I have tried the straw bales on and off for several years now .
The only real problem is they seem to take a lot more water than my raised beds.I can not install a drip irrigation tube where the garden is so If I am planning on being gone for any time the bale garden suffers.
The great up side when the bales rot I have lots of fresh compost for the rest of the garden.
I have also just put the bales close together in a place where I wish to create a new garden and by end of season all weeds/grass is dead , I just break the bales and let sit on the space over winter and rake back and plant next spring. A slightly different take on lasagna gardening.
