Create a DIY Rain Gutter Strawberry Planter at Home

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You can turn an old rain gutter into a strawberry planter at home with just a few simple materials.

To start, you'll need a 10-foot long rain gutter, which is the perfect size for a strawberry planter.

Choose a gutter that's made of durable plastic or metal, as it will withstand the elements and last for years to come.

Cut the gutter into sections, about 3 feet long each, to create individual planters for your strawberries.

For your interest: Planter Warts

Planting strawberries in a gutter is a great idea, especially if you have limited space. It helps keep the strawberry plants organized and prevents them from spreading out too much.

Strawberries can be a bit high maintenance, and without a defined space, their little runners can take over. This makes it hard to pick the strawberries without stepping on or smashing them.

Using a gutter to plant strawberries keeps them in an organized row, making it easier to harvest your crop. I've tried growing strawberries in a regular bed, and it's a real challenge to keep them under control.

Growing strawberries in a gutter also helps reduce weeds, just like raised beds do. The gutter will be filled with quality soil, making it harder for weeds to grow.

Related reading: Grow Strawberries

To start your DIY rain gutter strawberry planter project, you'll need to gather the necessary materials. You'll need a 10′ section of white aluminum gutter, standard 6″ deep, and two right-side gutter end caps to match the type of gutter you buy.

For the frame, you'll need two 8′ lengths of sturdy, braided steel wire to hang the gutters. Don't forget to get six cable locks for the thickness of wire you purchase. Two heavy duty metal shelving brackets and at least four wall anchors will also come in handy.

A lightweight potting soil mix, such as a 1.5-cu ft Organic Raised Bed Soil, will be perfect for your strawberry plants. You'll need about 20 crowns of strawberry plants to get started.

Here's a list of the essential materials you'll need:

To build the planter, you'll need to start by measuring your space and cutting the gutter to the lengths you require. Cut the gutter into sections, ideally around 1 meter or 39 inches long each.

Using a drill, make drainage holes in the base of the gutter, spaced about 15cm or 6 inches apart. This will ensure that excess water can escape and prevent waterlogged soil.

You can then attach the stop ends to the gutter and fix the brackets to a vertical surface, if available. Alternatively, you can create a simple frame from treated timber to support the gutter.

For the frame, use two lengths of 140x22mm or 6x1" timber for the uprights and two lengths of 50x38mm or 2x1.5" timber for the cross supports. Cut the uprights to 1500mm or 59 inches each and the cross supports at 1100mm or 43 inches each.

Position the cross supports at the back of the uprights and screw them into place to create the frame. Clip the gutter sections into the frame and you'll have your planter ready to be filled with compost and planted with strawberries.

Growing strawberries in a gutter is a great idea, especially if you have limited space or want to keep your plants organized. This will help you manage the little runners that can spread out and make it difficult to pick the berries.

Using a gutter will also help cut down on weeds, just like raised beds with quality soil do.

Planting strawberries in a gutter requires some preparation. Follow these simple steps: fill the gutter with rich soil that can supply the strawberry plants with all they need to grow and thrive.

The soil adds some weight to the gutter, so it's a good idea to provide some extra support. Mark used some wire to wrap around the gutter a few times, twisting the ends to make it fit snugly.

This extra support will help the gutter keep its shape and prevent it from sagging under the weight of the soil.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Plant Strawberries