Should I use hay or straw?

A bale of hay and a bale of straw may look similar and may be found together in the same places, but they are very different. Hay is food for plant-eating animals. Straw is used for non-food purposes.

Which is better straw or hay?

Straw is not as nutritionally valuable as hay and is generally less expensive than hay. Hay is harvested while it is still a live, healthy plant. Straw is the dead stalks of plants after the valuable parts of the plants have been harvested.

Is hay better than straw for grass?

Aged hay contains nutrients that can enrich the soil. Fact 2: Straw is the hollow shaft left over after crops have been harvested. The stiff, hollow composition of straw makes it a great insulator. Straw decomposes at a much slower rate than hay, has a very low moisture content and has no nutritional value.

Should I use hay or straw in my garden?

This material is used more for animal bedding as it has little nutritional value left. But, it's also a great option for gardens. When deciding on hay vs straw, straw is the better option for the veggie garden. Hay bales often contain weed seeds and you don't want to make more work for yourself!

Should you use straw or hay for bedding?

They look similar, but while straw makes excellent bedding for outdoor cat shelters, hay becomes a soggy mess. Hay is typically used to feed animals, like horses.

The Difference Between Hay and Straw

Why is hay better than straw?

Although straw does not have a lot of nutritional content and should not be a primary food source for livestock, it can be used sparingly as a supplement. Straw is not as nutritious as hay because it does not have any seeds or leaves. Straw is low in protein, coarse, high in fiber, and not easy to digest.

Does straw or hay attract bugs?

Hay bales and corn stalks are perfect places for a host of insects to hide in and feed on. There are some things you can do to decorate and reduce the likelihood of attracting pests. Leave pumpkins uncarved.

Does hay attract rats or mice?

Hay bales are more likely to attract rodents looking for a place to nest. Similarly, use straw to stuff a scarecrow, not hay. The packed hay is a perfect place for rodents to nest.

Does straw cause weeds?

Straw blocks out the sun, preventing most weeds from germinating and growing. First, make sure your weeds are gone from your garden bed. Then lay down the straw immediately. It will not only keep weeds from growing, but also keep the soil moist, soft and workable.

Why do landscapers use straw?

Straw is a traditional aid that is often recommended to go on top of a newly seeded bed, mainly to help hold in moisture.

Is hay just overgrown grass?

Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.

Does hay or straw insulate better?

Whereas hay is generally much finer and more prone to decomposition, the thick blades of straw are much more durable and offer improved insulation properties. Because it is nutritionally empty, straw has little to no value as animal feed.

Which is more expensive hay or straw?

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.

What are the disadvantages of straw bale?

Since straw bale homes are built using a stacking technique, they can be susceptible to structural movement. This can lead to cracks in the plaster and even the collapse of a load-bearing wall, especially if the house wasn't built well in the first place.

What are the disadvantages of hay?

Hay contains some dust and mould spores. This combined with lower moisture content means these can be airborne and are a risk to horses that are stabled frequently. The answer to this is to soak your hay but this causes a reduction in quality.

Why straw and not hay?

Straw is mainly used for decoration, bedding, erosion control, mulch, and archery backstops. It can also be used as a building material and in composting operations. Hay is grown as food for livestock. It can be used like straw but is expensive for the task.

What is the problem with straw mulch?

As straw breaks down, it may temporarily rob the soil of nitrogen. This is easily avoided by adding compost, well-rotted manure, worm castings, or a balanced organic fertilizer to the soil prior to planting and mulching. Don't lay the mulch until your vegetables have been growing for a few weeks.

Does straw mulch attract termites?

Pine straw mulch is one of the least likely types of mulch to attract termites. Pine straw is made from pine needles, which are not a food source for termites. This type of mulch is also not as dense as other types of mulch, so it does not provide the same level of protection for termites.

How long does it take for hay straw to decompose?

If your garden is managed well, your straw garden mulch will decompose in several months. However, if left unattended, it may take up to 1-2 years.

Do hay bales attract snakes?

Snakes are not attracted to straw, however if they already live in the area of your garden, they may take the opportunity to sun themselves on top of the bales before the bales are covered with plants to shade the surface.

Will mice nest in straw?

Hay and straw bales are very attractive to rodents like rats and mice. They use the bales as a food source and as a safe nesting place to hide from predators and procreate.

Does straw attract mice?

Straw bales shouldn't attract mice but hay bales may. Straw has nothing edible to attract mice but hay has grass seeds that provide good winter provender for mice families.

Does hay or straw get moldy?

The bales don't retain moisture well; in a dry year you'd have to be watering them every day—perhaps several times a day. But because straw is packed so tightly, the cores and bottoms do collect a lot of moisture that they can't get rid of and tend to mold up—especially in a wet year.

Do you get mites in straw?

Straw itch mites can be a problem when dried foodstuffs (fruits, seeds, cereal products and pet food) and especially baled hay, are infested with the larvae of storage insects and placed in warm, humid environments. Under these conditions large numbers develop.

Does straw carry fleas?

Although hay and straw often make suitable beddings for livestock, they are poor choices for dogs. Hay and straw often serve as great habitat for fleas, as well as other bugs, such as the mites that cause sarcoptic mange.