Any question ?

Most frequent requests

FAQ Tours aéroponiques

Hydroponics is an above-ground production technique, this means that the roots of cultivated plants do not plunge into their natural environment (the ground), but into a nutrient liquid.

The origin of the word "hydroponics" comes from the Greek "hydro", water and "ponos", work. This technique therefore appears as “the work of roots in water”.

The plants are maintained by an inert substrate, that is to say that it does not contain bacteria or fungi. We use rock wool and clay balls.

Just as virtuous as permaculture, hydroponics makes it possible to grow healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables all year round.

The reservoir is 36 cm high and 73 cm in diameter.

Having a capacity of 70 L, it is filled with 50 L when used.

Each tower is equipped with a 45 Watt irrigation pump which is turned on 15 min per hour.

Une tour opérationnelle va peser entre 60 et 75 kilos par m2 en fonction des cultures.

La taille est comprise entre 1,40 m et 2,90 m selon la demande.

The roots are kept suspended inside the column of towers. The nutrient solution is sprayed on the roots at regular intervals.

Constantly exposed to oxygen and humidity, they reach their maximum absorption potential.

The growth rate in hydroponics is much greater than in a conventional system.
The minimum working space required for a tower is 2 m2.

Each tower tank contains the necessary fertilizer for plant development.

A wide variety of plants can be grown hydroponically.

Each will have a particular need, it will be necessary to adapt the cropping system, the level of irrigation, the exposure...

The plants to favor in hydroponics are all leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, edible flowers, climbers, etc.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of possible crops:

Leafy vegetables: Lettuce, Tomato, Mustard, Melon, Pepper, Chard, Bean, Spinach, Squash, Strawberry, Eggplant, Mesclun, Arugula, Broccoli, Cabbage, Sorrel, Cucumber, Watercress, Dandelion, Escarole…

Aromatics: Basil, Borage, Chamomile, Chervil, Chives, Coriander, Celery, Dandelion, Dill, Chives, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Lemongrass, Lovage, Marjoram, Mint, Nettle, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme…

Flowers: Nasturtium, Pansy, Salvia, Sunflower, Amaranth, Artemisia, Aster, Cardoon, Coleus, Cosmos, Marigolds, Verbena, Yarrow, Poppy, Myosotis, Marigold...

The organic label is only applicable to crops grown in the ground. hydroponics cannot therefore be labeled Organic Agriculture
However, the company only uses mineral fertilizers and uses the same farming practices as in organic farming.
No use of pesticides or herbicides, biological control is the only way we use to manage diseases and pests. Many natural methods make it possible to fight against pests present in crops, in particular black soap for example.
All seeds used are from certified organic seed suppliers.

You can grow up to 32 plants. Currently no expansion kit is available to grow more.

I use a nutrient ionic mineral solution. This nutritious mixture can be used for all fruits, vegetables and aromatics.

Composition :

Mineral blend A

  • Total Nitrogen (N) – 2.0%
  • Calcium (Ca) – 1.0%
  • Chelated iron (Fe) – 0.05%
  • Derived from Calcium Nitrate, Sodium EDTA and Iron

Mineral blend B

  • 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) – 0.005%
  • Derived from Potassium nitrate, potassium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, boric acid, copper sulphate, manganese sulphate, sodium molybdate, zinc sulphate, phosphoric acid.

Tower Garden towers are made from premium white polycarbonate that is food grade and UV stabilized. The resins used by Tower Garden comply with European directives for the restriction of hazardous substances.

The resin is also completely opaque, it prevents light from penetrating in order to counter the growth of algae.

Tower Garden towers are equipped with a low-power submersible pump (only 45 watts). The pump is programmed to be on for 15 minutes per hour in a continuous cycle using a timer. The operating cost will vary depending on the tariffs of the electricity supplier. On average, it costs about 1 euro per month per tower at the most. Count 8-9€ on the 8 months of outdoor cultivation from April to November.

On average, a tower will consume about 3.8 liters of water per day. The general cost will depend on the price of a cubic meter of water depending on your location.

The dimensions of the box containing the complete tower kit are 66.5cm x 58.5cm x 58.5cm and the weight of the box is 15.05 kg

The dimensions are as follows: 57cm wide, 148cm high. The growing modules are 22cm in diameter.

Although technically a tower uses less than 1 m², I advise you to plan for 2 m² per tower. This will give you enough space to work around.

The term aeroponics as it is used in horticulture is actually a misnomer. This technique should be considered more advanced hydroponics. In aeroponics, the roots are kept suspended in a vacuum, inside a spray chamber protected from light to prevent the development of algae. The nutrient solution is sprayed on the roots at regular intervals by water droplets. They are constantly exposed to oxygen and moisture, allowing them to reach maximum absorption potential. The Tower Garden towers are therefore aeroponic towers since the roots are irrigated by water droplets.

The Tower Garden kit includes the following items:

  • 1 Tower Garden European model
  • 1 seed kit (rockwool cubes, vermiculite, 20 net pots)
  • 1 Pump
  • 1 Fertilizers/nutrients (A&B)
  • 1 Seed Kit
  • 1 Instruction Manual
  • 1 Timer

The LED light kit is sold separately.

The two bottles of Tower Garden A & B nutrients that come with your order will last between 5-6 months. Your nutrient supply will last less if you grow in a hot climate due to evaporation

 
  • Maximum power consumption: 125W
  • Input voltage (USA models): 120 V 60 Hz
  • Input voltage (European models): 230 VAC 50 Hz
  • Operating temperature: <40°C / 104ºF
  • Luminous flux: 3400 LM X 4 pcs.
  • Color temperature: 6000K
LED-Light-Kit-Specification-Tower-Garden-and-Technical-Drawing

Switching on the LEDs for 12 hours a day costs around €0.25 per day.

FAQ Tower Farms

For Europe the minimum order is 10 Towers.

A 10 tower kit is a fully automated system of 10 aeroponic towers (up to 52 plants per tower). A Tower Farm comes with an automated irrigation system allowing the supply of water and nutrients/fertilizer at every turn.

A tower requires 1 m² of floor space, you must allow 2 m² of space per tower to work properly.
Tower Garden aeroponic towers save 95% water as well as 90% space but also 90% labor compared to operating in the ground. In a greenhouse, an employee can manage up to 150 towers (7800 plants).

On average, a tower will consume about 3.8 liters of water per day. The general cost will depend on the price of a cubic meter of water depending on your location.

For a Tower Farm located in a greenhouse in a controlled environment to be profitable, you will need to focus on high value crops such as leafy vegetables, aromatic herbs and medicinal plants.

You have the ability to grow over 200 different varieties with our aeroponic tower technology and fertilizers. However, some crops are much more profitable than others. The most important thing is to focus on profitability per square meter.

To optimize space and add more turns to your available space, leafy and aromatic vegetables are a good first choice. During their growth to maturity, they will not exceed the diameter of the tank in terms of the space required for their development. You can therefore align side by side, or staggered, as many towers as you want. This is not the case with other crops such as cucumbers, tomatoes or other squash, which will require an additional solid structure on which to grow.

It is therefore counterproductive to grow beans, cucumbers or tomatoes on a limited space because the growing media will take up all the available space and prevent you from installing more towers. The two main objectives of a Tower Farm in a controlled environment are to optimize floor space and reduce water consumption.

The yield of a crop change according to multitude of parameters. The choice of variety, climatic conditions, seedling germination rate… Under good growing conditions, lettuce, aromatic herbs and other leafy vegetables will have an average yield of 100 to 175 g per plant, for one growth cycle. 21 to 28 days. The yield of fruit vegetables such as cucumbers or tomatoes will vary depending on the variety and the season. Here are some average yields per crop:

  • Cherry tomatoes: 12 to 15 plants per Tower maximum = 9 to 18 kg per plant depending on the variety.
  • Round tomatoes: 12 to 15 plants per Tower maximum = 18 to 22 kg per plant depending on the variety.
  • Cucumbers: 15 to 20 plants per Tower. A cucumber can weigh between 100g (sometimes less) and 250g. We can harvest about 15-30 cucumbers per plant. Some varieties are much more productive, including lemon cucumbers for example.
  • Strawberries: 52 plants per Tower. Depending on the variety, we managed to obtain between 100g and 1kg per plant. We grow several varieties of wild strawberries and large-caliber varieties.
  • Peppers: We recommend a maximum of 20 plants per Tower = 3 to 4 kg per plant depending on the variety.
  • Eggplants: Between 15 and 18 plants per maximum Tower = 3 to 4.5 kg per plant depending on the variety.
  • Leafy and aromatic vegetables: 52 plants per Tower. Between 100g and 175g per plant every 3 weeks.

Again, it all depends on the crop: it takes much longer to grow basil than arugula, for example. Depending on the variety, harvest cycles vary from 14 days to 60 days with harvest intervals every 3 weeks on average.

The yield of a crop therefore depends on the quality of the seeds, the variety and all the growing conditions (light, humidity, temperature, air circulation, etc.).

The Tower Garden towers are modular in size and can be assembled according to the different models described below:

Common crops:

  • 5 Modules (20 plants per Tower Garden) – 1.4 m high.
  • 7 Modules (28 plants per Tower Garden) – 1.8 m high.
  • 9 Modules (36 plants per Tower Garden) – 2.1 m high.
  • 11 Modules (44 plants per Tower Garden) – 2.5 m high.
  • 13 Modules (52 plants per Tower Garden) – 2.9 m high.

Young leafy greens :

  • 10 Modules (80 plants per Tower Garden) – 1.4 m high.
  • 14 Modules (112 plants per Tower Garden) – 1.8 m high.
  • 18 Modules (144 plants per Tower Garden) – 2.1 m high.
  • 22 Modules (176 plants per Tower Garden) – 2.5 m high.
  • 26 Modules (208 plants per Tower Garden) – 2.9 m high.

Take the example of a 10-tower Tower Farm in which the price of one kWh is €0.17.

  • 45 watts per pump x 6 hours per day (15 minutes on, 45 minutes off) multiplied by number of Towers = total power per day.
  • The electrical draw is as follows: 45 x 6 x 10 = 2,700 watts = 2.7 kW per day multiplied by the price of one kWh.
  • For this example, let's take the price of one kWh in France at the moment, i.e. around €0.17 per kWh. A farm of 10 towers would use 2.7 x 0.17 = €0.45 per day, or €13.5 per month.

The irrigation system has been designed to deliver water and fertilizer to each tower as needed, regardless of the number of towers installed. For example, a tower of strawberries will require more water and nutrients than a tower of parsley.

The entire irrigation process is automated. Fertilizer dosing, water distribution, water refilling of reservoirs. Once the installation is in place, you will only have to carry out a few regular checks.

A complete Tower Farm irrigation system includes the following components:

  • Nutrient tank A
  • Nutrient tank B
  • Water tank (the size varies according to the number of towers).
  • Dosatron automatic dosing system (2 or 3 units depending on Tower Farm configuration and location water quality).
  • Collectors (size varies by Tower Farm configuration)
  • Floats for every Tower
  • Valves for every tower
  • Holes adapted for each tower (drilling of holes to screw floats and valves).
  • Rigid and flexible pipes to carry water and nutrients (the length and diameter of the pipes will depend on the size of the Tower Farm and its configuration).
The ideal temperature for running a Tower Farm in a greenhouse is 20°C to 25°C with a humidity level ranging from 65% to 75%.