Q&A – Any advice on growing plants in straw?
Question:
We have four bales of wheat straw. We made holes in them and put ¼ cup of fertilizer and water in them every day. We do this for 10 or 15 days before we put a plant in. Can you give any advice on growing in straw?
Answer:
TSU Extension Agent Joellen Diamond says conditioning the wheat straw bales is very important. The reason for the conditioning is to get the straw to start decomposing. There are different schools of thought on exactly what to do, but it boils down to adding fertilizer – especially nitrogen – to encourage decomposition. Joellen recommends putting some potting soil or compost on top the bail before planting. This will provide some water holding for the seeds and young plants and will give the plants some more medium to start growing in before they send roots into the bail itself.
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We have four bales of wheat straw. We made holes in them and put ¼ cup of fertilizer and water in them every day. We do this for 10 or 15 days before we put a plant in. Can you give any advice on growing in straw?
Answer:
TSU Extension Agent Joellen Diamond says conditioning the wheat straw bales is very important. The reason for the conditioning is to get the straw to start decomposing. There are different schools of thought on exactly what to do, but it boils down to adding fertilizer – especially nitrogen – to encourage decomposition. Joellen recommends putting some potting soil or compost on top the bail before planting. This will provide some water holding for the seeds and young plants and will give the plants some more medium to start growing in before they send roots into the bail itself.
Related Videos:
Straw Bale Gardening
Are there different kinds of straw
Related Resources
Straw Bale Gardening
Straw Bale Gardening Fact Sheet
February 13, 2021