"Farm1" please@askifyouwannaknow wrote in message
...

Have a look at Len's strawbale beds.

i did! it got me thinking.

Straw is a very useful medium
but expensive at the moment - sigh.

in our area it's been the same price since we got here, but shorter, bittier
& crappier just lately.

It's worth buying some straw in Autumn and aging it (by that I mean
put it on the ground and then turn it regularly to age it - fresh
straw can be antagonistic to new plant growth so just turn each face
to the earth over about a 4 month period - it rots a bit but not
enough to destroy it). Once its aged over winter set out 3 bales
facing north in a U shape in late winter over prepared ground and put
2 old windows on the northern side - one on the top of the bales and
the other leaning onto the open part of the U. The sun will warm it
up and give you an early planting spot - good for cucurbitszucchini
etc as by the time the frosts are over they are big enough to power
on.

excellent! thanks!
kylie