In article ,
ask@itshall said...
:
:"Jeßus" wrote in message
...
: In article ,
: ask@itshall said...
: :"Jeßus" wrote in message
: ...
: : As you say, too many variables involved to say with any degree of
: : certainty. I'll just get as big a load as I can.
: :
: : One way or the other it'll be quickly used up, I planted somewhere
: : between 200-300 trees last year, and most of those will need some re-
: : mulching before too long. Then there's the impending (new) polytunnel,
: : which I hope will be ready to go by mid-autumn. Also the shade house
: : veggie garden and the 'open' veggie gardens. And the fruit trees... and
: : on it goes...
: :
: :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
: f 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.
:
: 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?
:
:what she says on the subject is the following:
:"There are two good reasons for spoiling bales:
:1. Germination or seed spoiling is encouraged and any grass that does grow
n the bale is killed as the bale is rotated.
:2. During the first few weeks of rotting, the hay and straw produces toxins
:that inhibit plant gowth including the growth of weeds. the toxicity can
:last for a few weeks."
:
:The toxicity doesn't surprise me a great deal given how resistant to
:breaking down fresh straw can be if put straight on to beds. My soil needs
:feeding rather than mulching as I have lots of other options for mulch.
:
:One thing she doesn't mention is how attractive older bales are to earth
:worms. I turn them as I remember and then they sit aroud doign nuttin' and
:by the time I finally use them, I find that the side touching the ground is
:alive with worms. It is these worms and the decay that I really want in
:aged bales.

Some good points there, many thanks.