Taking strawbale to a new level...

[Kiwi]

I'm going to try that too, when I move into my new place I won't have a vege garden. Jack, so as I understand, you get the bale put nitrogen rich fertilizer on it and water.... bit like a compost heap... but do you keep watering or just give it a good soak once and then it heats up and cools off.... but when you plant and water again will it start the heating up again??? can you give me a guestimate on the time a bale takes from go to woe before you can plant into it please.. I've got a couple of loose hay bales can I use them instead of straw??did all that drival make sense??

[Bonniegirl]

The only problem you may get with hay is that it will contain a lot of grass seeds, whereas straw won't........it'll cut down on any weeding you may have to do.

[Kiwi]

The only problem you may get with hay is that it will contain a lot of grass seeds, whereas straw won't........it'll cut down on any weeding you may have to do.

Thanks BonnieG..

Hey is that goat in your avatar on your sofa???? don't be telling me you are another one for keeping farm animals inside the house...lol...

[Bonniegirl]

LOL! That's Amber when she were a baby! And yes I ashamed to say, she's on the sofa!

She still gets the hump with me cos she can't come in any more! She's 2 years old in July and hopefully is expecting her on wee ones in August!

[Jack]

Gidday

Sorry Kiwi me old mate but I musta missed this one.

Give the bale a good soaking then just make sure it don't dry out, like just a bit of water to keep it moist as too much can lower the temperature.

I caint give a time frame as it depends on so many things like the amount of nitrogen, composition of the bale amd even the weather which has been crap down here all year.

Biggest trouble with hay is that it can have thousands of seeds so if there are too many and they don't all get cooked as some can withstand quite a bit of heat then it may take longer. You may need to get them rotten then let it dry out totally to kill the seedling grass.

And as for dribbling on, not many do more of that than me.

[Kiwi]

Hi Jack,
Thanks for that, I shall use straw bale I think and possibly not start it until the spring.