My Hay Bale Is Heating Up

Today was another mild day. At 79 degrees I took this reading:

 What does this mean?

According to the experts, at temperatures from 108 degrees F to 140 degrees F the viable seeds will begin to die.

"Seeds begin to die at temperatures above 108 degrees Fahrenheit, but require longer periods of exposure at lower temperatures. At temperatures below 140 degrees Fahrenheit some species are not affected by heat treatments. The most effective way to ensure that you kill all of the seeds is to heat them to a temperature above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Seeds mixed into compost or topsoil require higher temperatures and longer exposure times than bare, unprotected seeds."

I'll continue to check the temperatures but remember there is nothing wrong in using hay bales. Those who claim that the bales are seedy and might turn into a chia head monsters did not study the science of gardening with hay bales. I understand that many just repeat, like parrots from another source, but let's examine the facts before writing little fibs. The only chia head monster I have seen is from a straw bale I made myself.

Chia Head Baby