I grew them 45 years ago because an old man told me that it worked. I planted them on top of the ground and covered them with straw just to prove the old man WRONG! To my surprise when I raked the straw back.... There lay the prettiest cleanest potatoes i had ever raised.
I've been doing my potatoes this way ever since your first video..AND I CAN TESTIFY to the fact that YES it is much easier an cleaner there earth bed.. I've gotten more potatoes this way with so much less labor at 65yr old what a blessing harvesting..thanks Rachel &Tod
I like to throw my straw in the chicken run for a day or two to pick out the oats, then scoop it up and spread it on my garden. I plant a smaller area (1-2 bales coverage), but the chickens are happy and the weeds are fewer.
I love your method! I have switched to straw this year; I am putting the potatoes in buckets to free up the ground space. Putting them on a bit of soil/compost and topping off with lots of straw. An experiment :)
I've had great results planting potatoes in huge buckets, but not yet tried the hay in bucket over compost and dirt method. Please keep us updated on your experiment!
I used to do the Ruth Stout method before the jumping worms showed up. Always beautiful potatoes, even sweet potatoes. I am going to try potatoes in 25 gal grow bags, Ruth Stout style next year. I was able to trap out the majority of jumping worms this past year in my main potato bed, unfortunately I can not do Ruth Stout in the soil again. Gardening is always a challenge, adaptation is key. Enjoyed your video, subscribed.
Great idea. I've used cardboard before on top of lawn grass instead of digging a new bed. I just cut a hole in it and put the potato in and I had a nice harvest. And the cardboard decomposed and I ended up with nice potatoes and a bonus. Many earthworms. 😊
WONDER IF WE COULD USE BROWN GROCERY BAGS PUT POTATOES ON TOP AND THEN LAYER WITH HAY OR LEAVES OR WOOD CHIPS LOTS OF TREE TRIM PEOPLE BRING GROUND UP WOOD CHIPS TO YOUR YARD FOR FREE JUST CURIOUS. STOUTS HAY AND STRAW IS THE BEST
This is my third year of Ruth Stout potato garden. Will never do it another way. Pumpkins grew in it as well. Best harvest ever of those. Because our garden in that area is shaded all winter. After harvest I cover with more hay. Add blood and bone and cover with weed mat. Leave until spring. Pull back the weed mat and you have a perfect garden bed, ready mulched.
I'm doing this too. It's working perfectly. I just took my old used rabbit bedding and placed it on top of my hay then I put grass clippings on top of that. .
Hi Rachel and Todd. Rachel, you do such good work in planting your beautiful garden. I hope you get more potatoes this year. Thank you for a wonderful adventure in the world of gardening. God Bless the garden and also you and Todd. Take care. Maria. Happy Easter to you and Todd. 🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐇🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
this is really a game changer. I'm going to try this out. I have never grew potatoes because I can't get down to dig them up. thank you for showing us this.
I read Ruth Stouts books back in the 70s & 80s.. I helped my mom make a small RS garden when I was a teen.. it didn't work out too well but it stuck with me..and I revisited it later as an adult! Loved it! It's the best way to keep your soil cool too in the blazing hot summers of Texas. It's nice to see someone else using her methods!
Tater lasagna done! Tilled 40", put down 3 bags of leaves, 3 bags of seed taters, a tub of bone meal, 2 bales of straw, and finally 4 bags of composted cattle manure. I ought to have some super taters this year!
Definitely trying this method this year. I simply used old chopped up leaves from the yard last year and they did great too. I have a ton of old hay this year so this will be my method! Thank you for the video!
I used shredded leaves this year but something ate all my potato leaves down to stump and when I dug back the leaves they were dry, even though it had been raining. I blamed the shredding.
This is my second year slash mulching potatoes, we live on 20 acres in the Sacramento valley so we just mow the lawn after winter and use our own straw. Works great 👍
This is so wonderful, never seen it done this way. Did see the video where you pull your potatoes up. I enjoyed that video to, I am sorry someone said that about your potatoes. God see’s your heart Rachael, no worries Sweet Heart. ✝️💟
Love Ruth Stout Method. I planted them last month the day after the full moon. My new potatoes have green leaves that have already poked through! I coat my potatoes in Sulfur before planting to prevent scab and natural protector against disease. When the green tops are 6 inches tall I will add more wheat straw and give them a dose of Bone Meal.
WOW amazing! I've been gardening over 30 years and have never seen this method. love it! Of course there is a difference in temperature and we have fire ants that attack potatoes in the ground. So, as seen on our channel we grow in pots on grow tables off the ground. We really enjoy yawls channel and like seeing how you do things up north. We are in the upper 80's and low 90's and at night upper 60's. Our entire garden is up and growing, I'll do an update today. Always good to see yawl and have a blessed day! Mike
I planted potatoes yesterday in 30 gal grow bags. 1st time I have ever used them for potatoes. I haven't had a typical garden since I was in my early 20's. I am going to have 4 8 X 4 raised beds soon, and have another area at the end of my house that is 4 feet by 28 feet
Rachel & Todd - Happy Easter Bunny 🐰🐇🐣🐣- I had given up on trying to grow potatoes but once again you have spurred me on to give it another try. Cheers Denise- Australia
The Ruth Stout method. I need to try this way. I remember watching your video last year, planting inside full hay bales, too! I think it's a great to compost and get bumper crop!
I use my second-year straw bales from my straw bale garden to grow my potatoes on top of and then just pile on the fresh straw. I have pretty severe arthritis in my low back and digging is not an option...not a smart one anyway. I love it for all the reasons you stated, it's easy to plant, easy to harvest and oh so clean! :)
Great tip on using the hay to plant and bed your potatoes Rachael and Todd!! I’ll be trying this method this spring ! Thank y’all Nd Happy Easter -He had Risen !! ❤️🙏✝️🙋🏻🐣🐇🐰✝️✝️
Another benefit of mulch gardening is come fall clean up just pull the mulch to the compost pile to finish breaking down. Keeps it all in the cycle of life. Happy Easter
I produce a lot of wood chips on our wood lot and new to gardening, my partner has been gardening for years. Plan to try out the chips to see what results I can get but will definitely put some down between the rows for paths and weed control/ water retention. Don't really have access to straw or hay.
Trying this this year with pine shavings since that's all I have and in a 25 gal felt grow bag. Definitely not ideal environment for potatoes, but this video gives be a bit of hope😅 excited to see the amazing harvest you get!💗
Second year planted potatoes in cheap hampers push cardboard half way down , nothing should drain out of sides. I hamper got me 5gal.bucket. made room in ground for other important veggies when there done put in some cold crops.
Brilliant! I keep asking if I can plant potatoes this way....I keep getting I have to cut them up and spout them.... thank you! I'm going to get my potatoes!
You can 'chit' or sprout them to give them a head start. Sunlight will cause the 'eyes' on a tater to grow shoots. If you want more smaller potato's, cut them up. I plant them whole for bigger potato's. Happy Gardening
I would also think that harvesting would be better because you wouldn’t be forking or cutting your potatoes with a shovel - and no potatoes left behind to grow next year where you don’t want them. Great video! If I can find some straw I will try this. I have just the spot!
Do you think that would work in pots? We have just too many rodents here and they find everything! I lost the last 2 years of potatoes due to rodents so this year I got pots but I used dirt. I really like how clean yours are though. Saves so much time!
Always fun to watch the garden being put in, thanks for sharing! I saved some seed potatoes from last years garden. Today I was getting them out of the basement and oh my they have all sprouted and the potatoes themselves are all withered up. Do I plant them or get new ones?
I tried buckets for 2 years. I'm going the Ruth Stout/ 1870 Homestead method this year. How deep of compost should I have? The way things are going I want to grow and can my potatoes.
The first year you just put out cardboard and put the potatoes on top then cover with hay or straw…do the roots go out across the cardboard or do they grow down thru it? When you add more hay or straw, do you cover the leaves, too, or put it up under the leaves? Thank you. I just got my first green stalk. I can’t wait. Tomorrow is our gardening day😀💕
How do they root without being under some soil , I always dug a trench about 12 inches deep put the seed pot. In covered with soil and as the plant grew kept covering with soil , nice video would love to see the results.
This looks like a great way to grow potatoes. But I was wondering can I do this in a raised bed because I can't get down on the ground. After 4 knee surgeries I have been trying to do raised bed have not tried potatoes.
Hello so my plants have started pushing though the straw now I’m wondering do I keep putting more straw on top of what’s pushing through I’m not sure what my next step is.
can we put out chicken coop cleanings directly on top, or does it need to be composted down a bit first. (chickens are on chopped straw, and woodshavings in their actual bed.
Do you get any changes in pest pressure? Many of my bulbs and some plants are a buffet for chipmunks, squirrels and other small rodents. I might try this in a fenced in bed. Thanks! 😊
My soil has never grown red potatoes worth a hoot. Last year I went to no till and did that method. I was getting almost 5lbs off each plant. Is the only way to plant potatoea
Ask any farmer. With all the TV commercials showing people stuffing their clothing into their faces, and dancing around their washing machines, like the smell of fresh fabric was some type of intoxicant, we've lost our appreciation for soil. For example, try growing a decent potato in a mound of laundry detergent!!!. Thank you That 1870s Homestead for allowing me to share and for doing so much to make sure your family can enjoy the wonderful products that spring from the soil!. 😁
Don't do it! To hot here I am in Charlotte NC Gave us 2 Copperhead nests and 3 months of killing 15 baby poisonous snakes. Science teacher across the street from us said they love the heat from the straw breaking down which makes for perfect breading spot. I am from Mountains in KY and had never even seen a snake in January. Still traumatized lol