Learn about Straw Bale Gardening

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What is Straw Bale GardeninG?

“Straw Bale Gardening is simply a different type of container gardening. The main difference is that the container is the straw bale itself and is held together with two or three strings. Once the straw inside the bale begins to decay the straw becomes “conditioned” compost that creates an extraordinary plant rooting environment. Getting the straw bales conditioned is an essential part of the process, and should be started two weeks prior to your target planting date wherever you are located. This gardening technique works well anywhere in the country or the world for that matter.” – Joel Karsten

Straw Bale Gardening FAQs
lettuce in a Straw Bale Garden
FAQs

What is Straw Bale Gardening?

Straw Bale Gardening is a simply a different type of container gardening. The main difference is that the container is actually the straw bale itself, held ...
straw bale garden prep
FAQs

Why Straw Bale Gardening?

Growing a successful vegetable garden is difficult enough if you have terrific soil to plant your garden into, but with poor soils it can be ...
Cabbage straw bale gardening
FAQs

Can I do this where I live?

The short answer here is absolutely yes. This method of gardening works very well from areas inside the Arctic Circle, to the heat of the ...
straw bale garden on asphalt
FAQs

Who should plant a Straw Bale Garden?

Using many of the tips and tricks Joel offers in his classes and the written material he offers as a guide to new straw bale ...
Straw Bale Gardens Complete Book
FAQs

How can I learn more?

Joel started teaching “Straw Bale Gardening” at a community education class in the spring of 2008. Since then, he’s become a popular speaker,  teaching about ...
Joel Karsten: Straw Bale Gardens author and speaker
FAQs

Who created this website?

Joel Karsten is a certified Nursery and Landscape Professional through the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association.  He also holds a BS from the University of ...
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BaleBuster and Straw Bale Garden Complete book

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BaleBuster5 - Five Bale Box + Straw Bale Gardens book

BaleBuster4 Starter Kit (with Straw Bale Gardens Complete book)

BaleBuster4 Starter Kit

BaleBuster4 + Straw Bale Gardens book

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About me

Joel Karsten - Pioneer of the amazing gardening method, where he perfected the art of growing vegetables, herbs and flowers in decomposing bales of straw.

Joel Karsten

Joel Karsten - Author and Speaker

Joel’s books have become best-sellers world-wide but that’s not enough, he continues to introduce people to the STRAW BALE GARDENS® method online and constantly works to insure every Straw Bale Gardener has success. As Joel attests, “the books are simply tools to learn the techniques and protocols that took me over 20 years to perfect.” Readers agree, the books are filled with information that a new Straw Bale Gardener really can’t do without.

Joel’s has had many adventures traveling the world teaching his STRAW BALE GARDENS® method to backyard gardeners in places like Cleveland and Denver, but also to people in areas of the world like Cambodia and Philippines where gardening isn’t just a hobby, but growing food is essential to well being.

BALEBUSTER® is Karsten’s recent product introduction that contains an all-in-one formulation he designed specifically to help accelerate the decomposition of bale. It is now a simple as sprinkle the BaleBuster, soak with water, and in ten days the bales are ready to plant.

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