Straw Bale Gardening

I don't think you will notice much warming until you stop watering. I know saturation is necessary and patience is more necessary. :confused:

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Day 16
After a gullywasher rain, I planted this afternoon. I spread about 2 inches of garden soil on top and then proceeded to plant everything. The bales are "softening" up and it was fairly easy to stick a trowel in. I've got tomatoes, jalapeños, hot peppers, okra, pole beans, yellow squash, cukes and carrots planted. I'm gonna get Paul to help me set stakes out for my climbing plants next weekend.

I believe your going in the right direction. The plants look healthy and strong. I understand these are straw bales but are they hay baled last year or older bales?
I would think hay baled a couple of years ago would break down faster. Just wondering.

I got them from a local nursery. I'm thinking they're just from last fall.

I'm going to continue to monitor your success and after your successful, I'm going to jump in and try a fall garden.:highfive

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All my seeds sprouted. Woo Hoo!

Very nice, keep posting I am enjoying watching!

:hesaidand the plants do look good and healthy.

Six weeks in. Plants are doing pretty well. I've had some yellowing of the lower leaves. I know this can happen from overwatering, but are there other causes as well? It has only been on the tomato, pepper and okra plants. The beans, cukes and squash don't have that problem. I have some baby peppers and tomatoes and all of have blooms.

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Well, I ended up losing all my tomato plants, pepper plants and okra. Don't really know what happened. I replanted, so that will certainly push back some harvesting. We did eat our first squash last night and I'll have some cukes ready in a couple days.