How to Prep For A Vertical Herb Garden

Spice Up Your Life AND Food With These Delicious Greens

a Garden Tower® growing a large amount of basil on a patioTo us, there’s no better feeling than eating nutritious herbs and vegetables that you’ve grown yourself. No matter where you live, what time of year it is, or how much gardening experience you have, it’s always the perfect time to start planning a vertical herb garden. Whether you only have room for a few potted herbs or want to create a full-fledged garden in your spare room, we’ll walk you through every step of creating the vertical vegetable garden of your dreams.

Why Grow Your Own Herbs?

Convenience, Control, and Health Benefits

a closeup of a healthy, organic basil plantYou may believe that grabbing a container of herbs at the grocery store is more convenient than having a garden, but it actually isn’t! This is because when you’re growing your own, you simply have to walk to your garden, not drive the whole way to the grocery store. Not only will your meals be more fresh and delicious, but they’ll also be more nutritionally dense, too. This gives additional health benefits and takes any dish to the next level. Plus, growing your own herbs allows you to control the process as you’d like, even before you’ve planted any plants. By starting your seeds indoors, you know the exact growth timeline and can also ensure that they’re organic. The best part? Anyone can grow their own herbs in a vertical vegetable garden.

Consider Your Favorite Dishes and Research Companion Planting

Finding the Correct Herbs For Your Vertical Vegetable Garden

a variety of different herb and vegetable seedlings being started indoors before being planted in a vertical vegetable gardenThe first step to planning your garden is considering which herbs you’ll use most. To do this, we recommend thinking about your favorite frequently cooked dishes and what types of herbs are in them. Once you’ve decided what you’d like to plant, we recommend researching companion plants for your herbs—this is a great way to yield better results because it creates healthier plants and a better overall harvest. Companion planting is essentially finding plants that mix well together and make each other stronger when planted together. Some include flowers, herbs, or even greens and veggies. Sometimes, the more diverse the Tower, the better! Our planning planter tool can allow you to plan out your entire garden before you even begin—check it out!

Find and Prep Your Vertical Vegetable Garden’s Growing Location

Creating a Balcony, Patio, or Indoor Garden

a sandstone Garden Tower® growing young basil leavesOnce you’ve decided what you want to grow, it’s time to find a location. The best part about our vertical vegetable garden is that it can be placed anywhere—a spare room, your backyard, or even the balcony of your inner-city apartment are all perfect contenders. Because it can be placed in so many different areas, find a spot that has the best conditions and is most convenient for your lifestyle. 

If you’re planting on a patio or balcony, ensuring that the temperature, sunlight levels, and space requirements are all met is essential to your Tower’s success. The height and direction that your balcony faces will mainly determine these conditions. If you’re growing herbs in a spare room indoors, it’s important to use our Grow Light Kit to give your plants adequate sunlight. Additionally, using a tarp to protect your floor and a fan to disperse moisture is crucial, too. If you’re growing in your yard or other outdoor areas, keep sunlight as well as pests who may want to eat your herbs in mind. Once you’ve found the perfect place for your garden, it’s time to start prepping and purchasing seeds.

Find High-Quality Seeds and Soil to Purchase

Good Seeds and Soil Make Nutritious, Organic Produce

a closeup of high-quality, well-watered potting soil perfect for a vertical vegetable gardenAfter planning your garden, it’s important to create a solid foundation for its success. The two most significant products that we stress should be high-quality are the seeds and soil, as cheaper options will result in fewer, less impressive harvests. Unsure of where to buy organic seeds from? We take the work out of finding high-quality seeds with our Culinary Herbs Garden Seed Collection. Sourced from the best organic sellers, it’s the perfect amount of seeds for your vertical vegetable garden. Plus, it’s a great spread of different culinary herbs to spice up any of your dishes.

A garden is nothing without good soil, too. Plain garden soil will not work because it’s too compact for our Tower. We recommend asking your local nursery for their “professional growers mix” or potting soil, as its light and fluffy nature allows plants to thrive. It’s low in fertilizer content and economical, too. When high-quality seeds and soil are paired together, they’re unstoppable.


Once you’ve picked your seeds, soil, and have prepped your space, all that’s left is planting and enjoying your herbs! Looking for more advice on growing your own food in a vertical vegetable garden? Visit Garden Tower Project today to browse our large selection of informational content about all things compact gardening.

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