Plant Towers Great For High Value Crops

Plant Towers Great For High Value Crops CROPS Miscellaneous 26-3-44 You can grow 5 to 6 times more plants per square foot with less water and less fertilizer using the new Agro-Towers stackable planter units. Agro-Tower units form crop towers that allow for tremendous production, even in small areas, says Lee Blevins, who developed the towers with Greg Powell and Robin Marks. "They're made from a special UV-resistant plastic and can be used with conventional soil or for hydroponic production," says Blevins. Each section has 6 planting ports, 4 in. in diameter and 10 in. apart. Individual sections are 20 in. in diameter and 8 in. deep and nest for easy shipping and storage. The pots can be stacked to whatever height is comfortable. A 6-unit tower with 36 planting ports stands about 4 ft. tall when filled. Blevins estimates that the towers conserve 80 to 90 percent of water and 60 to 80 percent of fertilizer normally needed for horizontal planting. Excess water flows through from one section to another, thanks to drain holes in each unit. "With these towers, you can grow on asphalt, if necessary," says Blevins. "They're ideal for strawberries, vegetables, herbs, flowers or whatever." Blevins estimates that an acre of towers could support nearly 136,000 strawberry plants or the equivalent of 5.6 acres of traditionally planted berry plants. But the big advantage of the Agro-Tower system is that the crop is so much easier to harvest. Agro-Tower units come in terra cotta and black, with white available only as a special order. Cost is $59.95 plus shipping for a pack of 6 black units or $69.95 for 6 terra cotta. Discounts are available for pallet loads with 96 units to a pallet. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Lee Blevins, Box 1026, Atascadero, Calif. 93422 (ph 805 461-1761: E-mail: leeblevins@ thegrid.net).

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