One of several marrows from my four bale strawbale garden.
Hello. It is now the eigth of August. In early May I started prepping four strawbales. Using a nitrogen based feed, and water in varying quantities over a period of time. Then laying a good amount of quality compost over the strawbale.
Strawbales ready for planting and or sowing in.
Since then we have had perfect weather for this method of gardening. The strawbales were sighted on grass. You can have a strawbale garden on almost any surface. Concrete, grass, on a drive, backyard or balcony. I placed the strawbales in a square. One side for several varieties of tomatoes, one side for runner beans and marrows. We fed the tomatoes regularly with regular feed and seaweed tea. You do need to water very regularly with this method. We now have mounds of tomatoes and many lovely marrows. The runner beans are coming along nicely. The marrows will be stuffed, and some will be made into marrow chutney. Next time I will put in a couple of rows of peas. If I had just planted tomatoes, four bales would have produced enough tomatoes,
Tomatoes ripening in thestrawbale garden.
for two famillies and some to make passata. I will list my go to varieties at the bottom of this blog. These can be bought here. If there are any teachers or classroom assistants out there, the four bale system is ideal for a classroom project. I often get asked where to source the strawbales. Try local farms first obviously, then farm shops, pet stores and lastly Google. When the bales become ‘tired’ keep them seperate from the compost heap and use on the garden, it is first rate compost. Or, remove the bailing twine from around the outside and spread the bales out on grass, it should come apart in slices. Make some mounds with a small amount of compost and plant marrows, pumpkins and courgettes.
Strawbale Gardening is now very popular. When done properly it gives great results.
If you would like to know more then please visit my Strawbale Gardening page here. Before I sign off, I would just like to tell you about our new Vegetable Growing starter kit. Great for begginers. This makes a perfect gift.
Veetable and herb starter kit.
What is in the kit.
Over twenty two varieties of seeds. Including carrots, cabbage, marrows, cucumber, beans and lots more. Onion sets, seed potatoes. Five varieties of chillies including the carolina reaper, the worlds hottest chilli. Small plant pots, large black cell trays, microgreen sowing trays, organic soil, a scoville scale, pencil, seed markers and a note pad, ziplock bags to aid germination, my Strawbale Gardening e-book, a five pound voucher to spend in my online store, full laminated instructions and FREE access to our experts. The seeds will last well over a year, so this makes a fine Christmas gift.
Use the code STAR1 at the checkout and get £3.95 OFF. Please purchase here.
Varieties to use. Tomatoes. Gaedeners delight, Cindel, Black cherry, Knockout.
Marrow. Bush baby.
Runner Bean. White Emorgo, Lady Di, Enorms.
Please would you share my blog.
Thanks Simon.
