Planting in Your Straw Bale Garden

[@remysalanga8195]

Thanks for the tips for straw bale gardening.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Remy Salanga thanks for checking out our new channel.

[@wendimalevich2074]

straw bale is an awesome way to garden. its all natural ..you can even do it on a deck !!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Yes you can, but please put something under the bales to protect your stain. I don't want to have to come and help scrape and stain your deck if the wood gets wet. Thanks very much for stopping by, I appreciate your lovely comment Wendi.

[@TheOrangecherokee]

Started my bales 3 weeks ago and planted today. Bales are 100+ degs. Bloomington MN

[@Strawbalegardens]

Terry D Whoot whoot, those roots love that warmth. Your soil is about 48 degrees right now, usually 52-54 when lilacs bloom.

[@wilimsv1]

Very instructable. Thanks

[@brianfencl4305]

Wow!!! You really load the bales up.

[@saragalvan9196]

Yay! I love my strawbale garden beds. Could not have gotten started on my garden without this process.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Sara Galvan thanks so much for your sweet comment. I’m so glad you found us here.

[@qgnw]

I have been straw bale gardening for many years already but still learning new things. Thanks.

[@ShannonSmith0805]

I'm trying this for the first time this year!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Shannon Smith that’s terrific, I’m glad you’re giving it a go.

[@chickencoop4439]

It all works really well for me. Thanks to Joel's book.

[@rosecortez2258]

Thanks for sharing this garden ideas. It will be a big help for me to start up a garden in my school.

[@Strawbalegardens]

rose cortez we are always here to help, so please feel free to reach out if you have questions.

[@elenaschadle8144]

Straw bale gardening is great!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Elena Schadle you are a smart cookie!

[@ShawnaCoronado]

Great job Joel!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Thanks Shawna, you are so kind to stop by.

[@nancystoltenberg3564]

We’ve got our bales planted, Joel. This is our fifth year of straw bale gardening, and we love it! We tell everyone we know about it, and have given classes in it. Thanks so much for this awesome gardening method.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Nancy Stoltenberg keep up the good work and thanks for spreading the word about the method. Like I always say, the first year or two you’ll become a teacher, after that you become a preacher! Spreading the news.

[@laurahoffman3380]

This.is.awesome. What a fantastic and cheap way to garden!! And you can plant one anywhere!

[@REAgentDennis]

I’m so glad I found this channel. This is my dream way to garden. Having random things maturing throughout the months.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Welcome! We’re glad you found us Dennis.

[@larryberger9991]

Awesome Joel thanks😊

[@Strawbalegardens]

Larry Berger thanks pal, boosting that algorithm! Hi to your better half.

[@josephmcgee8450]

Joel, Please give us classes at end of Growing Season this year! It will work for everyone! Thanks for your Book and all the Help!

[@davidnightingale146]

Can’t wait to get some plants into my straw bales!

[@Strawbalegardens]

David NIGHTINGALE I once had a dahlia flower with your name, “Nightingale” not David...but there’s nothing wrong with David either, just not for a flower :) thanks for visiting our channel, I’ll remember your name.

[@amylgilbert7474]

After 25 years of traditional gardening (plus 10 years as a child), I'm starting my fourth year of straw bale gardening this year (I took a summer off for a daughter's wedding), and I'm never going back! I make sure to post on social media every year to educate my friends about how easy and rewarding it is. We're not getting any younger! Thank you Joel and the Straw Bale Garden crew for bringing us this method and for continuing to help us grow in our knowledge and methods. Keep up the great work! Veg on!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Amy L Gilbert you are leading the “favorite comments” contest, I appreciate your kind words and wish you continued success. By the way your missed year due to the wedding is an approved absence, so that won’t appear on your permanent record!

[@adamUDavies]

Hi Amy , I just wondering if you have ever tried growing beets or carrots in the straw bales ? My tomatoes and green beans grew like crazy 👍

[@amylgilbert7474]

adam0U812 Davies I love beets and plant them every year with varying success. I did carrots once and they were delicious. We had a lot of heavy rain this spring and I’m thinking the seeds got washed down into the bales (same thing with my lettuces) because it took a couple of sowings before they came up. Next year, I’m going to lay down paper towel under my dirt so the seeds will stay put!

[@maryelizabethcalais9180]

What is the reason for the straw bale rows so far apart? Very interesting. I'd like to try this form of gardening. Tks. Very informative video.

[@gyrokite]

This helps avoid crop shading and also remember the plants often get very large, so to allow room to still walk between rows, they need to be spaced at least 4' between rows, but 5' better and 6'+ is optimum. My zucchini got 7' wide last year, so it hangs way into the space between the rows. It's like a jungle by mid-July in my garden. No weeds just lots of big plants.

[@robbiesummerour5637]

I am so glad you have a KZbin channel now. I have been doing Straw Bale Gardening for about 6 years, which is the center of my Teaching business "Gospel Urban Farmer" on our property in Chattanooga TN. I average about 50 Bales. It was your presentation in the Summit many years ago that caught my interest. Thank you.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Robbie Summerour is love to know more about your project and teaching program. I’m pleased you’ve found the method useful.

[@robbiesummerour5637]

@@Strawbalegardens Thank you for asking. In my Gospel Urban Farm, my goal is to show individuals that they can have a garden in their backyard. Straw Bale Gardening is one of my main systems I teach. I show the different ways and stages of a Straw Bale Gardening. From Set up (different ground cover under the Straw Bale from Concrete, carpet, dirt etc.) to Conditioning, Planting (seeds, plants) designing (location, different ways to grow, different trellis) to weather protection along with the afterlife of a Straw Bale (raised beds, potting soil). I have several photo albums.

[@sbevis2]

What a great video on planting in straw bales. A lot of gardening doing quickly. Thanks for this video.

[@johnpatwell3206]

Good to see this on KZbin!

[@briandaniels4]

Fantastic video! So intrigued to try this in zone 8a.

[@sustainablebackyardau9371]

Best method to start a home garden there is - keep up the fantastic work Joel and team!

[@Strawbalegardens]

sustainablebackyardAU thanks for your kind comment. We have quite a few Aussie’s using the Straw Bale Gardens method these days. It’s a small world really isn’t it. Glad you’re here!

[@gardeningchris2901]

Yep Im pushing it here in Australia

[@gregkinyon8125]

Can't wait to start mine. Just need to find some straw bales!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Try Facebook marketplace, craigslist, garden center, farm supply store, feed store, or if you know any call a farmer and ask. Farmers are like teachers or nurses, they know everyone else in town who has the same job, so even if he doesn't have straw, he probably knows a guy!

[@toddmwilliamson]

Great video guys! I love the trellis setup...

[@teresamyler2598]

I have always wanted to try a straw bale garden! Thanks for the info!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Don't delay, start today! You'll dig not having to dig.

[@kdouglass2348]

That was awesome! I have the book but the inspiration is good to watch each year. Thank you for your videos!

[@Strawbalegardens]

K Douglass very glad you found us here, thanks for watching.

[@annemark6485]

Nice demonstration. I love my straw bale gardens. And I agree, I hate peat pots. Sometimes at the end of the summer I have dug up the plant and can see no roots that ever made it out of the pot.

[@markheintz1878]

I cut them off too, crumbled them up and bury them to break down over time.

[@MattFox424]

Wow! Congratulations on your channel! Joel you are the real deal, thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Matt Fox thanks for checking it out Matt. You are kind to stop by and get a little refresher, since we haven’t done a show together for a couple years, maybe you forgot my spiel!

[@RobinRead]

This will be my 3rd year planting straw bales...and I really appreciate the tips in this video! Thank you!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Robin Read we appreciate that you’ve found us here. Good luck with the garden this year.

[@5280dragonfly]

Straw bale gardening has been a game changer for me. I am on my 8th year. Thank you!

[@mariannedwyer5482]

Hope I move into my new house before the season starts. I have done straw bale gardening before with great results.. Thank you

[@Strawbalegardens]

Thanks for stopping by Marianne, and good luck with your move. A few years ago someone posted bales on pallets on our Facebook page, and they said they would be moving this summer and wanted to take the garden with them. Sure enough they loaded up the pallets and moved the garden to the new house, unloaded right to the back yard. Instant garden!

[@sheilapanning8649]

You've given me some more ideas for my garden. I am starting my fourth year of straw bale gardening.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Sheila Panning four years wow that makes you EXPERT level! Thanks for checking us out.

[@gardeningchris2901]

Im 4th year as well

[@anadeliamagdael2809]

Very encouraging! I am planting string beans, eggplant and tomato for house consumption. I would like to learn more from you.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Anadelia Magdael I’m so glad you are giving it a go. We will post more videos here but we have dozens you can watch on our website over at www.StrawBaleGarden.com

[@anadeliamagdael2809]

@@Strawbalegardens i am planting, but direct to the ground and not on the rice straw.

[@kathycollins8014]

Thank-you so much for bringing this to youtube...its easier for me to learn by watching sense my stroke...I will be watching all and i subscribed

[@Strawbalegardens]

kathy collins we are very happy you have found us! Glad you are here.

[@guysmilely7515]

Good luck and thanks for the info.

[@Strawbalegardens]

guy smilely thanks for checking us out. I’d say “keep smiling” but I bet you’ve heard that before a few times huh?

[@jenniferfour6982]

Good video. Thanks for the plier tip. This is my first year with straw bales and a couple of mine are super tight.

[@martycoyle6383]

Bought your book a few years ago , Love it will always garden this way! Great to see you on here thanks!!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Thanks very much for supporting the book and for stopping by. Glad you have had success with the method.

[@corisereni5937]

youve taught me alot! thank you!

[@Strawbalegardens]

CA S happy you found our channel. We will post many more videos, but they are all on our website at www.StrawBaleGardenClub.com

[@aviscanis]

Hello from Montana! I'm getting my bales started and looking forward to my 4th straw bale garden. Thanks for all your great information and inspiration!!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Hey Montana, thanks for stopping by and catching our video. You have the same problem there that we have here in Minnesnowta, you have a short season too. I always tell people we have a beautiful summer here, but they need to be sure to call ahead to book that good week!

[@cyndirupprecht4733]

Great information for both beginning gardeners as well as traditional gardeners not have used a straw bale before.

[@deborahrack4420]

I am trying this thanks for the video

[@Strawbalegardens]

Deborah Rack go for it! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

[@theMNswede]

I've been wanting to do this for ages. Can't wait to get started!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Tamara P I’m super excited that you’re gonna try it! Remember we are here if you have questions.

[@sabinemiller7027]

Can't wait to get started. Bales on order. First time ever

[@Strawbalegardens]

I’d like to invite you to join us at www.StrawBaleGardenClub.com we have many resources in almost 100 videos and blog posts and a forum do q&a where people from around the world love to share with each other. We all have one thing in common…we all grow in bales! It is free to join as a Sprout level member. Can’t wait to see pictures of your amazing garden this year.

[@cherieschaffer-smith5391]

Can't wait to get started on my garden!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Welcome aboard, feel free to reach out with questions anytime.

[@donnamorgan6920]

Good explanation of how to plant seedlings and seeds in straw bales!

[@carlplucker1149]

Day 6 of conditioning my first 9 bales....went and bought 8 more. Excited to plant. Never felt I had time before...

[@Strawbalegardens]

One upside to corona is more free time! Could also die, but hey...we're all gonna go sometime just nobody wants to go now! Isn't that a song?

[@liawhitmore7875]

Due to the nature of my property ,straw bale gardening is the only way I can garden. I was also limited because I was unable to locate the fertilizers needed to prep bales locally. Now that your selling the fertilizers to get my bales prepped I purchased enough to do 25 bales this year. Im hoping to grow the bulk of our vegetable needs for 2 people in those bales. This video made me realize that I can put way more plants in each bale than I have in the past. Thank you! This is awesome.

[@elainehails3403]

Love it! Thanks for making this video!

[@steveo_o6707]

I get bales to use as compost walls, they add nutrient to the sides of the compost, and once the bales decay enough I use the decayed hay as mulch to my gardens... I will now use the hay to grow plants on. what a great idea to use the walls as well!! so no more linear thinking when planting!

[@victoriao1828]

Amazing advice. Thank you so much 😊

[@PatSmith-ek3ru]

Really interesting. Thanks!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Pat Smith thanks much, check back you’ll see a ton of good stuff posted here in the next month or two.

[@janetlroten6000]

Excellent. My best gardens have been Joel Karsten’s Straw Bale Gardening method. Even making a lot of newbie mistakes, we had success!!

[@citysmelterville516]

My first year! Planting next week in N Idaho! Thank Joel for your quick responses to my questions!! Regards, Bill

[@wiebkepapenfus4189]

I am so excited to be able to share this method with friends via a video! This will be my 6th year planting a straw bale garden.

[@julieten2774]

You are a genius. I have been gardening in the ground for 50 years and I am starting 10 straw bales cor the first time this year. Can't wait to see your next video.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Julie Tengel far from genius, ask my wife! You’ll dig not digging, I promise. Take lots of pictures, because if you don’t, you’ll wish you had pictures of your first Straw Bale Garden.

[@juliedokkestul6109]

this is my second year using the straw bale garden. i am a lot more confident in the process this year, but still feel i have a lot to learn and the videos and emails are a big help.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Julie Dokkestul one more year you’ll be hosting seminars and teaching others!!!

[@catherineprice9728]

I've been using straw bales for quite a number of years with varying success. I really like this video very much, it showed me some really inventive ways that I can maximize my straw bales. I'm looking forward to putting your suggestions into practice this year.

[@Strawbalegardens]

You've only gotten the tip of the adviceberg here Catherine. Our website has dozens and dozens of great video content. Check out www.StrawBaleGardenClub.com for the other 99%. Thanks for stopping by and checking out the channel.

[@jenniferoden5217]

Yes! So glad you finally made a channel! Thanks for doing this! Great video.

[@jasoncannon5010]

Very helpful looking forward to more videos! Doing my first straw bale garden this year!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Jason Cannon we will post a bunch, we have a ton of them “in the can” already. You should check out www.StrawBaleGardenClub.com where we have a whole bunch of videos posted. It’s free to join at SPROUT level.

[@brinneltezsescon8634]

We are starting to plant tomatoes and other vegetable plants. This is very timely and helpful for us biginners. Hope to learn more from you.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Brinnel Tez Sescon I’m so happy you’ve discovered our channel. Remember we are here if you have questions please reach out.

[@crisrogers8383]

I'm so glad to see an official SBG KZbin channel! This will be my 6th year with an SBG; my bales are conditioned and ready to plant. I've also helped 3 other people start their own straw bale gardens this year. Never having had experience with a traditional garden, and living in an apartment, SBG is the only gardening I know (other than containers). So glad to have found this method.

[@Strawbalegardens]

I'm super excited to finally get this channel started. We have been talking about it FOREVER, but finally made the leap. It is hard to wedge out an audience on KZbin these days, but we will have some great content for folks that is for sure. I am very luck to have a business partner who is a video production professional, so the HD quality of our videos and sound is exceptional I must say. So glad you've stopped by and welcome.

[@bonniethielke6173]

I am heartbroken! I had been straw bale gardening for a few years and loved every minute of it. It was so easy and the amount of produce I was able to grow was outstanding. I am heartbroken because I cannot find small straw bales anywhere near me! I didn't have a garden last year for the same reason. This year, I have to try something else like container or raised bed gardening. I wish I could just stick with straw bale gardening because it was so easy and enjoyable.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Bonnie Thielke where are you located?

[@bonniethielke6173]

@@Strawbalegardens I am located near Medford, Wisconsin. I had been checking Craigslist, our local buyers guides, Facebook Market Place and asking around but had no luck finding any bales closer than 90 - 120 miles away. Well I got lucky today!!! I went and picked up the last 11 bales a farmer had that was about 45 miles away from my house. I am SO EXCITED to be straw bale gardening again!!!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Bonnie Thielke consider making your own bales. See video on our website. It is easier than it sounds.

[@markheintz1878]

Keep searching for straw bales, if you have a place to store them for future use, you could buy them as you find them. I agree they are getting harder to find as many people go to round baling or big squares. Even here in southeast Minnesota, its the same. Luckily, there are farmers who still make the small squares to sell to hobby farmers and those raising small animals. Prices vary from 4 to 7$ a bales. Some will rebale round bales into small squares to sell if they have alot of buyers wanting small bales. It is a niche market.

[@LynnBriggs208]

This was Extremely helpful, Thank you!!

[@Strawbalegardens]

You are very kind, thanks for stopping by.

[@tracyhuening6288]

I would love to try this!

[@laurielemmon2868]

We have been gardening for 40 yrs. This is going to be our first year Straw bale gardening! This video was just what we needed! Will start conditioning the bales next week. We’re excited to get going...16 bales...wish us luck 😍🌱👩‍🌾

[@Strawbalegardens]

Wonderful! We have a special video series for conditioning your bales; you get a video with instructions for each day, so it's easy to do it right & not have to keep checking your calendar for which day in the sequence it is. You can find the sign-up for that on our website. Good luck - you're gonna love gardening this way.

[@diannejordan911]

What a great way to garden! Looking forward to getting this set up going! Thanks!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Dianne Jordan if you have any questions feel free to reach out. Good luck!

[@williamfleming2129]

Nice job Joel, glad to see you have a you tube channel, this will help a lot of people understand a straw bale garden and learn how to do it from your buddy at Straw Bale Miracle Gardens ,William

[@Strawbalegardens]

Thanks William. People should know that William here is the guy who started the biggest and most active Facebook group for Straw Bale Gardening. You can find it at facebook.com/groups/strawbalemiraclegarden if you are looking for a great group to join, sign up for Miracle, they are very helpful there. He is also one of the Straw Bale Gardeners featured in my third book "Straw Bale Solutions" on page 60. He has a great story about how he discovered his Straw Bale Miracle Garden!

[@rebeccakennedy9246]

This is my 3rd year using straw bales and I am still learning new tips. So glad you are putting out more videos to learn from. This method is so easy. I love it and I now love gardening because of it. Thank you

[@Strawbalegardens]

Your comment is so encouraging. I love it when young people get into gardening. This certainly is a good way to get started with vegetable gardening. I'd encourage you to try planting a bale with flowers too, not for display but to use for cutting. One bale with a pack of midget sunflower seeds and a pack of zinnias, can make 50 vases of fresh flowers. Your friends and family will love whenever you show up because you'll have a big vase of flowers for them. I'm so glad you found us here on KZbin.

[@geocec]

We've got our bails conditioning as I write. They smell, but I trust your book when you say that won't last more than a couple days! Super excited to be trying this.

[@Strawbalegardens]

The smell will go away, it is just a little nitrogen gassing off in the form of ammonia, but it doesn't last long. You'll be eating tomatoes before you can say "San Marzano" I promise.

[@NancyMace]

Thanks Joel! I planted two tomato plants in one bale last year and they grew into each other! This was very helpful

[@Strawbalegardens]

No worries, it happens to everyone. Everyone plants too close at first, because the plants are small, and they look lonely too far apart. By August you need a machete to get through the rows they have grown in like a jungle!

[@novelalvaro3647]

Thank you, do you have a toturial video how to make good straw bales ? I'm looking forward.. thanks more power!

[@Strawbalegardens]

novel alvaro we do have many more videos on our website www.StrawBaleGardenClub.com and you can watch for free.

[@Strawbalegardens]

novel alvaro there are many videos on KZbin about “how to make a hay bale by hand.”

[@gailhester1509]

My strawbales are in place and we can’t wait until they are ready to plant. Loved the tips in your video!

[@odebtsadventures3731]

I have been using Joel’s method for years now and it is the easiest and most productive gardens I have ever had the pleasure of growing! Thank you for the timely tutorial Joel! It is a pleasure to hear your voice and listen to your advice!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Thanks Odebt, hope things are going well there on the high plains of Colorado. For those who don't know Odebt is featured in my book Straw Bale Solutions on page 48. She is an amazing gardener and an even more amazing person, with talents as varied as dog judging, portrait painting to sculpting miniature landscapes and more.

[@roxannedenlinger3789]

I cant wait to grow another garden using this method. I'm going this weekend to get my bales and start conditioning them using your new reminders via email. I'm so excited about that!

[@Strawbalegardens]

So glad to hear you like the new Bale-Prep Video email series, too. We thought that would come in handy for people!

[@jenhartman5712]

Thank you for sharing this info. Great visual help :)

[@FrugalGardenerOntarioCanada]

PEEFECT VIDEO! I’m so glad this came up on the home page of KZbin, such a diverse variety of plants, I’m super excited to add this style to my gardens. Thank you

[@hopec7814]

Great info and beautiful garden! I'm doing a 26 bale garden this year for the first time.

[@apsutton336]

This is great info thanx so much. I'm about to start my straw bale garden. I have put an inch of sand in base and will use diluted sea water to moisten sand and will see how I go. Already have tomatoes in sea sand and they taste beautiful with a slight hint of sea salt when I eat them. 🙏

[@Strawbalegardens]

Great that you found us here. You can also visit our website, where we have many more videos. It’s free. StrawBaleGardenClub.com

[@TheMzTR]

Just starting out. Recvd bale from Halloween. I'm going place the bale up in Jan & I guess start planting in April. Looking forward to this experience. Tks for sharing this information

[@Strawbalegardens]

Check out dozens (many dozens) of videos on our strawbalegardenclub.com website no cost to join as a “seedling” and ask question in the forum if you have any. We’re friendly and helpful I promise.

[@MrsGardiner]

I love the planting ideas into the side and at the ends of the bales

[@beckyharmon4223]

Wow! Great idea😀

[@kburge7776]

Great video! Looking forward to getting my bales soon! Ive been doing this for several years, it's the best way to garden!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Kimberly Burge thanks for your kind comment, glad you found us.

[@ellynad]

Started conditioning this week! Really looking forward to my 7th year of straw bale gardening.

[@Strawbalegardens]

ellynad Whoot whoot 7 years is awesome, I think you’re hooked! Glad you found us here.

[@rlayne3539]

I live in the great Pacific Northwest and this will be my third time of trying the straw bale gardening. It seems that I've gotten something wrong each year but something still grows. It's much more helpful for me to watch a video than to read. Thank you! I recommend this to anyone I talk to about gardening.

[@Strawbalegardens]

This is your year, i can feel it! Good luck, and please reach out if you have any questions.

[@mpm1980]

Good info!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Thanks for stopping by Matt!

[@monaali1898]

Question! what kind of pests we might have to deal with because of hay bales ?

[@Strawbalegardens]

Since the bales get very hot inside, and stay moist/wet throughout the season, they are not hospitable for rodents to nest, since baby mice can't swim. Nothing is necessarily attracted to the bales anymore that they would be attracted to any vegetable garden. Chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, deer, birds, woodchucks, cats and dogs can all be a problem in a regular garden just as they can be in a straw bale garden. There are simple solutions for most, but ultimately you won't know what you are going to have to deal with until they show up.

[@lisalisa8443]

I've had a bountiful harvest every year that I used the straw bale gardening technique. Thank you for sharing your knowledge & expertise!

[@Strawbalegardens]

I am very happy that it has worked out for you Lisa. Keep up the good work.

[@robindavis672]

Tricky to get straw where I live but thinking this morning about doing a couple of bales so I will have compost for raised beds in the future after they’re “spent”. Twofer at it’s best! Love your books and especially your compost system with T posts and pallet slats. Thanks for your inspiration and tips.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Thank you Robin for stopping by and checking out our video. Good luck with your garden this year.

[@vickieholland]

I have done straw bale gardens for several years, but with Covid-19 this year, there were difficulties with getting the bales, supplies and plants. I decided to use a raised planter instead. I used the leftover straw bales from last year to fill them, then added a layer of topsoil on top. I am mostly starting from seeds to avoid mingling with crowds at the garden centers.

[@Strawbalegardens]

Next year you can get back in the game! Best to you Vickie, stay safe and healthy.

[@kellypaquet6416]

For a few years my son has been doing straw bale gardening at my suggestion, and he has had great success! I had seen your book online and read about it, and shared what I learned with him. I hope to try straw bale gardening myself this spring. Such a great idea!

[@Strawbalegardens]

I hope you give it a go this year, all you need is a pruning shear and maybe a hand trowel, but no other tools. Good luck Kelly, post pics on our www.StrawBaleGardenClub.com when you get things going, we'd love to see it!

[@maryellenbeebe4453]

Have been doing ground gardening for years. Am giving this method a try this year. Have 14 bales and have started to condition them. Really excited about it!

[@tommwilly]

Thanks for making this video and more importantly, the method of gardening available to us Joel! My first year as a SBG and really excited about it. Plants are going in the bales TOMORROW!

[@Strawbalegardens]

When you look in the holes tomorrow you will wonder, "is this guy crazy, it doesn't look like soil in there yet?" Trust me, it will all work out and I can't wait to see your results. Please come and share pictures with us on the forum at www.StrawBaleGardenClub.com , we'd all love to see your success!

[@tommwilly]

@@Strawbalegardens I will do that!

[@bjbudak9908]

Been interested to try this for a while. Love the concept.

[@Strawbalegardens]

B J Budak give it a go, it’s inexpensive to try, and doesn’t take much time. Be careful however, it’s addictive...and you get awesome tomatoes!

[@kimberlyomeara5450]

Joel how are you watering your basil on the side of the bale. I want to plant on the sides but know how to get my plants the water they need.

[@gyrokite]

When you water the top, the water trickles down into the interior and waters the roots of the basil. One key is to make sure you plant the basil plug deep into the bale. Make a hole with your shovel handle and put the root deep inside, so just a leaf is poking out the hole. The plant will grow out and up on its own, but the roots will get plenty of moisture from the core of the bale. Remember that a bale can hold 5-7 gallons of water inside all of those hollow tubes. They get HEAVY and that's all water weight. Good luck Kimberly, enjoy your garden and have a beautiful summer.

[@kimberlyomeara5450]

@@gyrokite thank you 😊

[@charlifj]

I caught your presentation at the garden show in Madison and I loved how easy and practical it all is. This is my first year SBGing and I am terribly excited! Stay safe!

[@Strawbalegardens]

So glad you came to the garden EXPO, luckily it was pre-lockdown by a couple weeks. Happy you found us here as well.

[@kateclarity417]

Great video! This is my 8th season doing straw bale gardens. I'm conditioning now and coaching others who are in their first season. I will definitely be sharing this video to help them with planting!

[@Myers0420]

This amazing! I have never been able to get my soil drained enough to keep plants healthy. I cannot wait to give this a try!

[@Strawbalegardens]

Myers0420 you’re gonna dig not digging!