Making a straw bale garden is relatively straightforward ... says Karsten. Can you use hay instead of straw? No, you should avoid using hay instead of straw. Wheat straw is courser than hay ...

Tape it together, making sure it isn't too tight around the straw. Take it off the straw and now you have a paper tube. Flatten one end of the paper tube and fold the opening down. Secure that end ...

while hay is greenish and full of leafy material. By using straw bales, you avoid the issue of unwanted grass and weed growth ...