Aeroponics: FAQ

Juice Plus+ purchased the rights to produce and distribute Tower Gardens for home use from Tim Blank and his company, Future Growing, in 2011. They did this because they recognized what a fantastic product Tower Garden is, and how it perfectly supports their corporate mission to “inspire healthy living around the world.” Like taking Juice Plus+, growing your own fresh produce in your own backyard is a great way to help you and your family bridge the gap between what you should eat and what you do eat every day.Learn more about Juice Plus+.

The heater will keep the water at 65 degrees and is only necessary in temperatures below 40 degrees.

First, use the hose that comes with the Tower Garden to siphon out the nutrient water into a bucket. Then, slide the Tower Garden where you want it and pour the nutrient water back in. This typically takes less than 15 minutes.

Growing your own produce with the Tower Garden can save you money over time, compared to buying produce at the grocery store (particularly high-quality organic produce). It also offers numerous advantages over traditional gardening. Learn more about how Tower Garden is a smart investment.

• Traditional grocery store produce is grown and harvested so that it can be shipped long distances and stay on the shelf for as long as possible. Home grown produce can be fresher, crisper, and more flavorful.
• Tower Garden produce has a minimal carbon footprint, because it virtually eliminates shipping and storage.

• The carbon footprint of Tower Garden food is greatly reduced by virtually eliminating shipping and storage. It is modular technology that can be utilized anywhere in the world.
• Tower Garden plants use as little as 10% of the nutrients and water that are commonly used in conventional and organic farming. This is possible because the Tower uses a closed-system technology to recycle 100% of its nutrients and water.
• The vertical design uses less than 10% of the land normally required to grow produce.
• The need for organic and conventional pesticides is reduced—thanks to the pH balanced ionic minerals and plant nutrients found in Tower Tonic that produce strong, healthy plants that can better protect themselves from plant pests and disease.

• Tower Tonic is a critical part of the Tower Garden Growing System.
• It is specially designed to support the aeroponic technology—enabling superior plant growth and better nutrition from your home-grown tomatoes, lettuce, vegetables, fruits and herbs.
• Developed by leading world experts in plant and human nutrition, Tower Tonic is the world’s first all-natural, earth based mineral solution specifically designed for all types of food and flowering crops.

• Your initial Tower Garden purchase comes with 1 quart of Tower Tonic, which makes 100 gallons of nutrient solution for your Tower Garden—enough to supply a typical Tower Garden for 8 weeks.
• The amount of nutrient solution (water + Tower Tonic) 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.

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. Asking this question is somewhat like asking how many home runs a basketball player has hit: it doesn’t apply, because it’s a totally different ballgame.

Currently accepted organic fertilizer components are dependent upon organisms in the soil to convert the “organic” materials into a useable form for plants. But the aeroponic Tower Garden growing system doesn’t use soil at all; instead, it delivers the minerals required for plant growth directly to the plant roots, completely eliminating the need for soil and soil organisms. The result is much higher growth rates and yields, and better crop quality than even organic methods can achieve. And because you control the growing, you control the use of herbicides and pesticides as well.

Also don’t forget that Tower Garden vertical aeroponic growing uses less than 10% of the land and water required for traditional agriculture, making it much more earth-friendly and sustainable than organic growing.

Tower Tonic contains a wide range of all-natural, earth based minerals. Tower Tonic provides a pH balanced blend of natural plant nutrients that stimulate plant roots, flowers, fruits, and leaves. Learn more about Tower Tonic.

Tower Garden is made from food-safe plastic that is UV stabilized for years of outdoor use. The UV stabilized plastic resins used in the Tower Garden by Juice Plus+are compliant with U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines for food contact and with European guidelines for Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances.

Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil. It is the most effective and efficient way to provide plants with the necessary nutrients, hydration, and oxygen. Learn more about aeroponics.

• Harvesting time varies, depending on what you are growing.
• Many vegetables can be harvested starting at around 3 weeks after transplanting.

Yes, any high-quality seeds from your local garden store will grow in Tower Garden. Montecito Urban Farms provides strong, healthy seedlings for your Tower Garden Growing System.  All of our plants are 100% non-GMO, organic and pesticide-free.  Click here for more information.

Your Tower Garden will grow just about anything except root vegetables, grapevines, bushes, and trees.

Review the full list of what you grow here.

• The basic Tower Garden grows 20 plants.
• You may grow up to 28 plants with an Extension Kit.

• Once you have set up your Tower Garden and transplanted seedlings to it, you should check the water level and pH balance in your Tower Garden 2 times a week. Yellowing leaves are an indication that your pH has drifted out of the recommended range. A pH test kit is provided with your Tower Garden purchase.
• Rotate Tower Garden if it is placed next to a wall where the sun shines on the same part of Tower Garden every day. For optimal plant uniformity, rotate the reservoir lid a quarter turn in the same direction each day or whenever possible.
• Keep roots away from the pump, and keep the shower cap holes clean and free from debris. You can use a toothpick to clean the holes.
• Once your crops are ready (in 3+ weeks, depending on what you are growing), you’ll want to check your Tower Garden regularly for fresh fruits and vegetables to enjoy.
• Clean the pump filter monthly. Unplug the pump, pull the pump up through the access port and remove the pump cover. Clean with water to remove debris.
• Depending on what you are growing, you may need to replace your plants every couple of months.

• 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.

• Full sun or high light level is a requirement if you desire highly productive food crops. If you live in a location with intense summer heat, it can be helpful to have some shade starting mid-afternoon into the evening. Choose a location for your Tower Garden that meets these requirements.
• Vegetable crops can grow at lower light levels; however, they are simply less productive as the percentage of shade increases. Many flowers and ornamental crops do fine under shade all day. Read seed labels to determine proper light levels.
• Be sure a good clean water source is available nearby. NEVER use softened water, heavily chlorinated water or very hard water as it may damage your plants. NOTE: Chlorine in water can be eliminated by filling a bucket with water and leaving it out in full sun for 48 hours.
• An electrical outlet nearby is preferable to a long extension cord. ALWAYS use a waterproof connection when using outdoor extension cords.
• Place a Tower Garden dolly, doormat or similar product under the reservoir if you are placing Tower Garden on a deck or patio. This will reduce the heat transferred into the reservoir from the deck or patio during hot weather.
• Always select a level site or a site that can be leveled for Tower Garden. NOTE: Tower Garden MUST be level to work properly.

• Tower Garden needs a minimum space of 2.5 feet by 2.5 feet. The basic Tower Garden unit is 5 feet tall and can grow 20 plants.
• You may choose to purchase an Extension Kit, which increases its maximum height to 6 feet and its capacity to 28 plants.