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Straw bales gardening-----Naw, that was an experiment this past year after reading and seeing others using the straw bale method. I always am trying something new/different each year in varieties or methods then continue with what works.
I'm reporting that the straw bale gardening did NOT work. Started out fine, but the Midwest rain was not enough to keep the plants going. I even watered the bales frequently to no avail. So now they contribute to the mulch.
However mulch composting in the tomato cages does work and I have been doing that for years now. I only (in the last few years) just started letting the chickens into the garden in the fall to work it over during the winter. (Smacks self in head hard) I should have been doing that decades ago. That works better then I envisioned.