Hanging gutter systems in the greenhouses, mainly glasshouses is a modern way of cultivating plants which grows on substrate, rockwool and coco peat. We are talking about tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet pepper etc.

These gutters are usually made out of galvanized steel, painted with a few layers of special resistant paint and even coated with special primers etc. The gutter steel comes in the greenhouse in rolls directly from the factory, together with a gutter making machine, electric power generator, a forklift and 2 technicians for operating the machinery and making the gutters on the spot.

So the gutters themselves are rolled in the greenhouse, at the desired length. The general idea is to make them in one piece. But since the gutter steel comes in several rolls, some joining needs to happen when a specific roll comes to the end. Two gutters at the joint point are fixed by screws, and glued by a special silicon glue for waterproofing. 

There is a possibility to make this gutter without any joints. But in this case all the leftover gutter steel sheet would go to waste and extra rolls for missing gutter length would need to be delivered. This is increasing the price of the complete hanging gutter system, so usually greenhouse owners are happy with few joints here and there and go for this option.

Here are some key advantages when it comes to the hanging growing gutter system:

• Easy and very clean drainage of irrigation water;
• Easier harvest of the products since plants are on the certain height and workers do not have to bend down during the work on harvesting;
• Floor of the greenhouse is an “open space” which makes the heating more efficient and also more efficient humidity control;
• Gutters made in one piece have no (or almost no) joints which solves the problem of leakages, gutter leveling and similar joint related problems;

Greenhouse owners must be aware that for this system to be able to be installed in their greenhouse, a greenhouse construction has to be strong enough for handling hanging gutter systems.

The total weight is calculated by adding the gutter system weight, the growing substrate weight including the water content, irrigation pipes and hanging materials, and plants weight at their pick production period. The greenhouse construction has to be strong enough to hold all this weight.

If this is not possible, the same gutters can be positioned on the floor on top of the special stainless steel supports.