{"id":1948,"date":"2025-06-03T20:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T00:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.backyardgardenlover.com\/?p=1948"},"modified":"2025-06-03T15:44:40","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T19:44:40","slug":"ruth-stout-gardening-method","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.backyardgardenlover.com\/ruth-stout-gardening-method\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lazy Gardener\u2019s Dream: Ruth Stout\u2019s No-Dig Method"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

We are building a new home for our family, and I’m dreaming of a garden at our new place. With so much to do when you build, I’m afraid we won’t have time for a garden this year, and I can’t imagine life without a garden. So, I’ve been reading up on no-work gardening<\/a> and came across the Ruth Stout gardening method. WOW! I love it!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What an amazing woman! I love her free spirit and fun personality. I just watched a video interview she had late in her life and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

She was “planting potatoes” by throwing them on the ground and then covering them with straw.  I think even I can do that while building a new home.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Here’s that Ruth Stout method video if you’d like to watch it (not the best quality, but you’ll get what she’s doing): it’s about 10 minutes and worth watching!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=X_FAm5zuJd8<\/div>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What Is The Ruth Stout Gardening Method?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Ruth’s gardening method might seem crazy to some, but I’ve watched enough videos of people using her methods and read enough stories that I believe it with all my heart. She doesn’t prep for planting, except for placing a thick layer of hay mulch (8-12 inches!) where she plans to plant. This suffocates weeds, holds moisture, and slowly breaks down to enrich the soil. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

I successfully used this method for my 2024 garden, so even though we’ll be busy building a new home, we can still enjoy fresh herbs<\/a> and veggies from our garden.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Ruth Stout Garden Method<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

No matter what you call Ruth’s method of gardening, be it no-work gardening, mulch gardening, or even lazy gardening, once you try it, you may never go back to gardening the old way. And why would you? It’s so much more fun to get all the benefits of gardening and none of the hard work.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Here’s what her method entails:<\/p>\r\n