Thanks to everyone who came out to the work party this past Saturday! We set up 4 rows of straw bales in the grasslands area. In this first summer of the garden, we’re trying a straw bale garden – an easy technique that allows us to plant right into the straw bales without bringing in lots of soil and dirt. After this growing season, the bales will be composted enough that they turn into dirt.

The bales are set up in rows and were oriented east to west so that they get full sun all day. The straw bale technique requires an initial fertilize & water period of 10 days so that the bales start to ‘cook’ and become mini-compost piles. This makes the straw break down into soil and also creates a heat source within the bale to make the plant’s roots happy.

Here’s more info about the technique:

http://modernfarmer.com/2013/07/straw-bale-gardening/
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/garden/grasping-at-straw-a-foolproof-vegetable-plot.html?_r=0

And you can even buy a book about it:
http://strawbalegardens.com/

The bales should be ready to plant in about 2 weeks. I purchased them from the Sierra Feed and Saddlery in Reno – (775) 853-6700 – and they deliver if you get above a certain number of bales. Always make sure you get STRAW and not hay (which contains seeds).

What will we plant this year?

Of course, we’ll try the token tomato plant (or three). I’ve had great success in my garden with a small, cherry tomato plant called ‘Sun Gold’ as well as with a russian variety called ‘Silver Fir’ that does well in cooler climates. I planted these seeds back in March – and now they are close to a foot high and ready to be planted. We’re going to try a number of greens: swiss chard, lettuce, spinach – but this may have to wait until later in the summer since the spot is so sunny. (Greens do better when it’s cooler). We’ll also try pole and bush beans, squash, cucumbers, and calendula and other flowers to attract beneficial insects.

Do you have any ideas on what to plant? Leave a comment with some ideas or suggestions.

 

NOTE: A big thanks to our local nursery, The Villager, who generously gave us discounted supplies.