Single Stem Tomatoes

Livinonfaith,

I'm curious about your straw bale garden. I did eight bales last year and grew some swiss chard, onions, and tomatoes pretty well. I just did it for the fun of it without a lot of high expectations and I was surprised at how well it worked. Due to the nature of straw, it did require a lot of water and a lot of fertilizer. I was a little disappointed when the bales dissolved into straw dust late in the summer and ended the season as mulch in some raised beds. I was hoping for a two year life for the bales believing the straw may act like compost the second year and not require so much fertilizer, but it didn't happen. It was a fun experiment, but not something I would suggest as a real replacement for growing in the soil.

Ted