Asked on Feb 22, 2014

Rain Gutter Grow System by Larry Hall is there anyone doing this??

Mart Hale
by Mart Hale
Searching for others here who have used this system.
  13 answers
  • Christine Christine on Feb 22, 2014
    My neighbor is doing this, but he's not online. If there's something you'd like to ask him? He's got strawberries and some tomatoes in his. He has rows and rows.
    • Judy Judy on Feb 25, 2014
      @Christine Tomatoes growing in rain gutters? I'd love to see a picture of that!
  • Mart Hale Mart Hale on Feb 23, 2014
    Hi Christine, We have a group of over 3,000 members worldwide on facebook who do this. I want to find out how it works for others, I love the system myself, and wanted to find out how big the community of people here are since there are so many gardeners here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/144745362329424/.
  • Mart Hale Mart Hale on Feb 23, 2014
    I guess my question is how do I get the word out about the Rain Gutter System here on Home Talk? I am new to hometalk ( I am familar with youtube and Pintrest ). Thanks for your response.
    • @Mart Hale Welcome to HT first off. To get exposure simply keep posting. Also check back often for the gardening sections or any else that interests you and help answer peoples questions. Photos also go a long way. Be sure to provide useful information about what ever it is that you do and what your posting is about. As the weather warms up you will begin to see a lot of postings about gardening and things along that line.
  • Paula Paula on Feb 23, 2014
    Help answer this question...I'm just waiting on the weather to clear here in Monroe, Louisiana so I can start mine. I have been collecting five gallon buckets for the last few months.I plan on one section right away with more to follow as my neighbors see how easy this gardening system is.
  • Mart Hale Mart Hale on Feb 23, 2014
    Hi Paula, feel free to join us on facebook if you like, have over 3,000 members there with Larry running the board and answering questions.
  • Judy Judy on Feb 24, 2014
    I don't see any rain gutters in your pictures. All I see are some containers that look like laundry baskets, a few pots & a regular garden bed. Some pictures of the system & a tutorial would be nice for those of us who have never done this.
    • Debra Debra on Apr 04, 2020

      Judy, I use what I have and what I can afford. Buckets and baskets from a dollar store are cost effective. My baskets are lined with trash bags. I cut holes in the bottoms just big enough to hold a knot in a cotton tube sock or a strip of cotton towel. I leave a tail on the knot long enough to reach below the water line. Sock or towel needs to be long enough to reach the top of your dirt.Here is my set up for this year. Hope this is helpful.

  • Dolores DeLuise Dolores DeLuise on Feb 24, 2014
    I often ponder the beautiful rain water that flows down the drain from the gutter on my deck. Is there any way to do this on a small scale?
  • Mart Hale Mart Hale on Feb 24, 2014
    Sure thing Judy, I will create posts for each of these types. I am still on the learning curve here :-)
    • See 1 previous
    • Judy Judy on Feb 25, 2014
      @Mart Hale Ah, now I see. I was thinking that you were talking about filling the gutters with soil & planting in them directly but you're using them as a watering system for container gardening. I've seen gutter systems where they're attached to a fence, wall, etc. & angled slightly so that you water the top one & the run off goes to the next one down, which is also angled to feed water to the one below......
  • Mart Hale Mart Hale on Feb 24, 2014
    Delores, the pop bottle garden, or the kiddie pool is awesome for small scale. Kiddie http://www.pinterest.com/mart85yahoocom/larry-halls-kiddie-pool-system/ Pop Bottle http://www.pinterest.com/mart85yahoocom/larry-halls-pop-bottle-system/
  • Christine Christine on Feb 25, 2014
    Well... given the snow, a pic will have to wait a bit! :) I was trying to figure out what to do with how deep you bury a tomato plant. So when he comes around this year, I'll let you know.
    • Judy Judy on Feb 26, 2014
      @Christine I was under the wrong impression of how the rain gutter system was supposed to work, Thought the plants were growing in the gutters instead of being watered by them. Oops. But I can help you with how deep to plant tomatoes. They will sprout roots from the buried stem so the deeper you plant them the stronger their root system will be. Here's a link to a video I love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQgBfb3WltM This gal really knows her stuff. She doesn't mention it but you can see that she breaks up the root ball just a little before planting. She also doesn't mention that the bone meal (calcium) helps to prevent blossom end rot. Good luck with your tomatoes.
  • Christine Christine on Feb 26, 2014
    Actually, Judy, my neighbor also grows some of the shallow rooted plants in the gutters, too. Somehow he's got an irrigation system in place that augments the gutters. I know how one plants a tomato plant, but thank you. Many people do not and their plants don't survive drought, etc. You SHOULD break up the root ball of any plant you're taking out of a nursery container. Goodness knows how rootbound those things can be, right? Thanks for the well wishes, but that's my neighbor. I don't grow edibles because you lose all your friends. Doesn't mean I don't know, though. :)
    • See 1 previous
    • Christine Christine on Mar 01, 2014
      @Judy Nahh. I was answering the original poster. I'm focusing on about 80 Japanese Maples I've got to repot. I'll leave the veggies to others. :)
  • Hazel Adams Hazel Adams on May 09, 2016
    It is interesting to learn how rain gutters can affect gardens. What a neat watering idea. I am excited to try this with my garden. http://northwestraingutters.com/commercial-gutters/
  • Mart Hale Mart Hale on Apr 14, 2020

    I have started a new group on MeWe ( could not take Facebook anymore ) https://mewe.com/join/larry_halls_rain_gutter_grow_system__kiddie_pool for those who want to chat more about this system I have put up much info if it's design and use.