By Kent Rogers | March 2006

• Intro
• Preparing Your Bales
• Growing Your Garden
• Download the FULL article as a

Preparing Your Bales

It takes 10 days to prepare your bales.

• Days 1–3: Water the bales thoroughly and keep them wet.
• Days 4–6: Sprinkle the bales with 1/2 cup of ammonium nitrate (32-0-0) per bale per day, and water it well into the bales. I didn’t have any trouble finding ammonium nitrate from my local ag-supply store. They sold it in 40-pound bags. I have heard, however, that some people have had difficulty finding it in more urban settings. Ask around.
• Days 7–9: Cut back to 1/4 cup of ammonium nitrate per bale per day and continue to water it in well.
• Day 10: No more ammonium nitrate, but do add 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer per bale and water it in well.
• Day 11: Transplant your plants into the bales. I used a spatula to make a crack in the bale for each plant. Place the plant down to its first leaf and close the crack back together as best you can.

Web links to articles on straw bale gardening:

www.nicholsgardennursery.com/strawbales.htm
www.county.ces.uga.edu/chatham/hay_bales.htm
www.co.clay.mn.us/Depts/Extensio/ExAPHydr.htm