Using The Ruth Stout Gardening
chao
14 years ago
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Okiedawn OK Zone 7
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agochao
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
Ruth Stout and Rocks
Comments (17)I remove rocks with a fervor bordering on mania. Ruths' gardens, as Alphonse mentioned, were built on ground that had been previously cleared of stones. While many plants will easily accommodate the occasional rock in the way, root crops will do best in soil free of obstructions. The solution is to choose a section of the garden where you will be growing your carrots, and double dig and sift that soil first. Every year, as you rotate your crops, if you do another section, eventually you will have a pile of stones for building, some rocks to use where drainage would help, and some pebbles for mulch, or the driveway, or as ammo for the slingshot when the javelinas attack. There are some advantages to rocky soil, it is good for drainage, and provides a slow (very) source of minerals as they break down. The process by which rocks continue to appear has to do with the fact that water expands when it freezes. As it drains through the soil, it collects under the existing stones. If it freezes, it lifts the stone incrementally. When the ice melts, the space fills in with small soil particles (silt) and the stone is that much higher. In the beds that I sifted 18" deep 20 years ago, I'm now finding rocks when I dig that far down. I would have to dig and sift 4 feet down to prevent this, to get below the frost line. I won't live long enough to worry about it, but I may add an addendum to my will, just so the kids have a "heads-up"...See MoreUsing The Ruth Stout Gardening
Comments (6)In many of the discussions here on mulching, especially when using straw or hay, there is always one or two who claim to have had a bad pest infestation because of it - usually it is slugs, snails, and flea beetles. But that isn't the commonly held belief. If you pull up those discussions and read through them you'll find that most feel the many benefits of proper mulching far outweigh any possible problems IF those problems arise. Personally I have used thick layers of old spoiled hay for many years with no increase at all in any pest problem. Slugs and snails, the most common mentioned problem, aren't nearly the problem for those of us in the hot south as it is for northern gardeners. What slugs and snails we may get are easily controlled and the benefits in moisture stabilization, weed control, and overall soil improvement more than outweigh any problems. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Ruth Stout Mulching discussion...See MoreRuth Stout method - Compost instead of hay?
Comments (8)When I have used "almost compost" I get more squirrels and critters poking around in the beds searching out the kitchen scraps I bet. I don't mind that as much around shrubs and such, but around my flowers and SFG veggies I don't like the critters digging. This spring I "stole" yard waste bags from my neighbor who had raked up the "thatch"/dead grass from his lawns - he uses Milorganite as lawn fertilizer/no pesticides - and I used 1-2 inches around my SFG veggies and it seems to be working nicely as a mulch. Also used some bagged fall leaves - sucked them up with leaf vacuum out of the bags and it made a nice mulch....See Morestarting my Ruth Stout pepper and tomato bed
Comments (1)Oldokie, it looks very nice. I could not help but notice haw the lay of you land is much like mine. Below is a picture of my south garden (only one dry enough to work). The center part of it is where I am trying to do much like you are doing. This is the 3rd year for it, so I have aways to go....See MoreOkiedawn OK Zone 7
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agochao
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agohank1949
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
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14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
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14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
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14 years agolast modified: 9 years agosoonergrandmom
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
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14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
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14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoelkwc
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agochao
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMacmex
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoelkwc
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14 years agolast modified: 9 years agojessaka
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoelkwc
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOkiedawn OK Zone 7
14 years agolast modified: 9 years agochao
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