GreenStalk Tips for Hot Climates
In this post, I’ll show you how I use my GreenStalk vertical planter in all seasons—how I set it up, what I plant, and how I adjust my care for Arizona’s extreme summer heat and mild winter months.
Thinking about gardening in a GreenStalk during the summer, especially in a hot climate like Arizona? Vertical planters like the GreenStalk can be a great way to grow in a small space, but they come with extra challenges when temperatures rise. Containers dry out faster, heat builds up quicker, and limited soil volume can stress plants during the hottest months of the year.
In climates with mild winters, GreenStalk vertical planter really shine. The soil warms up quickly, you can move the planter to follow the sun, and crops grow well in the cooler months.
What We’ll Cover:
- Why I Started Using a GreenStalk
- What Is a GreenStalk?
- Best Soil to Use in a GreenStalk
- How to Set It Up
- What to Plant in a GreenStalk
- GreenStalk Gardening in Mild Winter Climates
- GreenStalk Gardening During Hot Summers
- Fertilizing Your GreenStalk
- Watering Tips
- What I’ve Learned So Far
- More Small Space Gardening Articles
Why I Started Using a GreenStalk
I first got a GreenStalk vertical planter because I was running out of room in my raised beds. It was fall, and I needed a place to plant garlic and onions. A few members of my GITG Academy classes had shared their success stories, so I figured, why not give it a try?
What started as a space-saving solution quickly became an experiment in small-space gardening. I was curious: how much could I grow in a small footprint? And how would it hold up to an Arizona summer?
Since then, I’ve been testing different crops and setups and learning a lot along the way. In this post, I’ll share tips for setting up, growing, and maintaining a GreenStalk—especially in a hot climate.
What Is a GreenStalk?
The GreenStalk is a tiered vertical planter with several pockets per level, stacked to form a tall, compact garden. It’s perfect for patios, balconies, and other small spaces. One of my favorite features is that it rotates, making it easy to adjust for sun exposure throughout the day.
Each tier holds about 0.75 cubic feet of soil, and a seven-tier GreenStalk holds just under 4 cubic feet total—plenty of room to grow a variety of crops.
You can purchase a GreenStalk here and use my discount code: GITG10 to save.
Best Soil to Use in a GreenStalk
Good soil is essential. I use a high-quality raised bed mix from Arizona Worm Farm and mix in a balanced organic fertilizer. Each pocket needs to drain well but hold moisture.
If you’re using the GreenStalk Leaf Planter like I am, each tier holds 0.75 cubic feet of potting mix (about 6 gallons). With 7 tiers, that’s a total of 5.25 cubic feet of soil (or about 42 gallons).
That’s actually a decent amount of soil for a vertical garden. Be sure to fill each tier all the way to the top—more soil means better moisture retention, deeper root space, and less temperature fluctuation.
Before planting, I also top off each pocket with worm castings harvested from my in-ground beds. It helps bring biology into the soil, especially important in a container system like this.
Read more: Best Soil for Raised Bed Vegetable Gardening
How to Set It Up
Setting it up is simple, but one step is critical: make sure it’s level. The watering system is gravity-fed, so if the tower tilts even a little, some pockets may stay dry while others are overwatered. I learned that lesson the hard way. My ground slopes, so I placed a brick underneath the base to level it.
I placed mine in a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade—a must for Arizona summers. The base rotates, so I spin it each time I water to give each side even light.
What to Plant in a GreenStalk
Incorporate companion planting principles, even in a small space like a GreenStalk. I try to include a combination of vegetables, herbs, and flowers throughout the planter to create a balanced and productive mini-ecosystem.
This mix helps attract pollinators, deter pests, and maximize space. For more ideas on how to pair plants together, check out my blog post on Companion Planting.
When choosing what to grow in a GreenStalk, look for compact, dwarf, or container-friendly varieties. These are naturally better suited to the shallow pockets and limited root space.
GreenStalk Gardening in Mild Winter Climates
If you live in a climate with warm winters and hot summers, the GreenStalk is ideal from fall through early spring.
- The soil heats up quickly, helping crops grow faster.
- You can move the planter to maximize sunlight as the sun angle shifts.
- It’s easy to cover during a cold snap.
In the low desert, fall can still be hot, especially in September and early October. Wait to plant cool-season crops like garlic until daytime highs consistently drop below 90°F (32°C). Planting too early in hot soil can cause sprouting issues (garlic may rot) or stress for young plants.
As the days get shorter in the fall, set your GreenStalk in full sun and rotate it every few days to encourage even growth.
Crops that grow well in winter: (click on crop name for growing guides)
GreenStalk Gardening During Hot Summers
Summers in the low desert are intense, and container gardens need more care. These tips help keep a GreenStalk growing during the hottest months.
- Move it to a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade.
- Rotate the planter each time you water to give all plants equal light.
- Add a two to three-inch layer of mulch in each pocket to reduce evaporation and protect the soil from the sun.
- Water frequently and check individual pockets by hand to monitor moisture levels. As temperatures climb, expect to water more often—sometimes daily in extreme heat.
- Choose heat-tolerant crops and follow proper planting timing using my Zone 9/10 Planting Guide.
Crops I’m growing in my GreenStalk this summer: (click the name for growing guides)
- Bush beans
- Peppers
- Basil
- Zahara zinnias
- Trailing vinca
- Cantaloupe (experimenting with ladder mesh block trellis support)
I include GreenStalk vertical planters as part of my seasonal garden layout. See where and how I place them in my backyard design.
Fertilizing Your GreenStalk
Each pocket is like a small container—nutrients can wash out quickly. I fertilize once a month using a liquid organic fertilizer, diluted according to the label. Then I pour it directly into the top reservoir, where it filters down through all 7 tiers.
Since the full planter holds about 5.25 cubic feet of soil, check your fertilizer label and calculate the amount based on that volume. For example, if the instructions recommend 1 ounce per 1 cubic foot of soil, you’d use just over 5 ounces for the entire GreenStalk.
I’ve used AgroThrive’s organic balanced fertilizer for years, and even with all the other options out there, I keep coming back to it. It’s not available on Amazon—you order it directly from their website through this link.
Watering Tips
Watering is simple—just pour water into the top reservoir and let gravity do the work. But again, the key is making sure it’s level.
I also check pockets by hand occasionally to make sure everything is evenly moist. In hot weather, I water more often and use mulch in each pocket to retain moisture.
What I’ve Learned So Far
GreenStalks can be a valuable addition to a patio or small-space garden, especially in regions with mild winters. While summer gardening in a GreenStalk requires more attention, it’s possible to grow a surprising amount with the right setup.
You can purchase a GreenStalk here and use my discount code: GITG10 to save.
If it’s your only way to garden, don’t be too hard on yourself if your harvests are smaller than what others grow in big garden beds. You can still grow a lot in a little space—and that’s what matters.
- Plants don’t grow as large as they do in raised beds.
- Watering and fertilizing are simple if you stay consistent.
- I remove root balls when crops finish to make space for new soil.
- GreenStalks are easy to move and adapt to changing light.
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