I TESTED growing 5 Crops with and without straw - Here are the results!

[@elizabethblane201]

I think the point is: MULCH, but not necessarily straw. There are many good mulch materials, many which are even free. Experienced gardeners usually come to know the importance of protecting the soil and feeding the soil biome. You've done some good experiments here.

[@straight-up-shots]

These kind of videos are what I love most - a scientific means of trying to improve your gardening year after year. There's so much time involved in this. I just want you to know I appreciate the time and planning and effort put into this.

[@ithacacomments4811]

I use my old strip cut paper shredder to shred up all those brown paper bags, that accumulate from Instacart grocery deliveries, to mulch my raised bed flower beds. Less watering and it looks nice too!

[@natalienewton3711]

Brilliant. I might start doing that. No seeds!

[@waffle_chair9269]

Aren’t you concerned of toxins being put into the soil that way? And then into your food?

[@ithacacomments4811]

@@waffle_chair9269 I use the shredded paper bags in my raised bed flower boxes. I live in an apartment complex. No space to grow vegetables unfortunately. Brown bags are fairly chemical clean in my opinion. I will do some research.

[@woodandwandco]

Concerning the carrots, the ones on the sides of the container probably did better because the leaves received more sunlight because they had more surface area to spread around, and the soil on the edge of the container is likely freer to shift around against the container rather than in the center of the pile. Those are just my guesses! To improve the yield in the center, perhaps consider using slightly loamier soil in the center and a 60 degree triangle planting pattern to mitigate some overlapping leaves!

[@MindandSoil]

very cool insights! Yeah I was wondering the same if it was a temperature thing or sunlight thing! Your comment means a lot to me - a lot of people leave nasty comments about it not being 100% controlled or could be done better, etc., so I really appreciate you sharing that it's been valuable for you 🙏🏻! -jord

[@woodandwandco]

@@MindandSoil Thank you for your kind response! I've been struggling with similar yield variables lately, and I very much enjoy the problem-solving part as it tends to increase my yields over time, especially here in zone 10 where the heat can really force your hand when it comes to options! I agree about the comments. Even the ones trying to be helpful can often times be worded quite poorly and be downright abusive! I try to look past the tone and at what someone is trying to convey, although I can understand how it can be overwhelming when you get a barrage of hate for no reason! It reminds me of a lyric from one of my favorite Maynard albums: "Spoils and troubles and burdens you've bore. Pay them no mind, they matter no more. Leave them behind and show me All about the ocean." The way I interpret it is, the shortcomings of the past, whether one's own of others', are the foundation for the endless call to adventure! We're all here to learn from each other, and I very much appreciate your content and taking the time to go over the strengths and weaknesses of each approach! I've learned everything I know about growing food from your highly educational content and that of other KZbinrs and growers, with the ultimate test eventually being trial and error in my own climate! Thank you for all you do!

[@lindsaywhitehead7819]

It's called the 'edge effect'. Plants on the edge of different environments usually grow bigger. Often because of more space of light. I thought that when he did the carrots, the result would be this way for that reason. All the other tests had the beds divided the other way (or the whole be in half - tomatoes/basil). But it's great to see actual trials instead of parroting what everyone else says, true or not. I wasn't expecting the basil result.

[@DebRoo11]

The first year I used straw I knew I'd never go without it again. I have to carry rain water in watering cans and I"ve had to water considerably less. Also the weed factor. If I find a weed in my beds it's a very rare thing. I spend no time weeding all year. One thing I want to suggest is that you remove the straw before winter. It does harbor pests into the next spring. I love gardening videos and i love videos and I love garden experiment videos especially when they are so doable and practical as this one. I loved this :) thank you for the time and effort you put into this experiment and the production. great work!

[@bluewolf4915]

I used EZ straw but there's a lot of wheat seed in it. Pulling grass plants all season. So I switched to pine shavings which work great also. Just don't mix it into the soil.

[@MindandSoil]

Very cool! Yeah I would imagine leaves would work well as well, But I'm not as crazy about the aesthic of leaves haha

[@Barackrifle]

First year I used EZ straw, no issues with seeds/weeds. This year, nothing but small grass growing from it.

[@NudePostingConspiracyTheories]

Good tip thanks. Straw with seeds in it.

[@moonorchid9242]

I’m in Australia so I’m not sure it’s as accessible elsewhere, but sugarcane mulch is my go to. No risk of seed in the mix. Otherwise I tend to go for lucern

[@OSKG2023]

I’m down south in Louisiana and I’ve been testing using pine straw, because it’s everywhere down here.

[@Junebug8283]

never again using straw, this year the slugs hid out in the straw and feasts all night. happy it worked for you!

[@cherylanon5791]

Arugula will bolt in about 30 days regardless of mulching; the reason to use straw is keeping weeds down & reducing need to water. Those alone are reason enough to use straw!

[@jhosk]

Thank you for the experiments, this helps a lot. Tip: buy your basil out of Italy, we picked up a pound of seeds for $40 and just broadcasted them. The production was insane. And yes we didn't pay attention to the weight before we purchased them.

[@microsoft-pox]

Leaves work awesome, and are abundant and free.

[@davesrvchannel4717]

When using straw you need to be certain it doesn’t have herbicide on it from when it was grown. If so you can cause serious issues. I use my tree leafs that I bag in fall to be safe. Loved the video and your commitment to detail. Thanks!!!

[@MisterBaker5]

Yeah, carrots always grow bigger from the outside in... so I harvest them outside first then inside later. Great vid

[@MissCarAndHerJoe]

Your tomato basil bed is beautiful. I love the way you prune your tomatoes! Nice and tidy, but still enough leaves so they don’t look like sad bare stems.

[@davidnichols4660]

I live in NH, zone 5B I believe. I have used straw from a company called Mainely Mulch and have been pleased with because I know it has not been sprayed with herbicides. Also, the weed growth through it has been much less than regular straw from local farms. I used EZ straw once and it was ok. We get lots of Fall leaves and I will usually use that as a cover over the winter, but I get it by using the lawn mower to break it into smaller pieces. The problem is I do get wee$ seeds mixed in and often acorns, too. Nice not to have to pay for it, but there is some work involved. This year I noticed another product next to the other mulches at the local greenhouse called Buckwheat Hulls mulch. The price was about the same so I gave it a try. I used it in all the buckets an$ fabric bags because it was smaller and a lot easier to spread. I had enough left to use it in three raised beds, one 4x8 and two 2x8. I used the straw mulch in the other raised beds. There were almost no weeds in those beds. Occasionally I would pull a single piece of grass when I was watering, but very little. In the other beds I had some spots where there was a lot of grass and weeds. Most of the plants showed tremendous growth and harvesting was very easy. I just got down cleaning out all the beds for winter and the buckwheat hulls were very easy to turn into the soil, too. The only negative was when the plants were small the rain would splash some of the hulls up onto the leaves. When they dried it was easy to shake them off. On leafy greens they got down into the inside of some, but they were going to be washed off eventually anyway. I bought a second bag in midsummer when I was doing second plantings and I have half a bag left so I’m planning on using it to mulch the garlic, which I will also cover with some leaf mulch to make certain that they are protected from the freezing cold. Next Spring I will check again to make sure that the finances work, but as I recall it seemed to be about the same price as the straw.and seemed to cover as much. I also will check to see how well it broke down over the winter, but I expect that it will be better than 5he straw or leaves. Maybe I’ll eventually do a comparison experiment like you.

[@crystalshepherd8835]

I used Gardenstraw this year (organic & clean). Super happy with the outcome. Less watering and barely any weeding. I only used on the strawberries at first, but as the weather increased in temp I would keeping adding and now almost all my garden beds have straw !! I love that you’re somewhat in my area, it’s been fun to watch your garden grow over the years🤩 I have learned a lot from all your experiments. I’m 3 years in and totally addicted to gardening now.

[@MindandSoil]

Oh I love to hear that Crystal!! If you're ever interested in joining my online gardening mentorship, GROUNDED, let me know! Would be tons of fun to have you! And yeah, I'm in the exact same boat as you in that it started with straw on one bed and now it's ending up in more and more areas! -jord

[@crystalshepherd8835]

Send me the info. I’m the only one in my friend group that gardens. Would love to connect.

[@MindandSoil]

@@crystalshepherd8835 send me an email and I'll send you all the details! [e-mail]

[@kitdockery4291]

The leafy greens bolt based on air temperature, not soil temperature.

[@ebradley2306]

Good experiment. I use straw in my garden beds but I buy straw by the bale. Between growing seasons ( I garden all year) I just pull the straw off the bed to transplant or sow seeds, add fresh organic matter and top up the straw as needed. I might get a bag of garden straw for my strawberries in a GreenStalk because the finer straw would be easier to put in the individual cells.

[@Peace2all4vr]

I LOVE YOUR HAIR!!!! GREEN with envy. AND your gardening tips are top notch too!

[@AaronC.]

I love your scientific approach with all the data and the control groups! It's so valuable.

[@MindandSoil]

Thanks so much Aaron! Your comment means a lot to me - a lot of people leave nasty comments about it not being 100% controlled or could be done better, etc., so I really appreciate you sharing that it's been valuable for you! -jord

[@AaronC.]

@@MindandSoil don't listen to them. There are a thousand factors outside anyone's control that can mess with the experiment, but, the data that you measure is enough to give a general idea on if "x" technique works applied in different ways. I'm sure there are more people that appreciate your work than those that write the nasty comments! Thanks man.

[@sappir26]

I use wood shavings. It tends to break up less quickly and it's cheaper. All natural of course. Less on the plants that are drought tolerant and more on those that like it consistantly moist.

[@jenjoy4353]

When I use straw or leaf mulch, I need to also spread nail and slug bait

[@MindandSoil]

give beer traps a try - they've been super effective for me in the past! -jord

[@DianneBond-t7c]

Thanks for sharing. Always love seeing a good comparison. I bag leaves in the fall and use as mulch in the garden season. Free and plentiful

[@hubertnnn]

Straw is also a good fertilizer. After first year you just mix it into the soil and on next year it will improve the soil.

[@PlantObsessed]

I love this style of video. I know it is a ton of work. Thank you for taking the time to show this to us. Cheers. 🪱👍🏼😃

[@DevinTheGardener]

I love your garden experiments! I’m like minded!

[@MindandSoil]

Thanks Devin!! Lots more in the final stages, keep your eyes peeled!

[@abigailkarius9431]

Have you done any comparisons between types of mulch (straw vs leaves vs wood chips)?

[@MindandSoil]

Not yet! This was my first year of really utilizing mulch in the garden while growing (ive mulched in the offseason in the past but then grown in just bare soil), but I could see myself playing around with different mulching mediums into the future! -jord

[@tonimariewalker6594]

I love these comparisons growing videos. Great job

[@thenextpoetician6328]

I've only started using raw wool to control slugs and retain moisture and suppress weeds, however the results so far are impressive. Last year the late strawberries were decimated. This year was hot and wet though the early strawberries were unaffected by slugs. Friends down the road have sheep, so it's free. We share stuff. :)

[@deweythompson5279]

I use a good grass hay. When it decays it puts nitrogen into the soil. Straw only helps loosen the soil and puts no nutrients in the soil.

[@kathrynmettelka7216]

Less weeding always wins any contest! I’m 77 with arthritis in my hands and back, but I want to continue gardening. By the way, Ruth Stout was the Queen of straw mulching decades ago.

[@MyFocusVaries]

I like these experiments, and especially that you do them in larger beds. I see some channels do them on single plants, which isn't a useful comparison, because there's a lot of variability even between individual plants grown in the exact same conditions. I know your dinner like the look of leaves, but if you run them through a chipper shredder, that might improve their appearance, and I wonder if a dark mulch would raise the soil temperature

[@MindandSoil]

Yeah super interesting idea there! I think I might give that a try next year! -jord

[@jenjoy4353]

I give basil, shade and mulch to slow down the growth and slow bolting

[@MindandSoil]

I give my basil as much sun and heat as possible haha. If you continuously prune the plant above the nodes it will keep on splitting and not go to flower :) jord

[@eigleenalegri2664]

Thank you for your experiments. The yield increases on the tomatoes is amazing. Straw does have seeds in it but it lasts for years as mulch. Spurge grew where I mulched a path but I just trample it. Straw bales could have roaches living in it so I will soak the straw in soapy water ahead of applications. That process gives the soil benefit of moisture from the start and the biological process sooner.

[@abundanttameika6048]

Yes please more experimental videos, i love this one thank you💫💫

[@joyfulparadise]

I love your channel! I love all these experiments. So facinating. Thank u so much for doing this.

[@harmoneecatcher2281]

Love these comparisons Very valuable info I’ve done the same for the past few yrs The last 2 I’ve been comparing electro culture Results are unquestionably better with! If you haven’t already tried it DO I’m sure you’ll find the same results

[@MindandSoil]

Very cool!! I definitely want to try it out as an experiment. What crops have you noticed it having the biggest and smallest impact on?

[@brandyhamilton8944]

How did you do your electroculture and where did you get the items for it? Been researching that one a little

[@brandyhamilton8944]

​@@MindandSoilPLEASE DO AN ELECTROCULTURE EXPERIMENT 😊

[@harmoneecatcher2281]

@@brandyhamilton8944 my son got me a couple huge rolls of copper wire different gauges one real heavy for my 4-6+ ft poles and some medium gauge for my 3 footers or smaller I use local straight strong tree branches from our yard or the neighbors’ and wrap it clockwise with about an inch spacing between each winding leaving a few inches on bottom leaving straight to bury in and a bit more on top to bend and point it north to north east I’ve even made mini ones for small plants in containers I’ve been experimenting with using them for a couple of years now The comparison results are always quite amazing for me …

[@mcgritty8842]

Awesome video and good crop choice imo. I believe straw can also help prevent tomatoes from splitting as much, and carrots grown in straw might taste better since I heard carrots grown in hotter temperatures can be more bitter bur 🤷‍♂️ Live, learn, love ❤

[@tammystoddard4690]

What type of carrot seeds did you use? Also, what zone are you in?

[@desertedenblooms]

great video! thank you for your due diligence. Will use info to enhance growing ability!

[@MindandSoil]

Thx so much!! Your comment means a lot to me - a lot of people leave nasty comments about it not being 100% controlled or could be done better, etc., so I really appreciate you sharing that it's been valuable for you 🙏🏻! -jord

[@luckyadrian100]

Man it seem simple but I know you put a lot of effort and patient into this project. Great job

[@MOHANKUMAR-qj4ce]

This science helped me a lot brother from India thanks

[@petrusaucamp8665]

Great video! New gardener here! I was wondering if you have made a video on how you grow the tomatoes (how your trellis and rope system works) or perhaps have a link to a video i can watch that explains it. Tomato cages just aren't doing it for me...

[@janew5351]

The first time i used this straw, in my garlic rows and covered with thick landscape fabric . There is always a breeze here. The fabric had to be removed as soon as garlic sprouted up in spring.

[@MindandSoil]

very cool!

[@xaviercruz4763]

Jordan check in house basil in the winter to see if by mulching it grows the same vs not since I think 🤔 it was the accidental incorporation of the woody mulch on the soil that caused the lack of growth because they turned lime green too and not just shorter with the same dark green and that’s exactly what happened to me

[@mapperman999]

Have you considered that what causes bolting of leafy greens may be the air temperature, not the temperature at the roots? Just a thought. On the carrot question, I suspect the soil at the interior of the garden bed is slightly cooler than those at the edges where the metal is exposed to the sun and heats the soil.

[@sc-dw6gt]

keep in mind that bolting in annuals is triggered by increasing day length, NOT (only) by heat. Because, for humans, those two things usually occur together, the results are often confused. You'll notice for example that, even when it's hot in September, arugula, cilantro, dill, lettuce, spinach and other popular bolters will usually not bolt but instead will hunker down and go through winter. Plant after July 15 to take advantage of decreasing day length to prevent bolting.

[@lukas1912]

Hi Mate. I have suggestion for experiment which I tested and results are great. Everybody will tell you that you want good drainage so roots don't sit in water. You can test pots with good drainage and regular watering and compare them with pots that have 5-10 cm (10 cm for large pots at least 40 cm deep) of water 24/7.

[@CuriouslyCute]

Lol, it was posted 21 mins ago, I'm not subscribed, just saw this vid while looking for something else permaculture, and decided to see this. Thanks! You got a like!

[@MindandSoil]

Hahha amazing! Let me know what you think! -jord

[@CuriouslyCute]

@@MindandSoil I'm glad you did the experiment and made the video! It was helpful! I liked it! Thanks!

[@sandraanderson217]

I love you experiments! I was wondering if straw would be better for broccoli…😊

[@MindandSoil]

Great Q! I actually have some broccoli and cabbage planted right now as a succession crop and I've covered the bed with Garden Straw for all the same reasons. They like cooler soil, it decreases the amount I have to weed, and decreases the amount I have to water. And tangentially I only grow broccoli and cabbage into the Fall! -jord

[@terryl.9302]

Barley Straw & Coir. Lots of great tips in this video. Love these comparisons. Soil Temps can be controlled easily this way. Thx. *Guessing carrots just a bit too close together. *Garden Straw link? not there.

[@MindandSoil]

Thx so much! Your comment means a lot to me - a lot of people leave nasty comments about it not being 100% controlled or could be done better, etc., so I really appreciate you sharing that it's been valuable for you! -jord And here's the link to the straw: GET GARDEN STRAW: 2ly.link/1zPNe

[@janew5351]

Try a co op or farm store, I think I paid $10 for packed 3cuft for my hen coop. ONtario, px.

[@jazzguyman]

Have you considered using an insulating layer on the inside of the bed to prevent the constant temperature changes due to the corrugated iron sheet metal? Repurposed styrofoam or perhaps pallet wood can stop alot of the soil on the perimeter from drying out due to hear and roots from the fluctuation of heat in the day and colder nights.

[@ggauche3465]

Great vid! Very methodical. It would be even better if you compared crops across years. What impact did your straw have on your soil over time? Also potatoes! Thank you. 🙂

[@anisah_ahmad]

Thank you so much Love from Indonesia

[@bethanderson1377]

This is great I would like to see hay vs wood mulch.

[@meyou842]

ive tried mulch, no mulch and with with fresh lawn clippings, the fresh lawn clippings worked best for me, would love to see a experiment on that

[@Thingys-Jill]

Is there a difference between "garden" straw and the straw in the animal bedding section of various big box stores and feed stores? I used bedding straw and it seemed to be good. Thoroughly enjoyed your video.

[@tanyagaydos9097]

I used garden straw for the first time this year and loved the results!! Does anyone know if you can plant seeds directly into the soil under the straw (when I go to plant my garden for next year) just not sure how to treat it when direct seeding

[@whitestone4401]

I did this with my fall carrots. Planted the seeds and put a 1” layer of straw over top and kept moist until germination. The carrots are doing great. I’m anxious to see the results at harvest.

[@tanyagaydos9097]

@@whitestone4401 thank you!

[@thw4ck]

i use hay on potatoes in the farm garden... works great 😊

[@MindandSoil]

Amazing! Love it!

[@mike-o5g]

can you do a battle of the organic fertilizers experiment with kelp meal, feather meal and fishbone meal fertilizers from dr. earth and down to earth companies to see which one produces the biggest growth/yield increase on its own?

[@MindandSoil]

Great Q! This weekend I am launching my first fertilizer experiment! It's not the ones you mentioned here but I am going to do more of them into the future!

[@thejuniorgardener]

How long did those carrots take to reach that size? Mine have been planted for 112 days and are a lot smaller than yours!

[@richpate9436]

Interesting. Makes me wonder if certain types of straw are more nutrient rich for your soil when they break down? And are some types of straw less conducive to fostering pill bugs, earwigs, squash bugs, etc.? Thanks for all your testing. Liked & Subscribed!

[@deepost2604]

Perhaps the carrots closer to the metal bins were in warmer soil due to heat retention.

[@MindandSoil]

yeah I'm super curious about inside vs outside of the bed planting at the moment!

[@jvmore3821]

What variety of carrots are these? Great results!

[@chippy527]

What garden straw did you use ( the link is not working for me). I got straw bales from Home Depot in great sale after Halloween. However, the straw was contaminated with Grazon herbicide and not only killed or severely stunted my garden plants but also contaminated my garden soil ( for next 3-5 years). I’m constructing new beds in a different area, but want a source of truly clean straw.

[@kimbyask7212]

Great experience! I just want to know your zone to see what's the temp and how much sun those plants get. I'm in zone 5 that summer is short and average temp is below 30 degrees even in summer, the mulching protection may not effect that much.

[@christophermorrow4439]

My understanding is strawberries obtained their name because the straw was always used to prevent them from touching the soil and rotting

[@Melissasoto1]

I was not able to log into the link for the straw? What is the name of it or what is a good straw or mulch to use? Thank you so much for your videos! God bless you and yours! 🙏🏼☺️

[@kna60]

Hello, thx for your experiments. But alas, the same bias applies to this one as to garlic: the “all other things being equal” condition is not met. The part without straw has soil on the 2 long sides and metal walls on the short sides, while the part with straw has metal on 3 sides. This can have a significant impact on results in terms of soil temperature and humidity.

[@michelleharris7155]

Love this!

[@MindandSoil]

Thx Michelle!! More experiments coming up, stay tuned! -jord

[@Blacknstraight]

I know basil likes the heat, but the tomatoes with the straw are taller and may have shaded the basil too much for them to grow as tall. Maybe the placement of the sun vs which side of the tomatoes you plant your basil will impact the growth.

[@robinr.9007]

🌷 wonderful vid thanks!

[@ninagiles3408]

Great comparison ! Daft question, but does anyone know the equivalent to Gardenstraw in the UK? We can get barley straw or Strulch but the rest is animal bedding. ??

[@cal-monnejoei2219]

Hi where did you buy the one you used for your raise bed kinda look like tin roof.I would like to know,I appreciate you reply,thanks.

[@bjohnston3659]

How did the arugula seedlings get thru the mulch?

[@mattg6472]

Gatlic Guy! Your doing it wrong. Lay your straw over the whole bed random pattern fukuoka style so that it is woven together like a fabric mesh. Then pull small holes in the straw down to the soil and then youll really be sewing. Much faster. The size of the hole in the straw determines how much exposure or warmth any given seed/plant gets. What im describing is lvl 2 straw garden . There is a mythucal 3rd lvl that i will be trying next season. Outrageous miracles ... i grew potato plants that were over 3 feet tall and 6 feet wide this year. Utterly unimaginable

[@mattg6472]

The soil scientist will be left in the dust literally unfortunately if they don't conform to the truth

[@laxd488]

Is it mulching cover works same as garden straw

[@CountryFrau]

You know you are dedicated when you count cherrry tomatoes! Ha! Thank you.

[@catraze7888]

cant you put instade of straw some small rocks?

[@giacomofrattini4456]

Ever tried using unusual cover crop? Green leafy vegetables for example. I'm quite triggered by this idea. Ex.: tomatoes and spinaches as cover crop. Or arugula. Thank you

[@carvalhofarmgoa4050]

Hello sir you given a nice information

[@dwightdaniels8322]

What variety of carrots did u grow?

[@nathanzuborev2834]

What do you do with slugs?

[@straight-up-shots]

That straw is crazy expensive. Buy it local if you can for way less 💲 Excellent video though!

[@MindandSoil]

Totally fair! Your comment means a lot to me - a lot of people leave nasty comments about it not being 100% controlled or could be done better, etc., so I really appreciate you sharing that it's been valuable for you 🙏🏻! -jord

[@bariaissa1737]

thank you

[@jasric89]

How do you get your carrots to be so long and deep? Mine end up being relatively small because they seem unable to go deep into my soil, even though I've changed the soil to be lighter and more sandy.

[@Aubriellewadsworth]

love you videos

[@frascasca]

Well done man. What zone are you in?

[@janew5351]

Check out Michael Kilpatrick at The Farm on Central in ohio, he just did a piece on how garlic planted down the centre of the fall planted strawberries is a win win. He has a upick strawberry at his farm.

[@MindandSoil]

very cool! I did strawbs & garlic a few years ago but it got a bit hectic for myself. That's been my biggest hesitation with companion planting tbh!

[@666bruv]

Try covering the carrot seed with the straw initially

[@Power_Prawnstar]

Had to like and comment cause you counted all the toms 😂

[@sreinlie]

Garden straw link blocked due to possible malware. Could you post the full link?

[@lorilongwell5451]

The outside of the bed would have been hotter if that is any suggestion for why the carrots grew larger

[@hellfooliver1497]

Hey, just so you know, I think your audio's Left and Right channels are unbalanced, the volume is louder in the right than the left in headphones (tested in other videos to be sure that it isn't my headphone) Keep up the videos, I really like them!

[@MindandSoil]

plz come fix it 🤣 hahah

[@wannesnotenbaert805]

@@MindandSoil I can help you

[@triciaarnold5555]

I watched for the first time. Great video! I liked and subscribed.

[@esequielvaldez1540]

I think it would have been better in the germination tray which is plastic therefore it has less weight❤❤

[@MyFocusVaries]

The scale has a function where you set it to zero after you put the container on it (you can see Jordan press the button before he puts the veg on to weigh)

[@MindandSoil]

Yeah I zero'd out the scale before so the weight of the bowl is not included in that figure :) -jord

[@JaniceSatterwhite-cz2yn]

I don't know how you could have a whole garden of that stuff, with the expense of it. Made a big difference though. I only have pine straw available here.

[@ruthlongridge]

They are called Strawberries because they grow on straws, not because they need straw bedding. I use it too and have a sweet abundance...

[@michaellaffey1317]

How do you know your straw is not contaminated with herbicides.

[@sidtpp]

Since those on sides share less soil than others in the middle

[@madammim694]

i use straw just to keep the weeds out