GreenStalk Planting Guide: How to Grow Food in a Small Space
Growing food in small spaces can reduce your reliance on the grocery store and having no land or limited space should not stop you from growing fruit, vegetables, and herbs.
Grow a garden in a GreenStalk Garden Vertical Planter using the GreenStalk planting guide. It doesn’t require tools, time, or too much space to grow 40 or more vegetables in 2 square feet.
1. Starting a garden without land
You don’t have to be a gardening expert to start enjoying a healthy, chemical-free, and farm-fresh life and a GreenStalk vertical planter is a perfect solution. There are tons of benefits to growing your own greens in a vertical planter.
2. Uncontaminated greens
Store-bought herbs don’t compete with the taste of fresh. Grow your own to transform simple everyday meals. You can have peace of mind knowing you’re growing greens for salads that aren’t contaminated with sprays or going to be recalled.
3. Perennial herbs
The majority of your most used cooking herbs are perennials that will come back year after year and usually get bigger.
4. Vertical planting keeps critters away
Growing vertically means the plants are off the ground and away from most pests and pets, ready to snip off and add to your cooking or dehydrate and store your own dried versions.
5. Uncluttered space
I used to grow food in a bunch of pots that were all over my deck. All I had was a cluttered deck that I could barely walk around. Plus, I had pot stains on my deck. That all goes away with GreenStalk.
I grow even more now in a vertical planter than I ever did, and I have space on my deck to host company and enjoy the small outdoor space I have.
6. Herbal-infused water and coffee
Herbal-infused waters have become popular but very expensive in the market. Flavoring water with the goodness of antioxidants, vitamins, and delicious herbal flavors can be a daily enjoyment with home-grown herbs. Plus, I add chocolate mint to my morning coffee for a hint of peppermint milk flavor.
7. Herbal baths and sprays
I also have enjoyed making relaxing herbal soaks for evening baths when I need to unwind. I can also make herbal linen-infused sprays. These items were once occasional indulgences because of their prices, but now they’ve become mainstays because growing vertically gives me an abundance of herbs.
8. Unboxing the vertical plant stand
GreenStalk is a family-owned business based in Tennessee. You’ll get a box filled with containers for growing deep-root vegetables, fruits, and salad greens. It is not complicated to assemble and there are no tools necessary.
You also receive drain hoses, wheel casters, and watering discs. The original planter is 10 inches deep and holds 8 gallons of potting mix. The leaf planter has 7-inch deep pockets that hold 6 gallons of potting mix.
You can also buy GreenStalk supports which are perfect to grow vining fruits and veggies. They clip on and off where you need them.
9. Three steps to set up
Assemble, stack, and move. That’s it! When it’s assembled, it won’t wobble because all the parts click into place. First, pop the caster wheels onto the base and add the drain hose.
Second, stack the planters on top of the base, fill them with potting mix, and add seeds or starter plants to each pocket.
Finally, put a gray watering disk on top of each tier (this delivers water to the pockets in the most efficient way). Wheel the planter to the location and lock the wheels to keep the planter in place.
10. Planting your starter plants
I sourced my starter plants from a farmer’s market I have visited for the past few years. I encourage you to support local nurseries and markets when you can. The number of plants you put in each pocket does depend on what you are growing. You can fit two to three starter herb plants in a single pocket.
11. How watering works
When the planter is in place, fill the top of the watering reservoir. The reservoir does a few things. It allows water to drip into each pocket of the top tier. Water also overflows from the center hole and delivers to each gray watering disk within seconds.
Finally, water slowly drips away from the gray discs to saturate each pocket. You will not have standing water issues, only perfectly watered plants.
GreenStalk planting guide
This is how I maintain a lush garden with lots of fresh food in a very limited space. You can also use GreenStalk for a vertical cutting flower garden. Does the idea of a vertical plant stand resonate with you? Let me know in the comments if it’s something you think could work in your small space.
Comments
Join the conversation
Tried this and had a few issues. Perhaps you can make early adjustments to accommodate. Appropriate watering is a challenge; water does not automatically circulate to lower pots. The tower of plantings can be difficult to turn to be sure all sides get adequate sunlight. The tower became top heavy later in season and tipped over and I was not able to "restack" it when it was full of soil and plants.
also, it's good for plants that do not have a deep root system, so be careful what you try to plant or you'll be disappointed... most herbs and micro greens for example will do well.