Straw as mulch

Hi

I have seen bales of straw advertised and I was wondering if this would be
fine to use as a mulch, as it is cheaper than lucerne mulch?
Thanks
Sandra

On Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:02:58 +0900, Sandra Bodycoat wrote:

Hi

I have seen bales of straw advertised and I was wondering if this would
be fine to use as a mulch, as it is cheaper than lucerne mulch? Thanks
Sandra

Yes. Where?

g'day sandra,

if it's cheap use it that's the rule, when you say lucerne mulch is
that spoilt lucerne mulch hay or fodder quality? usually spoilt hay is
not that expensive around here about $8 per bale the same as sugar
cane mulch in rough bales.

staw doesn't put much nutrient in as it slowly breaks down mostly
carbon is what it adds, so maybe from time to time yo could altenate
and sue spoilt luceren or pasture grass hay's?


On Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:02:58 +0900, "Sandra Bodycoat"
wrote:
snipped
With peace and brightest of blessings,

len & bev

--
"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

Sandra Bodycoat wrote:
Hi

I have seen bales of straw advertised and I was wondering if this
would be fine to use as a mulch, as it is cheaper than lucerne mulch?
Thanks
Sandra

Straw is generally excellent mulch. As with anything you put into your soil
it is a good idea to understand the provenance of what you are buying..
Usually (but not always) straw is just the stalks and refuse from a cereal
crop and contains little in the way of nasty chemicals or living things. It
is possible however for weed seeds (including the cereal crop it came from)
or other undesirable things to be included.

Cut and dried lucerne and lupin would more properly be called hay. Hay is a
mix of whatever plants were in the pasture at the time of cutting including
all parts of the plant above the cutting level. Thus depending on when it
was cut you can get high levels of viable seeds. The nature of those seeds
depends on the grasses and weeds present. In such cases composting may kill
the seeds but then you have compost not mulch.

You can often buy cheap bales that are too old to use a stock feed (hay) or
stock bedding (straw) and they may be partly composted already from just
lying around or getting wet. Such may be quite good and fairly harmless.
They can also come complete with snakes and other vermin depending on where
it has been lying about and how long.

David

Have a look at the results here...
http://tinyurl.com/HeyHay


"Sandra Bodycoat" wrote in message
. au...
Hi

I have seen bales of straw advertised and I was wondering if this would be
fine to use as a mulch, as it is cheaper than lucerne mulch?
Thanks
Sandra

"Sandra Bodycoat" wrote in message
. au...
Hi

I have seen bales of straw advertised and I was wondering if this
would be fine to use as a mulch, as it is cheaper than lucerne mulch?
Thanks
Sandra

Jonno wrote:
Have a look at the results here...
http://tinyurl.com/HeyHay



This shows the result of adding large amounts of organic matter to improve
impoverished soil. It doesn't address the questions asked: whether straw is
good mulch or how it compares to hay.

David

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
"Sandra Bodycoat" wrote in message
. au...
Hi

I have seen bales of straw advertised and I was wondering if this
would be fine to use as a mulch, as it is cheaper than lucerne mulch?
Thanks
Sandra

Jonno wrote:
Have a look at the results here...
http://tinyurl.com/HeyHay



This shows the result of adding large amounts of organic matter to improve
impoverished soil. It doesn't address the questions asked: whether straw
is good mulch or how it compares to hay.

David

It shows results fro both and a favourable outcome. Don't be so pedantic.

Pedantic, being an adjective is defined as being overly concerned with
minute details especially in teaching.

while shallow on the other hand means superficial or lacking depth


"Jonno" wrote in message
news

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
"Sandra Bodycoat" wrote in message
. au...
Hi

I have seen bales of straw advertised and I was wondering if this
would be fine to use as a mulch, as it is cheaper than lucerne mulch?
Thanks
Sandra

Jonno wrote:
Have a look at the results here...
http://tinyurl.com/HeyHay



This shows the result of adding large amounts of organic matter to
improve impoverished soil. It doesn't address the questions asked:
whether straw is good mulch or how it compares to hay.

David

It shows results fro both and a favourable outcome. Don't be so pedantic.

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
"Sandra Bodycoat" wrote in message
. au...
Hi

I have seen bales of straw advertised and I was wondering if this
would be fine to use as a mulch, as it is cheaper than lucerne mulch?
Thanks
Sandra

Jonno wrote:
Have a look at the results here...
http://tinyurl.com/HeyHay



This shows the result of adding large amounts of organic matter to improve
impoverished soil. It doesn't address the questions asked: whether
straw is good mulch or how it compares to hay.

Despite that ti was an interesting article. A classic description of a
no-dig garden a la Esther Dean.

Thank you for reading this.
It was not an item for criticism, despite our different beliefs with "the
man with the hyphenated name" re climate change.
Of course hay is a good mulch.

"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote in message
. au...
"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
"Sandra Bodycoat" wrote in message
. au...
Hi

I have seen bales of straw advertised and I was wondering if this
would be fine to use as a mulch, as it is cheaper than lucerne mulch?
Thanks
Sandra

Jonno wrote:
Have a look at the results here...
http://tinyurl.com/HeyHay



This shows the result of adding large amounts of organic matter to
improve impoverished soil. It doesn't address the questions asked:
whether straw is good mulch or how it compares to hay.

Despite that ti was an interesting article. A classic description of a
no-dig garden a la Esther Dean.