Vertical Gardening - Growing Strawberries in Rain Gutters - My Thoughts after 1 Year

[@blacksmithden]

You're literally the ONLY person on youtube who's given a follow up on this. Thank you for taking the time. I got the deal of a lifetime on some gutters, and I'm going to give it a shot, BUT, with an auto watering system on it that will be tapped off my other bed's system. Again, thank you for posting the follow up.

[@juliehilton1701]

Thanks for this it’s saved me spending money on gutters and not waste my seeds x

[@EarlybirdFarmSC]

Great update, thanks for sharing this. I was or had thought about making one of these. Water was always my concern. I never thought about the soil getting hot or cold like that. Makes sense.

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks for commenting.

[@EarlybirdFarmSC]

@@greatescapefarms Anytime buddy.

[@mrc3458]

Thanks for the 1 yr review. This is exactly what I thought would happen. It's not enough dirt to feed and sustain the plants without a lot of upkeep.

[@greatescapefarms]

Correct. I'm going to give it one more try this year with and automatic watering system, but I expect the results will be about the same.

[@virsapiensfortisest922]

Thank you!!! I was planning to do this. You saved me $ and time.

[@storedaway]

Thanks for sharing this, I was planning on planting strawberries this way. Glad I didn't start getting the items to do this.

[@greatescapefarms]

Glad to help.

[@jkbjkbarry]

Thank you for this update! I had been considering planting my strawberries in gutters but had concerns about both water and heat, the two issues you mentioned. Guess I’ll be looking for another way!

[@greatescapefarms]

I'm going to set up a drip irrigation this year to see if that makes a difference. The only reason I'm doing that is because I already have it built.

[@neronfrancis6508]

Thank you so much for that information. I was about to do the same setup. I never thought about the metal getting hot and stressing the plant roots.

[@greatestlove7775]

yes after seeing raised beds and the affects of air and sun on them, I was just thinking this would happen plus I would have to place the beds on ground for winter to keep them from freezing up higher where I am at. I might still do it but know the risk reward now. Thanks

[@josh4901]

Very very good review! Thank you so much. Much love! Wish you success this year!

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!

[@davidmiller2089]

I am trying the gutter system this year. I bought the 6" gutters. Root plants arrived today. I considered hydroponic. Just to many variables for me. I have read dozens of articles and watched many videos on this system. I hope that I am learning by others mistakes. I am feeling good about this until proven otherwise. I have too many ground moles to fight. I have addressed every issue that I have read about. I can transplant into the ground in winter or move gutters to a trench in the ground. Could also move into a garage. I have raised strawberries in the ground before but in a locations not infested with moles. Anxious to see what success you have this year. Good luck.

[@greatescapefarms]

Good luck with your system!

[@MadCheshireHat]

Thanks for this! I can find tons of how-tos and photos but what I can't find is information on the longevity of it. I found one article online, that's it. I live in California and have to water daily to get everything through the intense summer days as it is, so I'm concerned about the issues you brought up. I wonder if the shallowness has something to do with the poor moisture and heat regulation.

[@greatescapefarms]

I'm actually going to try again this year, but I'm going to install an automatic drip irrigation system. I'll likely post a video on the drip irrigation this spring and I will do an update on how the system fared in the fall.

[@TheAdhdGardener]

Honesty. Love it🌻

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks. I promised to document both successes and failures.

[@charlotteinnocent8752]

I was thinking of planting my strawberries against a fence hanging to it will be easier to protect from birds. Birds have been an issue for me this year. Your video plus another video I have seen have me convinced the problem with gutters is that they are too shallow ad small for the plant. I will use rectangular plant pots that are 20cm wide by 20cm deep and long along the fence. I feel this may work, but I will use some extra wooden struts to take the extra weight of the soil and prevent damage to my fence because of the added weight. I hope this will work.

[@greatescapefarms]

I hope the plant pots work for you. Good luck!

[@DreidMusicalX]

Thats sad, I was going to try this. I guess I will be looking for something that is deeper and wider to put them in. I have some BEUTIFUL strawberries growing right now and producing berries in the ground. But I am dealing with roly-polies. I have traps that seem to be working ok and DE on the borders keeping the away from my berries. I was hoping to get away from having to do that.

[@hardworkingtrucks]

Nice setup. Appreciate the update. Very helpful.

[@greatescapefarms]

You are welcome. Glad to help.

[@AmsNl2BcnEs]

Meant politely, this was done wrong and was doomed to fail or require frequent watering. He kind of acknowledges this briefly in the video without making any moves to do anything about it. The gutters needed another row of gutters directly below the soil ones to hold water and wick moisture up using cords. That would have provided steady moisture for the strawberries and allowed them to grow. The variety of strawberry also matters a lot.

[@robertwhorley4326]

Thanks for being honest.

[@luizcamacho9811]

I might make one to use as a rack for small pots

[@greatescapefarms]

Good luck!

[@ShannonPair]

It didn't work well for me with strawberries, either. I wound up using it for herbs instead.

[@fazeinhaze2687]

Thank you for being honest with the results. I have been growing strawberries for years in large containers. I feel for those plants squeezed in the small space of gutters. They don’t look healthy at all.

[@greatescapefarms]

Agree.

[@melanne5379]

Do you think vinyl gutters would be more helpful given the hot/cold issue versus the aluminum gutters?

[@greatescapefarms]

Possibly. I went with what was given to me by a neighbor. Thanks for the comment.

[@annettesonnenberg7606]

Thanks. I was thinking of doing this and wondered how it would do over time. Think I’ll pass on this idea.

[@greatescapefarms]

Wise choice.

[@morethanjustsolar4267]

Great video...thanks cause I was about to use gutters for strawberries

[@greatescapefarms]

You're most welcome!

[@flipping_for_funds]

Why did you allow the runners to make contact with the ground? Why not just cut them off?

[@greatescapefarms]

Too busy doing other things. But once I saw how well the suckers did in the ground vs the gutter it told me that the gutter idea wasn't the greatest.

[@socialmedianetwork5754]

how did you do the drainage holes because it falls on the other plants below. i have that issue searching for a solution :(

[@fazeinhaze2687]

Soil is great for buffering the environmental changes. You need sufficient amount of soil to protect the roots from the temperature fluctuation.

[@greatescapefarms]

Roger that.

[@annettesonnenberg7606]

Can only fit so much soul in a gutter.

[@greatescapefarms]

@@annettesonnenberg7606 Yep.

[@shawnnoname9291]

did you use 4.5 or 6 inch gutter? looks smaller size , wondering if the 6 inch gutter would work better .

[@googledoesntneedtoknownone]

Anyone with much gardening experience knows that plants of any sort grown in a container (pot, gutter, whatever...) MUST be watered regularly, perhaps daily, if it is to thrive or even survive. That these did not is no surprise. Automatic watering or regular manual watering as well as a larger bed should solve all these issues.

[@beccascott2867]

This is user error, strawberries can be grown hydroponically like this, you just need to water more, have a drip feed system in place, doesn’t matter how much soil they have.

[@deejaybratsch]

I agree. I had the same problems and also found that the gutters didn’t seem deep enough. Got any ideas what will grow in the gutters?

[@greatescapefarms]

I'll be experimenting this year.

[@deejaybratsch]

@@greatescapefarms excellent let us know what you came up with. I failed trying strawberries and lettuces. I was successful with Marigolds, but would rather find something edible. Happy gardening!

[@greatescapefarms]

@@deejaybratsch I will post an update in the fall.

[@Dawnofabrightday]

Same thing here!! They all ended up cooking/drying! I was so disappointed with this method…..!

[@greatescapefarms]

I'm with ya.

[@rocdajacable]

Hello i have a question what area are you in for example im in CNY and strongly looking at this idea one way or another

[@greatescapefarms]

We are in WV, USA.

[@rocdajacable]

@@greatescapefarms my parents are natives

[@billyfolse1316]

Recirculating system

[@elasesinoespritual341]

What soil mix did you use?

[@greatescapefarms]

I just used generic potting mix.

[@Lionoftruth7]

Need more soil and a bigger gutter 😂

[@greatescapefarms]

Yep. If I could find free larger gutters, I'd try it :)

[@coykehoe8865]

it will work with 1x8x8 wood @ 25 bucks per box .....just not enough soil in 4.5 inches and the wood will keep temp down

[@greatescapefarms]

Thanks!