Tower System 2.0 Build

Here is a quick demo of how to build a simple and effective tower system that optimises vertical growing space. This is an improvement on last years build.

The build:

6 lengths of 2000 x 100dia drain pipes (pvc). The 100mm diameter is important. This was the main problem with last years build. I only used 50mm pipe and after a few months the plant root mass was so big that it clogged up the pipe. I suggest 100mm or bigger.

One sheet of filter material: 2000 x 1000 x 50mm. The thickness should be half of the pipe’s diameter so that it will sit nice and tight in the pipe.

1. Cut the filter material (using a circular saw at 22deg) into 12 trapezoidal strips, 100mm on top & 50mm on bottom.

2. Cut a 30mm strip out of the pipes using the circular saw (tip: drag the saw backwards to reduce the chances of the pvc pipe cracking)

3. Put two strips of filter material together with the 100mm faces together and then drag them into the pipe so that the crack between the two strips of filter material is in the middle of the slot in the pipe.

4. Trim off the extra filter material flush with the end of the pipe.

5. Using some sort of hydroscopic string create a wick that runs the entire length of the pipe. I used 4 lengths of string per pipe (the more the merrier).

6. Dip the wick into water to wet it. This just makes it easier to start the towers once they are in the system. If you don’t pre-wet the wick then it will still work but the water may choose not to follow the wick at first and you may have water everywhere when you first turn the water on. Make sure you really soak it, squeeze out all the air.

Once the wick is wet pull it out

And place it in the pipe’s slit

Push the wick into the slot in the filter material about 30-40mm.

Do this all the way down the pipe.

Then you are done! Tower complete. Just hang them up and connect some water and a pump. 
You will need something to collect the water at the base of each of the towers. I used two storage boxes connected with a water filled pipe (to keep the water level equal in both sides). You will also need a pump that can pump a 2.5m head. Fill it up with water and turn it on. Make sure you get even flow through each of the towers.

Once you are happy with how much water is flowing it’s time to start planting!

Push the roots of the plant into the filter material until the entire root base is covered. It’s ok to take the soil from the starter pots with it. The soil will eventually flush out.