Caring for Your Seedlings
Your seedlings have arrived! After spending a few days traveling in a dark box, they need a little light, water, and time to adjust.
Follow the steps below to help them recover from shipping and get them off to the best possible start. Most seedlings bounce back very quickly once they are unpacked, watered, and returned to good growing conditions.
When Your Seedlings Arrive
Start here as soon as your box arrives. The first few hours are mostly about getting the seedlings unpacked, watered, and back into good light.
Open the Box Right Away
Carefully remove the clear shipping trays from the box as soon as possible. Your seedlings have been traveling without light and may look a little different than they did when they left our greenhouse.
Inspect Your Seedlings
Check for shipping damage and make sure your order is complete. Each crop type includes a plant marker to help identify your varieties.
Carefully Remove Them
Lift seedlings by the rockwool cube, not by the stem or leaves. Gently separate any leaves or vines that became intertwined during shipping.
While you wait to hear back from us, please continue following the care instructions below if you plan to plant your seedlings in a hydroponic or aeroponic system. Keeping them properly watered, lit, and cared for will give them the best chance to recover from any shipping stress.
Some Yellowing Is Normal
Don't be alarmed if your seedlings look a little pale or yellow when you first open the box. They've spent several days traveling without light, so some temporary yellowing is normal.
You may also notice small yellow leaves near the bottom of certain seedlings. These are often seed leaves, or cotyledons — the first leaves that appeared when the seed germinated. Once the plant develops its true leaves, the seed leaves naturally yellow, brown, and eventually fall away.
They can be gently pinched off once they begin to decline.
Give Them Water and Light
Water the Rockwool Thoroughly
Water the rockwool cubes as soon as you unpack your seedlings.
Rockwool can repel water when it becomes very dry, so make sure each cube becomes completely moist.
If the seedlings are staying in their trays temporarily, place the tray in approximately ¼–½ inch of fresh water and check them at least once each day.
During very hot weather they may need water more frequently.
Give Them Proper Light
Your seedlings need appropriate light on the day they arrive.
Growing outdoors? Place them outside where they can begin adjusting to the conditions they'll be growing in.
Growing indoors? Place them under proper grow lights. A bright room, household lights, or simply sitting beside a window usually isn't enough for healthy seedling growth.
Can't Plant Them Right Away?
That's okay. Seedlings can remain in their trays for several days — and often longer — provided they have the right conditions.
☀️ Good Light
Keep them outdoors in appropriate conditions or under proper grow lights indoors.
💧 Fresh Water
Keep the rockwool moist and check the trays at least daily.
🌡️ Safe Temperatures
Protect them from extreme heat, cold, or sudden temperature changes.
🌬️ Airflow
Keep them in an open area with reasonable airflow rather than enclosed in the shipping box.
Acclimating Seedlings to Outdoor Conditions
Seedlings coming straight from a shipping box may need a little time to adjust when outdoor conditions are especially hot or cold.
Mild Weather — Below About 85°F
When conditions are mild, seedlings can generally be planted into your Tower Garden when they arrive.
Above About 85°F
After unpacking, place your seedlings outside in a partly shady location for the rest of the day. This gives them a little time to adjust after spending several days in a dark shipping box.
The next day, move them into full sun and plant them in your Tower Garden.
Cold Weather
If overnight temperatures are approximately 45°F or below, bring your seedlings inside overnight to protect them from the cold.
During the day, place them back outside in full sun. Continue bringing them in at night until overnight temperatures are suitable for the crops you're growing.
Planting Your Seedlings in a Tower Garden
Once your seedlings are watered and adjusted to their growing conditions, they're ready to go into the Tower Garden.
1. Start With Good Water
Avoid softened water. If you're using municipal water, make sure chlorine or chloramine is properly addressed before filling the reservoir.
2. Use Seedling-Strength Nutrients
For a newly planted Tower Garden, start young seedlings with:
10 mL Mineral Blend A per gallon
10 mL Mineral Blend B per gallon
This is half of the regular Tower Garden nutrient strength. During very hot weather, seedlings may need an even weaker solution.
Using a different growing system or nutrient brand? Start new seedlings at half the regular nutrient dose, or use the manufacturer's recommended seedling strength if one is provided.
3. Position the Rockwool Correctly
Slide the rockwool cube into the net pot and make sure the bottom of the rockwool touches the bottom of the net pot.
If the cube sits too high, water may not reach it properly and a young seedling can dry out even though the Tower Garden pump is running.
4. Check the pH
After adding your water and Mineral Blend, check and adjust the reservoir pH.
Target pH: 5.5–6.5
Then make sure your pump and timer are working and water is flowing correctly through the Tower Garden.
Plant Your Tower Like a Pyramid
Largest plants at the bottom. Smallest plants at the top.
Where Should Each Crop Go?
Not sure how large your plants will get? Use this guide to help decide where to place seedlings in your Tower Garden. Keeping smaller plants above larger ones helps prevent them from being shaded as your garden fills in.
Remember: this is a general placement guide, not a strict rule. Consider the mature size and growth habit of each variety, and give large or sprawling plants plenty of room to grow.
Planting Your Seedlings in Soil
Our seedlings can also be planted in traditional gardens, raised beds, and containers.
Plant the Rockwool Cube Too
Plant the entire rockwool cube into the soil so the rockwool is completely covered, but avoid unnecessarily burying the plant's stem.
Water thoroughly after planting.
If you're moving the seedlings into strong outdoor sun, give them time to adjust first — especially during hot weather.
Other Hydroponic or Aeroponic Systems
Living Towers seedlings are grown in approximately 1.5-inch rockwool cubes and can be used with many hydroponic, aeroponic, and vertical growing systems designed to accommodate that size.
Follow the water, pH, irrigation, and other recommendations for your particular growing system.
A Note About Strawberry Seedlings
You do not need to remove the rubber band. Plant the strawberry directly into your Tower Garden with the rockwool positioned correctly in the net pot.
What to Expect During the First Few Days
Don't judge a newly delivered seedling by how it looks immediately after opening the box. Shipping creates temporary stress.
Once seedlings receive water, proper light, airflow, and good growing conditions, you'll often see noticeable improvement within the first few days.
🌱 New Green Growth
Fresh new growth is one of the best signs that your seedling is settling in and growing normally.
🌿 Firmer Leaves
Seedlings often become noticeably stronger after being watered and returned to proper light.
🤍 New Roots
Healthy new roots will begin extending beyond the rockwool as the plant establishes itself.
Need Help With Your Seedlings?
Issue With a Recent Delivery?
Contact us within 48 hours of delivery using the live chat on our website.
Please include your order number, a brief description of the issue, and clear photos of the affected seedlings standing upright. Click the paperclip beside the chat box to attach your photos.
They Arrived Fine but Are Now Struggling?
If seedlings arrived healthy but begin struggling after planting, the cause is usually related to growing conditions such as light, water, nutrient strength, pH, temperature, or pests.
Our growing guides can help you narrow down the cause quickly.
Continue Learning
Caring for your seedlings is just the beginning. These resources will help you with the next steps and dive deeper into the most important parts of growing successfully.
🌱 Get Started with Tower Garden
New to Tower Garden? Follow our step-by-step guide to setting up, planting, and getting your garden off to a successful start.
Visit the Get Started Hub →🌱 Seeds & Seedlings Guide
Learn how to choose crops, start seeds, transplant seedlings, and give young plants the strongest possible start.
Explore the guide →💧 Tower Garden Water Guide
Learn which water sources work best and how chlorine, chloramine, and reservoir management affect plant health.
Read the guide →🌿 Tower Garden Nutrient Guide
Learn how much Mineral Blend to use, when to add nutrients, and how weather changes nutrient needs.
Read the guide →💡 Tower Garden Light Guide
Learn how much sunlight or grow-light exposure your plants need and how to recognize insufficient light.
Read the guide →🔎 Tower Garden Troubleshooting
Yellow leaves, wilting, slow growth, or something just doesn't look right? Start here.
Troubleshoot Your Garden →
