A Guide to Starting Tower Gardens
Tower gardening (above tower) is no longer a trend but it’s a great way to grow their own food at home, enjoy fresh food and save money too! If you worry you only have a small space then we got the answer – start tower gardening for fresh produce creates beauty and it’s a hobby with purpose!
Let’s dive in and learn about space saving tower gardens, and how to get started today!
What Is a Tower Garden?
A tower garden is a type of vertical garden, but you use it to grow food aeroponically. That means that you grow without soil using only air and water to grow your plants.
Save Space with Tower Gardens
You can grow a large variety of plants vertically – use space such as a rooftop, patio, or balcony, and you can do this without the need to haul heavy soil. And even if you’re not limited to a small space garden towers help you to stay organized so you can make growing vegetables and produce organized.
Tower gardens are also attractive and can provide you with a functional way to beautify a small space.
With the price of produce rising and the safety of many commercial farms a concern, a tower garden is an investment that will pay off. This is perfect for the gardener who’s interested in producing organic food for his family.
The Benefits of a Tower Garden
There’s obvious benefits of growing food in a small space with garden tower. These towers allow you to grow without soil, this allows you to eliminate most garden pests.
Eliminate Garden Pests
Without soil, most insects that would attack your plants are not an issue. You may occasionally have to deal with some insects, but it will be on a much smaller scale.
Little to No Weeding
Weeding is another task that’s much less of a chore when you have a tower garden. It’s not impossible for weeds to find their way to your garden, but there will be less than you would have in a traditional garden.
Easy on Your Back
Because you are growing vertically, there is less bending and stooping so it easier on your back. Vertical gardening is much easier on your body than typical garden beds. This is especially helpful if you suffer with back or knee problems that make gardening difficult.
Cost Effect Way to Grow Produce
This is also a cost effective way to grow your own food. You’ll have to make an initial investment in equipment to grow your garden, but you won’t have to spend much after that. And the money you’ll save on produce will more than pay for the cost of the garden.
Faster Than Most Typical Gardens
Another added benefit of tower gardening is that your food will grow to maturity in less time than it would in soil. That’s less time for you to wait before you can begin enjoying the fruits of your labors.
How Do Tower Gardens Work?
A tower garden is made of a large plastic column that has hydroponic net pots placed throughout it. Internally, a pump keeps water moving over the roots of the plants that you grow.
Above is a complete stacking kit on Amazon
Buy on AmazonThe tower garden also has a reservoir that contains a liquid fertilizer that helps plants get the nutrients they need so that they can continue to grow. You’ll still need to make sure your plants get plenty of sunlight so that they can thrive.
When you purchase a tower garden kit, you have to put it together. The process is simple and easy and usually takes about a half hour. You’ll have to grow your seedlings separately, but tower gardens come with a seed starting kit to help you with that part of it.
Once you have seedlings that are mature enough to be transplanted, you can add them to your tower garden. After that it’s a matter of performing some routine maintenance to care for your plants.
One thing you must do is to test the water in your tower garden to make sure the pH is correct. You’ll also need to clean the filter that keeps debris out of the pump. You’ll also need to make sure you don’t have any weeds or insect problems, though these are rare.
In a few weeks you’ll be able to harvest vegetables and greens from your garden that you can use right away in your kitchen. Fresh produce will just be a few steps from your back door.
The Cost of a Tower Garden
At this time, there’s one manufacturer of the official tower garden where you can purchase this system.
One tower that includes everything you need to get started, including seeds, will cost you around $500.
This tower will give you the space to grow up to 20 different plants. You can also purchase an extension that allows you to plant up to 28 different plants. Starting with one tower is a great way to get started.
But if you have a large family and cook frequently, you may want more than one tower.
One way to save money os to buy the Tower Garden Family Garden package.
You can also purchase supplies separately if you need accessories or buy replacement items.
Heaters are Optional
Depending on the climate where you live you can purchase a heater for you vertical garden. This is ideal if you to grow in cooler temperatures. And even through the system.
Is Growing Your Own Produce Worth It
Many people wonder if the garden is worth the upfront costs. If you’ve been to the supermarket lately, you know how much it costs to feed you family fresh produce.
While you’ll have to spend money up front with this system, you’ll save much more than you spend by not having to purchase produce at the market.
What Can I Grow with a Tower Garden?
You may be wondering if a tower garden will really provide you with the types of foods your family eats. The good news is that a tower garden allows you to grow a wide variety of foods.
Types of Food to Grow in Gardening Towers
You can grow vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, lettuce, peas, and spinach. You can also grow tomatoes, strawberries, and melons to add sweetness to your garden.
Grow Herbs
If you love to use fresh herbs, a tower garden is a perfect way to grow your favorites. Growing them at home ensures you get the freshest flavor to add fresh flavor to your food. Not to mention the convenience. Some of the herbs you can grow include: basil, chives, cilantro, cumin, dill, lavender, oregano, parsley, sage, and thyme. Pick your favorite herbs and start growing them fresh and affordable.
Flowers
And if you prefer to grow flowers, or you just want to place a few different flowers in your vegetable garden, there are many flowers that grow well. Some of the most successful varieties are marigolds, salvia, pansies, and sunflowers.
If you love gardening, you’ll be happy to know that you can grow almost anything you would grow in a traditional garden using less space and fewer natural resources. You’ll also get a large crop in less time.
Is Tower Gardening Organic?
Most people who grow their own vegetables are interested in the practice of organic gardening because they want to avoid harmful chemicals including fertilizers and pesticides.
Tower gardening is not technically considered organic gardening because it doesn’t use soil – and that’s a key principle of organic gardening. However, you can eliminate the need for herbicides and pesticides by using this garden.
You will have to add a fertilizer solution to the plant roots because they won’t be in soil to get nutrients. Because this type of gardening takes less space and fewer natural resources than traditional gardening, it’s a good alternative that’s eco-friendly and safe for your family.
How Will Produce Taste from a Tower Garden?
If you’ve never had fresh food from a garden, you’ll be surprised when you take your first bite of something you’ve grown. By the time your local supermarket gets the produce grown commercially, it’s been picked and in transport for days, weeks, and even months.
Food is often harvested before it’s truly ripened to extend its shelf life. When you eat healthy food from your garden at home, you can pick it when the food is really ripe and you’re able to experience a new level of flavor.
If you enjoy specific flavors in vegetables or fruits, you’ll find that flavors are magnified when you eat homegrown produce. Tomatoes will be sweeter, peppers will have more intense layers of flavor and berries will be juicer.
Once you’ve tasted produce from your own tower garden, you’ll never be satisfied with produce from the grocery store again. If you grow more food than you can eat in a short time, you can freeze, can, or dry it in order to preserve those fresh flavors.
Is the Plastic in a Tower Garden Safe?
One of the greatest concerns people have with the idea of a tower garden is that it’s made from plastic. As you may already know, plastic can leach chemicals into surrounding water and soil if gets heated.
Naturally, you don’t want your food to contain extra chemicals that are dangerous or can cause illness. The good news is that this type of garden is treated with a UV protector that helps keep the plastic from breaking down.
You can rest assured that your garden will grow healthy produce unaffected by chemicals that leach from the plastic because of this protection. The plastic also helps keep the roots of your plants cool and prevents the growth of algae.
Is Garden Tower Good for Children
One of the best ways you can entice children to start gardening and learn about healthy food is to give children a role in growing it. Tower gardens are wonderful ways to introduce children to the world of food production.
Food Growing Towers are Perfect Gift for Children
Buy on AmazonMany kids who grow up in urban areas have no idea where food really comes from. They simply see it at the store and some even believe that it’s made in factories.
A tower garden is perfect for urban areas to give kids who live in a city the ability to see how food is grown and to enjoy the process. It’s a good idea to let kids choose some different varieties to grow and watch what happens.
This is a great way to bring healthier foods to your table and give your children an education about safe and environmentally responsible food production.
Tower Gardening Is Healthy Gardening
Now that you understand some basics about a tower garden, it’s important to also understand the health benefits for you and your family. Many people don’t consume enough fruits and vegetables. This is sometimes because of the cost, but it’s also about the flavor.
When you grow your own food, you’ll be saving money and you’ll have foods that are better in flavor. You’ll spend less time and energy on grocery shopping and more time enjoying food that grows outside your back door.
Toxin Free Gardening
See the Stackable Options on Amazon
Buy on AmazonTower gardening helps you to enjoy food toxin free food. Many researchers suggest that pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers can cause problems with inflammation, weight gain, cancer, and autoimmune diseases.
When you grow your own food, you can eliminate anything that you don’t feel is safe. The fertilizer used for this system comes from minerals, rather than harsh chemicals that can be dangerous.
The time that it takes food to travel from a large farm to a grocery store produce section is time for the nutrition to dwindle. When you eat fresh food from your garden, you’re getting more vitamins and minerals than supermarket produce provides.
You may have thought you could never have a garden because of limited space or the inability to bring in soil, but a tower garden makes it possible to have a garden in any area that receives sunlight. You can also add a grow light if your patio doesn’t get at least four hours of sun each day.
Concluding Tower Gardening for Produce and Money
A tower garden is a cost effective way to enjoy fresh produce throughout the year. They are easy to use, hep to save money and allow the family to enjoy produce. Check out the great selection of garden towers on Amazon today!