Comments on: Straw Bale Gardens, Flea Market Gardening style

By: Lauren

Lauren — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:41:31 +0000

Congratulations Patti & Angela 🙂

By: Judy

Judy — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 03:50:18 +0000

I live in Florida and love to garden and try every year. Biggest problem is no dirt, just sand and heat. So thank you for the straw bale idea; will try it this year.

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:12:25 +0000

In reply to Sue Langley. Congratulations, Sue!!

By: Genelle McDaniel

Genelle McDaniel — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:11:32 +0000

In reply to Cindi Jobe. Cindi, you have caused a light bulb to come on. My husband and I are aging and having a lot of trouble with back pain, so raised beds has become a necessity for us. But I had never thought of making vertical layers to add to the beauty of our garden beds. Now I can envision wooden half barrels setting on top of our raised beds for shorter growing things like herbs, etc. Maybe even flowers, just to beautify. We love watching our garden beds grow from inside our sunroom. Deer are a little problem, but the raised concrete block beds keep the groundhogs, rabbits, etc. out. I am again able to pick green beans by having these raised beds. Life is good.

By: Dianne Shoemaker

Dianne Shoemaker — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:35:39 +0000

I have such a small backyard, but I always try to have alittle garden…I raise tomatoes, beans lettuce and a few others..Since yard is so small I can’t grow as much as I would like to.. I sure love tomatoes and green beans tho, and to can them..

By: Sue Langley

Sue Langley — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:47:40 +0000

In reply to Patti Kafton. Winner! Congratulations, Patti,...you win the book, Straw Bale Gardens!

By: Sue Langley

Sue Langley — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:46:22 +0000

In reply to angela carrera. Winner! Congratulations,...you win the book, Straw Bale Gardens!

By: becky

becky — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:39:01 +0000

I do not have a space at my apartment but I am going to try this at my girlfriends — last summer i grew what i could out of containers at my apartment

By: Debra Clark

Debra Clark — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:34:20 +0000

Last season my daughter (3) and I did container gardening in lots of different fun vessels. We had so much fun taking care and harvesting our bounty . We can’t wait to try some more ideas this year !!

By: Aileen McNair

Aileen McNair — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:09:34 +0000

I’ve gardened for several years but with not much success since I moved to this home. Last year, I tried raised beds with more success. I had great tomatoes though they were not large, they had a good flavor. Peppers and onions also worked well. I had beautiful squash plants but very little fruit. I’ve revised my plans for this year and hope for more success.

By: Debbie

Debbie — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 02:08:58 +0000

I’ve been wanting to try this bale gardening since I heard about it less than a year ago! I live in an area overrun with gophers who eat everything they can, so this looks like a great way to go!
My favorite recipe is salsa, made from tomatoes, cilantro, & garlic. I start with a jar of my favorite salsa on those days that I don’t have extra time. I chop the ingredients I just listed and add it to the salsa in a bowl and then refrigerate until I’m ready to serve it with chips or my famous Taco Casserole. It’s always a crowd pleaser!

By: Sue M.

Sue M. — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 01:45:58 +0000

I always start out “gung ho” but the weeds just seem to take over with the overhead sprinklers and I give up…I’ll have to try this. 🙂

By: Kathy Logsdon

Kathy Logsdon — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 01:20:33 +0000

My garden last year and for the last few years was planted in half barrels that we got from the water plant in this area. We filled them with composted dirt several years ago and just add extra compost every year. We have been in a severe drought in this area for a few years and are on extreme water restrictions, so this saves water. We also have a problem with grasshoppers that has been aggravated by the drought. They love the hot, dry weather. This year I have surrounded my half barrels with whole barrels filled with water to help moderate the temperatures. I am anxious to see how this works.

By: Sandra Winslow

Sandra Winslow — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 23:39:50 +0000

Since I was in the process of moving into a house that we were building I didnt put in a garden at my house but my father-in-law was nice enough to share his little garden with me. We tried our first raised bed garden. We put in tomatoes, peppers onions, and cucumbers. The raised beds worked out great and we had a blast working it together.

By: Becky Davidson

Becky Davidson — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 21:24:04 +0000

As with everyone else, my garden didnt grow so well last year either. The weather just wasnt cooperating. I do like to do some companion gardening though, I plant marigolds around brussel sprouts and other vegies to keep the aphids away and I plant squash and melons around my corn plants to keep the racoons away. I am always willing to try new ways to make things better, this sounds like a win win situation and I will definately try it out.

By: PJ Howell

PJ Howell — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:38:50 +0000

I have been unable to garden the last two years due to debilitating arthritis in my spine and hips and I miss it so much. After seeing articles on straw bale gardening, I have hope that I can vegetable garden again, I just know that I can do this from a sitting position! My only tip is this: No matter what your physical limitations, find a way to keep doing what you love, that is what I am trying to do. My life has been so much poorer for not having the joy of playing in the dirt and not experiencing that feeling you get when you see that first tiny seeding emerge from the earth. Keep on gardening and Flea Market Gardening, keep on making me smile!

By: Jill

Jill — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:49:47 +0000

My favorite vegetable to grow is potatoes. They are easy to grow, the plants are pretty and at the end, you have something yummy to eat. I have planted them many different ways over the years. I don’t change the way I grow them for any particular reason, I just like to try different things. I’ve grown them in tires, hay bales, in my compost pile, tossed on the ground with rotten hay underneath and composted bark mulch on top and in a raised bed beside my greenhouse. I had a few small ones left from last year in my potatoe basket that had sprouted so I have planted them in the bed by the greenhouse. I think I am going to plant more in the garlic bed. There is lots of room.

By: Beth

Beth — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:23:35 +0000

We moved this year so my garden will be started all over again from scratch. The older I get, working the soil is the hardest part for me. I am very interested to learn how to garden using straw bales. Last year my garden included green peppers, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and six varieties of tomatoes.

By: Penny Tickle

Penny Tickle — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:11:45 +0000

I have not had a veggie garden for several years though I have been thinking about trying to do a raised bed this year. I live in a mobile home park and my landlord does not want me digging up the yard (clay and rocks) for veggies. With the straw bales I could have several on my deck and patio space. Enough veggies to share with a couple neighbors. Good luck to everyone.

By: Cindi Jobe

Cindi Jobe — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:11:25 +0000

My garden the last two years had raised beds, and a drip system, but I have always found it difficult to get the watering right. The raised beds seem to dry out too quickly – especially in arid Utah! I have tried surrounding my vegetable plants with straw left-over from my chickens, but it doesn’t work well around greens. Looking forward to trying some version of this straw bale gardening. I can see using a less structured, more “English-style” configuration to make the space less rigid – maybe even stacking within already created raised spaces and containers.