Mulching with hay bales...

 

... it's been a /very/ long time since I've used bales of hay to mulch
with.

My question is, what sort of area should I expect to cover per bale?

I used to peel off a 'slab' about 2-3" thick to mulch any given spot, if
that's any indication.

I'll most likely get the older/smaller bales rather than the big round
type - depending on cost and availability - but if anyone can give me
average coverage figures for either or both types, I'd very much
appreciate it.

Cheers

 

Jeßus wrote:

Sounds like a job for gardenlen
He's the expert in hay.

 

pretty hard to determine how far mulch will go as it comes packed
tight to loose there is no real standard, and bales can be larger or
smaller again no standard.

the way i mulch i try to keep it all around 8"s thick and that
determines how far a bale goes. buiscuits can vary in thickness also
curently bales of sugar cane mulch gibing 4" to 5" that can't be
seperated thinner.


snipped
--

len

With peace and brightest of blessings,

"Be Content With What You Have And
May You Find Serenity and Tranquillity In
A World That You May Not Understand."

http://www.lensgarden.com.au/

 

@bigpond.com said...
:
:pretty hard to determine how far mulch will go as it comes packed
:tight to loose there is no real standard, and bales can be larger or
:smaller again no standard.
:
:the way i mulch i try to keep it all around 8"s thick and that
:determines how far a bale goes. buiscuits can vary in thickness also
:curently bales of sugar cane mulch gibing 4" to 5" that can't be
:seperated thinner.

Thank for the advice Len.

As you say, too many variables involved to say with any degree of
certainty. I'll just get as big a load as I can.

One way or the other it'll be quickly used up, I planted somewhere
between 200-300 trees last year, and most of those will need some re-
mulching before too long. Then there's the impending (new) polytunnel,
which I hope will be ready to go by mid-autumn. Also the shade house
veggie garden and the 'open' veggie gardens. And the fruit trees... and
on it goes...


:
:
:snipped



--
 "There will never be uniform gun laws in Australia until we see a
massacre in Tasmania." - New South Wales Premier Barry Unsworth,
December 1987

 


A lady I know wrote a rather good book on kitchen gardening and she says to
never use straw straight from the bale but to age the bales first by letting
them sit on the earth and turning them occasionally for a couple of months
till they lose that straw colour.  I have been doing this now for a couple
of years and I think she's right.  I now think that fresh straw isn't as
good to use for mulch as aged straw.  Plants seem to prefer aged straw.