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Straw bale from last year

17 years ago

I didn't use it then. I kept it in the garden, in original form, under snow all season. Do you think it's okay to use this year?

Comments (8)

  • 17 years ago

    Use for what?

    I use old straw for lots of things. Quite often the bales are moldy/musty smelling and the mice have built nests amongst them. So other than precautions for inhaling the dust, I don't have an issue with using them.

    Lloyd

  • 17 years ago

    g'day cookie

    can't see why you can't use it around the garden, it doesn't realy have a use by date.

    len

    Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

  • 17 years ago

    Thanks for the warning. I think I'll volunteer my husband to pop the strings and spread it out for me...I'm not the type to have little things scurrying around. I will use it. It's for mulching in the vegetable garden.

  • 17 years ago

    Hubbies are good for something? Who'da thunk it!

    Depending on how well the grain was thrashed out by the combine there may or may not be some leftover seeds in the bale. My ole combine does a lousy job so quite often I get a lot of sprouting from the straw. If I shred it, not so much. It the field was weedy, there may also be some weed seeds in there as well.

    I spread 'bout 150 bales as mulch onto the alley ways in the orchard last fall, can't wait to see what comes up this spring. If spring ever decides to show up! :-(

    Lloyd

  • 17 years ago

    You do usually get a few weed seeds and straw growing from straw when used as mulch.

    I know I did when I used straw to mulch my newly reseeded front yard.

    But other then that it makes good mulch for a veg garden.

  • 17 years ago

    La la la Lloyd, of course husbands are good for something!

    They're good for all kinds of cold weather things, like jumping the car or walking for gas. They're great for dirty things---like fixing the septic pump. Disgusting things are often right up their alley. Dangerous things. They're good for that. If I heard a murderer downstairs, I would send my husband down to check it out. They're great at that kind of thing. They're great for heavy lifting. Every fall when I have to get my boat out of the water, I wish I had me one. They're great with dead things---like mice. Or live things like mice.

    I wouldn't want you husbands to feel unappreciated.

  • 17 years ago

    I use Lloyd's... OOPS... MY straw bales for lots of things but only after they rot or have been composted. Once used them in a perennial bed and the seeds that were in them made one mess that I don't want to experience again.

    Just wondering Lloyd... If you had said something about what men are not good at, how long would Ann's list have been?? :O)

  • 17 years ago

    AHA! I knew it! However Miss Tiff, the last laugh may indeed be mine, all mine, for unbeknownst to you, those two purloined bales were from the thisltiest part of the field. Be afraid, be very afraid. Bwahahah!

    Thank Dog (dyslexia kicking in) I went with the "what husbands are good for", at my advanced age I might not have had the lifespan left to go through a "not good" list!

    Lloyd

    P.S. I'm gonna print Anns list and put it on the fridge!