This will allow you to grow a first year garden successfully
I like this method for several reasons, the beds are at waist level and this makes it easy to weed or identify pests,, if you fill them only 3/4 full you can use a clear plastic bag as a mini green house to add several weeks to your season, the bed will also warm sooner because it is not in contact with the cold ground, your garden also starts out weed free, any wheat or timothy that sprouts is easily killed, slugs and snails don't easily it make to the beds to eat your plants and if you do have that problem a strip of bare wire wrapped around the barrel and hooked to a 12v light string will keep them out, at the end of the season you can cover the tops with a plastic bag to keep weed seeds out and keep winter rains from leaching your nutrients.
I have tried straw and timothy separately but straw does not have enough nitrogen and timothy has too much, I think half and half would work well 1 bale will fill 4 half barrels 3/4 full so 1 bale of straw and 1 of timothy mixed will fill 8 half barrels and give a good amount of nitrogen.
After filling the barrels add a 2" layer of steer manure or your favorite bedding mix, then plant. The straw holds lots of water and makes a good matrix for the roots, the gutter will collect the excess water in the bucket for future use.
Next year will be even better because you will have 8 half barrels of compost.
As seen in the pictures the stunted plant are in all straw, the lush ones in all timothy,
You don't need to buy straw, check your feed store for mildewed bales, or post on the bulletin board.
Barrels can be had from your local bottler for $10 or so, you could use plastic totes but they will only last a few years , you can pass your barrels on to your grand kids.
I have tried straw and timothy separately but straw does not have enough nitrogen and timothy has too much, I think half and half would work well 1 bale will fill 4 half barrels 3/4 full so 1 bale of straw and 1 of timothy mixed will fill 8 half barrels and give a good amount of nitrogen.
After filling the barrels add a 2" layer of steer manure or your favorite bedding mix, then plant. The straw holds lots of water and makes a good matrix for the roots, the gutter will collect the excess water in the bucket for future use.
Next year will be even better because you will have 8 half barrels of compost.
As seen in the pictures the stunted plant are in all straw, the lush ones in all timothy,
You don't need to buy straw, check your feed store for mildewed bales, or post on the bulletin board.
Barrels can be had from your local bottler for $10 or so, you could use plastic totes but they will only last a few years , you can pass your barrels on to your grand kids.