Re: Keyhole Gardens

**R* M* M* <r*@comcast.net>**

Pam,

I earlier had a nice chat with Doreen, so this is more to you as a group and a chance to discuss straw bale gardening. I've grown with wheat straw bales ever since we promoted PAR with our award winning garden at the 2004 Northwest Flower & Garden show. Not wanting to spend money on kick board, straw bales seemed a possiblilty. We planted and grew them here at the nursery on pallets and they were transported to Seattle in one of Ed Hume's trucks. They were a hit, planted with lettuce and colorful greens, thus one of the reasons our GWA garden received the people's Choice Award as well as a gold medal. Jeff Lowenfels did charmingly suggest attendees remember to vote. 

Straw bales offer a way to launch a new garden, improve soil before you make a permanent planting and also are an approach to adaptive gardening. In talks the last several years I've curtailed my breezy enthusiasm because the herbicide "Stinger" or Clopyralid is widely used on wheat fields. I find organic farmers almost uniformly turn their straw back into their soil and so their bales are seldom available. Talking to the wheat grower is not always possible for a home gardener. Here's my partial solution. Legumes are particularly susceptible, so a quick sowing of  peas or beans will announce the presence of this herbicide. If you do determine Clopyralid is present for heaven's sake don't send it to the community composting project or your own compost pile.

Today I'm enjoying our keyhole garden at home and if any of you are coming through Western Oregon I'd be happy to show it to you. It is a great way to garden and plants are thriving. Tossing our compost in the woven center basket works well as it grows worms and disperses nutrients. Our "keyhole" is rustic but this format could be incorporated into a more sophisticated garden.

Rose Marie Nichols McGee    
rmnicholsmcgee@comcast.net
Nichols Garden Nursery www.nicholsgardennursery.com
On Aug 1, 2013, at 11:26 AM, Pamela Ruch wrote:

> I remember seeing a cinder block garden wall, planted in succulents, in Santa Fe last year. High Country Gardens (David Salmon), I believe. 
> Rose Marie Nichols McGee (Nichols Garden Nursery)  has been doing straw bale gardens for years.
> 
> Pam Ruch
> 
> http://www.helpinggardenersgrow.com/
> 
> 
>> From: KTCopsey@aol.com
>> Date: Thu, 1 Aug 2013 14:17:13 -0400
>> To: gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
>> Subject: Re: [GWL] Keyhole Gardens
>> 
>> Doreen
>> There is a past guest of mine Joel Karsten that wrote a book on straw bale  
>> gardens. I have his contact if you need it.
>> 
>> Kate  Copsey
>> Freelance garden writer
>> www.katecopsey.com
>> Host: America's Home  Grown Veggie Show
>> on: _www.americaswebradio.com_ (http://www.americaswebradio.com/)   
>> 
>> Blog: _www.katesgardenjournal.com_ (http://www.katesgardenjournal.com/) 
>> Connect  on Facebook: _Katecopsey_ 
>> (http://www.facebook.com/groups/105735412829773/?id=199807230089257&notif_t=group_activity#!/profile.php?id=626689541
>> ) 
>> Linked  in :_Kate  Copsey_ 
>> (http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=26410599&trk=tab_pro) 
>> Twitter: _katycopsey  
>> 
>> 
>> In a message dated 8/1/2013 2:12:11 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
>> gardendiva@charter.net writes:
>> 
>> I  looking for people to interview who have built keyhole gardens.  These  
>> tiny spots of fertility from Africa have become a developing trend in  
>> vegetable gardening.  I’m writing an article on them and other types such  as 
>> straw bale and cement block gardens.
>> 
>> Please contact me directly if  you have any information or  experience.
>> gardendiva@charter.net
>> 
>> Doreen  Howard
>> 

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