On Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:59:11 +1100, Jeßus wrote:

... it's been a /very/ long time since I've used bales of hay to mulch
with.

My question is, what sort of area should I expect to cover per bale?

I used to peel off a 'slab' about 2-3" thick to mulch any given spot, if
that's any indication.

I'll most likely get the older/smaller bales rather than the big round
type - depending on cost and availability - but if anyone can give me
average coverage figures for either or both types, I'd very much
appreciate it.

Cheers

Checked with some farming friends.
A lot of variables - depends on what type of hay (meadow, oaten, wheaten,
plain straw etc)and also the thickness of the crop which has been bailed.
The bailer apparently pushes/rams a biscuit on set rotations.
Therefore , in theory, the heavier the crop, the thicker the biscuit;
though skilled operators have ways to maintain same size bales through
heavy and light crops - apparently more an art than a science.

BALE SIZE:
A rough average for a (small) bale would be 14 to 16 inches high x 18
inches wide by about 34 to 40 inches long (measured along the string/s).
A fair summation would be 16"x18"x36".

The number of biscuits in a 36" bale could vary from 8 to 12 - let's say
10, which makes each biscuit about 3"

COVERAGE:
Then coverage would be approx. 2sq.ft per biscuit or around 20sq.ft (just
under 2sq.m) per bale (to a depth of 3").

You know how much and how thick you want to mulch. Simple arithmetic
from there will give you rough bale numbers.

PRICE:
Hay seems to be $5 per bale through $14, again depending on quality,
content and quantity purchased. Not sure what it is in Tasie.

Would suggest for mulching, try for "old season" (last year's - 2008)
hay. This can be cheaper (and/or give you negotiating advantage) than
"new season".

Also try for "damaged hay" - usually been subject to some rain damage, or
come from the bottom layer of a stack and may have a bit of mould. OK
for mulching. You would need to check your newspapers or contact local
farmers. Meadow hay tends to be cheaper; the "Boss" swears by it
reckoning the worms get into it a lot faster; who am I to argue?

Again like most of us, your "needs" will probably be tempered by the
balance in the cheque book.

ROUND BALES"
Round bales also vary in size; generally 4' to 6' diameter and 4' upwards
in length, and of course are harder to handle without machinery. They
usually run to a volume equivalent of 60 to 100 "small bales" - say 80 to
again give you a rough calculation for coverage, though per unit cost
would be less; lower baling and handling costs as round bales can at a
pinch be made by one person who, with the right machinery, can take the
hay from mowing through to stacking.

If you have a front end loader or can fabricate something on a 3 point
linkage to handle the bale/s, this may be OK for you.

HTH
Keep smiling
anm