Fix

Gutter Gardens Grow Produce Without Taking Up Space

7:00AM April 28, 2009 | Adam Pash

If you’d love to do a little at-home gardening but don’t have much space to do your planting, a simple gutter garden might be the perfect option.

Alaskan news site Juneau Empire features a smart, simple idea for planting a small vegetable garden with very little space: A windowbox garden built from gutters. In Alaska, this idea solves a few problems for the author:

We live near the glacier, so the soil is cold and has very little organic matter, there are lots of big trees shading it, and we have all the slugs and root maggots anyone could want, with porcupines, cats, bears and ravens meandering to boot.

There is only one side of our house that gets much sunshine, and, of course, that side of the house has the smallest yard.

Even if your garden doesn’t face the same problems, the idea behind the gutter garden could be perfect if you’re low on space but would kill for some homegrown veggies.

How does your garden grow? [Juneau Empire via Make]

Comments

  • Arran

    April 28, 2009 at 9:28 AM

    This would work well with an aquaponics setup. Fish + veggies. http://www.aquaponics.com.au is a good place to check it out.

  • Lyn Webster

    December 9, 2011 at 9:02 AM

    and not much weeding.

  • Kathleen

    December 15, 2011 at 4:36 AM

    This comment has been deemed inappropriate and has been deleted

  • Terri

    December 16, 2011 at 2:17 PM

    Just wondering what kind of veggies work in such a small space?

    • Suzanne Forsling

      December 20, 2011 at 4:26 PM

      Terri, I grow all kinds of lettuce, beets, Swiss chard, turnips (for greens only), the kale was terrific this year, green onions, you get the idea. Any vegetable that has a relatively small root ball. They do need to be watered frequently, but I find that particularly relaxing. Glad you like the idea.

      • Gina De Matteis

        January 4, 2012 at 9:52 PM

        What a brilliant idea, deserves an Oscar or Nobel Prize – really I live in South Africa and have just moved to a small complex no space for ad veggie garden but a long wall that gets sun, and wow, never thought, will use this brilliant idea and your list of what to plant in reply to Terri, did you think this up?
        Can also pass on to my staff to grow their own veggies, can buy old guttering and fix it up for them – well done to who ever thought of this

      • Carolyn

        January 11, 2012 at 6:54 AM

        Brilliant! Besides leafy greens, green onions, and some herbs, there is a variety of carrots I grew last year that are short and round that would work perfectly in a gutter garden. I can’t wait for March to get my gutter garden started!

      • Tracy Paul

        January 24, 2012 at 12:36 PM

        Love the idea.

  • vicky

    December 17, 2011 at 9:25 AM

    do I slope the gutters for water runoff or do I make holes along the base?

    • Rosika

      January 11, 2012 at 5:55 AM

      Yes, I would also like to know how the watering works – does one make small holes somehow and would you need mesh of sorts?

  • Salli

    December 17, 2011 at 1:08 PM

    Will it work on the shady side of my Arizona house?

    • laura b

      January 17, 2012 at 2:58 AM

      i have a garden on the shady side of my house in la paz county. :)

  • Anna

    December 18, 2011 at 10:56 AM

    @terry…most greens, most herbs, and sugar peas would be the best bet. nightshade plants (i.e. tomatoes, squash) & roots would not work because of their weight and the obvious limitation on space.

  • gwen

    December 23, 2011 at 7:35 PM

    love the idea, am in pretoria, south africa, small garden, wonderful idea

    • Gina De Matteis

      January 4, 2012 at 9:56 PM

      Hi Gwen,
      Live in Jo’burg, found your comment about veggie garden in gutters when visiting the sight, what an idea to pass on to people who live in squatter camps etc. We have just moved to a complex and tiny garden but long wall at side of house perfect for idea. Good luck with yours,

      Gina

      • Helmar

        January 14, 2012 at 12:37 AM

        Re watering: What I would do (off the top of my head) is this: If I used several gutters, I would fix them to the wall at an angle, alternating which side is higher. This way you could potentially water them all from in one go, which should be cleaner and simpler. May have to be fine-tuned for practicability.

        Regards from the Mother City.

  • Robi Sallee

    December 29, 2011 at 9:22 AM

    I LOVE this! I will definitely see what I can grow this way!

  • Linda

    January 4, 2012 at 10:46 AM

    I love this as I live in a townhome and do not own the land around my house. However, I have pernamant siding. Holes in the siding would not work for me. I will look for some kind of clip as I really want to try this.

  • Michael

    January 7, 2012 at 1:25 AM

    Just wondering what supports the weight of 8 to 10 feet of soil and plants?
    I can see a small rack made of 3/4 inch PVC pipe. (not to over complicate it.)

  • Alana

    January 9, 2012 at 12:39 PM

    This excites me! Looking so forward to the answers!
    I have siding as well and had no clue that holes were a ‘no no’.

  • Liz

    January 24, 2012 at 12:02 PM

    How did you support the length? Will they hold some stones in the bottom so we don’t over water?

  • Debbie

    February 1, 2012 at 11:53 PM

    I love your idea but how do you hook the pots to the gutters

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