Strawbale Gardening for Everyone.
Over the years I have instructed a variety of people, all with different needs and circumstances on strawbale gardening. Very seldom have I said, “no strawbale gardening is not for you”. For those of you who do not know what strawbale gardening is, here is a quick explainer. Not everyone has soil. This method doesn't require soil. So, it follows that you can have a strawbale garden on almost any surface. Concrete, grass, on your patio or in the backyard. You plant or sow seeds straight into the bales. It is not quite as simple as that, but it is perfectly doable. I will explain the basics later in this blog.
Here is the good bit. Due to the height of the bales, it is very much suited to people with mobility issues. And further, you can site the strawbales on concrete. Making access by wheelchairs very easy.
Indeed, it was due to the versatility of the method that I became interested in growing vegetables in straw. Some twenty years ago, we moved house. The new place had a very big garden with lots of grass. I have never been a lover of lawns, so I decided to grow vegetables in a big way. My wife was also keen to help. She had been involved in a car accident when she was young and injured her back. The specialist told her that in his opinion it would be a great problem in older age. He was unfortunately correct. So, I cast around and found this method from America. I have been experimenting and adapting it ever since.
As I said strawbales are really a perfect height for wheelchair users and bending is minimised. I have a number of strawbale systems that are ideal for wheelchair users. These systems have all-round access. I would suggest the following vegetables. Bush tomatoes, lettuce, onions, beetroot, peas, cabbages, and courgette. It is really just a form of container gardening, but I dislike plastic tubs. A strawbale garden looks great.
Strawbale System Ideal For Wheelchair Users.
Moving on to schools. You really could not have a better way for children to learn to grow things. Some schools have great vegetable gardens. For those schools who just have grass or concrete, a strawbale garden would be great. You do not need any sharp tools, so health and safety are not too much of a problem. Getting the bales ready to plant in and then obviously caring for the crops is a wonderful classroom project. I have instructed teachers and in no time the class has a beautiful vegetable garden bursting with crops. I would recommend the following vegetables for a school strawbale system.
Runner Beans can grow up the canes and other vegetables can be grown around on the surface such as beetroot and radishes. Potatoes, tomatoes, marrows, and onions.
Pumpkin Jack O Lantern
Here is a good piece of advice for schools. When the bales become” tired”, take the baling twine off. (When the strawbales are harvested, they are secured by two lengths of strong twine running horizontally around the strawbale). The bales will come apart in slices, like a gardener's shredded wheat. Lay the slices on the ground and water well. Use good quality compost and make mounds about three feet apart.
Soak some pumpkin seeds overnight to accelerate germination. Plant two seeds in the mounds and water well. Choose the stronger looking of the two when germinated. I use the Jack O Lantern variety. Hey presto, the class has pumpkins for Halloween. Please, when carving out the flesh, use it, do not send it to landfill!
For a class of say thirty children, I would recommend one bale per four children. This advice is obviously good for all types of groups. For example, I had a Facebook group member that had, because of mobility and health problems, moved from his house to a warden-controlled site. He loved his garden, but the apartment he moved into just had concrete paving. He started three strawbales off just outside his window. Now he has a lovely vegetable patch.
Here is a list of the items you will need for a strawbale garden. Strawbales, a good quality organic compost, organic lawn feed, supply of water, hosepipe if possible, watering can, large dibber, twine, scissors.
The most important part of strawbale gardening is the prepping of the bales. I call it the maturing process. This is where we get the strawbales composting, creating a good environment to plant and or sow in. To achieve this, we use water and a nitrogen-rich medium, such as lawn feed. I have developed a maturing schedule that lasts around seventeen days. I use water and lawn feed in varying quantities over the seventeen-day period. At the end of this period the bales are good to grow.
Make sure the lawn feed does NOT contain weed killer.
Strawbales love tomatoes. I use the small bush types. Start them off inside, then plant in the bales when they are large enough, and all danger of frost has passed. In the picture below there should have been at least another five plants used.
Bush Tomatoes In Strawbales.
When planting and or sowing, use all of the strawbale, right up to the edge. Think space.
You can grow most types of vegetables in strawbales. My advice has always been when you buy seeds and or plug plants, buy the best quality you can afford. Strawbales should cost around £3.50 to £4.00. Source these from farms, farm shops, pet stores and of course Google. If you intend to transport the bales in your car, put a sheet of plastic down. They malt.
I hope this has been of interest to you, and it encourages you to try strawbale gardening. I would appreciate you sharing this with other interested parties. I have written an e-book that tells you everything you need to know. Please use the link below. If you would like more information for schools and groups please use the get in touch link or my email address below.
Good gardening.
Simon CP Gibbins.
