Differbetween
- How can you tell the difference between straw and hay?
- What does straw look like?
- Should I use straw or hay in my garden?
- Why is straw better than hay?
- Is Straw cheaper than hay?
- Why do farmers leave hay bales in the field?
- What is straw good for?
- How long does Straw last?
- What do farmers use straw for?
- Is Straw good for gardens?
- How long does it take for hay straw to decompose?
- Is Hay good for a garden?
How can you tell the difference between straw and hay?
Hay is a crop that is grown and harvested as a feed crop for cattle, horses and other farm animals. Straw on the other hand is a byproduct of a grain crop; in our area it's usually usually wheat straw that we see. ... Straw on the other hand, is much better for use as a garden mulch.
What does straw look like?
Straw is yellow or golden colored and is a byproduct of the grain harvest. In other words it is a waste product of wheat.
Should I use straw or hay in my garden?
Hay tends to lay flat and pack down, so it decomposes fairly quickly. It also has more of a sponge effect than straw does, which means that in heavy rainfalls, it buffers or slows down the amount of rain that soaks into the soil to help prevent erosion and leeching of nutrients.
Why is straw better than hay?
Straw is normally used for a bedding material, while hay is used as a feed supplement. Straw is dried out and works well for building nests and providing cushioning for animals to sleep in. Straw is also more practical to use as bedding than hay is, because of its lower cost. ...
Is Straw cheaper than hay?
Straw is far less expensive than hay in our area, selling for under $4/square bale. ... Since hay is more nutritious but more expensive, we buy hay solely for the horses to eat. Since straw is cheaper, dried and therefore less likely to mold or attract moisture, we buy straw for the backyard chicken coop and nesting boxes.
Why do farmers leave hay bales in the field?
If they are scattered around the field the farmer is just waiting for a convenient time to pick them up and move them. If lined up along the edge of the field they are being stored there. Big round bales can handle being left outside, and even if the outside looks weathered the inside will be good for a year or longer.
What is straw good for?
It has a number of different uses, including fuel, livestock bedding and fodder, thatching and basket making. Straw is usually gathered and stored in a straw bale, which is a bale, or bundle, of straw tightly bound with twine, wire, or string.
How long does Straw last?
It is good straw and I put in one wheelbarrow a day (very big wheelbarrow). The bale has about 10 bales in it and it lasts anything from 4 weeks up, depending how wet he has been and if I have taken the deep litter out like I did last week.
What do farmers use straw for?
Some livestock eat the straw as roughage in their diets. Straw is also used as bedding for livestock. Livestock farmers choose to grow wheat so once the wheat has been harvested they have available land to apply manure.
Is Straw good for gardens?
Straw is one of the best mulch materials you can use around your vegetable plants. It's clean, it's light and it breaks down relatively easily, giving your plants more of what they need to grow.
How long does it take for hay straw to decompose?
Some growers will leave the hay out for one full year to be fully saturated and partially decomposed.
Is Hay good for a garden?
Hay will not give you a dry layer of cover that is pleasing to look at, but it is a great mulch for growing flowers and vegetables, and you'll get a fantastic yield. To start a garden, with seeds or starters, first create a thick layer of hay, up to eight inches (20 cm.), right over your garden soil.
