The Best Garden Tower® Watering Tips and Tools

Water is one of the most important components of gardening—whether it’s a compact vertical vegetable garden or acres of fields, all vegetables need water to survive. Just because water is essential doesn’t mean that you can’t overwater your garden, though. In this blog, we’ll be highlighting our favorite products, such as garden hose filters and water meters, as well as giving you the hottest tips to keep your Garden Tower® thriving this summer.

Keep Your Plants Healthy With Watering Tips and Tricks

Let Your Garden Thrive With Proper Watering

Every Garden Tower® has unique watering needs depending on the types of plants growing and what hardiness zone it is located in. While most towers are watered 2-3x per week with 4-8 gallons of water, there is no exact formula because everything depends on how quickly the plants are growing, temperature, sun exposure, humidity, and wind. There are some signs that will help you gauge whether your garden is underwatered, though:

• Shriveled leaves
• Limp stems
• Dry or flaking leaves
• Petals or leaves falling off
• Yellow, white, or brown coloring

Underwatering can come from a variety of sources, not just how little you’re watering. There may be too much evaporation, which can easily be fixed with a layer of mulch or rocks to keep water in the soil. 

Additionally, due to the vertical composition of the Tower, sometimes users may find that one section is significantly more watered or dry than the other. If plants in the top third of the Tower tend to dry out too quickly, increasing the amount of water per watering session by 1-2 gallons will ensure a more thorough, deep watering. On the contrary, if the bottom of your vertical vegetable garden is too moist, try adding an extra day between waterings but compensate for this by adding an additional 1-2 gallons when you do water. When planning your Garden Tower®, it is crucial to your plant’s success that plants requiring a more moist environment are placed closer to the bottom of the Tower and vice versa. 

Additionally, it’s important to remember to water your Tower from the top and let it trickle down, as watering the plant pockets will NOT fully moisten the entire root zone available to your plants. Plants grow their roots towards water, so if you’re not watering the entire column of potting soil, your plants will not develop deep roots that take advantage of the plentiful potting soil and reach the compost column for additional nutrition.  Chronically under-watering or watering only from the pockets can result in stunted plants which will not thrive.  Frequent overwatering is very easy to prevent by keeping an eye on how much nutrient tea is accumulating in the two-gallon drawer in the base of the Tower. Most gardeners target about two gallons per week of nutrient rich water to be recycled to the top of the Tower.  Always measure how many gallons are being applied while watering with some of our helpful products, as you can check the moisture level easier and adjust your watering routine precisely.

Check Water Levels at a Glance

Know When Your Soil Is Dry Before Your Plants Tell You

Our Soil Moisture Indicators are our number one product recommendation for easily monitoring water levels in your Garden Tower 2™ system.  These ingenious 10-inch probes turn from blue to white before your plants get stressed from a lack of water availability in the soil!  By placing one probe in the second row of your tower (near the top) and another in the 4th or 5th row (near the bottom), you can quickly learn to tune your watering routine to keep your entire Tower balanced and thriving. Garden Tower Project has been using these probes for several years and we highly recommend them.  They do not require batteries, are highly reliable, and long lasting. After two to four years, the internal color-changing wick can be replaced if it gets compromised.  

Water Properly While Saving Money With a Hose Meter

Know Exactly How Much Water You’re Using

If you know approximately how many gallons you should be watering your garden with, how can you track something like that? With our Save-a-Drop Hose Water Meter, you can easily know exactly how much water you’re using to ensure you’re not over/underwatering. Our reader features a simple, easy-to-read design and is completely waterproof. You don’t just have to use this meter for gardening, though—it can be used for filling up pools, washing cars, or anything that you may want to know about your water output.

Give Your Plants Safer, Cleaner Water With a Garden Hose Filter

Filter Harmful Materials From Your Garden Hose

Do you know what’s in your water supply? Think of your garden similarly to your body—water is essential for life, but contaminants can hurt you and your vegetables. It’s crucial to both your garden and family’s well-being that you know what’s going into your garden. With our Inline Water Filter, you can remove potential harmful contaminants from your water supply to ensure a healthier, more abundant garden. Additionally, we include a flexible hose protector to reduce strain on your faucet or spigot from the filter.

Get Double the Watering Power With a “Y” Water Valve

Spend Less Time Watering and More Time Gardening

Our “Y” valve allows you to double your watering capabilities and never wait for the garden hose to be free again. With this valve, you can effortlessly attach two hoses to your faucet or spigot with no effect on water pressure. Plus, its non-corrosive and easy-grip design makes it accessible for all. When it comes to watering your Garden Tower®, you can save time and energy by using both hoses simultaneously to water more efficiently.

Give Your Plants the Best Quality Water With a Lead-Free Drinking Water Hose

A Hassle-Free, Natural Hose For Every Garden

Garden hoses are notoriously “dirty” products and are often loaded with lead, heavy metals, plasticizers, and phthalates.  Many people remember the “garden hose taste” from summers outside during their childhood. However, with our TastePURE Hose, you’ll never have to worry about this metallic taste again, as it’s made of high grade PVC and is BPA and Phthalate free. We’ve tested multiple NSF hoses, but this one takes the cake—with reasonable kink resistance, an easy-grip connector, and 50 ft length, you’ll have the cleanest hose of your life in your hands.  

Provide a Gentle Watering With the Water Breaker

Protect Delicate Plants While Watering

Watering your garden with a hose can be particularly tricky when you’ve planted flowers and other delicate plants, such as seedlings. Originally made for greenhouses and plant nurseries, our Water Breaker includes 1000 tiny holes to provide an ultra-soft, full-flower shower to every plant without harming it. Additionally, these holes don’t impede water pressure at all—flowing 11 gallons per minute, you’ll be sure to have a fast, full flow while protecting your garden from damage or flattening.

Water is a key component of your Garden Tower®—without it, your plants wouldn’t be able to survive. By following our advice and using some of our helpful watering tools, you’ll have a thriving garden in no time. Did you know that several of the products mentioned can be bought together with our Safe Watering Kit? Not only can you save money when you bundle, but you can ALSO receive everything in fewer boxes, making it an environmentally-friendly purchase. Visit Garden Tower Project today to learn more about how you can begin sustainable gardening in your own home.