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This accessible, alternative gardening method makes it so much easier to grow plants.

Gardening and Grow Your Own (GYO) has hugely increased in popularity, and over the last few years we have seen developments and innovations to make gardening accessible for all, whether you live in a flat with just a small balcony, or you want to save yourself the mess of soil and grow your plants hydroponically. It's also now become very important to grow sustainably, following growing awareness around the environmental damages of conventional materials like peat compost, for example.

But is there a sustainable, no-nonsense, and fairly easy method to growing your own flowers and veggies? We came across an alternative method that cuts out the job of improving soil quality – straw bales.

Straw bale gardening uses a bale of straw or hay instead of a bed of soil or compost to grow produce in. The bale is conditioned by watering it every day for a few weeks. Then seeds, seedlings or young plants are simply placed in the bale, where they're protected and nourished by the straw as they grow. As the bale starts to break down, it generates heat and slowly releases nutrients. This helps seeds to germinate, and flowers, fruit and vegetables to thrive.

'Although straw bale gardening is relatively new, it's quickly gained popularity with many high-profile gardeners and growers. Seeing their positive results instantly caught my attention,' says John Dempsey, gardening expert at Housetastic.

Compared to traditional methods, straw bale gardening 'reduces the need for weeding and minimises the spread of pests and diseases,' says John. 'Plus, there's no ground to prepare with hoeing and digging, so it makes it much easier to grow plants.'

Plants need a good root system to survive and grow strong. And, as a straw bale has plenty of gaps, roots find it easy to spread out and develop. So, it's a great medium for growing fruit and vegetables.

Straw bale gardening is a good option for novice gardeners to try as it's straightforward to set up and there's less that can go wrong. But it's important to choose a bale that's free from herbicides and other harsh chemicals, to protect you and to ensure your plants grow.

This alternative method of gardening is important as it enables more people to grow plants and produce. For example, straw bale gardening can be done in small yards as you can place it directly onto concrete and other hard surfaces. It also allows you to grow in spaces where the ground is in poor condition.

Most edibles will grow in a straw bale, although root vegetables such as potatoes may need the straw loosening up a bit to make room for growth. 'Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and courgettes are particularly well-suited to straw bale gardening, although you'll need to add some supports,' John advises. The protection and warmth provided by the straw means they'll grow well without needing a greenhouse. 'Leafy greens such as cabbage and lettuce which are prone to slug and snail damage in conventional beds, also grow well in straw. And as drainage is good, strawberries do well too,' he says.

As straw bale gardening requires very little in the way of set up, digging and weeding, and the bales have a raised height, it's easier for people with mobility issues to manage. And as it's neither expensive nor time-consuming, those with limited budgets and busy lives can give it a go, too.

Simon Gibbins is the founder of strawbaleveg.co.uk, a business dedicated to educating gardeners on straw bale gardening and helping them get started with tutorial videos, starter kits and accessories. Simon's wife suffers from significant back pain following a motor car incident from a young age, and he wanted to find a gardening method that would be easier on his wife, which is when he came across straw bale gardening. He found that as you can sit the bales on concrete it's a great way to garden if you are a wheelchair user, and over many years he has refined the gardening method.

'It's not just a question of pushing a few seeds in a bale, it is a little more complicated than that, but it is very doable,' Simon says.

The most important thing is to get the straw bales hot and composting. 'We do this by adding water and a nitrogen-based feed over a period of time in varying quantities. My "maturing schedule" lasts about 17 days. By that time, your bales should be ready to plant or sow in. Then you put a thick layer of organic compost on the surface of the bale and you are good to go,' he explains. Is the compost necessary? 'If you are planting, say plug plants, you do not have to put the compost down,' Simon answers. 'But I like to as it gives the plants a head start.'

Since Simon's experiments he has found some fantastic varieties which do very well in straw bales: 'I have grown most vegetables in straw bales. My favourites are runner beans, tomatoes, onions, beetroot and potatoes.'

The process with potatoes is slightly different, but Simon says the results are worth it. 'I chose a lesser-known variety such as pink fir apple, which is a tasty small salad potato.'

So how long do these straw bales last? 'It's a very eco-friendly way to garden,' John says. 'After the growing season has finished, the whole bale, along with any spent plants, can be composted or mulched down. This recycling of garden materials means you can enrich your soil without buying compost or mulch and is much less wasteful than conventional grow-bag methods.'

Simon says, in some cases, the straw bales could even last up to two seasons because they carry no soil borne diseases.

'I have people with just one bale outside their kitchen door, and others with giant 30 bale systems,' Simon laughs. 'It is a fast growing and fun way to grow great veggies. As I like to say – sow a seed, grow a world.'

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