Hi:
I am reading Ruth Stout's book The No Work Garden and she uses a huge layer of hay to mulch everything. Anyway, has anyone used large amts. of ALFALFA hay to do this and how does it work?? Thanks, wow, her book is awesome! itching for spring in nebraska

Something, I think, many fail to grasp is that Ruth Stout used a material that was plentiful and cheap. While she did pay someone to collect the salt marsh hay for her it was essentially free and I think that is more the point to her book. Use what is plentiful and free and lots of it.

I live in northern California & I haven't found anything free here. Since I don't have leaves, I do save & recycle paper for browns but everything else is either expensive or chemical.

I've used alfalfa hay for about 5 years now and I love it. My advice would be to get it from someone that pays attention to weed control in their fields or you could have a problem with weed seeds in the hay. Aside from that, I spent $40 last year on 20 bales of hay for my garden and considered it well worth the price since it kept me from being a slave to my garden. I did almost no watering despite a dry year here in Michigan and next to no weeding. I would highly recommend the use of alfalfa hay - and lay it as deeply as Ruth suggests - you'll be glad you did.

Hope that helps! Happy gardening (I'm a Ruth Stout fan too.)

I 2nd it! Only thing that I would and is ask if they have any SPOILED hay. Sometimes they give that away.

I've been doing the Ruth Stout technique for more than 15 years. It works. But, my technique is probably more strict. I use tons of mulch, but only wheat or oat straw, for several reasons. If you have to buy it, straw is cheaper than hay. When I buy it, it is $1 a bail. Hay is $2.50 and up. Alfalfa is the most expensive. I have never turned down free spoiled hay, but I compost it. Another reason I don't mulch with hay is the amount of seeds contained in it(hay or weed). If you let a bed sit too long with hay mulch, you will get a bed of hay with perenial roots that won't end. That is something you don't want to dig out.

And be careful with spoiled hay. If it's really dry and has been moldy, the mold spores will get in the air when you take the bail apart. Breathing in these spores can make some people extremely sick--affects the lungs. But don't be afraid to use it, just be careful.

I agree with Mumsey. The hay I used one year was probably dangerous to be handling. Blue/green clouds rose up from every bale I opened. And I knew it at the time - knew I probably should have a mask on or something, but I was too bullheaded to quit working long enough to put on a mask. I would never take a risk like that again, especially since I saw my Dad end up in emergency after being in a bin with moldy soybeans. I will say that after I had it all layed out on the ground it was fine after that.