From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Newfoundland

is hay and straw good to put on pumpkin patch ??

10/29/2016 8:15:14 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Alfalfa hay is great. Many use alfalfa meal

10/29/2016 8:27:41 AM

Central Illinois

I think hay and straw will draw out the nitrogen while trying to break down, I think you would want to compost it first.

10/29/2016 12:39:04 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I would not add straw or hay to my patch again you are likely to end up with many weeds. Some of these weeds you may have a hard time controlling for years. Also stay away from compost that has not been aged for several years.

10/29/2016 2:55:00 PM

The bottom of New Jersey

I'm planning on trying straw as a mulch next year on part of my patch. Straw should not have any seeds in it if it is done properly (hay has the seeds). I think it will help smother the weed problem I already have, and keep the soil more moist.
I spend so much time hoeing and pulling weeds every year to no avail, I figure it can't hurt. And I won't till any of it in until the end of the season so it has time to break down by the following spring. We'll see how it goes

10/30/2016 11:11:41 AM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

We have been using winter wheat straw..Fresh after harvest.. we bale it... it has wheat seeds in it and we can get huge amounts of it. We till some in fall and also have done it for mulch under the plants.. mice like it so do rabbits... I don't use it anymore in season but I sure till in some .. we have also used pea cuttings. From the cannery harvest.. they bale decent and till in nice as well when a tractor is used to till ...I feel organic matter is organic matter we also use grass & leafs clipping when available from my landscaper friends..they normally show up in fall looking for a place to dump there fall clean up debris

10/30/2016 12:11:43 PM

Corryton, TN

DO NOT USE HAY! BillF nailed it. The number of weed and grass seeds will be enormous. Hard seeds to boot (they germinate in later years)

10/31/2016 7:50:10 AM

Cape Breton Nova Scotia

I used straw on my giants as a mulch this year. It did a great job at keeping the weeds down and holding mosture.

10/31/2016 9:12:44 PM

Kentucky

I was thinking straw didnt really have seed like hay does.

10/31/2016 9:58:40 PM

Grittyville, WA

I am going to try using straw but it's ten years old the weed germination will be less I think. I have a weed friendly patches already so I'm not worried about it. How about a trial one patch with &one without?

Alfalfa does seem to be a good in my experience but not many folks growing alfalfa in Newfoundland?!

12/6/2016 7:28:56 AM

50 Acres

I have been using alfalfa meal and sugar beet meal the last 3/4 years.I have never seen so many worms as the last couple of years. I am continueing to use them.

12/6/2016 9:15:58 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I have used hay and straw at different times over the years. My experience is they attract burrowing rodents and also the weeds that do pop through are harder to deal with because you can't use the stirrup hoe. I will not try it again.

12/6/2016 3:46:11 PM