What Is A Gutter Garden?

A gutter garden is a container garden made up of small sections of gutters hung horizontally and filled with soil. While each gutter hangs horizontally, hanging them on top of one another makes the most of vertical space.

The gutters can be hung on a wall, fence or easy to install stand. I made a simple stand for my gutter garden using a pallet and a few boards.

Gutter gardens are best for plants with shallow roots and short life cycles. One of my favorites is the baby lettuce. There's nothing quite like sitting in a bowl of fresh salad you've grown yourself.

Many people grow strawberries in their gutter gardens. Strawberries are a great choice because they come back year after year. There are many great options available for keeping gardens interesting and interesting year after year.

Gutter garden materials

One of the things I love about building a gutter garden is how easy it is to find all of the materials. I managed to find some of my content for free! Start by getting some 5" gutters, some end caps, and a few small screws to attach the end caps to.

Note that the end caps for the right end and the left end are different. You will also need some screws to attach the gutters or gutter hangers if they are available.

Any major home improvement store should carry 5-inch gutters and the accessories that come with them. Since new gutters usually come in long pieces, cutting them into smaller pieces will make them easier to handle.

Of course, you'll also need supplies to grow your new garden. Adding some soil to fill in your gutters is definitely a good start. The list should be completed with a few packets of suitable fertilizer and seeds.

Gutter sections

Cut the gutters into sections using the length that best fits your space. I had two recycling gutters that were about eight feet long each. I cut it in half and ended up with four sections, each about four feet long.

You can cut the gutter with tin snips or a hack saw. Personally, I think tin cutting is much easier to work with. Make sure not to use an angle grinder to cut the gutters. The gutters are made of aluminum, which can break angle grinder blades.

Once the gutters are cut into sections, it's time to install the end caps. End caps install on gutters with just a little pressure. If you have a problem, make sure the end of the gutter is aligned with the recess in the caps. If not, bend the end of the gutter slightly until it fits properly. Use a few small sheet metal screws to hold the cover in place.

Drain Holes

After assembling the gutter sections, drill several small holes in the bottom of each. You should dig at least 20 or more drainage holes in each section to ensure that heavy rains won't flood your gutters and wash away your lawn.

The importance of this step should not be overlooked. Gutters are very shallow and can fill with water quickly. I recommend using a garden hose and spray nozzle to test the drainage.

After drilling drainage holes in the section, spray it with a garden hose for several minutes. If water starts to pool at the bottom of the gutter, you should drill more holes.

Putting Gutters

The gutter sections are now ready to hang on the fence or wall. You can also make a stand for your garden. A simple stand can be made by leaning the pallet against something or by attaching legs to the pallet. I used a few scrap boards, a pallet, and some extra screws to make a garden gutter holder.

Some kind of support should be installed to ensure the gutters don't fall off the front. A home improvement store may have hangers that support the front of the gutter, which will work great. If not, you can drill some long screws under the gutter for support.

Another option would be to add some small blocks of wood from front to back, which is what I did. I just cut the blocks to fit and secured them in place with the gutters.

Ready to plant

The gutter sections should now be ready to be turned into a lawn. Place a thin layer of mulch at the bottom of each gutter to prevent soil from being washed away. Fill gutters with topsoil, with mulch in place.

Mix the soil well, then plant the seeds or seedlings according to package directions. Water as needed, and you will enjoy the fruits and vegetables from your hard work.