If you're looking for a more efficient way to transfer your seedlings, check out a quick demonstration of the "gutter glide" method from Caryl Andrews (@shell_on_earth).
The scoop
The Instagram video, which has received 14,739 likes, shows the gardener planting her Hurst Green Shaft peas for the first time.
Another thing she's doing for the first time is using the gutter glide method.
The video starts with Caryl holding a gutter used as a planter for seedlings. In seconds, she effortlessly slides the seedlings into a shallow trench for final planting.
How it's helping
Transplanting seedlings from a pot to soil is a fundamental gardening step. Alternative methods allow one to start their planting season indoors while awaiting ideal outdoor planting conditions.
According to the University of Missouri, proper indoor sowing may take three to 15 weeks.
Other influencers have shown clever and cheap ways to grow plants from seeds. One TikToker reuses old milk jugs to germinate cold-tolerant seeds outside through winter. Another gardener uses a board to quickly create sowing rows. Used toilet paper rolls also make great seed starters and are biodegradable.
Like the above methods, gutter planting saves gardeners money on new materials. One gutter provides efficient depth and length for several seeds to take root, forgoing the need for individual planters. An organic farmer uses this method to grow up to 20 plants before transplanting them.
Plus, a typical rain gutter can be reused each growing season. So, there's nothing to add to a landfill afterward.
Gutter planting is another way to make gardening easier and more enticing for people ready to grow their own healthy food. Having a garden cuts down on grocery bills and produces tastier food. It's easy to get fit as you burn calories through bending, digging, raking, and more.
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How much time do you spend taking care of the plants inside or outside your home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Several hours a week 🧑🌾 Gardens are a huge asset for improving mental health, helping growers simply be in nature and know where their food comes from.
Abundant garden plants add to biodiversity, which, according to the United Nations, is the planet's strongest natural defense against the changing climate. Pollinators looking for nectar and shelter can quickly set up shop. Those protected and fed bees, moths, and butterflies support a secure food chain.
As plants bloom, they release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide — a major contributor to rising global temperatures. Healthy native gardens also prevent erosion by stabilizing soil and intercepting stormwater runoff before it reaches local waterways. Plus, food self-sufficiency reduces reliance on supermarkets and long-haul food transportation that produces polluting carbon exhaust.
What everyone's saying
Caryl impressed many with this gardening hack.
"Such a clever idea," one commenter wrote.
"This is so clever! Will have to give it a go!" another said.
Someone else noted: "I was not ready !!! Makes so much sense. I love this idea."
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