Re: [gardeners] Question about pressure treated wood
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 22 Feb 2001 14:39:55 -0600
Once upon a misspent youth we were given 1500 bales, the regular rectangular
kind, of spoiled hay. We mulched everything in sight and then stacked them 4
wide by 6 high all the way around our 50X90 garden with an opening on the south
side. We harvested tomatoes, peppers, and other veggies until spring. The
rotting hay warmed up the garden area to at least 15F above ambient. We had a
really cold winter that year in SE Texas too. We still laugh about our big "hot"
frame. The rotting hay went well into all the gardens that next summer too.
George
Francoise De Smet wrote:
>
> > I've seen pictures of straw bale gardens and they look cool.
>
> > I think I'll still give it a try for a bed or two
>
> Wendy, I don't know where you live, but straw bales are good for making a
> cold frame. If you have an old window or piece of glass or plastic,
> arrange your bales so that the opening is the size of your window. The
> bales on the north side should be a bit higher. Fill with soil and you
> have an instant cold frame to grow and harden your seedlings. Or put your
> pots in instead of soil. When you no longer need the cold frame, you can
> use the straw for mulch.
> But don't do what I did: I went to get the bales with my car and put them
> on the back seat... That was last year and I am still picking up straw.
> :)
> Fran.