Best Vertical Garden Systems

Got a green thumb but no room to let it bloom? **Vertical gardening** makes it possible to grow fresh veggies both indoors and outdoors without any hassle. It’s a breeze since you skip over chores like tilling, weeding, or battling pests.

More and more people are using vertical gardens in their homes. How would you feel about plucking lettuce, tomatoes, or basil directly from a garden as you prepare food? It’s easier with these gardens. They come in different forms to utilize the minimal space available. Below are some of the best vertical garden systems on the market.

5 Best Vertical Garden Systems

1. Garden Tower 2

Key Features

• It is made of high-quality HDPE plastic.
• It features six stackable levels.
• It can grow 50 plants at a time.
• It has a bearing mechanism that enables it to rotate in 360 degrees.
• In the middle, it has a composting column where worm composting takes place.
• The whole structure is also perforated.

Read our full Garden Tower 2 Review

This vertical garden has become a favorite to many urban farmers thanks to its unique technology. It allows you to grow more plants in a 4 square foot space. It also composts kitchen waste, enabling you to grow organic food.

Why we like it

• The composting column ensures a consistent supply of organic fertilizer for your crops.
• The perforations facilitate the penetration of roots, the traveling of the worms, and the movement of nutrients.
• HDPE plastic is also food-grade. You can rest assured that it will not leach chemicals to your plants.
• The rotating feature makes it easy to turn to access the plants and expose them to sunlight.

What we don’t like

• When filled with soil, it’s cumbersome, making it hard to move around.
• Since it’s made of plastic, it may break easily.

Our Verdict

Despite being quite costly, we believe this vertical garden meets most people’s expectations. We recommend it for it allows organic farming, it holds a lot of plants, and the plastic material is approved for use with edible plants.

2. 3 Tiers Stackable Vertical Garden Planter

Key Features

• It comes in three tiers that can hold at least 12 plants.
• This unit is 18 inches tall and can hold 14 quarts of soil.
• It also has a self-watering mechanism.
• It’s designed in a way that you can stack several units together.
• It weighs 2.2 pounds.

This is another stackable vertical garden that has three levels. It features a smart and simple design capable of maintaining 12 plants. This design also facilitates the equal distribution of water once you water the top level.

Why we like it

• It’s easy to assemble, and you can place it along pavements, balconies, and indoor structures.
• It also has a beautiful design, and it comes in 4 different colors (terracotta, hunter green, pink, and grey.)
• Since you can stack more units together, it allows maximizing the size of your vertical garden to grow more crops.
• It’s lightweight, making it easier to move around even when filled with soil.
• The smart watering design ensures water distribution.

What we don’t like

• The top tier casts shade on the lower levels, and the plants may not get enough light.
• The watering design is not very practical. Sometimes, the water ends up logging the bottom tier, killing the plants. The top also dries, making it unfavorable for plants too.
• The base is quite fragile and may easily break.

Our Verdict

For the most part, this vertical garden planter works as it should. We would recommend it for growing succulents, strawberries, and other herbs. Since it’s beautiful, it would also make a perfect gift.

3. Garden Tower 2 Deluxe Bundle

Key Features

It’s basically the 50-plant Garden Tower 2 with the following extra tools.

• A water meter.
• Seed starting greenhouse.
• A heating mat.
• Seed starting soil.
• Organic plant food.
• Moisture indicators.
• Premium caster wheels.
• Marking stakes that make it easy to identify your plants.
• A gift card for Bakers Creek Heirlom’s Seeds.

When it comes to garden towers, the Garden Tower Project has earned the trust of most customers. This deluxe bundle includes the 50-plant Garden Tower 2 and other tools to make your vertical gardening better.

Why we like it

• This bundle is cheaper when compared to getting each of the items individually.
• The seeds are Non-GMO and natural, enabling you to grow organic food.
• The casters make it easy to move the massive structure.
• The seed starting soil, plant food, and greenhouse help you grow healthy plants right from the germination stage.
• The heat mat also raises the room temperature, improving the chances of germination, and minimizing the time it takes.

What we don’t like

• It is quite expensive.
• The water meters also break very easily.

Our Verdict

This vertical garden planter comes with everything you need to grow your plants, including soil, plant food, monitoring devices, and portability. When we consider all these features, we believe the value matches the high cost.

4. Worth Self Watering Vertical Wall Hangers

Key Features

• It has 36 pockets where you can grow your plants.
• The manufacturer offers a 3-year warranty.
• It also features an automatic self-watering system that has access to each plant pocket.

Since free-standing vertical garden planters may have portability and stability issues, you can always opt for the wall planters. This Worth’s model is an ideal wall garden planter thanks to the ample planting space and self-watering system.

Why we like it

• The plant pockets are large enough to grow a variety of crops. The watering system also ensures all pockets receive water regularly.
• The pots are light, making it easy to mount them on the wall.
• You can use this vertical planter both indoors and outdoors.
• It’s also made of high-quality plastic to ensure it lasts longer.

What we don’t like

• Most users complained that the pockets dried out fast, even with the self-watering system.
• The plants also demand a lot of fresh compost. If you don’t maintain this routine, the plants may die.

Our Verdict

We recommend this vertical wall garden because of the ample growing capacity, the self-watering system, and durability. It’s a thoughtful way of beautifying your wall while growing your favorite crops.

5. Greenstalk Vertical Garden

Key Features

• It is made of UV-resistant, BPA plastic.
• It comes with a 5-year warranty.
• It has an internal watering drip system where you fill the top tray, and it waters the other tiers simultaneously. This is made possible by the watering discs placed under each layer.
• It weighs 150 pounds when filled with soil.

This is a 5-tier vertical garden with an internal watering system. Each tier comes with deep pockets that can grow a wide variety of crops, except for tuberous plants like carrots.

Why we like it

• The 30 plant holes provide a lot of planting space.
• It’s made of high-quality weather-resistant plastic for durability.
• The internal watering system prevents water-logging within the tiers and ensures all the levels are watered.
• It comes in four colors (chocolate brown, luscious green, classic terracotta, and stunning stone).
• It’s easy to set up and maintain.
• You can also purchase a “mover,” which enables you to move it easily.

What we don’t like

• The watering system may not work as planned. You may need to consider a self-watering system.
• It may have stability issues. Some users complained about it tipping over.

Our Verdict

We recommend this planter for it’s cheaper than the Garden Tower 2, but it has ample growing space. The watering system is convenient, but you will have to water more frequently than other planters.

Vertical Garden Tips

Below are some of the factors you need to consider when you are purchasing a vertical garden planter.

Weight Load

The planter should be capable of holding the weight of the plants and the soil without breaking. This means that it should be made of sturdy materials, and have a mechanism to ensure it doesn’t topple over easily, for instance, a broad base. Even with the capacity to hold a lot of weight, it should also be easy to move. The caster wheels can make this easier.

Watering and Drainage

Water is essential for all plants to grow. Watering manually is a good idea, but what happens when you’re not around? If possible, you can go for a self-watering system that connects to your water feed. Another issue is poor drainage in some planters. An ideal vertical garden should hold enough water for the plants without soaking or getting waterlogged.

Ventilation and Sunlight

The amount of air circulation and sunlight your plants get depends on where you position the planter. Avoid placing it too close to the door or window since you may expose it to drafts of cold and hot air. Different regions experience different climates, so you may need to consult local experts. Either way, ensure that all plants can receive enough sunlight by turning the garden. Some models like the Garden Tower 2 have made turning easier.

Plant Size

Some plants grow to bigger sizes than others. So you need to consider a planter that’s suitable for the plants you want to grow. If you choose a small planter, the huge plants may cast a shade on the others, depriving them of sunlight. The plant pots should also be large enough for the roots.

Plant Media

Whether it’s a free-standing vertical planter or a wall planter, the plant media will need to be light, to ensure it doesn’t damage the structure or the walls. The media should also be capable of retaining nutrients and water.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What Plants Can Grow in a Vertical Garden?

Vertical gardens can support a wide range of plants. Examples are flowers, succulent plants, and edibles such as grapes, herbs, and vegetables. The planter you choose will depend on the plants you want to grow.

2. Are Vertical Gardens Easy to Maintain?

When compared to regular gardens, vertical gardens are easier to maintain. Pest control is easier, and you don’t have to weed often. Watering is also easier since you can choose the self-watering system or just water at the top, and the water flawlessly moves to other levels. Since you will be working when standing most of the time, these gardens will not cause back problems.

3. How Do You Make a Vertical Garden?

A lot goes into creating a vertical garden based on the plants you want to grow and several other factors. Below are some practical ways on how you can successfully construct a vertical garden;

Final Thoughts

After reviewing all the other products, we picked the Garden Tower 2 as our favorite. The reason it stands out to us and 20,000 more owners is the composting column. Your plants get access to compost manure throughout the year, and you get to recycle kitchen waste. Besides that, I can also hold up to 50 plants, and it rotates to expose the plants to sunlight.

Since it may be quite heavy, you can also purchase the caster wheels kit for mobility. Garden Tower Project also sells extra items that can help you grow healthier food, organically. These items include plant food and the seed starting mix. It is the ideal solution to the food desert.