Tower Garden Training Course for Teachers

Video 1 – Tower Garden Training Introduction

This Tower Garden training course will take you step-by-step through building the Tower Garden, planting seeds, and integrating the growing experience into your classroom. At the end of each video, you’ll find a link to the next video in the series.

Either watch free on YouTube or purchase and download all 41 training videos from our Teachers Pay Teachers store and watch without connecting to YouTube.

Video 2 – Testing the pH

This video will help you understand how to test the pH of the water.

Video 3 – Soak Rockwool

Soak the rockwool for about 30 minutes before planting seeds.

Video 4 – Unboxing

A good way to introduce your Tower Garden to your students is when it’s still in the box. Place the box in front of your students and ask them to guess what’s inside. Then open the box and ask them to continue guessing. Slowly unpack the pieces while your students try to figure out how the Tower Garden will be used.

Video 5 – Showing the Tower Garden Parts

In order to give your students the opportunity to investigate the system, pass around the various parts so your students can tell the difference between the parts. Some parts will be hard and smooth and have parts that are alike. Other parts will be flexible and ridged. Some parts will have an odor where others will not. The pump and rods will be very different than the sections where plants are grown. Ask students how they think the various parts will be used. Where will the plants grow? Where will the water go and how will the water reach the plants? It’s all designed to help your students get excited about the Tower Garden.

Video 6 – Measuring the Parts

Measure the system parts to classify them by size and shape. Show students that it doesn’t matter what measuring tool is used, like pieces are all the same size. Count the number of each part to sort by number. Ask students to explain their reasoning behind why the tub doesn’t belong to any other group.

Video 7 – Using the Parts as Manipulatives.

Parts of the system can be used as manipulatives to teach addition and multiplication to younger students.

Video 8 – Teaching Ordinal Numbers

Your system will have growing ports and sections. With masking tape, number the growing parts sequentially and the sections also. Build the system in the order you’ve numbered while you explain to your students about ordinal numbers.

Video 9 – Comparing Heights

As you build the system, have students stand next to the pieces as they are placed to see when the system is taller than they are. Do not add water to the tub or insert the netpots.

Video 10 – Install Blue Hose

Install the blue hose that connects the pump to the system. Screw it in making sure it goes in easily. Screw the pump into the blue hose. You might need to turn the pump instead of the hose.

Video 11 – Install Feet Onto Pump

Press the rubber feet into the bottom of the pump. The feet will stick so hard to the bottom of the system, that they sometimes come off when you remove the pump. Place the pump on the bottom of the tub and press it down. Having the pump secure keeps it from vibrating and making extra noise.

Video 12 – Install the Metal Rods

If you purchased the support cage, you will have 4 metal rods. Choose the 2 shorter rods. Screw the hex nut to the top of the threading. Place the rod into the hole marked ‘A’. Use the inside row of holes. Screw a wing-nut onto the rod. Give the rod a little wiggle to seat the wing-nut onto the screw. Repeat the procedure for the second rod.

Video 13 – Build the Tower Garden

The holes on each section are marked with an A and a B. They’re a little hard to see. Since you started with the pole going into the hole marked A, slide the second section through the hole marked B. Rotate letters as you build the Tower Garden. Seat each section until there are not gaps between the sections and each one sits snug.

Video 14 – Build the Tower Garden Adding the Extension Kit

If you purchased the extension kit, it will come separately. Place the first section on the poles, rotating the holes marked A and B. Take the metal rods out of the box and screw them onto the already installed rods. If you can’t get a snug fit, it can be easier to remove the connector piece and screw it on first. You want a snug fit. Place the second extension piece, rotating the holes marked A and B.

Video 15 – Build the Tower Garden. Adding the Shower Cap

It’s time now to install the top piece. Place it on the top, threading the poles through the larger holes. Push down so it seats. Screw on the wing-nuts or hex-nuts to screw it in place. Your system probably comes with washers to help protect it.

Video 16 – Build the Tower Garden. Install the Lights

Place the lights on top of the system and bend down the light support so that the side with the notch Is out. Connect the light bar to the light support, lining up the male and female connectors. Line up the notched end and snap the lights into place.

Video 17a – Setting the Pump Timer

Plug the timer into the wall or a surge strip. A GFI adapter is recommended. Set the timer to ‘I’ for indoor growing or ‘O’ for outdoor growing. Plug the pump into the timer.

Video 17b – Setting the Light Timer

To set the timer for the lights, turn the dial until it reaches the correct time of day. Push down on the switches for lights to turn on. Leave switches up for lights to turn off. Make sure the switch in the middle is pushed to the right to activate the timer. Pushing the switch to the left turns the lights on continually.

Video 18 – Assembling the Support Cage Without Lights

To assemble the support cage, start by matching up the hole in the tub with the hole in the base. With a hex nut already screwed onto the support rod, push the rod through the hole and screw on a wing-nut. It can help to twist the rod instead of the wing-nut. Rotate the system and do the same for the other side.

Insert the smaller supports into the holes on the base and slide the larger supports onto the rods. Slide the support circle onto the rods. It doesn’t matter which side is up. Push the circle onto the supports. Repeat for the next 2 levels.

Screw either a wing-nut or regular hex nut on top of the rod.

Video 19 – Filling the Tower Garden with the Garden Hose

It’s best to use unsoftened water in your system. That water might be from an outside spigot. Using a garden hose can be the easiest way to fill the system. If you have well water, it’s recommended that you use an RV filter. These filters used for camping are inexpensive to purchase online.

Video 20 – Adding the Nutrient

When you first fill the tub, pour in 200ml of nutrient A and 200ml of nutrient B. Run the pump for a minute, then test the pH. You’ll want to check the water level each week. Add 50ml of nutrient A and 50 ml of nutrient B for every 2 gallons of water added. Re-check the pH each week.

Video 21 – Balancing the pH

Use the pH test kit to test the pH of the water in the tub. Put 5ml of water into the system into the vile. Then place 5 drops of the solution into the vile and compare the color with the test strip. The pH should be within 5 and 7. Use about 10 ml of pH up or down as needed to bring the pH to the correct number. If the pH isn’t correct after a few tries, continue to run the system and re-check in a few days. Don’t stress if the pH isn’t exact. Most plants will be fine if the pH is off a little.

Video 22 – starting seeds – Part 1

To start seeds, you’ll need a tray, unsoftened water, seeds, and rockwool. Cut the rockwool into individual cubes. Don’t crush the rockwool. Arrange the rockwool into the tray and fill with water. Let the rockwool soak for about 30 minutes.

Video 23 – Starting Seeds – Part 2

After about 30 minutes, pour out the water and plant seeds. Steve is demonstrating with black seeded simpson lettuce. This variety sprouts in a couple of days, grows quickly, and is a sweet, light lettuce to eat. Cut the corner of the packet, pour some in your hand, and put a pinch of seeds into each hole. The larger the seeds, the fewer you want to put in the rockwool. The remaining seeds you can put back in the packet. Your system may come with perlite, to cover the seeds, but don’t use it. Put the seeds in a dark closet, cabinet, or drawer. This mimics the darkness most seeds need to sprout.

Video 24 – Pour a Little Water into the Tray

Pour about ¼” of water in the tray. You want just enough water to keep the rockwool moist. Place the tray in a cabinet or a drawer or cover with a file folder so the seeds stay in the dark.

Video 25 – Check the Seeds Every Day

Check the seeds every day to see if they sprout. Once they sprout, you’ll see white growth on the seeds. Now is the time to put the seeds into the light. Place the tray on the base of your system, as close to the lights as possible. You may need to raise the tray to get them closer to the lights. If you wait longer to place the seeds in the light, they’ll become tall and won’t grow well.

Video 26 – Place Seedlings into the Tower Garden

In about a week, the seedlings can be placed into the system. If you’re using a clip, push the bottom of the rockwool onto the clip and place into your system. If you’re using a netpot, place the netpot into the system first, then drop the rockwool into the netpot. Make sure you gently push down on the rockwool so the rockwool touches the bottom of the netpot.

Video 27 – Inserting the NetPots

Place the netpot into the system with the lip end down. Pinch the netpot and push it in until it snaps.

Video 28 – Tower Garden Planting Seeds with Your Students

To help your younger students plant seeds themselves, have your students sit in groups of 4 or 5. Give each student a soaked, rockwool cube. Pour several seeds onto a 3X5 card in the middle of the group. Ask students to put 8-10 lettuce seeds (or less if seeds are larger) into the center of the rockwool cube. Gather the rockwool cubes and place them in a tray.

Video 29 – Harvesting Lettuce With Scissors

Up to 1/3 of the lettuce can be cut at once, then left to grow back. With a pair of scissors, snip off what you want and use it on a sandwich or in a salad. After a few weeks, the lettuce will start tasting bitter and you’ll know it’s time to replant.

Video 30 – Harvesting Lettuce Growing in NetPots. Part 1

The netpot will be filled with roots, making it a little tricky to pull out. You’ll want to get underneath the front ridge, pull up, and wiggle it out. Some of the netting might break, but that’s not a problem. It can still be reused.

Video 31 – Harvesting Lettuce Growing in Netpots Part 2

Once the lettuce is growing, you’ll need to reach underneath to pull up on the netpot. Then wiggle it side-to-side as you pull out. Normally the roots will be quite long, but Steve has pulled this one out and cut off the roots already.

Video 32 – Harvesting the lettuce Growing on Grow Clips

Harvesting lettuce with a grow clip is a lot easier than with the netpots. Find the grow clip underneath the lettuce. Wiggle it a tad and pull up. The roots will be quite long. Use scissors to cut off the roots. Be careful you don’t cut the grow clip. Then remove the grow clip and place the rockwool into a container with water in the bottom. This will keep the lettuce fresh for a week or more.

Video 33 – Cleaning the Tower Garden

Video 34 – Cleaning The Holes at the Top

You’ll want to check and clean the holes at the top about once a month. An 8 penny nail works well. Remove the lights and poke the nail through the holes. The nail is just the right size to slide into the holes. Then replace the lights on the top.

Video 35 – Removing Roots From The Water

When you remove the top, you’ll see how the roots will grow into the system. Another way to harvest is by taking apart the system and removing the plants. It’s normal to have brown deposits on the system, but with consistent cleaning, this can be minimized.

Video 36 – Algae on the Rockwool

Light may cause algae to grow on the top of the rockwool. This isn’t a problem since it’s usually only on top of the rockwool.

Video 37 – Troubleshooting: Water not going all the way to the Top. Check the First Section.

If the water doesn’t go all the way to the top, check that the bottom section is pushed in all the way. If there’s even a small space, a secure connection won’t be made for the water to travel through the center pipe. To push the section all the way down, you’ll need to take out the 4 screws securing the section into the base. Push down on the section, then turn the base over. Use a rubber hammer to gently tap on the base. Turn the base back over to check that the section is secure into the base. Once it’s secure, replace the screws.

Video 38 – Troubleshooting: Water not going all the way to the Top. Check the Supply Hose

Check that the supply hose is screwed all the way into the bottom. Otherwise there won’t be a solid connection for the water to travel through.

Video 39 – Safely Removing the Light Kit

When removing the light kit, don’t pull up on the light supports. This might cause the top of the lights to crack. Instead use the base of the lights to wiggle the lights free.

Video 40 – Removing The Lights

The lights can fit tight and be difficult to remove. A flat-tip screwdriver can help. Push the screwdriver between the light kit and the top of the system. Wiggle it some to loosen the light kit. Once the kit is loose, hold tight to each side and pull up. Be careful not to pull up on the light support posts as you might crack the top of the light kit.