Ruth Stout Method Of Low-Maintenance No-Till Gardening

Embrace the Ruth Stout Method: A Lazy Gardener’s Dream

If you are a lazy gardener like me, you might benefit from the Ruth Stout method of no-till gardening. Ruth Stout was a savvy gardener who decided she wasn’t going to till her land before growing her garden. She pioneered the perpetual mulch concept, which enriched the soil and produced amazing results with less work. Known as the “Mulch Queen,” she wrote numerous books on the topic.

Who Was Ruth Stout?

Born in the U.S. in 1884, Ruth realized as a young woman that traditional gardening methods were a waste of time and effort. In 1930, she and her husband moved to a farm in Connecticut. According to gardening lore, she became frustrated when the man they hired to plow the fields was late. Noticing her asparagus poking up, she wondered if she didn’t have to plow to grow that, why plow at all? This led to her lifelong practice of covering the land in hay mulch. She used spoiled hay, which wasn’t good for anything else. The results were fewer weeds, more moisture conservation, and slow nutrient release as the hay broke down.

What Is the Ruth Stout Method?

If you observe a lush forest with trees and understory plants, consider the soil. It is made up of layers upon layers of dropped organic material. The soil is warmer in winter, cooler in summer, nutrient-dense, and retains moisture. Nature’s natural layering might have inspired Ruth. The Ruth Stout garden starts with a layer of hay, adding more annually. The results are a garden with no tilling needed, less water and fertilizer required, and fewer weeds. Her method inspired many well-known garden experts and forms the basis for numerous other planting strategies.