Why You Should Get a GreenStalk | Kris’s GreenStalk FAQ

(UPDATED June 2023)

In the summer of 2021, I was blessed to be gifted a 5-tier GreenStalk Original as part of my acceptance into the affiliate program. Can I tell you how much I love it? I purchased 4 more over the past couple of years. And, I just received one of their gorgeous new colors for review… so, right now I am proud owner of 6 GreenStalks… four 5-tier Originals and two 7-tier Leafs.

Why do I love them? A GreenStalk is a great way to add a lot of planting space in a small footprint. If I had known about them when I starting gardening in 2020 I fear my patio would have been covered in them. You can add them to your existing garden space, a patio, a balcony, or a deck without much hassle. And depending on the model you gain space for up to 30 or 42 plants.

I feel like I am typing the same info over and over every time I promote a sale, so I put together this GreenStalk FAQ that I can refer to when people ask. I hope it helps you decide if you want to purchase a GreenStalk!

Visit GreenStalk Garden and use my code, LTG10 for $10 off your purchase of $75 of more.

 

How Tall and Wide is the GreenStalk?

I’m 5’3” and I have no problem reaching the top of my GreenStalk to add water, or to harvest plants at the top.

• The 5-tier GreenStalk Original is 55” tall.
• The 3-tier GreenStalk Original is 35” tall.
• The 7-tier GreenStalk Leaf is 56” tall.
• The 5-tier GreenStalk Leaf is 40”

All planters are approximately 19” wide without plants. When choosing a space, be sure there is clearance all around for spreading plants, and for you to walk around if needed.

 

How Much Does a GreenStalk weigh?

A 5-tier GreenStalk Original full of wet soil and plants weighs approximately 150 lbs. The Leaf is similar in weight. So, no worries putting them on a deck or balcony.

 

How Many Plants Can I Plant?

• The 5-tier GreenStalk Original has 30 pockets
• The 3-tier Original has 18 pockets
• The 7-tier Leaf has 42 pockets
• The 5-tier Leaf has 30 pockets

Depending on what you plant, multiples plants can be sowed in each pocket.

Can I Mix and Match? How Tall Can I Go?

Yes! You can mix and match. GreenStalk has recommendations for max height and which tiers should be where. Just be sure to follow the specs and you can create your own unique GreenStalk.

If you are mixing and matching tiers, this is the maximum amount of tiers GreenStalk recommends:

• 1 Original + 5 Leaf
• 2 Original + 4 Leaf
• 3 Original + 3 Leaf
• 4 Original + 2 Leaf

For maximum stability, they recommend stacking the Original tiers on the bottom and the Leaf tiers above.

 

Do I Have to Use Certain Soil?

A good quality potting mix is best. You are free to mix your own, follow the Mel’s mix recipe, buy pre-packaged, or do a combination. GreenStalk recommends Pro-Mix, Fox Farm, or Espoma Potting mixes. Avoid using topsoil or garden soil as they are too dense. However, you are free to use any brand that you have had success with.

Do I Have to Amend the Soil?

I want my plants to get off to a nice strong start, so I always amend my soil when planting… No matter what I am using. Yes, it is true that a good potting mix has some slow release fertilizer in it, but it certainly does not hurt to add more. This way you can give your plants a good boost.

I amend with…

• Mushroom compost
• Worm Castings
• Organic Granular Fertilizer like Espoma Garden-tone
• Gypsum or Bone Meal (to add calcium)

You can order these things online, or pick them up at your local big box store. And watch for clearance sales near the end of the growing season in your area.

Once I have planted everything, I water well into each pocket for a few days, let them get settled, then I feed them with a water soluble fertilizer like Miracle-Gro Performance Organics.

How Often Should I Fertilize?

The GreenStalk tiers are containers aka pots. Containers lose nutrients a bit faster than in ground or raised beds because there is less soil. So, watering and rain wash the nutrients away faster. For this reason I recommend using a water soluable fertilizer every 1.5-2 weeks. You can use the same one mentioned above. I like to use one a hose end sprayer that just goes on the end of my hose. I then water the whole garden and I’m done!

How Much Soil Does it Hold?

• The 5-tier GreenStalk Original holds 5 cubic feet (40 gallons) of potting mix.
• The 7-tier Leaf holds 5.5 cubic feet (42 gallons) of potting mix.

 

Do I Need the Mover or Ultimate Spinner Base? Does it Come with Wheels?

I highly recommend the Ultimate Spinner Base! It allows you to turn your GreenStalk around to be sure all sides get adequate sun. This is important if you are sitting your GreenStalk on a patio or Balcony where sunlight might be uneven during certain times of the day. And, it helps you reach plants on all sides, which makes harvesting easy. It does not need the wheels to turn. However, you can add the wheels if you want to roll it. You also might want to roll it up against your house or garage for shelter in bad storms.

The Mover base comes with the wheels and allows you to turn or move it. If you already have a Mover and you upgrade to the Ultimate Spinner, you can remove the wheels and put them on the Ultimate Spinner.

 

Can I Sit it on Dirt or Mulch?

Yes you can. But, it must be on a level surface for stability and even watering. I recommend purchasing a large patio stone. I purchased a 24” round patio stones from a local store, leveled them, and put my GreenStalks on top.

 

Will it Blow Over in the Wind?

Once filled and weighed down with soil and plants the GreenStalks are very, very stable. And if your GreenStalk is level it should be fine. Most of mine have been in place for 2-3 years and I have only had one issue with one falling in near tornado force winds. Other than that we have had wind storms, thunderstorms, blizzards, and tornado warnings and the GreenStalk usually do not move. Mine moved because, as I found out later, the base was not perfectly level. It had shifted. I have since corrected that.

However, if you have the ability and you know that a really wind storm is coming it is recommended that you water it to add weight and move your GreenStalk close to your house or other structure to be sheltered a bit from the wind.

What Can I Grow?

The possibilities are almost endless! So far I have grown peppers, lots of bush beans, herbs, potatoes, beets, flowers, leeks, onions, sorrel, bok choy, cabbage, strawberries, tons of kales, chives, beets, and much more.

The year I am once again doing a full tower of peppers in one of my Originals! Want to know how to grow a full tower of peppers? Check out my post, How to Grow 30 Peppers in Only 2 Feet of Space!

Another Original is full of strawberries. The Leafs are filled with brassicas like collards, mustards, cabbages, bok choy, and herbs. And I am fitting in onions, leeks, chives, and basil everywhere I can to hopefully deter pests. I have not completed that list just yet! I still have another one to plant.

Others have grown squash, zucchini, full heads of cabbage, a full tower of cucumbers. I’m amazed at what I have seen grown in GreenStalks!

Want to see my GreenStalks in action? Check out my YouTube GreenStalk playlist. 

There are recommendations for what can go in a Leaf versus what you should grow in an Original. Shallow rooted plants work well in a Leaf. Deep rooted plants like tomatoes and peppers, or long root crops like most carrots should be grown in an Original. Download the full GreenStalk Planting Guide.

 

How Do I Water?

Watering is easy! You can hold your hose in the reservoir at the top until water flows through the bottom. There are markings for the number of tiers. If you fill to the proper line, the water should reach all tiers. However, on super hot days I prefer to let the water run through and watch it runs out of the bottom of the base to make sure that soil is saturated. And, when starting new plants I water each pocket individually for a few days until they are good and established.

And as of recently in 2023, GreenStalk now offers the GreenStalk Spring Automatic Watering System! I am in the midst of getting mine hooked up along with the rest of my garden irrigation. So far they are great! You can use it with only one GreenStalk, or hook multiple ones together. Stay turned for more on that.

GreenStalk has several great sales throughout the year! Head on over to the GreenStalk website. Use my code, LTG10, to save an additional $10 off your purchase of $75 or more… even on top of the sale price!

Want to chat GreenStalks and gardening with me? Come on over and join my Facebook group, AeroGarden, Kratky, and Gardening Fanatics.