I'm setting up my garden in zone 6b and have about 10 straw/hay bales I just pulled from storage. I'm currently running a pea bioassay to see which bales are usable and which ones need to go. Last year, I grew sweet potatoes in grow bags but didn't have great yields, so I want to improve this year. I'm thinking of mixing treated hay/straw (with urea for decomposition) with soil in the grow bags to create a compost-like medium for my sweet potato slips and regular potatoes. I plan to wait for the right planting temperature, water frequently (more than in-ground plants), and supplement with aged manure and rabbit droppings. My idea is that this medium will be beneficial as the sweet potatoes love heat. Am I on the right track, or am I missing something? Any advice?
3 Answers
Starting with hay/straw and soil/manure is a solid plan for compost! Just make sure to follow a good carbon to nitrogen ratio and let it all decompose properly. Remember, compost isn't a direct substitute for fertilizer; it's a supplement. There's a great compost calculator you might find helpful: [morningchores.com/compost-calculator](https://morningchores.com/compost-calculator/).
For tubers like sweet potatoes, a bit of enrichment is great, but be careful with nitrogen! They prefer high phosphorus, so using something like bone meal can help. Too much manure can lead to lots of vines and fewer roots, so keep that in check.
I tried sweet potatoes in soil last year and got decent results. This time, I'm going for straw bale gardening to grow a variety of things, including sweet potatoes. You might have some success with your method, but I wonder why not just stick with the straight straw bale? It could simplify things and organic fertilizers in grow bags might not work as well without the same biological activity as in-ground gardens.
So I really need to wait for full decomposition? I was hoping to use the treated hay/straw while it still looks recognizable.