Have a vertical farming question?
Browse common Tower Farms questions
(and answers) below.
Growing Technology
What is aeroponics?
Aeroponic farming is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment, without the use of soil.
This innovative approach provides plants with the ideal amount of nutrition and hydration. And it’s sustainable, too — using a fraction of the water and land required by traditional soil-based growing methods.
Aeroponic crops grow faster and produce greater yields, on average, than soil-grown crops. Learn more about the advantages of aeroponics »
What can I grow with Tower Farms?
Vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers — you can grow just about anything (except root crops, grapevines, bushes, and trees) with Tower Farms.
Here’s a non-comprehensive list of more than 150 compatible plants:
Fruits and Vegetables
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Herbs
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Flowers
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What are the growing system’s dimensions and specifications?
An 11-section tower — which can grow up to 44 plants simultaneously — is 97 in. tall and weighs about 220 lb. when full. The 20-gal. reservoir at the tower’s base measures 30 x 30 in.
Note: Tower Farms units are modular. So you can grow more or fewer plants per tower, if you prefer.
How much electricity does a Tower Farms unit use?
The short answer is about 278 watts per tower, per day. We arrive at that answer with some simple math.
Tower Farms pumps are rated at 58 watts per hour. And running the pump on the recommended cycle of 3 minutes on / 12 minutes off adds up to 4.8 hours per day. So, 58 watts x 4.8 hours = 278.4 watts per day.
Just multiply that figure by your local energy rates to determine approximate electricity costs per tower.
How much water does a Tower Farms unit use?
If you’re growing in average conditions, each tower will use about one gallon of water per day. So, to calculate daily water usage costs, simply multiply your number of towers by your local water utility rates.
What are Tower Farms products made of?
To ensure the food you grow is safe and healthy, we use only UV-stabilized, food-grade plastic in our products.
Our high-quality plastic resins are compliant with both U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines for food contact and European guidelines for Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances.
What’s in the Tower Farms nutrient solution?
Experts in human and plant nutrition developed the Tower Farms nutrient solution to ensure it safely nourishes both plants and the people who ultimately eat them.
The best part? It’s the only plant food you’ll need — for all plants in any stage of growth. Pretty simple!
Here’s a look at what it contains:
- Total Nitrogen (N) – 2.0%
- Calcium (Ca) – 1.0%
- Chelated Iron (Fe), derived from Calcium Nitrate, Iron Sodium EDTA – 0.05%
- Available Phosphate (P2O5) – 1.0%
- Soluble Potash (K2O) – 3.0%
- Magnesium (Mg) – 0.5%
- Sulfur (S) – 3.0%
- Boron (B) – 0.01%
- Copper (Cu) – 0.001%
- Manganese (Mn) – 0.01%
- Molybdenum (Mo) – 0.0005%
- Zinc (Zn), derived from Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Sulfate, Magnesium Sulfate, Boric Acid, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Molybdate, Zinc Sulfate, Phosphoric Acid – 0.005%
What’s included in a Tower Farms growing system?
As a turnkey urban farming solution, your Tower Farms growing system will come with everything you need to get started, including:
- Vertical Aeroponic Tower Gardens (20-52 planting ports)
- Internal connection rods and stainless steel screws
- Net pots or quick harvest clips
- High capacity pumps
- Auto tank flush option for each Tower Garden
- Electrical connection cables
- Irrigation Components
- Two or Three Head Aero-Doser System for Nutrients and/or pH Doser System
- Auto Feed System
- Gravity Tank with adjustable on/off vertical valve
- Irrigation delivery to all towers
- Auto float for each tower
- Propagation Equipment
- Commercial grade benches
- Professional grade watering wand
- Heavy duty reusable rockwool propagation trays
- Spacer trays
- Plant tags
- Nutrients and Supplies
- Bulk concentrated fertilizer in dry form (mixes up to 20,000 gallons of end use solution)
- Bulk rockwool by the case
Do I need grow lights?
Are you planning to grow inside? Indoor farms (and some greenhouse farms — depending on natural light access) need grow lights to ensure healthy plant development.
When you request a farm estimate, we’ll suggest the best grow light setup for your specific situation.
What are the differences between Tower Garden and Tower Farms units?
Tower Garden and Tower Farms use the same advanced growing technology to help you grow more food faster.
However, Tower Garden units are designed for residential use. And Tower Farms units have a few additional features — such as larger pumps, auto-fill valves, and drain valves — that make them more suitable for commercial food production.
If you already have a Tower Garden, you can retrofit it so that it operates within your Tower Farms.
Farm Planning
How much does it cost to start a Tower Farm?
In most cases, you can start a 13-tower farm with only the essentials for less than $10,000 (plus shipping and tax). If you want to grow fewer than 13 towers, consider investing in a Community Garden system.
Do you offer farm financing?
Sure do. You can finance your farm directly through Tower Farms at low interest rates and only 25% down. If you’d like more information on financing options, just ask »
How much space do I need to start a farm?
You can get started with as little as 200 sq. ft.
But as a rule of thumb, you need about 20 sq. ft. per tower for a farm with 13–50 towers. (So for example, a greenhouse that measures 720 sq. ft. could fit 36 towers. Because 720 divided by 20 equals 36.) This ensures you have enough room for the towers, a dosing station, and a propagation bench — all while maintaining sufficient aisle spacing.
If you want to start a farm with more than 50 towers, please contact us about space requirements »
Where can I grow a Tower Farm?
Almost anywhere! Our vertical aeroponic technology allows you to grow food where soil-based farms are impossible. All you really need is light (either natural or artificial) and access to water and electricity.
Current Tower Farmers grow on rooftops, in greenhouses, at restaurants, and in many other unconventional locations. See examples of active farms »
What are the plumbing and electrical access needs?
For farms with 13–50 towers, a standard hose bib and one 20-amp electrical circuit is usually sufficient (if you use multiple timers and staggered cycle times).* Each pump draws less than one amp, so you can run up to 17 towers per timer.
Greenhouse farming often introduces additional electrical and water demands. So if you want to go that route, we can help you plan appropriately.
*You may also need to consider other electrical needs, such as those for exhaust and circulation fans, lighting, propagation heat mats, and so on.
What is the approximate yield from a Tower Farm?
As with any farming operation, Tower Farms yields and growing rates vary based on crop type, weather, season length, seeding schedule, and other factors.
But for lettuce, leafy greens, and most herbs, you can expect to harvest up to 6 oz. per plant every month (when following best practices and growing in favorable conditions, of course).
Production rates for fruiting vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes, depend greatly on the variety and season. But studies have shown that, on average, Tower Farms technology grows 30% more food, 3x faster compared to soil-based farms.
How much labor does it take to run a Tower Farm?
One full-time worker can easily manage seeding, harvesting, and maintenance of up to 50 Towers.
For larger farms, we recommend one full-time worker per every 75–100 towers, a farm manager, and an owner/operator.
Do you provide training or support?
Yep! When you succeed, we succeed. So as a Tower Farmer, you’ll get guidance with setting up and managing your growing operation. (We also have free online resources)
Is there a business plan?
Not exactly. Your business plan will be unique to you, as it’s based on your vision and goals. Plus, your budget must account for local variables in overhead, labor costs, and pricing.
That being said, we’re happy to provide a framework that can help you get started.
How much can I sell my produce for?
Pricing varies widely by market. So we recommend that you research the cost of produce in your area to determine how much you should charge.