"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
Jeßus wrote:
A lady I know wrote a rather good book on kitchen gardening and she
says to never use straw straight from the bale but to age the bales
first by letting them sit on the earth and turning them occasionally
for a couple of months till they lose that straw colour. I have
been doing this now for a couple of years and I think she's right.
I now think that fresh straw isn't as good to use for mulch as aged
straw. Plants seem to prefer aged straw.


How do you know this? What are the signs?

See my partial response in another post as it's got some relevance.

I've always had a great respect for earthworms. I've never seen an
earthworm in hay (of any variety) or straw (of any variety but I think I've
probably only ever used wheaten straw) that I used fresh on beds as mulch
but the same cannot be said for the spoiled bales. I figure earthworms know
what's good for them.

I assume that the positive effect on the plants could relate to what is in
effect the application of a slab of earthworms who have something to feed on
immediately the spoiled mulch is applied - they've already been feeding on
it, they don't need to go off and find food as they've already been feeding
and can stay there continuing to feed and thus doing the plant good. That,
plus the commencement of the rotting process in the bales that is in effect
a composting process already well on its way and that also makes the plants
respond positively.

I don't really know why as I'm not as clinically observant as say Jackie
French is when she notices something. I don't do the sorts of trials that
she does to see if there really is a difference, but then I'm also not
trying to sell books based on my experiences. I just do what I find works
here in my garden.

Give it a try with one bale and you too might become a convert.

Based on past experiences, I tend to agree with the lady author you
know.

Hard to put into words why - perhaps it just 'beds down' better
compared to the stiffer, fresher/bulkier material and so forms a more
effective covering, whilst at the same time providing some organic
material, bacteria etc. to the soil more quickly?

Is what you you are using straw of hay? The two are not the same, they
come form different sources, have different content and behave
differently.

True, and we've discussed those differences that here before. But I suspect
that many other posters aren't rural dweller so perhaps don't really know
the difference and they get what they can and at a price that they can
afford. I do the same and I do know the difference.