Where to place the bales? Once bales are watered, there will be no moving them. So decide on their location in advance. Place them where drainage will flow away from the house. Leave room to maneuver between them. Orient the bales with the twine off the ground, with the narrow edge facing up.

How to prepare the bales? To create a soil-like environment, sprinkle a cup of blood meal on each bale. Then, really soak it. Best yet, put a drip line over them and water every few days.  The bales will heat up and in about 10 days, put your finger deep into a bale to be sure it has cooled before planting. Otherwise your plants will burn.

What crops to plant? Tomato, peppers, okra, dwarf-variety corn, beans,  peas, zucchini, melons, squash, cucumbers, annual herbs and salad greens, flowering annuals. Root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, onions and parsnips are not successful bale crops. Alyssum and marigolds are natural pest repellents. Edible nasturtiums make good corner crops.

How to plant the bales? Plant seeds or seedlings directly on the moistened bale, then cover the top with a two-inch layer of compost. Sprinkle generously with water. Or, use a trowel to break apart a little planting area for your seedlings. Then apply about an inch of compost, again sprinkling generously.

How to tend your crops? Continue to water every few days, as you would any crop. You can dowse with compost or use weak manure tea to keep up the nutrient flow.

At the end of the season, break apart the bales to use as mulch or compost. Start with new bales each year.