How to Grow Carrots in a Hay Bale

Growing your own vegetables is an economical and healthy way to provide food for your family. If your soil isn't suitable, or if you're short on space, you may want to give hay or straw bale gardening a try. Straw bale gardening involves planting seeds or transplants into bales of straw that have been amended with nutrients. The result is a productive, totally biodegradable garden that requires less bending over. Carrots thrive in this environment with proper care.

Wheat or oat straw, or grass hay
Ammonium nitrate
10-10-10 fertilizer
Potting soil
Carrot seeds
Watering can or hose

Instructions

- 1
  
  Straw provides an excellent growing medium for a season or two, then breaks down into beneficial compost.
  
  Purchase bales of wheat or oat straw. You may also use grass hay if you prefer, but the grass seeds in the bales will sprout and require additional weeding. Avoid using pine straw and try to get bales that have synthetic twine holding them together. Synthetic twine lasts longer, allowing the bales to retain their shape. The straw or hay bale will act as a container for your carrots.
- 2
  Arrange your bales until you're satisfied with the layout. Old bales are ideal for carrots -- include them in the arrangement if you have them. If you're planting more than one row of bales, make sure that your lawnmower can fit between the rows.
- 3
  Condition your bales. Conditioning the bales takes a total of 10 days. Water the bales thoroughly during the first three days without applying any fertilizer or amendments. Then, sprinkle each bale with 1/2 cup of ammonium nitrate on days four, five and six. Apply 1/4 cup of ammonium nitrate on days seven, eight and nine. Add 1 cup of 10-10-10 fertilizer to each bale on day 10. Water the bales thoroughly after every ammonium nitrate or fertilizer application.
- 4
  
  You can skip the potting soil if you're purchasing plants from a garden center. If you're starting seeds, however, it's a must.
  
  Apply at least 2 inches of potting soil on top of each bale. Don't use soil from your yard because it may contain diseases or fungi. Water the soil.
- 5
  Plant your carrot seeds in the soil, following the directions on the seed packet. Press down lightly to ensure that the seeds have proper contact with the soil.
- 6
  Continue watering the bales every day. You may need to water the bales twice a day if the weather is particularly hot and dry. It's impossible to overwater a bale garden because the excess water will simply drain out the bottom and sides of the bale.
  
  As the bales begin to break down and decompose, they'll be able to hold more water for a longer period of time.
- 7
  Harvest your carrots when they mature. You may be able to use the same bale for a second growing season.

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