This is an image sent to me by someone who purchased my first guide booklet, “A guide to growing a straw bale garden” and made a decision to turn her entire front yard into a garden. No experience at all as a gardener, she became the talk of the entire neighborhood. Her children learned so much, as did she, and her neighbors about the whole process. Success if measured in so many different ways, but the owner of this garden “Sarah” was truly successful. Don’t let the “standard” conventions about vegetable gardening force you into a small corner of your property, rather, go where the sun is. If you make it beautiful and keep it watered and tended, you will inspire others to try it or possibly to try something unconventional in some other area of there life. Imagine what the neighbors tell friends and family who stop by and question the sanity of the neighbor. “Well we all thought she was crazy, it looked like she was going to bring livestock into her yard. As it turns out however, she grew a garden in the bales that was not only beautiful, but produced a bountiful harvest of flowers and vegetables.”
Your front yard garden looks very attractive!
I absolutely love it!! 😉
I really loved this idea and I am trying it this year. I’m having a few issues and need your input, please.
1. Even though I conditioned the bales as directed, and applied water with a soaker hose, they have never felt “hot”.
2. I purchased wheat straw bales and did not expect them to sprout. However, they look like chia pets. Is that unusual? What should I do?
3. I am having issues with slugs eating my strawberried and marigolds, which I did not expect would happen on the straw bales.
If you can shed some light on these issues, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!