Hay vs Leaves as Insulation

[lifigs]

I have access to both bails of hay and bags of dry leaves. It may actually be straw not sure how to tell. I am going to be covering my outdoor trees soon and was wondering what would be a better insulatimg material. I have only used leaves in the past and it has worked fine but this year also have hay available. Any thoughts or experiences would be appreciated. Thanks.

[drew51]

I always felt they were interchangeable. Leaves and straw that is, not hay

[Tonycm]

Leaves, straw and hay would all make good insulation.
As long as it stays dry, leaves would insulate well, but some types can pack down if wet.
The same goes for hay but straw can stay more "fluffy" and keep open pockets letting air circulate when wet and would dry out faster then hay.

Knowing the differences between straw and hay
Straw - golden in color and has a stiff texture and used for animal bedding and mulch
Hay - green in color with a soft texture and used for horse and goat feed
Leaves - self explanatory 🙂 I have too many of them that pile up against the garage.
Liked when on the tree, hated when they fall.

[lifigs]

Thanks for the info. I definetly have straw.

[Taverna78]

If it ain't broke don't fix it 😉 If leaves working in past keep it going.

[lifigs]

Thanks guys. Leaves have always provided good insulation for me but I do get some settling by the Spring leaving some of the taller branches just protected with burlap. I may try alternating layers of straw and leaves.

[WillsC]

It is easy enough to tell hay from straw. Hay is simply grass that is cut, dried and baled. You will (or may) see seed head tops in hay if it is orchard hay or timothy hay.....,but basically if it is dull colored, looks like cut dried soft grass it is hay. Straw is the stems of grain crops such as oats, it is more rigid, many times the stems will be more shiny and won't contain grass type leaves or tops.

[lifigs]

Mine is definitely straw. Don't have much experience with hay / straw in the burbs. We only see it when people use it for fall decorations outside there homes. My cousins upstate laugh that we pay $8 for three died corn stalks as decorations.

[drew51]

I go around and collect that straw after Halloween, and Christmas on trash day. I usually have all kinds. It's a low grade straw with some seeds, it's free, so i deal with it. I need to cover my strawberries as well, and I have a lot of strawberries to cover.

[drew51]

Thanks guys. Leaves have always provided good insulation for me but I do get some settling by the Spring leaving some of the taller branches just protected with burlap. I may try alternating layers of straw and leaves.

Straw does tend to stay in place a little better. I also shred my leaves, so the fit is much tighter than with straw.

[greenman62]

the neighbor was throwing out a bag with mixed grass clippings and leaves
i used it all for my fruit trees.
often in the fall i drive around looking for something like that ... LOL

from what ive read, leaves make excellent mulch.
they break down and release minerals and organic matter back into the soil.
and the more diversity the better.
i have some fruit trees with 7 or 8 different types of leaves as mulch.
fig and guava are great. mulberry also... lots of minerals

obviously they keep the plant warm
but they also keep the soil microbes warm as well
more active when its cold, and the soil warming earlier.

i cleared away a 3-inch mulch layer the other day
i saw springtails, worms, rolly-pollys, anoles...
lots of life popping...
all eating and producing waste (fertilizer)

[WillsC]

Hay has more nutrition in it but is LOADED with seeds. Straw will have much less seed in it, just all depends how weedy the grain field was when harvested. If it was me I would go with straw, or leaves.

[fruitnut]

Hay is dried forage. It can be grass, alfalfa, or any other forage that has nutrient value for livestock feed. Straw is the stems of a grain crop and has low nutritive value. Hay being higher in nitrogen decomposes faster than straw. Thus straw is usually better insulation esp in the long run. Dry hay is good insulation.

Basically hay is livestock feed/food. Straw is livestock bedding. That's how a farmer or rancher sees the difference.

People out here make straw bale houses but never hay bale houses. Straw bale houses properly built can have very high insulation values. Even straw must be kept dry for a house or it will rot. What a mess that would be.