I’ve used the Ruth Stout method of growing potatoes ever since I first began growing my own food. If you’re unfamiliar with it, the emphasis of this technique is on the no-till method. It makes for a very easy way to grow and harvest potatoes without much of the whole “crawling around on the ground” thing.
First, I needed seed potatoes. I had saved the seed potatoes above from last year’s harvest. They had already started to sprout in storage, so I think that it’s safe to say that they are ready to grow. This box is a mixture of red, purple, and yellow varieties.
Though I know I said that this was a no-till technique, I did need to till the yard. This is a completely new garden, without a single growing bed. As you can see, I’m still using my trusty electric tiller.
In addition to saving my own seed potatoes, I also ordered a few new varieties to grow in the beds. The variety pictured above is ‘Goldrush.’ I’m also trying ‘Fenway Red’ potatoes for the first time.
Many of these seed potatoes could be cut into multiple pieces before planting. My spacing is also quite lax.
After laying the potatoes out, the only thing left to do was cover them with a layer of straw mulch. Within a few weeks, I should start to see some of the plants begin to emerge. As they grow larger, I’ll likely continue to add straw until the plants are able to support themselves.
That’s it, for now. Hopefully, this season will result in an excellent crop. Have you ever used the Ruth Stout method before? What did you think? I’d love to hear all about your experiences down in the comment section below. Thank you so much for stopping by the blog! I hope that you’re having a really great day!
