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jrslick

Gutter Growing

I am trying something new this fall/winter. I am growing green onions in a gutter. Ok, it is a 4 inch drain pipe cut in half, not a gutter. They are growing very good, despite the shorter days. These were planted a few weeks ago.

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A close up

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My idea is this, use every available space to maximize production inside my high tunnels. I have these gutters sitting on the ground, but I hope to attach them to the sidewall or endwall or hang them up. I planted a double row of onions, in each 10 foot piece. Total, I have 60 row feet of green onions. If they do good this fall/winter, next spring, I will have more of these built and I will load up on onion sets. Then every week I will plant a gutter of green onions. I think they will be ready to harvest after 4 weeks. I could very easy keep 8 to 10 gutters growing all spring and summer.

I counted and I have about 250 onions in each 10 foot gutter. If you bunch them 6 or 8 to a bunch, that is 30-40 bunches a gutter. At $1.50 a bunch that is $45-$60 a gutter. The pipes cost $4 a piece, so each gutter costs $2 and I have about another $1 in other supplies. The onions cost $1.25 a pound and I used 3 pounds here (about). The potting mix was very little. I have about $15-20 in materials in these 3 gutters and could have sales of $135-$180 every 4 weeks. If I grew them 12 months out of the year, that would be $540-$720 a year for a 4 inch by 10 feet growing space. Not too bad! I expect I could sell more in the early spring and summer, but green onions are always wanted year around. Now I may have an easy way to fill those orders.

I expect I could grow two plantings in the same potting mix without changing it. The labor isn't too much, and it is very easy on the back. Currently I am watering with a sprinkling can every two days, but I can easily hook up a drip tape next spring.

What do you think?

Jay

Comments (14)

  • jcatblum
    12 years ago

    I think it all looks so GOOD!!!! I have seen wheat grass grown in gutters, but not onions. You could do chives & several types of herbs this way.

    Oh-- here is a thought, cut the gutter the width of your table plant something that grows rapidly, maybe parsley? Take the gutter with you to market & let people cut there own herbs from the end of the table. Might need to build a cradle to hold the gutter, but I think could be a nice attention getter.

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    My wife thought the same thing. The only problem is then other vendors would use my idea and I wouldn't be the only one with them at market. Granted I would have the market cornered for several months!

    Jay

  • magz88
    12 years ago

    Looks awesome, Jay. Great idea to maximise your space.

    Your greens are so beautiful.

  • myfamilysfarm
    12 years ago

    Jay, Is there a reason why you are using 'gutter' instead of just planting them in the ground? Just asking. I think it's a great idea for several short-rooted plants.

    Marla

  • myfamilysfarm
    12 years ago

    BTW, I took green onions into market still in the ground, in a container. Nobody was interested. Don't know why, just no interest in buying them.

    Marla

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Marla,

    I have a limited amount of ground and I am wanting to maximize it for other crops. Also, my markets are the strongest during the spring and early summer May-July. In August-October, the markets are hit and miss.

    So If I can get more crops to market during this time (inside my high tunnels), then the better my sales will be. I could plant them in the ground inside my tunnels, but they would take up space for another crop that needs more root space.

    Jay

  • myfamilysfarm
    12 years ago

    I can understand when you get them hung up, but it looks like they're in/on the ground now. Don't forget, you can grow potatoes in the greenhouse in containers also, I did this last spring.

    Marla

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    They are on the ground this winter, I just wanted to see if it would work before I attach them to the sides. Also, I figured that it would be warmer on the ground than attached to the wall.

    Jay

  • brgcuvi
    9 years ago

    Wondering if Jay might be able to provide an update on this? We have 4 rows (100' per row) attached to each side of our hoop house and plan to use for growing greens/salad mix. Did you end up installing yours and if so, did you end up using drip tape in the gutter? A friend has heat cable installed in the bottom of his gutters for winter production.

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Glad you asked, I am using them again, after a 2 year break. I can't believe it has been that long since I first did this.

    I put up a new high tunnel last spring and it is much easier to use the purlins to hang things from. I have onions planted in 3 gutters. They are screwed to 2 by 4's and hung to the purlin using wire. Once it starts to get cold, I am going to take them down and put in the aisle to keep them warmer.

    For water, it takes 1, 3 gallon watering can to water them all, so I just do it by hand, at least I will this winter.

    Jay

  • cole_robbie
    9 years ago

    I want to build some gutter hydroponics in my greenhouse next spring. I think if I filled a gutter with gravel and ran a nutrient solution through it, I could grow some nice green beans, I grew some good-looking mini-lettuce in hydroponics last year, but it was too expensive and too labor-intensive to duplicate.

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I thought about taking the 3 inch sewer pipe, put drip tape or some sort of drip in the pipe, fill with potting mix and use a small hole saw and cut out circles and plant the mini romaine heads in it. I bet I could plant it 2 or 3 times before I would need to change out the mix.

  • jnjfarm_gw
    9 years ago

    Are you familiar with Larry Hall? look him up on youtube
    john

  • jnjfarm_gw
    9 years ago

    Are you familiar with Larry Hall? look him up on youtube
    john

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