Modified Straw Bale Garden

Been experimenting with straw bale gardening. The instructions I read on the internet said to use whole, twine tied bales, but I didn't want to use that much straw. I was basically thinking this would be a good start for a mound garden. Instead  of digging, I could just put batts of straw straw on the ground and then cover it with compost. Later, I'll heap it with more mulch.

I put Jerusalem Artichokes in between and on top of  the batts in this little patch and then covered it with compost.

Thought I'd built a border on the north side of my mound garden.

I bought some asparagus and rhubarb seed last fall at the small farm conference. I planted them here. They are starting to come up. We'll see how it works. Both these crops are usually propagated by digging and separating roots of established plants.

So far, it's been difficult to keep them watered well enough, and I've had some problems with the seed washing off the tops of the mounds and into the pathway (below), but at this point, I'm pretty satisfied. I think in a year or two, these beds will be just like my other ones. 

I had some lettuce and radishes planted in this one, but I didn't get it watered enough and most of the lettuce died. I have some pepper plants in it now and I planted some more radishes and some beets in it today.

It's a whole lot less work than digging a ditch and mounding the soil. I've started a couple of other experimental gardens, but that's enough for one post!

God Bless You All!

~Grama Sue