Frequently Asked Questions

A full Tower Garden is about 80KG.

The short answer is no, but it can be equally as healthy and safe. Here's the longer answer: Many people want to apply the term “organic” to various forms of hydroponic growing, including aeroponics. That’s not possible by definition, because aeroponic growing requires no soil, and soil is a prerequisite for organic growing. So asking this question is somewhat like asking how many home runs a basketball player has hit: it doesn’t apply. For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/is-it-organic.

The one man-made ingredient that prevents us from using the "all natural" description is EDTA (00.05%), which helps plants absorb iron. EDTA is also used as a human medicine to do the opposite: moving other metals (the harmful kind) out of the body. 

You may contact Tower Garden customer care by phone and follow the prompts or email: [email protected].

You can find videos on the official Tower Garden YouTube channel. 

Yes. We only accept POs from schools and educational organizations. 

Purchase Orders serve as an agreement to remit payment for products within 30 days. We ship the order prior to payment and invoice the school. The Accounts Payable information is required for invoicing.

We do not have information on grants: however, we know that there are many gardening and farming grants available locally, regionally, and nationally. We suggest searching for gardening or farming grants and adding your state, city, or county to find options in your area. 

Most people are able to assemble Tower Garden in 20-25 minutes. Step-by-step instructions are included, and no previous gardening experience is required. There are also set up videos available. 

Many Tower Gardeners grow successfully indoors, but we highly recommend using grow lights and growing leafy greens & herbs for the best success. Most windows have special UV coating to prevent harmful rays from entering your home, office or school.  It’s why you don’t get a sunburn when you sit by the window.  But plants need a specific spectrum of light to flourish, which is provided by our LED Indoor Grow Lights.

Seeds can be bought from any garden supply store or online from a reputable retailer.

Tower Garden seeds are provided by American Meadows: https://www.americanmeadows.com. 

The ratio is 10ml of A & B per 10 litres of water added to the reservoir.

The amount of nutrient solution (water + Mineral Blend) your Tower Garden will consume will vary, depending on the plants you are growing and the conditions you are growing them in. For example, the larger your plants get, the more water and nutrients they need. During the hot summer months, you can actually add fewer nutrients.

How long the Mineral Blend lasts depends on many factors, including what crops you're growing and if your Tower Garden is indoors or out (and if out, what the climate is like). However, in general, two sets of Mineral Blend should last about a year for a single Tower Garden (if you grow all year long). The pH kit should last as long as the Mineral Blend, however, if your water typically doesn't need much adjustment, it may last longer than that.

No.

There are no animal products used in conjunction with or in the Mineral Blend, which includes the production process.

Food grade minerals – Concentration 1:600 – NPK  A 8-0-0 & B 0-6-12.

Tower Garden Mineral Blend is a complete nutrient solution of a “Food-Grade”-quality, and the trace elements are chelated so they can be absorbed within a larger pH-range.

Maximum Power Consumption = 125 Watts.

Working Temperature = less than 40º Celcius.

Input Voltage = 120VAC, 50/60Hz.

Color Temperature = 6000K – crystal white light, best for growing leafy greens and herbs.

Most plants prefer a pH of 5.5-6.5. 

The pH Test Kit that is included with your Tower Garden is the most accurate way to test the pH. Litmus paper only tests if the solution is base or acid and pH paper typically tests too broad of a pH range to provide accurate results.

We suggest a local hydroponic or fish supply shop. You want a fresh water tester and not for a pool.

For best results, we recommend that you germinate your seeds before you place them in your Tower Garden. Don’t want to wait? You can purchase seedlings from your local garden store. Make sure you select healthy plants. You don’t want to introduce plant disease or insects into your Tower Garden. 

There are step-by-step instructions for starting your seeds in your Tower Garden Growing Guide. Germination time frames will vary, depending on the size of the seed. Expect from 48 hours to 14 days. Make sure you don’t plant too many seeds in each rockwool cube or the germinated seedlings will compete for light, nutrients and other resources.

Don’t want to wait? You can purchase seedlings from your local garden store. Make sure you select healthy plants. You don’t want to introduce plant disease or insects into your Tower Garden. 

Watch video here.

If you are growing indoors with LED Indoor Grow Lights, you can start your Tower Garden whenever you want. If you are growing outdoors, consult the back of seed packets for the best environment to grow specific fruits, vegetables and herbs. 

We suggest a minimum of 6 hours of full sunlight.

Yes, Day-neutral Strawberries produce the first year, which is what you want to grow in your Tower Garden.

June Bearing strawberries produce some, but mostly the 2nd year. Strawberries prefer a lower pH around 4 – 4.5. 

Since most fruits and vegetables prefer a pH of 5.5-6.5, many Tower Gardeners choose to grow a strawberry-only Tower Garden. 

You don’t need to worry about water temperature if you are growing indoors. If you are growing outdoors, the water should be kept under 30 Celsius. Placing a mat under the reservoir or using the Tower Garden dolly should help keep the water cool. Adding frozen water bottles to the reservoir can help cool the water down. 

Roots can be cut in half. Check your pump once a month by pulling it out, and then opening it to rinse the casing. Keeping up with maintenance will help take care of the root issue.

It is important that you keep enough nutrient solution in your reservoir so that the submersible pump stays completely submerged.

During cool months, add nutrients to the water every time you fill your reservoir tank. You can mix water and Mineral Blend in a 19 litre bucket prior to adding it to the reservoir (100ml of each Mineral Blend A and Mineral Blend B for each 5 gallons of water). During hot months, add nutrients every other time you fill your reservoir tank.

Repeat the process if more nutrient solution is required.

Depending on the outside temperature and crop types, a full reservoir typically lasts 2-3 weeks. During the hot months, your plants will use nutrients and water much faster. Do not let your tank drop down more than half way.

Between fresh plantings you should drain the reservoir and refill with fresh water and Mineral Blend to optimize your Tower Garden's performance. Follow these steps:

• Unplug the pump.
• Insert the drain pipe on the tip of the shower cap nozzle.
• Make sure the drain pipe is facing away from any electrical plugs, and
  pointing into a container.
• Plug in the pump.
• You can use the drained nutrient solution water to water landscape around your garden.
• Repeat the process of filling the reservoir and adding the nutrients.
  

Please follow the detailed instructions included in your Growing Guide.

If you don’t plan to grow year-round, it is easy to clean and store your Tower
Garden.

Don’t worry! Your Growing Guide (link to pdf of growing guide) can answer many of your troubleshooting questions with your plants and your Tower Garden. If you don’t find the answer you need, we will help you every step of the way, with troubleshooting tips, a robust Growing community, and a passionate Customer Service team.

What you're seeing is likely mineral deposits left behind by the nutrient solution. This is normal and shouldn't harm your plants. To clean it, simply wipe your Tower Garden with a damp towel. The next time you add water, do not add nutrients. 

Algae usually won't harm a mature plant. But it grows wherever there is light,
nutrients, and water. So to eliminate it, you simply need to remove one of these three. For example, if you shade out the rockwool, the algae should die.

Light is getting in the system. Secure and tighten all lids. Make sure empty grow ports are covered.

This is mineral deposits from the nutrients. Is it a crusty texture? It's normal to see deposits like this. The nutrient solution often leaves a bit of residue behind as water evaporates over time. If that's what's happening here, you shouldn't have anything to worry about — it won't impact your plants. But if you want, you could clean the residue with a stiff brush and a water/baking soda solution. (And the net pots are actually top-rack diswasher-safe.)

Make sure pump is plugged in.

Make sure the outlet has not tripped the GFI or indoor breaker
switch.

Check for a kink in the blue swivel hose.

Make sure blue swivel hose is firmly connected to the reservoir lid.

Unplug and replug the pump from the electrical outlet. Magnetic pumps
sometimes need to be restarted after long periods of continuous
operation.

Shower cap holes are plugged up - use a toothpick to clean the holes.

Make sure Tower is level. Rotate the net pot to dislodge any debris. Make sure net pot is fully inserted. Check for large roots.

Make sure the pump is plugged in. Take apart and clean as there may be debris. Spin the fan to make sure it moves. 

Remove the lamp and make sure the inside connector is attached. Try the lamp on a different arm. If it does not work, call customer care and replace the lamp.

It has no specific expiration date. As long as it has been stored in in a cool, dark place with no exposure to sunlight, heat, or extreme cold.

The A & B are separate due to the concentrate, which stabilizes the minerals so that they do not crystallize.

The Reservoir/Tub for the tower is made from High-density polyethylene. HDPE is approved for food contact, and does not contain any BPA. The rest of the parts are made from polycarbonate/ABS. Polycarbonate/ABS is stable to UV light; it is FDA compliant and cleared for food contact use in USA and Canada.

Tower Garden is manufactured in the United States.

We offer an easy five-year limited warranty on the Core Plastic Components. We will repair or replace any defective original core plastic component, which are the Nutrient Reservoir, Reservoir Lid, Access Port Lid, Tower Sections, Shower Cap and Shower Cap Lid.

All other components are covered by a one-year warranty.

If you are not 100% satisfied with your Tower Garden for any reason, we will gladly accept returns within 90 days of the sale date for a refund, minus a return fee.

I am interested in purchasing multiple Tower Garden units for a commercial setting. Who do I contact for that?

Visit TowerFarms.com and fill out the consultation form.  A member of our Tower Farms support team will be in touch to discuss your project. Or, for general questions, you can email [email protected].