While we may anticipate pests on our outdoor Towers, many growers are under the false pretense that if they are growing indoors, they will be pest free and that is not true. Unfortunately, pests are a part of gardening even growing indoors. Our animals can bring them in, we can have them on our clothing, if you purchase new house plants or flowers, and even the produce from the grocery store can have pests. Aphids love the fresh produce being grown on the
Tower Garden.


Here are some tips for pest prevention:
1. Start with strong seedlings. You want them to be compact, sturdy stature and with a deep color. Avoid seedlings that are lanky, pale, or show any signs of disease, as these will not have the resources to naturally fight off pests.
2. Make sure they are getting plenty of light. Most plants in your Tower require six or more hours of direct sunlight. (Indoors – 14 hours) If you give them less, they tend to produce poor yields. But, more importantly, plants become thin and weak when deprived of light. And unhealthy plants are ideal targets for garden pests.
3. Harvest, harvest harvest! We all love to see big, full plants in the Towers. It’s so pretty. BUT it is a magnet for pests because it gives them many places to hide and reproduce. Plus, it makes easy for the pests to move from one plant to another.
4. Know your growing climate. Not all crops are well suited for all seasons and climates. In fact, most require specific temperature ranges to produce. If you try to cultivate a crop outside of its preferred growing conditions, the plant will struggle. And stressed plants are more susceptible to pests.
5. Search for pests often. I call this “hug your Tower time.” Run your fingers through the foliage. Look closely for pests. Check the new growth and underside of the leave as this is where you will find most pests.

You found pests on your Tower, now what? Pest treatment:

1. If you notice insects on only one or two plants, spraying all surfaces of just those infested plants with Neem oil, Pyrethrin or 3-in-1 Garden Spray will do the trick. ***We carry these sprays at Truegarden.com***
2. We recommend spraying once when you first see the pests and again in three days to catch anything you may have missed. If you notice insects on many plants, however, it is best to spray your entire garden.
3. Outdoors: If you are growing outdoors, hosing your Tower down every few days will help control any pests that may get on your Tower. The water will rinse them off the plants.
4. Indoors: If you are growing indoors and you see pests, if the plants can be removed from the Tower, fill your sink with cool water and a few drops of soap and swish the entire plant in the water. Then treat each effected plant with Neem Oil or other natural insecticide. Spray plants liberally — soak them — and be sure to wet the undersides of leaves where the insect feed and spray your growing medium. **.I also use this method when my new seedlings arrive before I put them in my Tower.
5. If the plants cannot be removed because they are too large, just treat with Neem every 3rd day until the aphids are gone and then spray once a week, not as heavily, to be proactive.
6. A small oscillating fan is helpful to keep the pests off your Tower by creating airflow.


Here is the spray ratio we suggest:
1 tsp Neem oil
½ tsp Liquid soap
16 oz water in spray bottle
Some other useful tips when using Neem and Soap.
• Spray at the end of the day when the sun is setting or your lights are going to shut off. The oil and lights can burn the leaves.
• Neem oil is an oil, and it must be emulsified with soap. Otherwise, it simply floats on the water.
• Neem works by disrupting the hormones of pests by suffocating soft-bodied insects.
Pests, they are arguably the most common challenge for new and seasoned gardeners alike. But it does not have to be that way! With a little planning and diligence and natural pest control sprays, you can easily keep pests away from your produce.