Space-saving way to grow lettuce

cdbva · April 16, 2012

Is this as good an idea as it looks? I thought it looked pretty neat, but of course I've never grown lettuce yet.

Source: One of my Facebook chums posted this from "Homesteading/Survivalism" (a Facebook page).

"Want to grow a salad garden but have no room? Try gutters! Affix them to a fence and slope them for drainage... "

The second photo, not lettuce-related, is indicative of just how serious things are getting in this country. From the same site.

Christine

janezee · April 16, 2012

Wow, that's the prettiest one I've seen.
Google it. There are tons of people doing this. Lots of discussion of vinyl vs. aluminum, etc.
I can't help on the second one. They're at the door................

Tracydr · April 16, 2012

Very nice. Straw bales will work too but not nearly as pretty or space saving.

JonFrum · April 16, 2012

That's a great idea. I have space on my fence just above my grape vines that I could use. Thanks!

bobberman · April 16, 2012

I have a A frame greenhouse with one gutter on a slight angle collecting water into a 50 gallon drum! I could set up several the whole way down the roof so the lettue would recieve alot more fresh rain water! Nice Idea the way you have it! The white metal keeps the lettuce cooler in the summer!

livinonfaith · April 17, 2012

The gutters are really neat. That pic is the best I've seen so far.

The only problem is that, here is the South, I think you would have to water them twice a day. There just doesn't seem to be enough soil to protect from days of high nineties to one hundred degree temps. Maybe if you could find a few "bullet proof" varieties it would work?

Has anyone tried these in the South?

John3 · April 17, 2012

I would think run an fish tank pump into the container that catches the water at the bottom (or/and add water to the container) and run one of those thin hoses to the top gutter then add a length of drip hose to the length of the of the top gutter and let the water run (probably a small 5 volt or less solar cell panel to run the fish tank pump with no battery just have it on and ground it so the excess goes into the ground)
Just an ideal of one way for those hot hot days. Don't know if the pump or solar panel would work.

Anyway, I like the set up

PaulF · April 17, 2012

Wow! Now that is innovation and art all in one.

Crandrew · April 17, 2012

Yes it does work and many people are doing it successfully.
Some even hang large diameter cut PVC in a tier system and grow shallow root varieties

John3 · April 17, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crandrew

Yes it does work and many people are doing it successfully.
Some even hang large diameter cut PVC in a tier system and grow shallow root varieties

I meant if the solar panel and fish tank pump - I'll add that to my post

cdbva · April 17, 2012

I did wonder if setting it up on the shady side of a house might offer some protection for the hot months. Or maybe rigging up a shade cloth drape.

Someone has suggested that, rather than arrange the gutters on a slant, drilling holes for drainage might be better in terms of not having your earth wash away.

My concern would be finding the gutters or alternate containers made out of something non-toxic. I'm becoming quite wild-eyed about food-borne chemicals. (But I still buy pre-cooked chicken at the grocery store. Lazy...)

Christine

JonFrum · April 18, 2012

PVC isn't toxic, unless you stand over it and breathe in the fumes while it burns. I wouldn't hesitate to eat off PVC plates.

JamesL · April 18, 2012

That is a good one!
Had seen this one on apartment therapy a while back.
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/more...-gardeni-83350

Larry Hall uses gutters as well, differently though. He plants in 5 gal buckets mounted on top of gutters which become the watering system for the buckets.

http://containergardening.wordpress....em-larry-hall/

Cool stuff all around!

April 16, 2012	#5
bobberman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Latrobe Pa. Posts: 142	I have a A frame greenhouse with one gutter on a slight angle collecting water into a 50 gallon drum! I could set up several the whole way down the roof so the lettue would recieve alot more fresh rain water! Nice Idea the way you have it! The white metal keeps the lettuce cooler in the summer! __________________ Frank the Bobberman & Carpet Installer Inventor of the Bobber With A Brain,. Gadening, Greenhouse, Fishing, Softball, Scrabble. Single looking for a woman with a 100 acre farm!

April 17, 2012	#7
John3 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Alabama 7.5 or 8 depends on who you ask Posts: 727	I would think run an fish tank pump into the container that catches the water at the bottom (or/and add water to the container) and run one of those thin hoses to the top gutter then add a length of drip hose to the length of the of the top gutter and let the water run (probably a small 5 volt or less solar cell panel to run the fish tank pump with no battery just have it on and ground it so the excess goes into the ground) Just an ideal of one way for those hot hot days. Don't know if the pump or solar panel would work. Anyway, I like the set up Last edited by John3; April 17, 2012 at 10:03 AM.

April 17, 2012	#8
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,284	Wow! Now that is innovation and art all in one. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

April 16, 2012	#2
janezee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Whidbey Island, WA Zone 7, Sunset 5 Posts: 931	Wow, that's the prettiest one I've seen. Google it. There are tons of people doing this. Lots of discussion of vinyl vs. aluminum, etc. I can't help on the second one. They're at the door................

April 16, 2012	#3
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Very nice. Straw bales will work too but not nearly as pretty or space saving.

April 16, 2012	#4
JonFrum Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 25	That's a great idea. I have space on my fence just above my grape vines that I could use. Thanks!

April 17, 2012	#6
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	The gutters are really neat. That pic is the best I've seen so far. The only problem is that, here is the South, I think you would have to water them twice a day. There just doesn't seem to be enough soil to protect from days of high nineties to one hundred degree temps. Maybe if you could find a few "bullet proof" varieties it would work? Has anyone tried these in the South?

April 17, 2012	#9
Crandrew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: asdf Posts: 1,202	Yes it does work and many people are doing it successfully. Some even hang large diameter cut PVC in a tier system and grow shallow root varieties

April 17, 2012	#11
cdbva Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Falls Church, VA Posts: 538	I did wonder if setting it up on the shady side of a house might offer some protection for the hot months. Or maybe rigging up a shade cloth drape. Someone has suggested that, rather than arrange the gutters on a slant, drilling holes for drainage might be better in terms of not having your earth wash away. My concern would be finding the gutters or alternate containers made out of something non-toxic. I'm becoming quite wild-eyed about food-borne chemicals. (But I still buy pre-cooked chicken at the grocery store. Lazy...) Christine

April 18, 2012	#12
JonFrum Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 25	PVC isn't toxic, unless you stand over it and breathe in the fumes while it burns. I wouldn't hesitate to eat off PVC plates.

April 18, 2012	#13
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	That is a good one! Had seen this one on apartment therapy a while back. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/more...-gardeni-83350 Larry Hall uses gutters as well, differently though. He plants in 5 gal buckets mounted on top of gutters which become the watering system for the buckets. http://containergardening.wordpress....em-larry-hall/ Cool stuff all around!