Starting Your Seeds

Seeds or Seedlings?

Growing your own produce with Tower Garden lets you choose to start with seeds or seedlings (or both). You might have some questions, like:

  • What are the differences between starting with seeds and seedlings?
  • Where are some good places to purchase seeds and seedlings for my Tower Garden?
  • I’ve already got my seeds. What’s next?
  • What kind of support is available if I have questions once I’ve started my seeds or seedlings?

Seeds or Seedlings?

There are major benefits to starting from seed, and the Seedling Starter Kit that came with your Tower Garden includes everything you need to start growing from seed. On the flip side, the main benefit of starting with seedlings is immediacy and variety. It's easy to rinse the soil from soil grown seedlings from your local nursery, place into a rockwool cube, and transplant them right onto your Tower Garden.

Tower Tip: We encourage you to go with whichever option you feel will work best for you! The same goes for what plants to grow — go with plants that you know you’ll eat or (especially if you’re growing indoors) that you enjoy looking at. It’s important to feel good about the food you grow, and it’s really satisfying to harvest some of your favourite veggies from your very own garden.

Tips for Purchasing Seeds

You can use any seeds you like for your Tower Garden, as long as they’re fresh (not more than a year or two old). If you’re a fan of seed swaps or supporting your local garden centre, that is a great option. Whether you purchase locally or online, we always recommend Non-GMO and Organic seeds.

Here are few terms and other things to look for:

Non-GMO seeds – non-GMO stands for “non-genetically modified organism” and means that the genetic makeup of the seeds has not been altered. Non-GMO seeds are widely believed to be a healthier option and are readily available from reputable seed providers. We always recommend non-GMO!

Organic seeds promote ecosystem health because seed producers use only clean, natural methods of growing the plants that produce the seeds. Organic seeds are good for the planet and good for you, so they are always recommended whenever available, too.

Hybrid seeds are the result of cross-pollinating similar plants. They are a good option to get a plant that interests you, but you won’t likely to be able to use the seeds they produce because they may not be like the parents or be viable at all.

Heirloom varieties are popular varieties that have often been preserved for decades. They are typically delicious, interesting, and fun to grow. They are open-pollinated, so any seeds you collect from these plants will produce plants with similar characteristics.

 

I Have My Seeds — Now What?

Now it’s time to get growing! You might want to check out these articles:

Where Can I Find Growing Support or Inspiration?

Comparing notes and sharing info are part of the joy when it comes to Tower Garden. We have:

  • A supportive, knowledgeable Facebook community group to share, ask questions and learn more
  • An active, enthusiastic online Instagram community at Tower Garden Europe (@towergarden_europe)
  • An ever-expanding library of growing-related articles, including garden planning, plant-specific growing guides, recipes, and lots more
  • A wide range of educational resources, from lesson plans and at-home learning ideas to stories about how Tower Garden helps communities flourish
  • A knowledgeable, responsive Customer Care team