Differences between the 2 tower gardens 

Thank you very much for your comment. I appreciate that!

Thank you for the comment! You must have some towers too! I do think this will be a big part of our future

@@audreystowers Imagine if everybody had their own "ponic garden" how much of a burden it will take off of the worlds food supply. Not to mention the impact on nature. I personally find it even easier to go *"aquaponically"* because then I don't have to rely on someone else's fertilizer formula. I let my fish do all the work~! I find (my towers consist of around 30 plants) 6 gold fish (highest ammonia producing) to work great. I'll feed my fish at least twice per day. Sometimes 3 times. I'll have a new video out later in the year of a new (4) unit outdoor system I'm currently working on. Lettice, tomatoes & strawberries love the set up.

@@andybilakshow260 thank you for the comment Andy. I would say that whatever it takes, aquaponic, hydroponic, aeroponic like my towers, these days everyone should be trying to grow their own food. Or a combination of a few different types of growing, thats what I do too!

Still exorbitantly expensive but I concur that hydroponics farming is definitely the future of farming certain things. It's mostly only good for leafy plants but the Dutch are famous for their hydroponic tomatoes and other vegetables.

This is a paid for comment

Thanks for watching Matt. Yes I am having much success so far with these 2 towers. I quite like them, they are producing well.

thank you for commenting, you're welcome. If you have any other questions about towers feel free to let me know!

Hey there, thanks for your comment and question! Yes I do start my own seedlings. I have a couple of videos on that so I'll attach a couple of them below. I am certainly enjoying the indoor tower gardens yes, everything is going really well, plenty of harvests from these towers for sure! Enjoy the videos, let me know if you have any questions! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-u4HohE-o8Sk.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RmgRwvEjImQ.html ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-37zmlq7DZqE.html

I appreciate that! Thank you for watching.

@@audreystowers no problems looking forward to more

Hi there, this is what is on the website regarding what type of plastic material - "Made from high-quality, USDA-approved, UV-stabilized, food-grade plastic. Our plastic is also completely opaque - it keeps out light, inhibiting algae growth." I am afraid I do not know where the parts are manufactured. I hope that helps!

Thank you Mike. I personally have not taken the time to do any fancy calculations or anything like that, as I haven't noticed a change in my bill. I have had that question before so asked some peers who have been growing in towers for years, and they have noted ~ 3-4$ a month. They are LED lights, so very little power usage. And the pump itself runs about 5 mins every 45 mins. So they don't run constantly. I hope that helps!

Approximately 12.5kw/hr per week assuming the lights are on for the recommended 14 hours a day. If you pay $0.16 per kw/hr, about $2 per week

Hi there, thanks for the comment. I will work my way through your questions below ... I did tower trials last year, 2022. I tried out 3 different hydroponic/aeroponic towers. One of them was the older version of the flex tower that I have above, but it did not have the LED lights. To make a long story short, the tower garden flex I trialed kicked butt! The other 2 towers were no competition for growing food indoors. The tower gardens above come with EVERYTHING you need to get growing, and more actually. And they do exactly what they say they can do, grow nutritious food fast, and easy! So I was sold on them. I use the city water right out of my tap. I have heard people use tap, well, jugs of water, distilled, reverse osmosis, etc. There are many different types of water you can use in the towers. A mineral mix is added to the water in the reservoir, and then the water is pH'd as well. The company and other tower garden peeps I have talked to recommend a complete cleaning of your tower garden every approximately 6 months. I have had my flex tower garden (with the green reservoir) running since Dec 23 2022. There is no mold or anything like that in the water. The bottom of the reservoir has a bit of silt type settled there, but not much. There is no dirt/soil in this aeroponic growing method, no dirt at all! It grows food aeroponically, so it uses air and water to grow. It is now 7 months since I started the tower so I will be taking it apart in August to clean, and put most of the plants right back in after I clean it. The LED lights are rated for 50,000 hours, so a very long time. I have not heard of any reference for length of time the water pump lasts. Even in the facebook groups I have not seen that question actually, which tells me it has not been a problem. I will have to check into that one! From what I have seen so far the tower gardens do not really go 'on sale.' The company has put on several what they call 'bundle' deals. For example, right now the company has the tower + support cage bundle deal available for a few months! There! I think I got them all. If I did not just let me know! Or if you have any other questions fire away. If you want to jump on a phone call, or a one on one zoom call we can plan that too. It tends to be a very good way for me to show someone around the website, the components, and to have a tour of my 2 tower gardens which sit right behind me. Also where are you from, which country? I can send you the applicable links if you'd prefer to look around the website yourself.

@@audreystowers thank you so much for the great response and replying very quickly, I truly appreciate it! That’s a relief that the bulbs should last around 10 years and I can just use my city water 🙂 I live up in Canada so I’m thinking the garden tower will be a game changer compared to our outdoor garden that we don’t nearly get enough time to enjoy in a year! Also our outdoor kale has pest issues now so I’m excited about an indoor system not having those problems 😁

@@audreystowers actually one more question! How often do you have to refill your flex water reservoir on average? Is it filled once a week or once a day type of thing? Thanks again 😄

I’m in Canada as well. So I get exactly what you’re saying! I just posted comparison kale pictures on my Facebook feed a couple of days ago. Inside vs outside. Go check it out👍👍! I changed my outdoor garden planning this summer based on keeping my towers running through the summer as well. When it comes right down to it our summer growing and eating is a very very short time. And the towers grow lettuce and kale and spinach and other greens inside that Are sooo much better than what I could grow outside. And no interruptions

Adding water frequency greatly depends on what plants your are growing currently, AND what stage of growth they are at. In the beginning with young seedlings it does not use much water at all. So was adding i believe every 4 weeks ish. But now that many of my plants are mature and flowering and producing fruit they require more water (of course) and so I have to add water more often. Maybe every 2 weeks ish. I’d have to look back at my journal. I hope that helps!

Hi there, thanks for your comment. I am not sure I understand. You have a tower garden with the LED lights by the Tower Garden company?

@@audreystowers thx 4 your reply. No, I have LEDs to grow at home. But, the light from them should not be looked at, it's dangerous for your eyes. I was wondering why these are safe to look at as these are open and white. My ones are red and purple.

Hey Nathalie, thanks for the comment. I would answer that by saying the investment made to purchase and operate the tower(s) is all relative to what one currently spends on food from other sources, whether that be organic, local growers, grocer brands, etc. Or other methods of personal or group food growth. And all of these greatly fluctuate, including electricity costs, depending on where one lives as well (from state/province/city to country). So there are quite a few variables to consider when talking about the investment piece, imho. And that doesn't take in to account the quality of food from other sources, which has been of great concern for me. As well as the current trajectory of the 'way of the world' these days. I can get the rockwool from a local source which is more economical, so there are other options there too. Check out some local nurseries or garden/hydroponic/aquaponic stores for rockwool if you have some close to you. Nutrients I plan to keep buying from the company. I have grown really great cherry tomatoes, amazing peppers on the same tower as a lot of different lettuce varieties, and herbs as well. So I have not had a problem with that so far. I am currently starting a new cherry tomato variety and slicing tomato, so we'll see how those grow!

The mineral blend nutrient is formulated for leafy greens, it is not as concentrated as other nutrients. Its much more economical to use a dry nutrient such as masterblend or jacks. Growing tomatoes and lettuce in the same tower is not a good idea as they have completely different nutritional requirements. If you tailor the nutrient to lettuce, the toms will not perform well. If you tailor the nutrient to tomatoes, the lettuce will be toast. Sweet peppers (bell pepper) have similar nutrient requirements to tomatoes, hot peppers (chilli) will do well on half strength tomato nutrient. Mixed crops in a tower will grow but its not optimal.

Hi there Brice, thanks for you comment and question. I have zero water leakage problems. Both tower reservoirs are in just one piece, so there are no holes in the bottom or seams where they're put together or anything like that. One solid piece. There is a small hole at the top in the side of each reservoir to run the pump cord through, but thats it. It is not filled with water that high. I have spilled water on the floor just of my own doing while filling the towers with a big pail that I use. It just wipes up easily of course. Zero water leakage from any of the section seams or anywhere else. Some thing you can do which I've seen others do as well is to buy a plastic sheet, like an office chair protector for the floor for under the towers. I seen others buy a floor pad from amazon. I've seen others use a plastic boot/shoe mat for their towers as well. So there's a few options if you're worried about that type of thing. I hope that helps!

Hey Carol, thanks for your question. I am actually not worried about my flooring from water damage. The only water it sees is from a few splashes from me when I am filling my reservoir! The reservoirs are very sound, and in one piece, very very little chance of water leaking.

hello and thank you for your comment. I appreciate all that information. I have had my towers running now for well over 8 months with no water damage or problems at all. And where I live in Canada we do certainly have problems with various pets outdoors, as do most places! For 15 years I fought against what was labelled by western medicine as an 'immune disease' also. I healed myself. There is light at the end of that tunnel, so keep up the learning, you will win your battle! My best to you!!

With indoor growing you should be mindful of the additional humidity created by plant transpiration and evaporation as the water flows down the tower. Adequate ventilation is essential to prevent mildew / mold issues.

Hey Troy, I can get that info to you, please email me audreystowers@proton.me. Let me know what province or state you live in.

Hey Kevin, thanks for watching and commenting. Oh I have so much to say on those good questions! The tower garden does not run $800+/year, not even close, so I'm not sure what you mean about that? Depending on where you're located (US or Canada) there are a couple of subtle differences between what comes with a tower garden order. Regardless though, you get everything you need to set up and run and grow in your tower multiple times. There is just 1 exception, and that is the rockwool cubes, you get enough to plant your tower in full once. Rockwool is easy to access and low cost. In regards to the 3d print I'll tell you a story about my journey. Last year I spent the majority of a full year testing out 3 different tower garden brands, I was looking at price, looks, ease of use, maintenance requirements, and of course was it successful at growing food. One of the towers in my trial was the tower garden flex owned by a friend of mine (the green base in the video), it did not have the LED lights, we used a home made LED system. The whole experience was totally worthwhile, I learned a lot. But the tower garden flex beat the others hands down. I tell you that because if I had just bought myself a tower garden flex when I started I'd be way ahead. My trials of course took a lot of time, research, personal energy, running around, fails, troubleshooting, you name it. I have come to the realization that my time and energy are very important to me. My experience with these tower gardens in the video has been exceptional. And I can spend my precious time and energy doing so many other things! They're already made, work so well, available, easy to use, very low maintenance, and they grow food very well. Trying to make my own was not an option! :)

And Kevin, regarding the nutrients/mineral mix, in Canada the kit comes with enough mineral mix to last 10-12 months. Depending on how often you add them, and is the tower inside or outside, things like that. I bought an extra set of minerals after my tower garden order, that was easy to do. Below is a link to the tower garden flex (Canada) just for an example, under the "Includes" there is a snapshot of what all comes with the tower. Vertical, aeroponic Tower Garden Arugula, Bibb Lettuce, Rainbow Chard, Gourmet Lettuce, Black Magic Dino Kale, Sweet Basil seeds Seed starting supplies, including germination tray, 20 rockwool cubes, vermiculite and net pots Pump, timer and drain tube Tower Garden Mineral Blend plant food (2 gallons) and measuring cup pH test kit and one bottle each of pH adjusters Dedicated customer support and comprehensive growing resources to help at every stage of your Tower Garden experience I hope I have answered all of your questions! Again, thanks for commenting. audreydoepker.towergarden.ca/shop/growing-system

@@audreystowers Thanks for that response! I hear you.. I think for most the purchase path is better. I am a tinkerer and DIYer hobbyist so went the route of 3d printing. The price I got was just a quick search on the brand, and the link took me to a page that showed $85 a month for 12 months.. so that was how I calculated that (and assume it was a subscription based plan where you get the tower/etc and they send you nutrients every so often). Not sure if that is the only way to obtain one or if that was a scam site. These units like very nice.. and you're right.. no time wasted in printing. The ability to print and customize parts is another reason I like the 3d print route.. as well as the cost. Totally customizing the entire unit.. different tiers with more/less pods, some with racks for things like tomatoes, adjustable lights, etc drew me in. But I absolutely can see the lure of these types of units as well. It's going to take me a week to print everything and it wont be "as smooth" as these units are for sure.

@@b3owu1f interesting! Yes I'd assume most don't have the expertise and knowledge that you have to be able to do that. Good luck! I hope it goes well.

@@b3owu1f I didnt use a 3D printer to make my towers. If you plan to go ahead make sure it uses mist or it will be hydroponic not aeroponic. Something tower garden owners may not have considered is how much water they pump therough their towers per day compared to how much water the plants in their towers actually use per day. A commercial (2.9m) 52 site tower garden will have 5280L run through it per day. and yet the 52 plants in the tower only use 4-7L a day. Pumping 5273L more than the plants actually need is incredibly energy inefficient. The smaller towers will run less water but they also have less plants so the inefficiency will be similar. I doubt many TG owners will have tested how much water they are pumping through their tower per day. If they did they could compare the daily throughput to the total amount used by the plants including evaporation etc and be shocked when they see the difference.

Hi there. Thanks for the question. I’ll paste directly from the website here. I can’t seem to be able to add a link. I’ll try to do that for you later though. It is the same plastic. Not rubber. I do sell the towers as well if you’d like to know more. audreystowers@proton.me Product Details Made from high-quality, USDA-approved, UV-stabilized, food-grade plastic Warranty We offer an easy five-year limited warranty on the Core Plastic Components; we will repair or replace any defective original core plastic component, which are the Nutrient Reservoir, Reservoir Lid, Access Port Lid, Tower Sections, Shower Cap, Shower Cap Lid, Pump and Timer.

@@audreystowers Thank you! In a comment below, you experimented with several grow towers, and the TG performed so much better. Was the growth better? What do you attribute it to?

@@sewpretty13 it was a whole bunch of things. One big one being the LED Light kit that is made for the Tower Garden. The other 2 do not have a dedicated light system. The size of the other 2 gardens were much smaller. Smaller reservoirs. Smaller capacity. One of the towers came with a dry mineral mix, it did not seem to do the trick at all. And the water got very cloudy and foamy very fast. The growing medium on both was different. One used coconut coire, the other used a brown cube (I cannot off hand remember the name of it). The growth was exponentially better on the tower garden, no comparison. And that was actually even without the mineral mix that comes with the tower garden kit. I didn't have that when I did my trials. I did write about this on my facebook page a few times. I hope that helps

Hey Jackie, thank you for your questions. It is a difficult decision, they are both great! To help you make that decision I would ask you a couple of questions. First of all, what do you want to grow? And secondly, how much room do you have? IF I had to do it all again, and I could only buy 1 tower, this is what I would do. Because I have the room for the 30 inch across tower (flex with the green base), I would buy the flex, plus the support cage (there is a bundle deal on that right now), plus the dolly, and a combo extension kit. That way I could grow 24 regular plants, + 16 microgreens/herbs! The best of both worlds really:) But it really does depend what you want to grow, and where you would put your tower. If you can tell me that then maybe I can help you make that decision! Feel free to message me here in comments, or on the contact page at the link below. You would just have to enter my name as the 'representative.' audreydoepker.towergarden.ca/about/contact

@@audreystowers I do have the space. its going in my living room and i have enough room for a 6' diameter without a problem and i have 10ft ceiling in that room. my hopes are to grow small tomato's, sweet peppers, lettuce, perhaps baby cucumber if those and the tomatoes will work together, some basil , small onions, chives and lettuce . basically its for winter salads. I live in Canada so buying fresh greens is expensive here I wanted broccoli but the plants for those are so huge so maybe broccolini if I can even find the seeds in canada. I like the looks of the home model better and the fact it has the small ports for herbs on the top but then the flex has that amazing surface to lay tomatos on and could even place my seedlings on that shelf to get them growing in the lights. Also does the flex now come with that new kind of easy step timer like the home model?

@@TheUniquepools thanks for the info Jackie. So cherry tomatoes, peppers, lettuce varieties, cucumbers, basic, onion, chives. A lot of the same that I am growing here. And I live in Canada as well so I feel your pain:) Side note, I just bought a baby broccoli variety of seeds that I am going to try. I'll give you the info in another comment. I have been buying all my seeds from Canadian sources. And you're also right, that shelf that the flex provides for growing larger flowering produce is wonderful to have. I also just had my germination tray sitting on that shelf, worked very well. The LED light system is now the same for both towers. And they come with a very easy timer to use. I also think the flex looks really good with the dolly underneath. I have mine on a moving cart which is not as attractive at all. By the sounds of what you want to grow, and the amount of room you have, I can give you my personal opinion. If it were me I'd buy the flex tower kit, with the dolly and LED light kit. I would grow determinate tomatoes (bush variety), and put them in the bottom section of the tower. And if I wanted the microgreens option I would buy the combo extension kit to add on. BUT, that is only my opinion, it is totally up to you!! Also note this video that I did a month or so ago with regards to the home tower. In case this helps you decide. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Gpagq1acmcc.html Keep me posted. I'd like to help in any way I can. You can see the combo extension kit here on my website. audreydoepker.towergarden.ca/shop/combo-extension-kit

@@TheUniquepools This is the baby broccoli variety I bought. Keep in mind I haven't tried it yet, but I am excited to! Aspabroc Broccolini. West Coast Seeds.

@@audreystowers I am on that west coast seeds sight. starting my list of seeds to get. thanks so much Audrey. getting that Aspabroc Broccolini for sure!!

Hi there, thanks for your question! It's easy actually. All you have to do is remove the reservoir cap, where you add water, and have a look into the reservoir. I have my water pump stuck to the bottom of the tank/reservoir, right at the base of that cap and can easily see the pump from that hole. I let my water get down to a few inches above the pump, and then I know to add! Let me know if you have any other questions!

Thank you.

Hi Carmen. I sell the tower gardens, and would be more than happy to help you and to answer any questions you have. The best way to get ahold of me would be for you to go to this link and enter your information there. Make sure my name is on that page. Once you hit "submit" on that form I will get a copy of that email! Then we can connect. I am looking foward to hearing from you. audreydoepker.towergarden.ca/about/contact

Ok thank you

@@carmenherrera6000 you're welcome. If you have trouble that way let me know!

Can you send me website we’re I can a tower

@@carmenherrera6000 certainly. If you have questions as you're looking through it let me know. I don't know where you're from so I'll provide Canada and US pricing. This is Canadian pricing audreydoepker.towergarden.ca/shop

Thank you for the comment, it is a great set up! The fish tank idea isn't a bad one at all, I'm afraid at this time I don't have the knowledge or time to be able to pull off such a thing. Also I am not on the same page regarding the mineral mix used with the tower gardens. But thank you for your comment! I appreciate that.

@@audreystowers You should ask a chemist about the mineral blend nutrient, he/she will give you the facts.

TY. I guess it all depends on what you're looking for. IMHO neither tower is a mistake, you can do very well with either.

Thank you Keith. I appreciate the watch and the comment!

Thanks for your feedback. I take it you have the tower garden flex? I do like that tower very much, it does exactly what I need it for.

Hi there, sorry to take so long to get back to you! I will attach my website link below with this comment. There is a TON of information at that link about tower gardens, as well as pricing. There is pricing in Canadian dollars and US dollars, so I'm not sure what country you are from. I myself would not want to built a tower like this. IMHO Juice Plus has perfected this system, and it would take me a LOT of time to try to copy anything even remotely like it. These days my time and energy are very important to me. I just want to grow food:) At my website there is a 'contact me' link as well. Feel free to message me there. I hope I have helped you!audreydoepker.towergarden.ca/aeroponics

Hi Carol, thats a lot of questions! :) Most of my peers say that they clean their towers about once every 5-6 mos. It does take a day effort. Some plants can be taken out and roots put in water or another tower until the cleaning is done. And then put back in the tower. Others start over with seedlings after. Food grade citric acid at a low concentration is the recommended cleaner. Most I've seen will soak their pieces for a few hours. Just like everything else in my life everything needs a good cleaning a few times a year so that is not a deal breaker for me at all. Just a necessary step in growing food. Loss of electricity is a concern, and for many reasons besides towers. If my power went out I'd try to put my towers in a south facing window, it won't do the trick for long. If power went out for a just a few days I'd bathe the roots by taking the mineral water and draining it over the shower cap manually a few times a day. Or take the plants out and leave their roots in water. If power is out longer than a few days then we have way bigger things to worry about imho. I'd eat what I could and save other longer term food sources for after. I have used the clay hyrdoponic balls with luck as well as rockwool. I haven't tried any other growing medium in this particular tower. There is no subscription available with tower gardens. The company sells supplements that can be on a continuous plan. But not towers. For a return policy this is listed on the website - We at Tower Garden value you as a customer, your satisfaction is our top priority. If the Tower Garden is not what you were expecting, we will gladly accept returns within 90 days of the sale date for a refund, if the product is unused and resalable. Preference for which tower depends on a few factors for me. Space, what plants you'd like to grow, what you enjoy eating. In my situation if I had to do it all over again, and could only get one tower, I would buy the flex tower with the dolly and lights and support cage, plus a combo extension kit for microgreens. So far that is my opinion anyway. That could change! I hope that helps! Thank you for commenting.

@@audreystowers Thanks so much. So appreciated. All sounds good except for the return policy unless I am misunderstanding. Are you saying if the tower has been used then the return is not accepted?

@@CAMDEC1217 You're welcome. I have not had any experience with returns myself, nor any of the customers who have bought a tower through me. We've all been quite satisfied with our towers! I would think every situation would have to be taken up with head office by making a simple call. It would probably, like anything else, depend on the reasons for wanting to return. And the situation around it. But I am not sure.

@@CAMDEC1217 Even if you could use it, 90 days isnt enough time to evaluate the product..unless you grow cress :)

Hi there, that is going to depend on where you live. Which country, and even which state or province. I can send you my link and you can check out some of the pricing there. I can get you exact pricing as well if you'd like. But I would need to know that information. Feel free to email me at audreystowers@proton.me if you would. Up in the top right hand corner of my website you can change the 'country' you live in to see pricing. audreydoepker.towergarden.com/ca/en/home

Hi there, thanks for the question. The LED Indoor Grow Lights webpage states this, "The lights are full spectrum and support fruiting and flowering crops. Just stay on top of your pruning and pollinating game...unless you have a house full of bees." I hope that helps! I can help you get a tower, or answer any questions you have. If you want a personalized, more informative conversation about the towers, where you can ask questions specific to your situation just get ahold of me at audreystowers@proton.me

Hi there, they both need the LED light kit for growing indoors. The one on the right, the Home tower garden, just doesn't have them attached yet. The light kit is on the floor beside the Home tower. I mention that in the video as well. I hope that helps!

I do not have a scale at my place. I’ll see if I can find that out tho. Why do you ask for the weight?

Thank you TG, I appreciate that! I feel there is a tower garden in your future for sure!

Hey stinging metal, thanks for your comment. My goodness, that's quite a statement to make though. Do you own or have you ever owned one of these tower gardens? I’m assuming you took into account all of the variables that a person might consider when investing in a food production system like this. Just a few of those variable might be ... Where a person lives, how many in the household, how many mouths to feed. Does the household pay for what one might call highest quality produce. The quality of the produce that is even available, the nutritional variable is huge, and is different everywhere you go. A person or families dietary habits, what are they eating daily. What do they want to eat daily. Their personal health status. The general availability of produce in the stores. The cost of food depends greatly on where you live as well. A person is not making payments on a tower over a lifetime. These towers last for years and years. I could go on and on. Many people are now utilizing these towers for producing food and making a living using tower farms, vertical farming, and it is worthwhile for all the reasons I mentioned above. I hope to do that. These factors above (esp food quality) plus the ability to grow my own food, working towards food autonomy, are all very much worthwhile for me, and many others. The general global chaos drives me to own more of these towers, not less. The towers are very much a long term investment for me, and not a frivolous purchase. To each his own though. IMHO and current experience so far, it really is not as cut and dried as your comment.

@@audreystowers You're absolutely right and have the correct mentality on the subject. If you broke down the cost of what you're consuming, I'd be willing to bet you're paying more than double or triple the amount you'd pay in grocery stores. But, you're right there are so many variables to take into consideration which is necessary before purchasing the product. If you're paying (with all the accesories, shipping etc) $1000 for a tower that can only produce 24-32 plants....if each plant produces a harvest value of $2-$10, you're not even close to breaking even. Does it come with the led lights or is that extra? The lifespan of the lights matter because say they last 2 years, well then you have to buy another set which is ______ amount of money which adds to your overall cost. So, as you can imagine there are alot of factors involved the main point im trying to get across is how important it is to do a cost analysis and assessment of everything before making the purchase.

@@stingingmetal9648 Dude shut up.

@@extremerealming4975 Rookie. Im trying to help, dont be a sensitive fool. Ive been researching these topics for over 14 years.

I don't own one of these myself but would love the chance to try it. I do dabble in the kratky method and do a LOT of raised bed and greenhouse gardening. I have spent a lot of money over the years on gardening so for me the cost of the Towergarden is not so off the wall. I LOVE gardening and the value we get from it. The biggest benefit; it is readily available, fresh, I know how it was grown and handled. I can pick it as I need it, and I throw much less away, I have tried growing in soil in the house but not as successful as I have found with the Kratky method. So I imagine the Towergarden is similar if not better. For me gardening of any kind is not cheap, and if you are doing it purely to save money, dollar for dollar it might take some time and careful calculating. BUT what you DO get from your own garden regardless of style is something you will NEVER find in a grocery store. I loath buying my produce in a store. The waste is huge. It is already weeks old when I bring it home. It does not last. and I don't always trust how it was grown. For me any garden, regardless of cost is better than the grocery store.