The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Gardens => Topic started by: doganjo on April 10, 2011, 05:54:39 pm

Title: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: doganjo on April 10, 2011, 05:54:39 pm: http://strawbalegardens.com/ (http://strawbalegardens.com/)
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: suziequeue on April 10, 2011, 07:14:35 pm: Ah yes - I had heard about the straw bale thing. Apparently if you pee on one for a while, the insides turn to beautiful compost.

We thought of having a bale parked outside the back door but DH didn't like the idea and said he was happy to go to the compost heap on warm days ;-)
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: Sylvia on April 11, 2011, 05:26:32 pm: My great-nephew is making me raised beds. These will be 2ft. 6ins. high, 12 feet long and 3ft. 6ins. wide. I was despairing of getting enough top-soil to fill them, though I have no trouble finding manure and can see that straw bales will be the way to go for this year at least.
I'll let you know how I get on ;)
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: yankieGirl on April 12, 2011, 01:46:48 am: We Americans are quite nice once you get to know us!

I love this site!
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: ATF on April 12, 2011, 05:44:59 pm: so how do you 'condition' the bale? Just pee on it or is there more to it than that? Is there another way we might try this in our community garden, probably can't get away with peeing on it as easily as you can at your back door.
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: suziequeue on April 12, 2011, 08:14:05 pm: No ATF - nothing else.

Apparently that's the beauty of it - just straw and pee.

Yes - I can imagine you'll have the EHOs round in a flash if you tried that in a community garden.
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: doganjo on April 12, 2011, 08:16:39 pm: I took it that the pee was an added bonus and that if you planted stuff in the straw bale with some ordinary compost round the roots that it would take over from there. You could always pee in a pail and take it out to the bales surreptitiously ;) ;D ;D
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: faith0504 on April 12, 2011, 09:49:27 pm: is this just mens wee like the fox deterrer thing, or womens as well??
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: doganjo on April 12, 2011, 11:05:37 pm: I hereby nominate you 'Experimenter-in-Chief', Faith! ;D ;D
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: faith0504 on April 13, 2011, 08:30:13 am: nea bother, just need to find a small bale of straw, ???, i use the big uns, not sure my back is up to climbing on top of one of those everytime i need a wee wee :o,

??? leave it with me :wave:
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: suziequeue on April 13, 2011, 09:44:30 am: All wee is good wee for composting.

;D
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: bloomer on April 13, 2011, 03:54:50 pm: i need more space so i can try these experiments!!!
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: ellisr on April 14, 2011, 10:48:17 am: oooooh now theres an idea and where I would want more growing space is near the chicken pens so double whammy for foxes and Mr next door will have to stop stalking me or he will have an eyefull quite often ;D
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: suziequeue on April 15, 2011, 08:49:05 am: :-)

What I find wryly amusing is that the website is going to charge you for an ebook/course to tell you how to pee - basically.

:D :D :D
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: Beewyched on April 15, 2011, 10:39:53 am: Quote from: ellisr on April 14, 2011, 10:48:17 am
oooooh now theres an idea and where I would want more growing space is near the chicken pens so double whammy for foxes and Mr next door will have to stop stalking me or he will have an eyefull quite often ;D

I think the fox deterrent thing only works with male pee - must be someting to do with the hormones ???
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: ATF on April 15, 2011, 11:42:54 am: Quote from: suziequeue on April 13, 2011, 09:44:30 am
All wee is good wee for composting.

I'm sure i heard on Garden's Question Time once that female pee is better for the compost than male pee...although I dunno if that has any basis in fact!

Anyone in the Fife area with a spare damp bale of straw or two? I might try this in the front yard - while I'm waiting to fulfill my small holding dream!
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: ellisr on April 15, 2011, 02:13:15 pm: Fox thing does only work with male pee and that is what OH is for but I can't pass up the chance of mooning to my neighbour
Title: Re: I know thias is America but it looked interesting
Post by: suziequeue on April 15, 2011, 05:53:00 pm: Quote from: Beewyched on April 15, 2011, 10:39:53 am

I think the fox deterrent thing only works with male pee - must be someting to do with the hormones ???

Naah - it's just all that beer :P