Last year I grew zucchini and tomatoes in composting straw bales through a method I read about in a book by Joel Karston, they turned out great and so I obviously wanted to see how a weed plant would do.
So far so good…
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How long does the hay bale need to sit out before it can sustain a grow? Is it a form of retting?
I spray em down with water and add high nitrogen fertilizer like urea every day for about 2 weeks, they heat up, cool down and then theyre ready. What is retting?
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Not important…so you grab a brand new square bale and start with the nitro soak for 2 weeks…then it’s ready for a germed seed.
Pretty cool. I honestly am attracted to the idea of just chucking a hay bale out there and growing a bush…i bet my hillbilly ass will try this eventually lol
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this is pretty unique method for cannabis. I’ve heard of Ruth Stouts method being used to grow weed but not this type of technique, Everything looks healthy too Good job 
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That’s cooler than the bottom side of the pillow. Nicely played.
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Gonna submit my SB Gardening technique, generally accepted among various SBG enthusiasts.
STRAW BALE…NOT HAY!!
Day 1 - 3: Soak Bales…WATER ONLY
Day 4 - 6: 1 Cup Ammonium Sulfate/21-0-0 OR 1/2 Cup Urea/46-0-0, or Bone Meal, Fish Meal, or Aged Compost
Day 7 - 9: 1/4 Cup of Fertilizer per Bale per day PLUS water
Day 10: STOP, dampen Bales only: if warm (NOT HOT), add Potting Soil/Mixture, plant seeds or set plants, water
FERTILIZE EVERY TWO/2 WEEKS!!!
Not suitable for Corn, Carrots, other deeproot veggies. I actually used mine for TWO Seasons, but most don’t, use Straw for Mulch for overwintering crops, not practical for my locale/Northern Maine. Before it became illegal to purchase Ammonium Nitrate, that was the preferred method to quickly “break down” Straw, very effective. Hope this helps, SS/BW…mister 
NOTE: Almost forgot, position Bales with strings around the SIDES, so it resembles a bunch of Straws bundled up, allowing water to drain and also to “wick” upward.
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Hay Bales will have all kinds of seeds, you want STRAW, plus as "green material, your Hay Bale might compost before you know it, thus NOT being able to support a Cannabis plant. Unless supported, Straw also presents a challenge for our Hobby. Fair warning, SS/BW…mister
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Cool Man props tagged 
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Fascinating @misterbee! I’m gonna try this. Do roots grow into the straw or is it like a peat basket and just holding potting mix? You’re smarter than the average Bee my friend.
Blessings…
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I have grown Beans (both Pole and Bush), Swiss Chard, Lettuce, Squash, Cukes, Tomatoes, Kale, Collards, Eggplant, Zucchini, and I intersperse Marigolds between plants to deter insects. Prep the Straw, cut a small CIRCULAR hole, put your Potting Mixture, at Day 10 - 14, you can safely place seeds and/or plants. Unless “staked”, I don’t trust Straw Bales to support a 6 - 7 Foot Cannabis plant. Also, you have access to ONE OF THE B-E-S-T Liquid Fertilizers right there in Texas, Urban Farms’ TEXAS TOMATO FOOD!! 1/2 Gallon ($21.95) makes about 250 Gallons, can be used on almost EVERY Vegetable (plus this Hobby of ours)!! Right out of Bay City. I once knew a guy who grew 7 - 8 Foot plants using ONLY TTF. Hope this helps, SS/BW…mister NOTE: Almost forgot, only a max of 3 - 4 plants per Straw Bale, although I’ve set 5 Beans per Bale.
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Straw Bale, not hay different animal. Right @ChairmanDaou
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@Mudballs there’s a huge difference. Straw has been stripped of seeds, hay is still alive and fresh and full of seeds that can sprout.
Please don’t get your feelings hurt and attack others for correcting you, it’s not a good look.
I really like this idea. May do something like this next season with the smaller veggies and some autoflowers
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Very cool idea… I’ll be watching this. Just curious though.
I do alot of composting on the farm here, surprised you dont run into heat issues in the root zone. Composting makes a ton of heat, how do you get around it???
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It says “straw bale,” in the Title…
Its been brute forced composted before being used…the nitrates, the water…it’s an inert media at that point with nutes in there. That’s why i mentioned retting, that bale core is awesome by now
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Indeed…TOTALLY different!!! Straw being reed-like, free of seeds. Hay, on the other hand, is FULL of seeds, something UNdesirable in a Garden. Plus as a “cut plant” itself, it starts to deteriorate. I guess you can try it. Truth be told, I WASN’T “correcting” anyone, just attempting to explain the PROPER SBG Technique!!! I stand by my explanation, ONLY apologizing for any “discomfort” in one’s false interpretation of it’s intent. As ALWAYS, SS/BW…mister
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