Aside from this current rainy, cold, windy spell, things are coming along great with the straw bale gardening.  The hardest part was transporting all the bales I needed with my car.  I don’t recommend using your car.  I had pieces of hay everywhere and stuck in the strangest places!  I now have to get my car professionally cleaned out because the hay is very difficult to get out.  If you have a choice – use a truck or trailer to transport the bales!

I have been able to process the first (and almost done with the second) batch of bales and got my strawberries all planted.  We’ve been having extreme weather swings which has made it hard on my poor little strawberry plants.  Although they look a little pathetic, the reality is that they are doing well and adjusting.  The old leaves will probably die and fall off, but there is all new, vibrant growth in the centers of the plants so I know they are finally heeled in well.

The next batch will be for tomatoes and squash.  One thing I learned is that if you make a mistake with the treatment pattern for adding fertilizer to the bales, it’s okay.  You can make adjustments.  Today is the last day of adding fertilizer to the bales for the second batch and tomorrow they rest.  Planting day for those is Wednesday.  The excessive rain we have had has helped reduce the watering I need to do which has been nice.  I decided to put this second batch in a very sunny place in the pool area.  My poor old veggie garden needs substantial help in getting ready to plant again and there just wasn’t enough time to do it all.

I’m on vacation this week so once the weather decides to cooperate, I’m going to work on that.  The flowers and especially the Iris this year have been a splendor and given so much joy each day.  The pool is open and it’s time for summer to begin!