Reading through our garden magazine, we came across the idea of using a bale of hay as a container garden. Here are two left over bales from Halloween. If you google the subject, you will get several versions of 'How To'. Check back often and we will show you our attempt at something new in our garden.

LET'S GET STARTED

Step - [1] Find a location...

We have a fence along our property line and driveway that fits just perfect. Position the bales so that the string is running around the sides for support [not the top]. This will be nice, no bending over to weed or water.

Step - [2] Days 1-2-3 

Soak down the hay bales twice a day. Use a medium or slow stream of water and patience because the bales will soak up quite a bit of water... twice a day will be a chore but we need to get the decomposition started. 
(two-a-day is hard to do)

[Special notes]

Dried hay bales should probably be placed and watered as much as 5 or 6 extra days before the fertilizer stage is started. Our article calls this the breakdown period, when the bale may be producing a lot of heat. We watered ours an extra week.
(1 or 2 times per day)

[3] Days 4-5-6 

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of ammonium nitrate on top of each bale and water it in well. [Mom... help] Oh, okay, she told me to use grass fertilizer. We got a small bag of  Scots Turf Builder [32-0-4] on sale [with no weed control].

[4] Days 7-8-9

Sprinkle 1/4 cup of ammonium nitrate on top of each bale and water it in well. Even though we bought a small bag of fertilizer, we still have plenty. Pictured is a 1/2 cup to be sprinkled over 2 bales. The hardest thing so far has been the 2-a-day watering that has been missed occasionally. The bale still appears damp.

[5] Day 10 (for us, more like 16)

Sprinkle a cup of slow release [10-10-10] on top of each bale (general purpose lawn fertilizer).  Hmmm, my instructions did not say to water it in but we did it anyway. Our stalling tactics are primarily to wait for warmer weather as May 1st is Saturday. Alternative is to use compost tea which I prefer if I had the time.

The weekend is here so lets plant. I began with doubts until I saw Mary open a hole by just prying open the hay with her hands, which she promptly filled with potting soil and a new plant. For seeds, Mary created a similar hole, filled it with potting soil and then gently pressed a couple of seeds into each pocket. Hmm, cucumbers seeds on each end, cilantro seeds in the middle. Two pepper plants and an egg plant. Might get crowded but we shall see. Then we watered it in.

Now, lets watch it grow. Water twice a day [we'll try] and use a water soluble fertilizer every two to three weeks. The cucumbers we will try to guide along the fence. [Counting my cukes before they sprout] The 1st week we had hail but at the end of May the Cilantro and Cucumbers are up. The peppers are setting on despite the shredded leaves along with a batch of mushrooms [easily scraped off]. Next time I'll put in a small tomato like a Celebrity.

Early June and all is well. We    have not been watering twice a day but it has been raining consistantly all month.

Peppers are setting on nicely.

Early July and the Cilantro will soon be Coriander. It's not very big and bushy but it is getting crowded out by it's neighbors.

Early July and I am declaring success. Peppers, Egg Plant all setting on fruit and very healthy.

The hay bale is beginning to sag at one end while the cucumbers are covered with blooms and climbing across the fence.

I had to throw in a picture of some Black Seed Simpson lettuce growing in a little cedar box on our porch railing. 
[I call it rip'n run salad lettuce]