Straw is Messy

I dug a trench to delineate the edge of the magnolia bed (named for the Sweet Bay Magnolia in its center) at least 2 months ago. In September, I planted two mock oranges, two red hot pokers, two black eyed susans, and a butterfly bush. As usual, I mulched with newspaper, and then bark. The result was a bit unsightly looking: a chain of flapping newspaper islands, populated by single, scrawny plants, floating on a grassy sea. Although it was amusing to suggest to my neighbors that I was finished with the bed as it was, this weekend was finally the time to give it a proper dressing.

First, I smothered the remainder of the grass with multiple layers of wet newspaper. Crawling about on my knees, dragging a bag of paper and a container of water, gave me a true appreciation for how large a bed I’m creating. (I also tore through half my stock of recently acquired newspaper.) To keep the newspaper from blowing away, and to pacify my neighbors, I bought two bales of straw to cover the bed.

I’ve never handled a bale of straw before. I was prepared for it to yield an amazing amount of straw, but I wasn’t expecting the bale to EXPLODE when I cut the cords. The kitties and I had some good fall fun making a huge, yellow mess with the chaff. When I had finished, the bed was covered in a cozy straw blanket, upon which Cleo promptly curled up and took a nap.

The straw looks very nice (much better than newspaper alone or compost), but I have some reservations. Although it has remained intact so far, I’m still afraid the straw will blow away. I am also worried that, just as my cats found it inviting, I’ll be attracting chipmunks, moles, voles, and other burrowing critters into the bed. I will be depending on the kitties to keep it rodent-free. Finally, I wonder if I’m setting myself up for a weed fest when the seeds mixed in with the straw germinate next spring.

Like most of my gardening experiments, I’ll “wait and see.” I will be sure to report on whether the straw blanket was a stroke of genius or a disaster. In the meantime, I find myself in a fall holiday mood every time I walk past my cheery straw pile.