[Blue-EyedLady]

Originally Posted by Macky

If the nutrients in your food come from the sun and soil, why would you want to grow anything in straw with synthetic fertilizers? Straw has no significant nutritional value for livestock; some ranchers feed it only to provide roughage when extra calories aren't needed. The plant put everything into the head of grain; there's nothing left in the dry stalk. You'd be better off using a good weed-free hay bale. Yes, it decomposes and supports the root system of the plant, but a potato grown in real soil is going to be more nutritious than one grown in a non-soil medium. Plus, wet straw is gross. And really, are potatoes really that much trouble to dig? We've never found so.

So yeah, all that means no... we haven't tried it.

Oh, I suppose it's worth mentioning that our dirt is COMPLETELY worthless. My entire garden is raised beds. I have to buy dirt by the bagful and that gets $$$. Straw bales looked like a cheaper way to do it. And yes, trying to dig potatoes out of a raised bed is a PAIN! The angles don't work right to use a regular shovel, but a trowel is too small.

---------- Post added at 05:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:16 PM ----------

FWIW, I totally believe in the health of the soil, too, but my soil doesn't even support weeds. The straw bales might actually have more nutrients! And the decomposing straw might eventually help heal the soil, right?