Flower For December Birthday

This is interesting, for in my native hometown- the Philippines, we would use ashes or piles of crushed bark to grow plants in...that is if we do not have fertile soil to use with the plants, and, the end results were astonishing! Vegetables and flowers thrive just as well as when they are cultivated in land. Straw bale gardening is just similar to this concept although it has a lot more shape and bulk to it.

Benefits of Straw Bale Gardening

1. Bales of straw offer an excellent alternative to a soil-based gardening theory if the gardener does not possess good soil in his yard. Since the method takes over the usage of soil, it is considered more of a branch of hydroponic culture (where one uses water mixed with plant food) to grow plants in.

2. Using a straw/hay for planting, one does not need to integrate a little bit of soil mixture or sand to improve drainage. The straw is very efficient when it comes to drainage.

3. Gardening provides anyone a superb exercise but there is one issue that bothers me..and it is back pain. Thankfully for straw bales, since the plants are at least a couple of feet away from the ground, it is convenient for the disabled, the older ones, and for anyone who suffers from back pain.

4. Straws are not susceptible to having weeds growing in (although there might be one or three sprouting but quite easy to pull out). There are also more resistant to pests and fungal infections. This is a clever idea when one likes to make an organic garden with lesser use of synthetic chemicals.

5. Because straw bales need to be cured two or three weeks before it can be planted with crops or flowers, the decomposition process generates heat and supplies a comfortable micro-climate beneficial to the plants.

6. Straw bales are organic in nature and when they decompose, they provide essential nutrients to your growing vegetables or valued flowers. You will have better chances of producing an 'au naturelle' and a healthy garden complete with balanced moisture, and slow-release of nutrients.

Once you decide to have a straw bale garden, you can actually make your straws look more pleasant by enclosing them in a fence мейд of wood put together to add that finished look. Any exposed space gives you an opportunity to sow climbing vines like trailing tomatoes. Be creative and above all enjoy what you're doing!

Roberto C. is a plant lover and garden enthusiast who loves imparting his knowledge about plants as well as acquire new ideas from fellow plant experts. He is a long-term freelance writer and hosts his own blog at