Gutter Gardens - Are They Safe?

whistler · January 23, 2012

Someone sent me a photo today of a couple of rain gutters that were attached to the side wall of a house and planted with lettuce / onions / radishes, etc.

Sounds like a brilliant idea to add extra growing space, but I'm concerned about possible issues from growing in a metal (aluminum) container.

Anyone here know if this is safe for growing food, or who I can contact to ask about safety issues? Perhaps I could line the gutters with plastic first (more $$$ though...)?

I suppose a gutter planter would easily work for flowers, but I could really use the extra space for salad greens and such.

Wi-sunflower · January 23, 2012

Unless you are using old recycled gutters, many of the gutters available at the building stores ARE plastic.

I haven't seen them on the side of a house, but I have seen systems using them for lettuce in greenhouses.

Carol

BigBrownDogHouse · January 23, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by whistler

Someone sent me a photo today of a couple of rain gutters that were attached to the side wall of a house and planted with lettuce / onions / radishes, etc.

There's a few folks in the neighborhood that have their annual maple tree gardens growing in their gutters every late Spring.

Opps! Guess that's another topic!

Worth1 · January 23, 2012

I have new aluminum seamless gutters and I feel they should be used for what they were intended for.

Rain drainage away from your foundation.

The idea of filling them with wet soil could only promote rot on your house---maybe.

Besides there is no way I could talk my wife into collecting lettuce with a ladder.

Not with a store down the road.

Worth

whistler · January 23, 2012

These would be new gutters, totally separate from my existing house gutters, which would still be used to keep the water away from the house foundation.

I'd like to attach the new gutter gardens to my deck railing for easy access.

Zana · January 23, 2012

Whistler,

Are you thinking about hanging these on the walls rather than at the edge of the roof to grow the lettuce? I've seen this, using the widest available gutters....and mostly plastic ones. I've also seen them mounted at different levels on fences for vertical gardening in small spaces. As long as you cap the ends you should be good.

But the plastic could break down over years of exposure to UV rays.

Zana

added - You were obviously adding the above post when I wrote mine. Should work on the railings with no problem. But use wide ones.

Keiththibodeaux · January 23, 2012

Odds are your a months worth of your deodorant has more aluminum than you will ever get from your lettuce.

Worth1 · January 23, 2012

Well in that case go for it.

Worth

jennifer28 · January 23, 2012

When my husband and I moved into our house a few years ago, there was a metal gutter garden system attached to the side of the cement wall of our garage. It was pretty cool. We bought this home because of the numerous gardens and beds set up all over the property. We bought the home from the daughter of the original owner. She told us he had this gutter design for at least ten years and they grew many different crops in it. The man and his wife lived well into their 90s, so I don't think the gutter gardening harmed them. Sadly, the daughter took down the gutter garden system before we closed on the house. We actually wanted it left there, but oh well. Anyway, sorry for the ramble, but I think if it is set up correctly it is fine and won't hurt you or your house foundation.

bigmeanmamma · March 3, 2012

Whistler someone sent me an email about gutter gardens too! I have a fence that I could attach plenty of rows on. The aluminium was a concern to me too. I was thinking of maybe using pvc cut in half lengthwise but it looks like vinyl gutters might be an option.

It seems like they would need drainage holes added.

RebelRidin · March 3, 2012

Very cool idea! Sounds great for lettuce, spinach, radishes...

Plastic gutters will be UV stabilized too so sun should not break them down too quickly. Could easily last a decade. if the are mounted properly with sufficient fasteners/support.

For drainage you could just drill some holes. If you have rows of them you can water & feed from the top
/..................../
, , , , , , ,
, ,
...................

let it trickle on through to the next and then drop down to the next row and so on....

Way cool

I need a taller fence!

Zana · March 3, 2012

You could always create a freestanding frame to hold them and skip the fence...thereby making sure you can have it where you get sufficient sunlight. You could probably stack them about 4 or more high. Hmmmmm...might have to get busy on my drafting table.

Zana

laspasturas · March 4, 2012

I've seen them done with plastic and metal guttering. The metal holds up much better under the weight of the soil and looks nicer in general. The plastic can lose a little of its form and start to look a bit saggy.

amideutch · March 4, 2012

Gutters became a favorite of hydroponic growers using the NFT (Nutrient Flow Technique) especially for lettuce as well as strawberries. PVC and aluminum are the materials of choice. Whether you do it hydroponically or use them as a planter filled with growing medium there are a lot of advantaves to this type of gardening. Ami

http://www.homegrown.org/profiles/bl...raingutters-as

January 23, 2012	#1
whistler Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: PA Posts: 100	Gutter Gardens - Are They Safe? Someone sent me a photo today of a couple of rain gutters that were attached to the side wall of a house and planted with lettuce / onions / radishes, etc. Sounds like a brilliant idea to add extra growing space, but I'm concerned about possible issues from growing in a metal (aluminum) container. Anyone here know if this is safe for growing food, or who I can contact to ask about safety issues? Perhaps I could line the gutters with plastic first (more $$$ though...)? I suppose a gutter planter would easily work for flowers, but I could really use the extra space for salad greens and such.

January 23, 2012	#6
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	Whistler, Are you thinking about hanging these on the walls rather than at the edge of the roof to grow the lettuce? I've seen this, using the widest available gutters....and mostly plastic ones. I've also seen them mounted at different levels on fences for vertical gardening in small spaces. As long as you cap the ends you should be good. But the plastic could break down over years of exposure to UV rays. Zana added - You were obviously adding the above post when I wrote mine. Should work on the railings with no problem. But use wide ones. Last edited by Zana; January 23, 2012 at 07:25 PM. Reason: adding

January 23, 2012	#7
Keiththibodeaux Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Louisiana Posts: 587	Odds are your a months worth of your deodorant has more aluminum than you will ever get from your lettuce. Last edited by Keiththibodeaux; January 23, 2012 at 08:11 PM.

March 3, 2012	#11
RebelRidin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Maryland's Eastern Shore Posts: 993	Very cool idea! Sounds great for lettuce, spinach, radishes... Plastic gutters will be UV stabilized too so sun should not break them down too quickly. Could easily last a decade. if the are mounted properly with sufficient fasteners/support. For drainage you could just drill some holes. If you have rows of them you can water & feed from the top /..................../ , , , , , , , , , ................... let it trickle on through to the next and then drop down to the next row and so on.... Way cool I need a taller fence! __________________ George _____________________________ "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure." Thomas Jefferson, 1787

March 4, 2012	#14
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Gutters became a favorite of hydroponic growers using the NFT (Nutrient Flow Technique) especially for lettuce as well as strawberries. PVC and aluminum are the materials of choice. Whether you do it hydroponically or use them as a planter filled with growing medium there are a lot of advantaves to this type of gardening. Ami http://www.homegrown.org/profiles/bl...raingutters-as __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

January 23, 2012	#2
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	Unless you are using old recycled gutters, many of the gutters available at the building stores ARE plastic. I haven't seen them on the side of a house, but I have seen systems using them for lettuce in greenhouses. Carol

January 23, 2012	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I have new aluminum seamless gutters and I feel they should be used for what they were intended for. Rain drainage away from your foundation. The idea of filling them with wet soil could only promote rot on your house---maybe. Besides there is no way I could talk my wife into collecting lettuce with a ladder. Not with a store down the road. Worth

January 23, 2012	#8
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Well in that case go for it. Worth

January 23, 2012	#9
jennifer28 Two-faced Drama Queen Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital Posts: 955	When my husband and I moved into our house a few years ago, there was a metal gutter garden system attached to the side of the cement wall of our garage. It was pretty cool. We bought this home because of the numerous gardens and beds set up all over the property. We bought the home from the daughter of the original owner. She told us he had this gutter design for at least ten years and they grew many different crops in it. The man and his wife lived well into their 90s, so I don't think the gutter gardening harmed them. Sadly, the daughter took down the gutter garden system before we closed on the house. We actually wanted it left there, but oh well. Anyway, sorry for the ramble, but I think if it is set up correctly it is fine and won't hurt you or your house foundation.

March 3, 2012	#10
bigmeanmamma Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 25	Whistler someone sent me an email about gutter gardens too! I have a fence that I could attach plenty of rows on. The aluminium was a concern to me too. I was thinking of maybe using pvc cut in half lengthwise but it looks like vinyl gutters might be an option. It seems like they would need drainage holes added.

March 4, 2012	#13
laspasturas Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 57	I've seen them done with plastic and metal guttering. The metal holds up much better under the weight of the soil and looks nicer in general. The plastic can lose a little of its form and start to look a bit saggy.