‘Come On, Let’s Plant’: Wayland Smalley Brings Cherokee Roots, Ruth Stout Wisdom to Backyard Gardening

By Cara Cowan Watts | Cherokee 411

CHELSEA, Okla. — With his dog Riley never far behind and a generous handful of sweet potato slips to share, Wayland Smalley is doing more than gardening — he’s building a movement. A Cherokee Nation citizen descended from the England and Beck families of the Chelsea area, Smalley is turning backyard gardening into a practical solution for food security with a uniquely Cherokee and no-till flair.

“Come on, let’s plant and we’ll see what we get,” Smalley says, a mantra now well-known to the 63,000-plus subscribers on his YouTube channel, Wayland Smalley – Come On Let’s Plant.

Smalley’s approach draws inspiration from the legendary Ruth Stout, known for her “no work” gardening philosophy, but he puts his own spin on it — influenced by decades of hands-on experience and Cherokee family traditions. His method of deep mulch gardening requires no tilling and minimal weeding, focusing on building healthy soil that does the heavy lifting for the gardener.

“The hardest part is the harvest,” Smalley says with a grin.

His book, Build Healthy Soil and Eliminate Most Weeds, lays out the “why” behind his success. The 74-page guide, priced at $14.99 — “the same price as the first and last bag of soil you’ll ever need,” Smalley notes — is part practical how-to and part personal memoir. It’s written with the tone of someone who’s hoed a few rows, fought off cabbage loopers, and found his peace in mulch.

Smalley’s deep mulch garden is more than rows of produce — it’s a living demonstration. Viewers follow the seasons in his documentary-style videos from late winter to harvest. Riley, his loyal canine companion, often steals the show.

Smalley’s passion for gardening was born in hardship. Raised by Depression-era grandparents and working in gardens in the heat of Wyoming summers, he admits he “hated the hoe.” But the seed was planted early, and when he got his own patch of dirt, he couldn’t help but grow something.

That garden is now a classroom. In addition to the YouTube channel and book, Smalley is a regular contributor to the Food Sovereignty Cherokee Plant Group on Facebook, where Cherokee gardeners swap seeds, stories, and know-how. It’s through that group — and years of Cherokee community events — that Smalley and I became friends. We met while I was serving on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council and reconnected through annual family reunions and plant exchanges co-hosted by me and Melissa Lewis.

One of the garden’s most valued crops? Sweet potatoes. Every year, Smalley shares slips freely to help others start their own patches — a small act with big impact.

“Growing your own food doesn’t have to be complicated,” he says. “Nature wants to grow. You just have to give it a chance.”

Joining the conversation is his cousin, Betty Brenner, who recently authored an article drawing on wisdom passed down from their shared Cherokee and German immigrant heritage. Her piece, Flowers & Herbs That Dissuade & Prevent Insects & Disease in Vegetable & Fruit Gardens, offers age-old tips that are backed by science and experience. Her grandfather — Smalley’s great-grandfather — planted rosemary to protect cabbage and carrots, and radishes between squash and cucumbers to deter beetles.

Smalley plans to keep documenting his garden’s progress throughout the summer. Cherokee 411 will follow along, sharing tips and updates from Smalley for anyone seeking to grow more and spend less in the face of rising grocery prices.

If you’re ready to get your hands dirty — or just want to learn from someone who has — Smalley’s book, channel, and Facebook group are good places to start.

Buy the Book: Build Healthy Soil and Eliminate Most Weeds on Amazon
Follow the Garden: YouTube – Wayland Smalley: Come On Let’s Plant
Join the Community: facebook.com/wayland.smalley.5
Visit the Website: waylandsmalley.com