Bale gardens are a simple but not exactly pretty way of having a vegetable garden. There are several advantages to using bale. First of all, they are made to keep moisture in and are perfect as a "container" to keep the vegetables. Second, you can set up your bale garden right in your driveway, if need be. Your considerations should be ample sunlight and access to water. Third, ground-dwelling insects become less of a problem as bales are typically around two feet high, as reported by the Modern Farmer.
The disadvantages of bale are, first, its vulnerability to weeds. They are, however, easy to pull out. Second, taller plants may be too heavy for the bale and it may topple over. Third, again, bale gardens are less than pretty but do the job very, very well.
Anyway, producing a bale garden first requires a conditioning of the bale of an average of eleven days. Keep them thoroughly wet by watering liberally for three days. It should become heavy and the center should begin to become warm. For the next three days, put one each bale one cup ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) or something that has a high nitrogen component. Half cup urea (46-0-0) can also be used. Water the fertilizer after to speed up decomposition.
On the next three days, half the amount of fertilizer should be used on each bale. Do not overwater or risk runoff. On day 10, keep bales moist and stop fertilizer. On day 11, when bales cool down to around 99 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, keep bales moist by watering.
"Pockets" or holes around 3 to 4 inches deep are made by removing loosening straw. Growing medium is then inserted. Watering is a major consideration as it will run much quicker through the straw, The Bulletin reported. Consider a drip method using a 2-liter soda bottle or gallon milk container. Punch drip holes in them an leave an inch above target plant.
Monitor nutrient supply as bale gardening is prone to nitrogen deficiency. If the oldest leaves in your garden begin to yellow, nitrogen is needed. Purpling, on the other hand, signifies a phosphorous deficiency. Brown edges on leaves mean potassium deficiency.
