What is the difference between straw and wheat

For example, hay that contains a great deal of carbohydrates and protein will be fed to working horses. Hay is made by harvesting plants when they are alive and, in most cases, cut before the seed matures.

The hay is then dried. It is important that hay bales do not have too high of a moisture content. If hay is too moist it can get moldy and will not be good for animal feed. Hay is especially important for animals like cows, goats, horses and sheep when there is no pasture for these animals to graze on.

Many people are surprised to learn that high moisture content inside of a hay bale can actually cause that bale to catch on fire. This occurs when heat inside moist hay bales increases during the decomposition process. Straw and hay are often packaged in the same way, and many garden stores use the term straw regardless of whether a bale is hay or straw. While correct, I doubt that name will stick! We work at universities, government research facilities, and private businesses across the United States and the world.

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Hay is used for feeding animals when they cannot be grazed. It is full of nutrients. Shown here, hay bales dotting the Wisconsin countryside. Credit: Erin Soto, IG erin. Hay bales ready for transport in Arizona. Credit: SV Fisk. Share this: Twitter Facebook. Like this: Like Loading Call of the wild sunflower. How do they make those crazy designs on Major League Baseball outfields? I think it's just another of the 'trends' that garden writers pick up on when they're desperate for something 'new' to write about, and that they don't subject to any critical thought.

But I was raised by a homicide detective, and I'm always looking for the hole in the logic. And in this case, I came up with five right off the bat. And that last one is perhaps my biggest issue emotionally. My approach to gardening—forged in the fires of greats like J. The answer to clay soil is not to grow in pesticide laden straw bales which are really heavy , by the way—so the schlepping factor is not decreased one bit.

Raised beds and real containers are a much less toxic and much more sustainable response to clay soil; fill them with a nice mix of potting soil , screened black topsoil, perlite and compost. NOT manure or peat moss; those are far from the best soil amendments. Then you're away from the clay, growing in a medium that isn't pre-contaminated with chemicals, drains well in wet years, goes longer between waterings in dry years, and doesn't need to be replaced every year.

And one that you can naturally nourish with compost , worm castings and other organic matter instead of salty chemical fertilizers. Sign up today and be the first to know when a new article is posted and when there are special offers too! Close Shopping Cart. Continue Shopping. Checkout ». Shopping Cart 0 items in cart. Garden Fertilizers Alive! Email Oops, there seems to be an error, please re-enter your email address. Helpful Products from Gardens Alive!

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