Learn about Straw Bale Gardening
Grow a Garden Anywhere — No Soil Required
What Is Straw Bale Gardening?
Straw Bale Gardening is a revolutionary method that uses conditioned straw bales as both the container and growing medium for your plants — no soil needed.
As the bale decomposes, it generates heat and nutrients, creating the perfect environment for roots to thrive. It's ideal for anyone with poor soil, limited space, or physical limitations.
Whether you're on a patio, rooftop, or driveway, you can grow a beautiful, productive garden in just weeks.
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
How It Works
Three simple steps to grow a thriving garden — anywhere.
Straw Bale Gardening FAQs
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Starter Package Combination
BaleBuster5 - Five Bale Box + Straw Bale Gardens book
BaleBuster4 Starter Kit
BaleBuster4 + Straw Bale Gardens book
LATEST BLOG POSTS
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.
- View Joel’s Let’s end world hunger with the straw bale gardens method TED Talk
- View Joel Karsten’s Straw Bale Garden’s article in the New York Times
- Please consider LIKING Joel’s Learn to Grow a Straw Bale Garden Facebook page.
- Looking for an engaging speaker with something NEW to say? Contact Joel
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.
Straw Bale Garden Club
