How to Set Your Tower Garden Timer
Your Tower Garden timer controls how often the pump sends nutrient solution from the reservoir to your plants. The correct setting depends on whether you have the older mechanical/analog timer or the newer digital Tower Garden timer, and whether you're growing indoors or outdoors.
If you just need the correct Tower Garden timer settings, you'll find them below. We also cover how to set both types of timers and answer some common Tower Garden pump timer questions.
Tower Garden Timer Settings
Use these settings for your Tower Garden pump timer.
Mechanical / Analog Timer
Digital Timer
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Choose your timer or find answers to common timer questions.
How to Set a Mechanical or Analog Tower Garden Timer
Older Tower Gardens use a mechanical timer with small pins around the dial. Each pin represents a 15-minute interval. Moving the pins allows you to control when the Tower Garden pump turns on and off.
Indoor Mechanical Timer Setting
15 minutes ON / 45 minutes OFFSet the mechanical timer so the Tower Garden pump runs for 15 minutes followed by 45 minutes off, repeating throughout the day and night.
Outdoor Mechanical Timer Setting
15 minutes ON / 15 minutes OFFFor outdoor growing, set the pump to run for 15 minutes followed by 15 minutes off, repeating throughout the day and night.
How to Set the Digital Tower Garden Timer
The newer digital Tower Garden timer makes setup simpler because the indoor and outdoor watering cycles are already programmed into the timer.
Indoor Mode
5 minutes ON / 40 minutes OFFSelect the indoor setting when your Tower Garden is growing indoors. The timer automatically repeats the 5-minute-on, 40-minute-off cycle.
Outdoor Mode
3 minutes ON / 12 minutes OFFSelect the outdoor setting when your Tower Garden is growing outside. The timer automatically repeats the 3-minute-on, 12-minute-off cycle.
Can't Remember the Digital Timer Settings?
The operating instructions are printed directly on the back of the Tower Garden digital timer, so you can quickly check them whenever you need to reset or reconnect your timer.
Why Are Tower Garden Indoor and Outdoor Timer Settings Different?
A Tower Garden growing outdoors is exposed to sun, wind and higher temperatures, which can cause plants and their roots to lose moisture more quickly. Outdoor timer cycles therefore deliver nutrient solution more frequently than indoor cycles.
Always make sure you're using the setting that matches where your Tower Garden is actually growing.
Tower Garden Timer and Pump Troubleshooting
If your plants are wilting, don't automatically assume the timer is the problem. First confirm that the pump is actually running during each ON cycle and that water is reaching the top of the Tower Garden.
Check These First
- Make sure the timer is plugged in and receiving power.
- Confirm the pump is plugged into the timer correctly.
- Verify that you're using the correct indoor or outdoor setting.
- Check that the pump runs when the timer enters its ON cycle.
- Make sure nutrient solution is reaching the top of the Tower Garden.
- Check the reservoir water level.
In hot weather, wilting can also be related to nutrient concentration rather than the timer itself. Plants use considerably more water during high temperatures, so the same nutrient strength can become too concentrated.
See our Tower Garden nutrient guide for seasonal nutrient recommendations.
Tower Garden Timer FAQs
What should my Tower Garden timer be set to?
For a mechanical/analog timer, use 15 minutes ON and 45 minutes OFF indoors, or 15 minutes ON and 15 minutes OFF outdoors. For the digital Tower Garden timer, use 5 minutes ON and 40 minutes OFF indoors, or 3 minutes ON and 12 minutes OFF outdoors.
Does the Tower Garden timer run at night?
Yes. The Tower Garden pump timer continues cycling throughout the day and night using the appropriate indoor or outdoor watering schedule.
Is 3 minutes enough for the digital timer outdoors?
Yes. The digital outdoor cycle runs for a shorter period but also has a much shorter OFF cycle. It runs for 3 minutes and then remains off for 12 minutes before repeating.
Can I keep using my old mechanical Tower Garden timer?
Yes. If your mechanical timer is working correctly, there is no need to replace it simply because a digital version is now available. Continue using the correct mechanical timer settings.
Why are my plants wilting even though the timer is running?
Wilting doesn't necessarily mean the timer setting is wrong. Check that the pump is operating, water is reaching the top of the Tower Garden, and the reservoir has enough water. During hot weather, nutrient concentration can also contribute to wilting.
Need a Replacement Tower Garden Timer?
If your existing timer has stopped working, you can replace it with the digital Tower Garden Timer. If your older mechanical timer is still working properly, there's no need to replace it.
Shop the Tower Garden Timer
