This website is best viewed in a browser that supports web standards.

Skip to content or, if you would rather, Skip to navigation.

Listen Live
Donate
MARYVILLE

KXCV-KRNW


News Brief

Feb. 18, 2025Jefferson City, Mo. |  By: Jeremy Werner

MU horticulturists discuss benefits of straw bales

straw bale

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - If you have poor soil or limited garden space, straw bale gardening might be the solution for you.

According to University of Missouri Extension horticulturists, this method combines container and raised-bed gardening, offering a simple and effective way to grow vegetables, fruits, and flowers.

To start, you’ll need tightly bound straw bales—not hay, which contains weed seeds. The bales should be placed in a sunny location and conditioned for 12 days with water and nitrogen fertilizer to help break down the straw.

Once the bales are cool to the touch, they’re ready for planting. Tomatoes, peppers, salad greens, and even melons thrive in straw bale gardens, with fewer weeds and pests than traditional soil gardening.

However, horticulturists warns not to overfertilize, as too much nitrogen can hinder fruit production. While straw bales only last one growing season, they make excellent compost when the season ends.