A few years back, I stumbled upon the idea of rain gutter gardening while scrolling through Pinterest. I mean…how did I never think of that before? It’s genius and very productive!
I told my aunt about it, because she doesn’t have much space for a traditional garden, and she was excited to give it a try. We set up a few gutters along her balcony railing, planted some leafy greens, and before we knew it, she was harvesting fresh salads right outside her door!
In this article, we’ll be going over fruits and vegetables that can easily be grown in rain gutters. Most of these my aunt and I have tried and tested before and, trust me, they’ve given us the most fantastic yields!
Fruits & Vegetables Perfect For Rain Gutters
1: Strawberries
Many modern-day gardeners consider strawberries to be a rather boring fruit. I actually have a totally different view. For me, strawberries are the most fun to grow.
My aunt usually grows strawberries in rain gutters and, although the plants are slightly smaller, they do give good enough yields. They’re perfect for shallow gutters, producing sweet berries in minimal space.
2: Lettuce
Although you’re much better off growing lettuce in the ground, it’s not to say you can’t grow this leafy green in rain gutters.
I’ve done it more than a few times and have had no problems. As long as the gutters have sufficient drainage and you frequently water your lettuce, it should grow just fine.
3: Spinach
This earthy leafy green grows rather quickly and benefits from the easy harvesting of gutter gardens. If you harvest it properly, spinach can give you recurring harvests and more and more leaves as long as the harvesting season remains.
4: Radishes
If you provide radishes with shallow soil in rain gutters, they will grow quite well. This small-rooted vegetable doesn’t take too long to grow and can mature in a considerably short time.
If you want some color in your rain gutter garden, radishes are the perfect addition.
5: Green Onions (Scallions)
The great thing about green onions is that they’re easy to harvest and can grow back rather quickly. During the harvesting season, if you harvest them the right way, your green onions can regrow in no time and provide you with continuous harvests.
6: Herbs (Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, Mint)
Because gutters can only offer minimal soil depth, herbs like basil, cilantro, mint, parsley, and even oregano are perfect for growing in these spaces.
Make sure they’re given plenty of sunlight and the drainage is sufficient or else waterlogging problems can quickly kill your herbs.
7: Cherry Tomatoes
Although this one might sound a little strange for rain gutters, the truth is cherry tomatoes can actually grow quite well in shallow soil and tight spaces.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that you must give cherry tomato plants adequate support so their vines can spread and wrap around something sturdy.
8: Peas
Peas are excellent for vertical growth with vines cascading from the gutters. What this means is that you must give your pea plants the support and essentials they need to grow tall without tipping over and getting injured.
Try out different pea varieties for this but Sugar Snap peas should work just fine.
9: Baby Carrots
The reason I’m recommending baby carrots for rain gutter planting is that they aren’t very deep and won’t allow for longer carrots to grow properly. Shallow soil works very well for baby carrot varieties as long as the soil is loose and has sufficient moisture.
10: Swiss Chard
This Asian leafy green has frequently been mentioned in many of my articles. It’s crunchy, vibrant, and has a slight peppery kick to it that makes it a wonderful addition to salads and other savory dishes.
With plenty of sunlight, quality fertilization, and cool temperatures, Swiss chard can perform extremely well even in shallow soil.
Like radishes, the colorful Swiss Chard stems can bring vibrance and visual appeal to your dull garden rain gutter garden.
