Comments on: Using Hay as Mulch for Organic Gardening

By: steve

steve — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:33:57 +0000

@ L. Fox, Both straw and hey will work, and no they will not grow above with the stray they will still grow in the dirt. As for adding the compost, I would recommend raking back the straw or hey, then adding the compost and pulling the straw and hey back over the area.

By: L. Fox

L. Fox — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 23:10:52 +0000

I have found this article to be of SO MUCH INFORMATION – I am ready to re-do my home garden!!! I am just a 2nd yr gardener still trying to find the right combination of things. I did not know about the Corn stalks, I usually pull them out. So after reading everyone’s comments, I am still confused IS IT HAY or IS IT STRAW that is to be used??? The title of this article says HAY. I tried potatoes this year with tublers, buried 6″ deep, as they grew I covered them with straw, as instructed – didn’t get a lot, still had to dig in the dirt – I thought they were suppose to grow in the straw – was disappointed. Another question: After laying the Hay/Straw over stalks, etc. in the fall can I add a compost mixture on top of it? Thanks soooo much for sharing this information. I look forward to hearing back from you. L.Fox

By: mahniay

mahniay — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:47:26 +0000

Steve -I was wondering about that – if putting straw over the hay will do the trick. The hay is so thick and strong it seems to be crowding out the plants, so that’s good to hear – I’ll try it and thanks for writing. Have you ever had this happen? -mahniay

By: steve

steve — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:39:04 +0000

@mahniay, You may be fine with the hay, I would not get to excited yet. Yes, you could mulch with straw over the hay.

By: mahniay

mahniay — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 15:56:13 +0000

Kay – I’ve been mulching with straw for 30 years with great results. This year I ordered my usual 25 bales of straw and they made a mistake and delivered hay, which I didn’t notice before I spread it. I now have the same mess you describe and think my garden will be wiped out because it’s become a hay field. I don’t know what to do. I wonder if mulching with straw over the hay will help. -mahniah

By: Nan D. Da Viss

Nan D. Da Viss — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:45:51 +0000

it is definitely “hay” . I have Ruth Stout’s original book “No-Work Garden Book”. It is fantastic! I read it when I was young, get sick and couldn’t use the system until now. I am 70 years young and having a blast with a 20′ by 30′ garden this year. It is good to hear the book has been retitled and is available to gardening lovers.

By: Kay

Kay — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:14:44 +0000

I would have to bet they are talking about using straw. I purchased potato seed and along with my order came a “booklet” giving directions to cover the potato seeds with HAY. I took them up on their advice and placed HAY over my seeds. BIG MISTAKE! The HAY has now taken over my garden, squeezing out my seedlings and has spread like crazy over areas I never even had hay! It was the worst mistake I have ever made in my garden and I am so unhappy that I took their advice. I have been trying to battle this wild hay for a year now and my summer garden is suffering from it. I wish the potato company had never suggested the use of hay, and I hope you do not put hay in your garden either! Please dont do it!

By: steve

steve — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:29:43 +0000

@Ron in Illinios, Read this forum, it might give you more insight: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fourseason/msg060007559489.html

By: Ron in Illinois

Ron in Illinois — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:31:07 +0000

I am also wondering if you meant to say straw instead of hay. Just recently I mulched my tomato plants with hay because straw was very scarce around this area and twice as expensive as hay. Since the day I mulched with hay, I have read many articles saying “NEVER use hay for mulch because of the many seeds that is embedded in the hay”. Therefore resulting in tons of unwanted weeds in my garden. Gosh, I hope this is not true. I even thought I would simply just go out there and remove all that hay. But if I did that then there would still be all those seeds left in the soil.
So, if using hay instead of straw as your article states is indeed correct, then laying down the hay might turn out to be a blessing instead of a curse. Very anxious to hear back from you. Thanks!

By: steve

steve — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:49:13 +0000

@Dave, Thanks for your email. Hay was used. Good luck on your garden!