Straw Bale Gardening and grape arbors

I am off to the feed store for a couple of things. First, I need three bales of straw for my veggie garden. This year I am planting in REALLY raised beds. I may decide to do more than three, just because I think it look really nice, but for sure I need three as I am actually going to use them to mulch my existing beds this fall, and to give those beds a rest this year. For a week I will sprinkle ammonium nitrate onto the bales and water it in. The bales have to be kept damp, which is certainly no problem in the Seattle area this time of year. Then I can plunk my veggie starts into the bales. I can plant seeds as well, but usually just get starts and do it that way.



Then I am buying a cattle panel. These are usually around 16' long and 3 or 4 foot wide.

If I attach it to two T-posts on each short side, and pound one side into the ground, then slowly walk the other side until it is about three feet away from the first and pound those posts in, I will have an arch shape that will be my grape arbor. It will be right outside of the pool sliding door, so won't interfere with getting back to the barn in the truck. I have three grape plants that need to get into the ground. I think the Spring bug has hit; I feel the need to get food growing.

I am now off to enjoy the nice weather while it is here.

G2