Growing tomatoes in hay bales

14 years ago

Well, I reaped the generosity of a local hay farmer and brought home about 25 bales of spoiled hay yesterday and have had fun exploring the ways I can use it. In the past I've just used Ruth Stout's method of deep mulching, but that ain't the only way to skin a cat! [Watch the clip of her describing how she gardens with very little work at at least age 90 -- she was one amazing lady! And I loved her brother Rex Stout's mysteries back in the day...]

But on to something else... For those of you who have grown tomatoes in hay bales, I'm wondering about something. Several somethings, as a matter of fact...

Should you run your irrigation lines under or on top of the hay bales? If there's no water-splash onto the tomato plants, will diseases already in the soil beneath the hay infect your plants again, or will a deep hay mulch be a barrier that keeps them healthy?

No matter what I decide to do with these hay bales, it will be wonderful to not have to weed around my garden vegetables for a couple of years! Or at least not much!

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Comments (9)

helenh
14 years ago
I am jealous, but have nothing to offer.
catwhisperer2009
14 years ago
Watching that video inspired me to pick up a couple of Ruth's books at the library. I'd recommend anyone to watch the above video clip.
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I copied this from an article in a small rural newspaper while travelling. Not all new gardeners can count on cultivated soil for their plants. Some may be burdened by limited space or rocky ground. As a result, whether a new gardener or a veggie veteran, bale gardening may be the way to go. Growing vegetables in bales really works because bales provide the two things seeds need to grow. "For seeds to germinate, all you need is heat and moisture," said John Sims of the Farmer's Cooperative. In 2005, The Post published an article on bale gardening, and it has been one of the most frequently read articles at The Post Online. Tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, green beans, melons and a host of other plants grow well in bales. The Farmer's Cooperative, Southern States, and Danny's Builder Supply in Centre all carry wheat straw bales. To plant a hay bale garden, first, around 10 days before planting seeds, place the bales in a sunny location. Soak them with water for three days. On the fourth day, apply 5 oz. of fertilizer, followed by a couple more days of watering. On the seventh day, apply 2.5 oz more fertilizer, followed by a couple more days of watering. On the 10th day, apply a cup fertilizer and lightly water into the hay bale. On the 11th day, plant seeds by applying a three-inch layer of top soil or potting mix to serve as a bed. Each bale can hold two tomato plants, four pepper plants, six to eight cucumbers, three yellow squash or 12-15 bean seeds. Bales can typically be used for two or three seasons.
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Ms. Nichols used 3" of compost on top the bales, Alice. Then she said, "Is fertilizing necessary? I think some supplemental fertilizing promotes healthy plant development. I will alternate with applications of liquid seaweed, fish emulsion and compost tea. I've not found research that documents a natural approach so I'm relying on what I consider good gardening practices. It is also one that won't overload the plants with nitrogen." (my italics) She also said, "There will be a further update in March." And even tho' the copyright is 2004, there's no update (altho' the 2004 article is mentioned on their oh8 homepage). I think using adequate fertilizer is critical with all this carbonaceous straw. Otherwise, it seems likely that nitrogen won't be available to the plants. I suspect that Ms. Nichols had some problems in this regard. Ammonium nitrate is just a simple nitrogen source. I haven't noticed it at the garden center since the Oklahoma City bombing. Urea is close to being the same, only a higher N. If you wanted to substitute 3% N, composted chicken manure for 33% N, ammonium nitrate & the 10-10-10 (or 13-13-13) - you'd need about 2 gallons for every bale to go organic, it seems to me. Surely, it would be possible to add all at once. It may be best to wait to the 11th day to apply the soil for planting. Ya know, years ago I read in Organic Gardening about a project to grow vegetables (I remember sweet potatoes, specifically) in South Africa without irrigation. A 3-foot deep trench was dug and filled with green grass. The top soil was mounded over the grass and planted. I can't help but think that a soaked bale of straw is going to keep water available for the plants for an awfully long time. digitS'
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I have used a hay bale that I spread around in my garden as an inexpensive mulch. It worked great until the seeds that were in the hay started to grow. I'm sure it would smother grass, but you will also end up with a lot of other things growing there you may not want. I have heard that potatoes will grow well when you layer the hay over the plants, but those should have been planted in mid-March for north Texas and earlier further south. Like I said, I did use it in my veggie garden as mulch, but expect to pull a few weeds. It kept the soil moist and roots cool.
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I don't mind unwanted sprouts, they're just more fodder for the compost (or "mulch" layer if pulled & left to shrivel in place.) Over the years, I've pulled more tree sprouts than anything else. I'd much rather have my effort of bending down to pull anything go toward pulling something more substantial than a baby tuft of grass. I check often, and nothing is hard to pull if done ASAP. Living in a town known only for its' annual rattlesnake rodeo, it would be huge a mistake to create a rodent habitat, which would soon be sought by hungry rattlers. I've seen no indication that keeping a moderate mulch layer over beds does that, but a compost pile is another matter. Rats (and ant colonies) love those. I won't make another compost pile, and putting OM in its' final resting place the first time one moves it is so much easier. Sometimes I have an abundance of moist kitchen scraps, which I put in a bucket and turn it upside-down somewhere for a couple weeks, until the contents are too far gone to provide anything but the decomposition "crew" with a meal. Probably wouldn't work with raccoons around. They are in the general area, but don't seem to come "in town" here. Another option could be to dig a little hole & bury stuff like that between plants. One could add water & wait for it to turn to compost soup (if there's a remote spot where the odor wouldn't be a problem.) The same methods and materials won't work the same in every location, because of varying wildlife issues, climates, neighborhood aesthetics, personal preferences, property size, so many variables. The key, I think, is finding a way to use the OM one has available, in a way that doesn't create more problems than benefits for their particular location/situation. Reading others' anecdotes has helped me tremendously, over the years, to tweak what I'm doing & eliminate the unpleasant, augment the positives, and spend the least amount of effort doing it.
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anney
Original Author
14 years ago
catwhisperer2009

Actually the interview is in three segments and I linked only the first one. The other two can be accessed by running your cursor over the thumbnails just under the clip when it's finished.

I had totally forgotten, but apparently she was such a free spirit she gardened in the nude, as she recounts in the third clip. Additionally, she says she helped Carrie Nation chop up saloons with axes. She was also fiercely independent and did not believe that anyone had a right to tell others what to do about anything, herself about gardening included. Well, maybe with the exception of chopping up saloons... She just wrote and talked about what she did herself.
nandina
14 years ago
Anney, have you done a search for "growing tomatoes in hay bales"? Should take you the better part of a day to read all the sites including some very interesting ones posted here on GW over the years. Lots of helpful ideas.
anney
Original Author
14 years ago
Nandina

Yes, I did quite a bit of reading on the internet and was SURE I'd seen a couple of posts from an Aussie tomato grower-gardener here on GW. But since the computer system mess-up, there are only 8-9 results in the Growing Tomatoes forum for this topic.

You kind of like to have access to somebody who's done it if they'll answer your questions!
spiced_ham
14 years ago
The hay has to be wet for the roots to grow into it so I would put the irrigation on top. The roots do penetrate the soil under the bales and I have had plants in bales affected by Fusarium wilt, so I suspect that nematodes would also affect roots as well, but splash-up foliage diseases will be reduced the same as they would be with any mulch.
pastor_steve
14 years ago
The clip itself was worth the price of admission! Thanks so much...
tomatomanbilly
14 years ago
Anney,
I've never done it, but I believe I would just drill a couple of 1/8" holes in the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket, set it on the hay bale and fill it with the water hose. You will get all the benefit of the water and have it done in a matter of minutes. Wish I had your hay.
Best of luck, Bill....
anney
Original Author
14 years ago
Yes, I was thinking that watering through the top of the hay bales might be best, too. I may just lay my drip hoses along the top of them. I don't think fusarium wilt and nematodes are problems in this area, though the funguses are. I can treat the soil with Sluggo before I spread the hay out, after the soil warms, to kill any slugs that think they're welcome.

PS

Wasn't Ruth Stout a character! You can't help but enjoy her speaking of her gardening method.

Growing tomatoes in hay bales

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Growing tomatoes in hay bales

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helenh

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