Back in early March I did something a little crazy. I installed gutters our greenhouse and planted strawberries in them. I knew it was possible to grow strawberries in gutters because the man I bought the greenhouse from had them in his greenhouse. But it was February when I first spotted his gutters, and obviously there were no berries growing yet.
So I took his word it would work.
And it did.
This morning I walked out to water the plants in the greenhouse, and guess what I saw. Strawberries. Today is June 4th, I live in Western Washington, and I have a basket full of fresh, homegrown strawberries. Does it get any better than that?
Now, I just have to figure out what to do with my little basket of red gold.
Any ideas?
Peace out Girl Scouts, I’m off to play in the dirt.
♥ Mavis
Go HERE to learn more about how I installed gutters in my greenhouse.
Don’t have gutters? Want to learn more about growing berries in a more traditional way? Check out the book The Complete Guide to Growing Your Own Fruits and Berries: A Complete Step-by-step Guide by Karen Szklany Gault. Amazon has it for sale and it has superb reviews.
LaurelB says
just eat them. Nothing better than fresh strawberries!
kelly t says
Of the 50 strawberries I have about 3 still living 🙁
Saralie says
Enjoy them with a cup of tea! How I wish I had some too!
Carin says
Make some of your famous fresh whipped cream and enjoy!
vickie says
Strawberry Muffins are delicious of course so is eating them out of the garden before you get to the house!
Kari says
What variety of strawberries are those?
Mavis says
I am growing tri-star strawberries outside and Seascape in the greenhouse. 🙂
TRacy says
My wife makes a killer Strawberry/Cranberry Jam that is killer. She gave out some free jars of it and now has people ordering it to buy. If your interested (and promise to keep the recipe a secret)…and ask privately…she would pass it on to you!
Sarah says
I was wondering if you had any raspberry/strawberries, shaped like raspberry and a little sweeter than regular strawberries. But look like normal straberry plants. Best strawberries ever.
Mavis says
I think you are thinking of alpine strawberries? And you are right, they are tiny and delicious.
donna finchum says
i did strawberries in a pyramid type flower pot this year. it’s great but the gutter idea is so super. it can fit as a decor so many places! great idea.
Annemieke Cowles says
What kind of strawberries did you plant here in W?:)
Mavis says
Tristar. 🙂 They are my favorite.
Meredith says
Hi Mavis! 🙂 We have officially arrived in Puyallup! The movers aren’t here yet, but I am off to buy grow lights to plant now! Will it be okay to put them in the garage or will it be too cold? And the strawberries…do they have to be in a greenhouse? I was going to do the gutters against the back of the house that gets the most sun. I wonder if I should set up a clear shower curtain liner to warm them up a bit? Thank you and happy to have you as a neighbor! 😀
Mere
Mavis Butterfield says
The strawberries will do just find along the back of the house. As far as the grow lights go, I would plant things like cold weather crops {onions, leeks, lettuce, broccoli in the garage under lights. But tomato and pepper seeds I would grow indoors under lights because it’s probably just too cold in there for them. I hope that helps. Oh, and when you get the chance, be sure and check out Watson’s greenhouse in Puyallup. It. Is. Awesome.
Cecelia says
Are gutters deep enough to KEEP things growing in? I’m dreaming about my someday greenhouse and gutters seem like great space saving things for greens and strawberries, etc. But is there enough root space?