180-degrees out from this orientation.
My straw bales have been placed and ready to go here in Western NY for about a month now (today is April 18). We. have had lots of rain for days and they seem to be pretty saturated--too heavy to move. Should I start right in with the Urea or try to add more water? First time bale planting for me--thanks for your help!
I’m starting your process today! Got my bales yesterday and today is day 1 of watering. Really hoping this works so I can get my seed potatoes in by the end of April. Thanks for the helpful steps and links.
What if it were to rain a lot during one or two the days of applying the nitrogen. Will it all wash away? Should I cover the bales after applying the nitrogen/water?
You're welcome! I hope the temperatures agree with us. We have frost coming Sunday and Monday nights, so I can't do much just yet...which is fine, since my tomato transplants are 3 weeks behind, anyway. I may not get anything planted til April 7 at this rate.
@The Millennial Gardener False Spring gets us all every time in Southern regions. Costal is very tricky due to wind and moisture. None the less I have all my spring/ summer starts ready. Preparing all my raised beds & pots. Your straw bale system I'm interested in growing my 1st corn crop. BTW, I'm waiting for the follow-up on banana plants. I wintered mine per your demo.
I tried this. They last a season. The soil lasts forever. Then you have to replace and dispose of the bales. Bales cost $7, that’s what I paid, close to a bag of Black Cow. To me, this is a one bale patio project. Good luck. You can use milorganite also.
Straw bales are comparable to a container garden. Potting mix only lasts about 3-4 seasons, and since it's about 3-5x more expensive at current prices, it's a wash. The straw can be repurposed as mulch everywhere in your yard, so it's incredible at being reused, which halves the cost since you get to double its use as a mulch. Old, rotten potting mix, not so much. Black Kow is not potting soil. It is compost, and at $6 a bag, you'd need 3-4 bags to equal the size of a straw bale, so your actual cost would be $18-24, way more expensive than a straw bale. Compost is not fungible as a container mix. Not all of us can grow in our soil. I cannot, because my native soil is not appropriate for growing and has root knot nematodes. I have to use either raised beds and containers for susceptible vegetables.
@@TheMillennialGardener I did repurpose my straw as a Ruth Stout bed for potatoes. I grew two plants per bale. The black cow is compost, yes, which means you can combine with other ingredients for a growing medium. Thanks. Keep up the good info.
Thank you for the thorough systematic explanations. I decided to try this with 4 straw bales. I followed your instructions to the letter. I used the UREA 46-0-0. after my conditioning had completed, only one bale got over 100 degrees, and that peaked at 104. the others were basically the same temp as air. So I decided to repeat the process, but left out the first 3 days of soaking. Now I have completed the rest of the process and the odor of composting straw bales is present but the temperatures have not gone up at all. the one bale that went to 104 is right around 100 degrees. I would appreciate any suggestions as to how to proceed. Our weather is very hot if that makes a difference. ( Located in NC in the north central area)
The bales are only going to heat up if they're fresh. If they've already undergone composting, they won't heat up. The bales I purchased were off-the-truck fresh, so it was clear they were brand new. However, it's possible the bales of straw you purchased weren't fresh and had already partially decomposed, leading to the lack of heat. If you followed the instructions and they didn't get very hot, they could be partially broken down. You could always place a trial seedling in the bale to make sure it grows first to be sure.
With the bales, you also have to watch they don’t “self combust”from the heat, particularly if you live in a hot area. If that’s the case, definitely monitor the temperature of the bales and keep them wet. 😊
I never wasted more money and time than trying the straw bale method. I have been successfully gardening for over 40 years. At least the compost created by using all that nitrogen and straw created some awesome compost. Money is better spent on raised beds.
What was your reasoning behind starting a straw bale garden, and what was your method of conditioning and planting? It's not helpful if you don't describe the situation and research why it failed. If the process failed, it's because something was done incorrectly. The method is sound, so there had to have been mistakes made, and analyzing them is how we get better doing this.
It is day 11 in conditioning our 10 straw bales in southern Wisconsin. Temps have been Lows 40's to Highs mostly 60's w/ 1 high 70's day. We]ve had over 7 inches of rain since the fertilizing started. Bales show no sign of heating up? Any suggestions on how to proceed?
You shouldn't try and condition bales during torrential rain. Urea is water soluble, so all that urea you're applying is being washed away. If you have no choice, you'd probably need to cover them with tarps to prevent washout. The urea has to sit there and work, so if you're doing it during rainy periods, it's all being flushed out and not working like it should.
Works great in east-coast gardens, I'm sure. Not so much in the west coast. If you have dry summers, don't bother. They just don't hold enough water (I tried!)
That's why I have them under the hoops. It will be converted into a shade tunnel. Drip irrigation + shade cloth is how West Coast gardeners should be gardening in the dead of summer.
The soil can be a challenge here in North Carolina. Pests, disease and root knot nematodes are a serious problem. Growing soilless removes some of these problems.
It may be. One of the bags I have linked in the video description says has tie-dye as a use. Check and make sure it is 46-0-0 for gardening on the package.
Straw bales may come in different sizes. The most common size is 36"L x 18"W, which is what mine are. Big box stores rarely carry straw bales. Feed stores often do. Where I live, we have two feed stores: Farmer's Supply in town and Hudson Hardware in the next town over. If you search for places that sell bulk chicken and cattle feed, they often sell straw. Craigslist is a good tool, too.
We've had more rain over the weekend and had we only covered the bales we'd have those plants in the bales by now but ...now the question is what about the age of the straw to begin with? Fresh straw bales are not available at this time of year in WIsconsin. So, are we to start the urea process over again but cover in heavy rain or just plant the waiting plants? plants
Describe the process you used to condition them...was it exactly like the video? There are several variables that could impact the internal temps while breaking down.
Last year I had super high hopes, dedicated half my garden area to bay bale gardening… followed the instructions carefully, only to watch an epic fail because the source of the hay bales lied to me- they were not organic, but treated with chemicals that prevented growth… not doing this again
These are straw bales, which are much less likely to be treated than hay. Hay is often sprayed. You can test bales by planting legume plants in them. A pea or string bean plant will immediately tell you if they've been treated, because they're highly susceptible to herbicides. If you plant a test seedling and the leaves develop properly, they are good to go.
I've been looking forward to this for a few days. Still have a bit of time to go before I'm out of the below freezing Temps. But it'll get me ahead with getting the straw bales and urea. Thanks for the info
It certainly doesn't hurt to get started early. It's a fun little project and it'll get you looking forward to spring. I need little projects like this for my mental health to get me through winter. It makes me happy 🌞
Got 20 bales and I have a few still over 100. But I did start some seeds so the transplants will work. I know it’s late but I am only doing 60 days veggies just to see how this goes. (First frost nov 1st typically). If the weather freezes me out before any harvest I would be ok with that. I just wanted to see how this works. We are getting older and I thought this would be a better way for us than expensive raised beds and always having to add more compost. I appreciate your educating style. (Also got figs because of you!). Expect to see some questions!
So just to clarify .. I can go ahead and condition my bails now even though I won't be putting my transplants in until around March 15th (I'm in NE Florida - zone 9b). Right? Thanks for a great channel that I just discovered today! I especially really appreciate all the explanations of the chemicals/fertilizers, organic vs. non-organic, etc.
I don't sell persimmon cuttings. Also, I don't have either of those varieties. I only have Giombo and Ichi-Ki-Kei Jiro. Fruitwood Nursery has Hachiya in stock: fruitwoodnursery.com/fruit-tree-scion-and-cuttings-wood/persimmon-scionwood-diospyros-kaki
We have several bales that have not reached the 100+ temp. The ones that have are producing fungus (mushrooms) The ones that haven't reached temp has not, will this affect plant growth?
@@TheMillennialGardener it is very interesting how dogs choose us and not the other way around...and they give us so so much all without expecting much...i can not understand how some people can be so freaking cruel to animals...blessings to you and Dale..
It cost me well under $30 to season all the straw bales, and there are 13 of them. Each bale only requires 1 pound of urea. A 5lb bag is only about $15, and it gets cheaper and cheaper as you buy in bulk, so even at the worst prices, each bale costs $3 each to season. At $6-7/bale, that means a fully seasoned bale is $9-10 each. That is dirt cheap compared to a container of comparable size and potting mix. A 15 gallon container and enough potting mix to fill it will cost you easily $20, and with the straw bales, I can use it as mulch at the end of the season. Each straw bale also can grow 2 indeterminate plants, so it's actually 2 containers in one, further reducing the price. For anyone that wants a container garden, it is an extremely affordable and versatile option.
Love your videos!! We are at the VA/NC border by Moyock and I have learned soo much from you! Thank you! In regards to the straw, will it matter if it is placed on pallets and not directly on the ground? We get a lot of flooding here and I can easily see the straw sitting in quite a few inches of water.
I am on day 6 of conditioning my bales and it doesn't seem to be working. They are not heating up at all. I bought the "Naturally Derived Urea" from your link and the contents did not smell like ammonia until today I can detect a slight odor (maybe from moisture in the air getting in there?). I am wondering if this brand of urea is weak and I need to add more of it. Any ideas? BTW, I am keeping them moist.
Hay and straw are very different. Hay is a grass. It is typically full of seed. Straw is the base of a grain crop. Wheat straw is, specifically, the base of wheat. Since straw is a byproduct, you're getting the bottoms of the plants after the seeds were harvested, so wheat straw contains less seed and is less likely to contain herbicides. I get my straw from farm feed stores.
I'm using straw bales to fill 25" tall raised beds, which then will be topped with about 12" of soil and compost. Do I need to condition the bales if I'm not actually trying to grow in them? Thank you for your help!
Since seeing your miracle grow vs urine that MG won, I'm wondering for straw decomp if urine would still work for straw in some way that gives an advantage over urea + water. Could it allow using less or a cheaper fertilizer for the eventual crop yields?
@@TheMillennialGardener thnx ima new sub....also if I use say 3inch layer of chic manure to start with would the bales be right to go say in a month..thnx again.
Is it possible to simply leave hay bales out over winter ( I live in northern Idaho and we get a TON of snow) and have them be ready by next spring for planting?
Seems like it took 3 weeks for me to see a mushroom in my straw bales. Was worried they had been treated with something until yesterday. I never stick a thermometer in them and grow prolific cucumbers in them though every year. Hopefully they are clean of pesticides.
If you found this video helpful, please "Like" and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching 😊TIMESTAMPS for convenience:
0:00 Reasons To Grow Plants In Straw Bales
1:44 Step #1: Days 1-3 [Watering]
4:33 Step #2: Days 4-9 [Fertilizing]
6:42 Fertilizer Measurements & Application
9:47 Checking Straw Bale Temperatures
12:36 Step #3: Days 10-14 [Cooling Down]
15:34 Adventures With Dale
5☆ and more
Can you tell me the manufacturer of the ground cover you use. I have been unable to locate it from your instructions. Thanks
I’ve been using straw bales for years between the roadway and sidewalk out front of my house (best sun). I post in local groups just before Halloween each year to try to solicit free fall decorations including pumpkins, squashes, fodder shocks and bales of straw. The straw bales are awesome scores when I get them. I align them in the same orientation as shown but disperse organic fertilizers and limestone pellets into them randomly in the fall through winter. The rain works these components into the bales so by the spring the bales are fully conditioned. Even easier than intentional watering!
That's so smart and resourceful ! Thank you for these tips !
You are such a good teacher.
Thank you! I appreciate it very much.
I love the thumbnail for this video. Dale is definitely supervising!
This is the best video I've seen. Well done ! Thank you for the information.
Good teacher....thuumbs up
Very interesting. Thank you.
You're welcome!
Love this! More more more! Would really like to see you experiment with a couple bales of Hay. Like you always say we should always test for ourselves. I’m sure your subscribers would like to know as well
Hay works great as well. It’s hard to get straw in SE TX. I used hay two years, this year I did find some straw. Will see which is better.
I don't use hay. Hay is full of seeds, more expensive and more likely to be treated with herbicides. Straw is better in all cases in my opinion. That being said, if you have a safe source of inexpensive hay that you know isn't treated, you can use that, sure.
@@tammyohlsson7966 as long as you're sure the hay isn't treated with herbicides, it should work just as well.
Use wheat straw vs oat straw. Less viable seeds in it
I have a question on straw bale gardening that I didn't see on his video. How long do straw bales last? They break down I assume. I have a small garden and "had" make shift raised beds that seemed to me take a lot of my space. I pulled those down last year and now I have a flat garden pretty much. I am retired and unfortunately getting harder to bend and kneel. The bales seem to be ideal to have it raised. One guy in this channel said he put the bales in boxes as it last longer and the straw isn't everywhere when the wind blows, good idea. I will join Anthony when I get back from my long vacation out of state. I enjoy listening to his wisdom and knowledge.
I'm so interested in your progress. Much of your advice on this method differs from that of Joel Karsten. I went organic with my conditioning. It definitely took longer!
I don't see the point in seasoning straw bales organically. Straw is rarely organic to begin with, and "organic" is defined as what you do after you plant the plant. "Organic" in backyard gardening means very little to me. At grocery stores, "organic" is a powerful word, because it means you can avoid all sorts of potentially harmful pesticides, but what does it mean in a backyard garden? If you grow two plants and the only difference is one plant gets a feeding of MiracleGro twice a month, is there any difference in the fruit? Almost certainly not, so I don't worry about USDA guidelines growing in my yard. 100% of everything I grow is better than the finest organic produce in a grocery store.
can I just apply urine to the straw bales? 😁
You're going to need an entire football team to produce enough nitrogen 😀
your videos are unbelieveably instructive and well-researched.
Do you have any thoughts on using fresh chicken manure instead of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer to condition the bales? The manure is obviously going to be less predictable as far as NPK goes, but it's usually fairly high in nitrogen so my gut feeling is that it would still be capable of kicking off the hot composting process. Obviously there is some concern with pathogens that would need to be neutralized, but as long as the hot composting process actually happens I don't see that being a big problem. It might take a bit longer to cycle, but I think the end result would be just as good, if not even a little better since the composted manure might provide a little more soil for seedlings to get established in while the bales are still breaking down.
What do you think?
I can't seem to find in any of your videos - what do you have on the ground? I noticed that the same black material is in between raised beds and now you are soaking bale on top of it too. I'm guessing it's permeable. Can you please tell what material it is? Thank you from California!
I maybe doing this year for potatoes.
I'm 76 can you make a hole in the straw put potting soil in and plant
Wow, I love your videos. I tried this before and it didn't work very well. i did treat them, but the details you provide I think will be very helpful and with more success. I am going to try this again.
And i must say this is my favorite gardening channel... and i watch a lot of them.
Thank you so much.
BTW if you happen to see this or anyone else who knows, is there a link to where you buy your strawberry bare root plants. I think I saw it on one of the videos, but can't seem to find it now.
Thanks a million for all your hard work!🥰
could you just use....pee instead of the urea fertilizer?
No. You need to use real fertilizer.
Instead of adding half a cup of urea and watering it in, couldnt one just pee on the bales, or pee in a bucket, add water, and pour?
You just have to watch the amount of salt. It starts to build up. But it is a thing.
Just piss on your bales lol
You should pee on them
Are these wheat straw, pine straw, or what? Any specifics, links, and tips are very helpful please? Best places to find etc..
I got some long needle pine straw bales delivered and they are sad and tiny.
His are wheat.
I want to use one of those big round bales to plant sweet potatoes .How much would I use on those?
Good idea. Did it work?
You are just a wealth of knowledge. I love your channel!
I appreciate that! Thanks so much!
Could I use hay? It's cheaper and easier to acquire.
Yes, if you're sure it isn't treated with herbicides. Hay is much more likely to contain herbicide, so ensure you ask the seller if it's treated before purchase.
where did you buy your straw Lowes don't know if there is any chemicals on their straw
This is fascinating. I’m definitely going to try this out next season. It’s sooo hot a humid here in south Louisiana it’s really hard to keep the pests and diseases off my plants. I just have to find out where I can buy some good straw bales.
Last year I used hay. Enormous success. This year I'm using straw. So far, 3 weeks in, they WILL NOT condition. I havve switched to higher nitrogen .... nothing! I HATE straw!!! Any suggestions???
Such a great video. All of your videos are wonderful. I have learned so much. I also laugh during your Dale segments. Keep it going, we are watching. Off to get my hay bales.
Thanks for your support. I'm glad you enjoy the videos!
Their is a shortage of hay bales around here.
Can I condition the bales in the fall; cover them over the winter and then plant in spring?
Now I’m at a dilemma point, gardening with straw bales or continue with my in ground garden preparation! I can make arguments for both methods. It’s the middle of summer here in zone 9 and still in the 110-115 degrees daily. I will put up my shade cloth in the coming days and still consider which way to go. Thank goodness you have given terrific instructions and advice for both ways to garden. Thank you again, Dennis
This is also a great way to fill new planters if you dont want to spring for raised bed soil the first year.
QUESTION:
I'm confused about the orientation of the bales.
Aren't most bales straw running up and down when in the flat position?
You have them upright.
The bales I just bought are difficult to tell. It seems flat is the proper position.
Wish I could post pics of them.
** Update - I was able to email pics. **
As usual perfectly explained, can not wait for the planting out! Regards from Sydney Australia!
I love Sydney! I went there 4 years ago. As a guy that doesn't really care for cities much, I *loved* Sydney! It may be the nicest, cleanest city I've ever seen. Just awesome.
Hey there. I watered the nitrogen into the straw bale and soked it too much. I've been through day 4-9 and would be in day 10-12. Should I put 3 more days with nitrogen and do not soak it so much in as until now? Or leave it like it is? Tomorrow arrives my thermometer but as I layed my hand on the bales it definitely felt only lukewarm. I hope I can save something in this stage.
I got one of the XLwhite bag with a round bale in it. How could I decompose the bale in the container. If I mulch the hay, I will have seeds everywhere. I enjoy your topics.
I'm on my 7th year of successful straw bale gardening. One thing i kind of disagree with is the orientation of your bales. If you inspect the bales you will see three sides that are similar (cross-hatched shafts) and one side that looks like a bunch of small-diameter soda straws standing vertically. THAT is the side you want pointing up. It gives a better track for the fertilizer to get deep into the bale. It appears from the video that your bales were 180-degrees out from this orientation.
My straw bales have been placed and ready to go here in Western NY for about a month now (today is April 18). We. have had lots of rain for days and they seem to be pretty saturated--too heavy to move. Should I start right in with the Urea or try to add more water? First time bale planting for me--thanks for your help!
I followed this and my straw bales are not heating up... should I keep applying?
This is a fantastic video. Thanks. Quick question- Can I use Hay bale in lieu of Straw-bale?
I’m starting your process today! Got my bales yesterday and today is day 1 of watering. Really hoping this works so I can get my seed potatoes in by the end of April. Thanks for the helpful steps and links.
Curious on the results of the potatoes.
Ammonium sulfate adds sulfur a necessary micro-nutrient. Growing in straw i'd be worried about nutrient deficiencies.
Very informative like all your videos, keep them coming.
Thank you!
I completed the Urea 40-0-0 treatments and inserted a thermometer but the bales on not heating up. What's going on?
What if it were to rain a lot during one or two the days of applying the nitrogen. Will it all wash away? Should I cover the bales after applying the nitrogen/water?
We have rocks. Lol. We are putting old hay bails in the garden area
how do you stabalize the bales - I have a slightly sloped area, and I plan to lay the bales across the slope. What do you suggest for anchoring
Serious question, can you substitute urine for the fertilizer instead of urea? Work is kinda slow for me at the moment.
If I have bales that have been seasoned naturally for 6-8 months will I need nitrogen fert. to speed them up still?
I know this may gross some of you out, but use your own urine diluted with water - its natural nitrogen and FREE!
My urea came in 3 days late. Will this mess up the conditioning process??
Will adding urea also speed up the composting process in the composter? Just curious
I started out using blood meal, can I go ahead and switch over to urea? I started about a week ago. Thank you.
I've been waiting for this video. Very interesting. Thank you so much. Can't wait until the next. Dale's rubber duckies😅 he's so cute
You're welcome! I hope the temperatures agree with us. We have frost coming Sunday and Monday nights, so I can't do much just yet...which is fine, since my tomato transplants are 3 weeks behind, anyway. I may not get anything planted til April 7 at this rate.
@The Millennial Gardener False Spring gets us all every time in Southern regions. Costal is very tricky due to wind and moisture. None the less I have all my spring/ summer starts ready. Preparing all my raised beds & pots. Your straw bale system I'm interested in growing my 1st corn crop. BTW, I'm waiting for the follow-up on banana plants. I wintered mine per your demo.
I tried this. They last a season. The soil lasts forever. Then you have to replace and dispose of the bales. Bales cost $7, that’s what I paid, close to a bag of Black Cow. To me, this is a one bale patio project. Good luck. You can use milorganite also.
Straw bales are comparable to a container garden. Potting mix only lasts about 3-4 seasons, and since it's about 3-5x more expensive at current prices, it's a wash. The straw can be repurposed as mulch everywhere in your yard, so it's incredible at being reused, which halves the cost since you get to double its use as a mulch. Old, rotten potting mix, not so much. Black Kow is not potting soil. It is compost, and at $6 a bag, you'd need 3-4 bags to equal the size of a straw bale, so your actual cost would be $18-24, way more expensive than a straw bale. Compost is not fungible as a container mix. Not all of us can grow in our soil. I cannot, because my native soil is not appropriate for growing and has root knot nematodes. I have to use either raised beds and containers for susceptible vegetables.
@@TheMillennialGardener I did repurpose my straw as a Ruth Stout bed for potatoes. I grew two plants per bale. The black cow is compost, yes, which means you can combine with other ingredients for a growing medium. Thanks. Keep up the good info.
Thank you for the thorough systematic explanations. I decided to try this with 4 straw bales. I followed your instructions to the letter. I used the UREA 46-0-0. after my conditioning had completed, only one bale got over 100 degrees, and that peaked at 104. the others were basically the same temp as air. So I decided to repeat the process, but left out the first 3 days of soaking. Now I have completed the rest of the process and the odor of composting straw bales is present but the temperatures have not gone up at all. the one bale that went to 104 is right around 100 degrees. I would appreciate any suggestions as to how to proceed. Our weather is very hot if that makes a difference. ( Located in NC in the north central area)
The bales are only going to heat up if they're fresh. If they've already undergone composting, they won't heat up. The bales I purchased were off-the-truck fresh, so it was clear they were brand new. However, it's possible the bales of straw you purchased weren't fresh and had already partially decomposed, leading to the lack of heat. If you followed the instructions and they didn't get very hot, they could be partially broken down. You could always place a trial seedling in the bale to make sure it grows first to be sure.
Days 10-14 seems like a great opportunity to use the heat to sprout seeds on top of the bales
Will this kill all the seed heads in the bale or will the grass seeds on the exterior of the bale still germinate?
Can i simply set them up before a good rain storm?
Can you use chicken poo to condition the straw bale?
With the bales, you also have to watch they don’t “self combust”from the heat, particularly if you live in a hot area. If that’s the case, definitely monitor the temperature of the bales and keep them wet. 😊
What is the combustion temperature? I live in the SE.
Can you use concentrated nettle tea instead of urea? I want to stay totally organic
please video in order so we can go not the next step " planting in straw bales"
I never wasted more money and time than trying the straw bale method. I have been successfully gardening for over 40 years. At least the compost created by using all that nitrogen and straw created some awesome compost. Money is better spent on raised beds.
What was your reasoning behind starting a straw bale garden, and what was your method of conditioning and planting? It's not helpful if you don't describe the situation and research why it failed. If the process failed, it's because something was done incorrectly. The method is sound, so there had to have been mistakes made, and analyzing them is how we get better doing this.
Very interesting
It's so cool!
It is day 11 in conditioning our 10 straw bales in southern Wisconsin. Temps have been Lows 40's to Highs mostly 60's w/ 1 high 70's day. We]ve had over 7 inches of rain since the fertilizing started. Bales show no sign of heating up? Any suggestions on how to proceed?
You shouldn't try and condition bales during torrential rain. Urea is water soluble, so all that urea you're applying is being washed away. If you have no choice, you'd probably need to cover them with tarps to prevent washout. The urea has to sit there and work, so if you're doing it during rainy periods, it's all being flushed out and not working like it should.
What do you use for agricultural fabric?
I love Dale! 🐶
He's the best 😄
My bales aren’t heating can they be to wet they have been out all winter?
Works great in east-coast gardens, I'm sure. Not so much in the west coast. If you have dry summers, don't bother. They just don't hold enough water (I tried!)
That's why I have them under the hoops. It will be converted into a shade tunnel. Drip irrigation + shade cloth is how West Coast gardeners should be gardening in the dead of summer.
I’ve always had success with either drip irrigation or a soaker hose. I’ve used both on a timer
I'm on day 3 temp is only 64 degrees?
I really need to give staw bale gardening a try. Craig LeHoullier is a big fan of it for tomatoes.
The soil can be a challenge here in North Carolina. Pests, disease and root knot nematodes are a serious problem. Growing soilless removes some of these problems.
I think I'm going to try this method with just 4 bales. I only have a 16x10 space to garden.
I have urea for tie dying, is it the same?
It may be. One of the bags I have linked in the video description says has tie-dye as a use. Check and make sure it is 46-0-0 for gardening on the package.
Thank you. I WILL make sure.
Why cant you dilute pee and use that urea???
Hi... I am looking forward to you finally planting. Question for you. What are the dimensions of the bales? And where did you buy them?
Straw bales may come in different sizes. The most common size is 36"L x 18"W, which is what mine are. Big box stores rarely carry straw bales. Feed stores often do. Where I live, we have two feed stores: Farmer's Supply in town and Hudson Hardware in the next town over. If you search for places that sell bulk chicken and cattle feed, they often sell straw. Craigslist is a good tool, too.
We've had more rain over the weekend and had we only covered the bales we'd have those plants in the bales by now but ...now the question is what about the age of the straw to begin with? Fresh straw bales are not available at this time of year in WIsconsin. So, are we to start the urea process over again but cover in heavy rain or just plant the waiting plants? plants
we've gone through 2 conditioning cycles and no heat we've decided to get the plants in and hope for the best?🤨
I’m bummed! I’m on day 10 and my bales have failed to heat up? Idk what I did wrong? Can someone help me please..
Describe the process you used to condition them...was it exactly like the video? There are several variables that could impact the internal temps while breaking down.
Last year I had super high hopes, dedicated half my garden area to bay bale gardening… followed the instructions carefully, only to watch an epic fail because the source of the hay bales lied to me- they were not organic, but treated with chemicals that prevented growth… not doing this again
These are straw bales, which are much less likely to be treated than hay. Hay is often sprayed. You can test bales by planting legume plants in them. A pea or string bean plant will immediately tell you if they've been treated, because they're highly susceptible to herbicides. If you plant a test seedling and the leaves develop properly, they are good to go.
I've been looking forward to this for a few days. Still have a bit of time to go before I'm out of the below freezing Temps. But it'll get me ahead with getting the straw bales and urea. Thanks for the info
It certainly doesn't hurt to get started early. It's a fun little project and it'll get you looking forward to spring. I need little projects like this for my mental health to get me through winter. It makes me happy 🌞
what happens if it rains a lot on one or more days during the Fertilizer period?
You can wash the bales out. If you are going to have a day of heavy rain, skip that day, because you'll just waste the fertilizer.
Got 20 bales and I have a few still over 100. But I did start some seeds so the transplants will work. I know it’s late but I am only doing 60 days veggies just to see how this goes. (First frost nov 1st typically). If the weather freezes me out before any harvest I would be ok with that. I just wanted to see how this works. We are getting older and I thought this would be a better way for us than expensive raised beds and always having to add more compost. I appreciate your educating style. (Also got figs because of you!). Expect to see some questions!
So just to clarify .. I can go ahead and condition my bails now even though I won't be putting my transplants in until around March 15th (I'm in NE Florida - zone 9b). Right? Thanks for a great channel that I just discovered today! I especially really appreciate all the explanations of the chemicals/fertilizers, organic vs. non-organic, etc.
Hello, I would like to buy a couple cuttings from you to graft onto my tree at home. Hachiya or non astringent Fuyu, preferably. Is that possible?
I don't sell persimmon cuttings. Also, I don't have either of those varieties. I only have Giombo and Ichi-Ki-Kei Jiro. Fruitwood Nursery has Hachiya in stock: fruitwoodnursery.com/fruit-tree-scion-and-cuttings-wood/persimmon-scionwood-diospyros-kaki
Awesome video
Thank you!
We have several bales that have not reached the 100+ temp. The ones that have are producing fungus (mushrooms)
The ones that haven't reached temp has not, will this affect plant growth?
LOVE 🥰🥰🥰😍😍😍😍 the thumbnail pic...so freaking cute...frame it!!!
Dale is such a sweetheart. I never thought I could love someone so much.
@@TheMillennialGardener it is very interesting how dogs choose us and not the other way around...and they give us so so much all without expecting much...i can not understand how some people can be so freaking cruel to animals...blessings to you and Dale..
Interesting but I’m not sure why would you use this method. The quantity of fertiliser used seems enormous.
It cost me well under $30 to season all the straw bales, and there are 13 of them. Each bale only requires 1 pound of urea. A 5lb bag is only about $15, and it gets cheaper and cheaper as you buy in bulk, so even at the worst prices, each bale costs $3 each to season. At $6-7/bale, that means a fully seasoned bale is $9-10 each. That is dirt cheap compared to a container of comparable size and potting mix. A 15 gallon container and enough potting mix to fill it will cost you easily $20, and with the straw bales, I can use it as mulch at the end of the season. Each straw bale also can grow 2 indeterminate plants, so it's actually 2 containers in one, further reducing the price. For anyone that wants a container garden, it is an extremely affordable and versatile option.
Love your videos!! We are at the VA/NC border by Moyock and I have learned soo much from you! Thank you! In regards to the straw, will it matter if it is placed on pallets and not directly on the ground? We get a lot of flooding here and I can easily see the straw sitting in quite a few inches of water.
I am on day 6 of conditioning my bales and it doesn't seem to be working. They are not heating up at all. I bought the "Naturally Derived Urea" from your link and the contents did not smell like ammonia until today I can detect a slight odor (maybe from moisture in the air getting in there?). I am wondering if this brand of urea is weak and I need to add more of it. Any ideas? BTW, I am keeping them moist.
My tractor supply has bay bales not sure if it’s the same? Where can I buy straw bales?
Hay and straw are very different. Hay is a grass. It is typically full of seed. Straw is the base of a grain crop. Wheat straw is, specifically, the base of wheat. Since straw is a byproduct, you're getting the bottoms of the plants after the seeds were harvested, so wheat straw contains less seed and is less likely to contain herbicides. I get my straw from farm feed stores.
I'm using straw bales to fill 25" tall raised beds, which then will be topped with about 12" of soil and compost. Do I need to condition the bales if I'm not actually trying to grow in them? Thank you for your help!
What about duck manure?
There's no save button!!! AAAaaaaaaa!
Since seeing your miracle grow vs urine that MG won, I'm wondering for straw decomp if urine would still work for straw in some way that gives an advantage over urea + water. Could it allow using less or a cheaper fertilizer for the eventual crop yields?
Does this actually work for Any VEGGIES?...😏🇦🇺🇦🇺
Pretty much any annual that lives for less than a year.
@@TheMillennialGardener thnx ima new sub....also if I use say 3inch layer of chic manure to start with would the bales be right to go say in a month..thnx again.
Have you planted in the straw bales you conditioned? I've been waiting for your video as I'm now on Day 10.
Is it possible to simply leave hay bales out over winter ( I live in northern Idaho and we get a TON of snow) and have them be ready by next spring for planting?
If planting potatoes using Ruth Stout method, should the straw be fresh bales, or would conditioning like this first be a good idea?
Seems like it took 3 weeks for me to see a mushroom in my straw bales. Was worried they had been treated with something until yesterday. I never stick a thermometer in them and grow prolific cucumbers in them though every year. Hopefully they are clean of pesticides.
Would it hurt anything to cover sides with 2×6's
No, but if you're going to spend all that money on lumber, you may as well just build raised beds.