Tried some straw bales this year. Remember to place them with the open, cut side up. Conditioned mine with soil from my compost pile, fish emulsion, coffee grounds and bone meal. Watered daily and had good heat for about a week and a half. One bale was set at the north end of a hugel and the top was again layered with more compost. Pole beans were direct seeded and are still producing well. One stem is a good 3/4" in diameter out of the bale and there's a very healthy volunteer eggplant as well. This bale turned out to be a blessing, because a very wet spring drowned my beans multiple times in my main garden.
Another bale was used for heirloom tomatoes in the main garden and has done very well also. A benefit to the bale was the plethora of "kitty grass" that came up, my cat is so demanding.
Honestly, I don't think my bales will survive to be used a second year.
