What types of bales can you use for bale gardening?

Yes, you can use any kind of straw, including wheat, oat, and rice straw. These materials are all dried out and brown, with no green in them, so they compost slowly and maintain their shape throughout the gardening season.

Yes, you can garden with hay bales if straw is not available. However, it's important to use hay that is dried out and brown, not green bales intended for livestock. Look for older hay bales that have been sitting and have dried out. They should be tightly packed with good, tight strings.

When choosing hay bales for gardening, you should avoid purchasing green bales and instead look for hay that has sat in storage and turned brown, resembling a straw bale. You want tightly packed bales that are the same standard dimensions as straw bales.

If you have sprouting issues, spray the growing grass with undiluted vinegar, such as Bragg's apple cider vinegar, in the heat of the day to kill it. Alternatively, you can cut the sprouts with scissors or wipe them with a towel soaked in vinegar. Avoid pouring vinegar into the bale itself to prevent damaging the composting process inside.

Yes, some varieties of Bahia grass used for hay produce sterile seeds, which means the seeds will not sprout. Using hay from these varieties ensures you won't have any issues with seeds sprouting and creating a "chia pet" effect.

Condition the hay bales using the same method as for straw bales, which involves applying fertilizer every other day and watering every day for ten to twelve days. After the temperature peaks and drops to around the mid-90s, you can begin planting.