Grow More. Work Less. Ruth Said So.

Meet the book that proves gardening doesn’t have to feel like a punishment. This new illustrated edition of The No-Work Garden Book gives Ruth Stout’s sass even more bite with fresh artwork and fun trivia sprinkled throughout. Ruth shows you how to lay down hay, skip the nonsense, and still harvest an envy-inducing garden. Meanwhile, your neighbors are out there waging war on weeds. You? You’re turning pages, learning trivia you’ll absolutely use to brag later, and watching your garden thrive without the drama.

Gardening Without Work is Ruth Stout’s love letter to everyone who wants a gorgeous garden without sacrificing their knees, weekends, or will to live. In this freshly updated edition, you’ll discover Ruth’s legendary hay-mulch method presented with her trademark mix of honesty, humor, and “why-on-earth-would-you-do-it-any-other-way?” practicality. Whether you’re aging, busy, indolent (Ruth’s word), or simply uninterested in unnecessary suffering, this book will show you how to grow abundant vegetables by doing less than you ever thought possible. 

This is the book that started Ruth Stout’s revolution. In How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back, Ruth exposes the tragic comedy of traditional gardening: all that digging, weeding, sweating, and groaning when—surprise!—none of it is actually required. It’s a handbook for anyone who wants thriving vegetables without the chiropractor bills. Equal parts practical wisdom and gentle rebellion, this new edition with even more charm proves that the easiest way to get a green thumb… is to stop trying so hard.