Anyone in mid GA tried the Ruth Stout Method

17 years ago

I have posted the following on the Soil, compost and mulch forum.

I have a 50X50 veg garden in what previously was a Bermuda Hay field. The only way I have found to control weeds is to mulch heavily. I use newsprint under compost as mulch and this gives excellent results but the labor to produce and spred all the needed compost is getting to be more than I am able to handle. Ruth Stout's method "For the Aging and Indolent" may be the answer for me IF it would work here in Mid GA. Her basic approach is to keep a year round thick layer of spoilt hay on the entire garden and plant the vegies right thru the hay without tilling or otherwise disturbing the soil too greatly.

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Comments (6)

bobbygil
17 years ago
No I havent but in the 1970's I lived really close to her in CT and used to drive by her place and stop to check it out. All I remember is it was an incredible mess. Besides all the hay for mulch she also used black plastic under it all. She was a really nice lady and its just fun to hear her name mentioned...good luck bobby
sharon_zone7
17 years ago
Wow, I am using a method & didn't realize it - I left a large amount of wheat straw on one small raised bed & it's the only one that is nearly weed-free. The dirt underneath is nice & moist & full of lazy earthworms.

I am going to try it on a couple of other beds, but I am experimenting w/red plastic mulch in the tomato bed.

I say go for it.

Have fun,
Sharon
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gardengolfer
Original Author
17 years ago
Sharon

I suggest you borrow a copy of Ruth Stout's Book "Gardening Without Work" from the piblic lib. Her writing is a hoot and well worth the time spent reading.

Larry
rosiew
17 years ago
How I wish I'd kept my copy of Ruth Stout's Gardening Without an Aching Back. Long out of print and horribly expensive now.

And Bobby, I can imagine the mess her gardens were. As I recall she used seaweed and a host of other materials. I use cardboard, newspapers, grass clippings, leaves and lots of wheat straw. Just found the article below - great reading!

Rosie in Sugar Hill

Here is a link that might be useful: Using the Ruth Stout System
patrickdundon_gmail_com
15 years ago
Garden Golfer I am in MIddle TN, and would love to know how your Ruth Stout Garden worked out for you. Results? Pics? Anecdotes?
gardengolfer
Original Author
15 years ago
Pat: I'm afraid that I have taken a slightly different approach to Ruth Stout's method of using hay to heavily mulch her veg garden. Her method apparently worked great for her location and would, I'm sure, work well in my GA red clay. However, I am fortunate to have lots of leaves, fresh grass clippings, horse manure, and lots of garden waste readily availible so I tend to prefer building lasagna humps topped with a heavy layer of mulch hay where needed to conserve moisture and reduce weed growth. Layering Lasagna humps is somewhat less strenuous than turning compost and seems to achieve the same result over time.

I also use hay in the paths between humps to manage weeds
and this works fairly well but is not perfect.

Larry