"George.com" wrote in
:

Hay, a few questions for those who use hay as a mulch in
their gardens.

sensible people use straw, not hay.

I found some free hay bales today that was to be throw out
so I grabbed it to use as mulch when the growing season
comes around. The bales are standard pasture hay, grasses
and whatever else was growing at the time of cutting. I
have no idea how old they are, no one could tell me. A
couple of the bales are actually growing grass on the top
and all the bales are starting to go mouldy inside. It is
late late autumn here, the cold rainey season is upon us..

A few questions for those in the know.
What is the best method of storing hay in this condition? I
though either in the (cool dry) garage or outside under a
tarpaulin. Do I need to worry about the mould inside the
hay? I have heard the odd story of hay self combusting when
it rots, any chance here you think. I thought to kill the
grass simply by placing it face down and letting the lack
of light deal to it. Anything else I should be aware of?

don't breathe the mold when you break it open.
and you do know that hay is just chock full of grass & weed
seeds waiting to grow, right? so you aren't planning to mulch
a garden with it... unless you *really* love weeding. there's
a reason those bales are sprouting grass...
i've never heard of a dry (cured) bale catching fire, but
just baled green grass bales do heat up & spontaineously
combust sometimes.
seriously, since it's autumn there, the best thing to do with
half-rotted hay is to just compost the bales. don't use it for
mulch
lee
--
"Fascism would be better described as corporatism,
since it is marriage between the state and business"
- Benito Mussolini