Whether you have old gutters or are lacking gardening space, growing your strawberries in gutters is a great option and provides many benefits for the growth and health of your strawberries. In this article, I will walk you through the benefits as well as some drawbacks and instructions on how you can set up your own at-home strawberry-filled gutters!
Benefits -
There are a great many benefits to growing strawberries in gutters, which is why it is a very common choice for people who have less space for gardening or who want to try something new. The first major benefit of keeping strawberry plants in gutters is to protect them from one of their greatest threats, critters. By hanging your gutters on windows or fencing, it helps prevent access to critters on the ground. Strawberry plants are also very small, so when a strawberry begins to ripen, they become too heavy for the trusses to support and often bend the truss until the fruit rests on the ground. This then exposes the berries to insects that can infest them before you have a chance to pick your strawberries. Using gutters and hanging them high up minimizes the risk of critters and insects getting to your strawberries. Another benefit of growing strawberries in gutters is that picking your strawberries requires a lot less bending over. Doing this will keep you from experiencing back and knee pain, which is especially nice to avoid as you get older.
Downsides -
A big issue that often causes the death of gutter strawberries is insufficient drainage. This is easily fixable by drilling holes in the bottem of your gutters. Another likely issue you will face is that the gutters are too shallow. Strawberries will usually grow at least 6 inches downwards, and the roots contribute significantly to both production and plant growth. You will have a much greater chance of success if your gutters are at least 6 inches deep and 6 inches wide.
Supplies:
Gutters (at least 6in deep and wide)
Plastic or metal wire
Soil
Strawberry plants or seeds
Step 1: Drill holes in your gutters.
Step 2: Hang gutters to fencing using plastic or metal wires.
Step 3: Fill gutters with soil.
Step 4: Transfer strawberry plants or plant seeds.
Step 5: Water your plants daily and enjoy your strawberries!