PLANTING IN RUTH STOUT INSPIRED GARDEN BEDS
Planted some Chinese Cabbage seedlings, Romaine Lettuce seeds seedlings and Lettuce Bibb seedlings in one of my Ruth Stout style garden beds.
Ruth Stout figured out that she didn't need to plow or till her soil. All she had to do was lay down a thick layer of hay. The Hay would kill out the grass and weeds then she can move the hey aside and plant.
It is really quite a genius idea and she stumbled upon it by accident like so many good ideas in the past!
These beds are pretty simple to make but do take some time and patience. Made these garden beds at the beginning of Last Summer and I'm just now planting in them.
I mow about 3 acres on my property so I get the hay for free! Well if you don't count the mower and the gas. LOL Let me show you how I plant seedlings into it.
First move the hey aside until you get to the ground. Dig a small hole and remove any roots from the previous plants that were smothered by the hay.
After you remove the seedling from the seed tray ruffle up the roots a little bit. This will entice them to spread out their roots after putting it in the hole. If you are transplanting before the seedlings get a little rootbound you won't have to worry about that.
Once you have the seedling in the hole take some of the hay you pulled out and put it back around the plant. This will help block out any of the weeds that will try to grow around your plant. It'll also help with holding moisture so you won't have to water these plants very much or at all once they get going.
After putting some hey back around the plants I gave them a healthy drink of water to help with the shock of transplant. There's about a foot and a half space between each plant. Which gives me plenty of room to enter plant other seedlings when the are ready.
The Lettuces are on the left and the Chinese Cabbage are on the right. Going to be planting Okra seeds in between these plants in about a week. Will also be planning some Basil seedlings throughout this bed when they become ready.
I enjoy planting in "Polycultures" or "Guilds" and I'm always experimenting with different plant combinations. I would love to hear in the comments about your experience with companion planting.
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That's awesome! I've been fooling around with the idea of making a bushcraft shelter with some buddies of mine for some time. If we were ever to start a little garden, this would be the way I think. I'd just need to find plants that can survive ground level in your typical eastern US hardwood forest and can do with minimal maintenance.
Will you be planting in the forest? Are you looking for annual plants that you have to plant every year or perennial plants?
forest bed or a small clearing if we can locate one. Either way, direct sunlight would be limited. I think perennials or some sort of root vegetable (idk how well they work in shady areas) would be the best bet. I mean I could replant nettles and whatever we come across in the area, but it would be nice to have some good stuff to be able to come back to.
You could definitely do some self-seeding annual plants like lettuces kales beets carrots they will all do well and low Sun. There's a fair amount of fruit trees that will do well in the shade as well. I would definitely recommend the Paw Paw tree. Especially if this is like a bug out spot and you just want your food to blend in with the rest of the forest.
thanks a ton for the tip man! That's great advice and I will look into all of that
I love Ruth Stout. Had one of her old books a few years back and have been doing the practices ever since. So stoked you are using her methods, I am looking forward to seeing the results!!
Here is a video with her story and methods!!
"I don't do anything I don't want to do unless I have to and I don't have to" is one of my favorite quotes from her. I love her outlook on life
Thanks for posting this video! I love her attitude.
I love her attitude as well! I would have loved to been able to meet her.
big fan of ruth!!!! thanks for this post.....showing the magic in action!!!! looks incredible!!!!
Thank you!
Its a great technique. Before our garden was established, we planted directly into hay bales.
I've seen that technique done before online. Did it work well for you?
Brilliantly. Im giving a workshop about it in a couple of weeks at a local event.
Nice! Did you add soil to the top of the bails or just let them decompose a lot?
Just maks a fist sized hole in the top of the bale where you want the seedling to go and fill thst with compost or potting mix. The plant will establish there, then extend its roots into the bale.
Sweet. Thanks!
I think you're onto something there! Beautiful garden beds. I love how natural they are. So great that you've found a method that saves you time, increases your enjoyment and improves the soil!
Thank you! from my understanding the longer you use this method the easier it gets and the better the soil will get
I watched a video about Mrs.Stout, seems very interesting. Have you tried this method before ? Curious to see your results. Peace,JerryT
I have not tried this method before this is my first go at it. I'll definitely let y'all know the results.
I am all in for using straw in my new raised beds this year, and going forward... Thanks!
Just make sure to keep the hay on top of the soil and don't mix it in. Mixing it in could lock up some of the nitrogen in the soil while breaking down the hay.
Got it! Check out my garden at https://steemit.com/gardening/@paulmozina/my-garden-shire
I really appreciated your post. It made me consider my approach to watering the beds -- got me thinking. Thanks again.
Thanks. I'll check it out.
It makes sense once you look in nature. When you're walking through a forest and there's thousands of plants growing amongst each other and no one watering them how do they do it? A thick layer of mulch that they drop every year in the fall holds the moisture and doesn't let it Escape.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge! This post has been added to our growing directory of Steemit "how to" posts for the Homesteading/Survival/Foraging/Prepper communities. Your post is helping people learn to survive and thrive now and in the future!