5 Simple Habits That Keep My Indoor Tower Garden Exploding with Greens All Winter

For the past 8+ years I’ve kept at least one Tower Garden running indoors through every Maryland winter. No sunny windows, no greenhouse — just a small corner in a spare room, some LED lights, and five little habits that make the difference between “okay” greens and “I can’t keep up with the harvest” greens.

Here they are — the exact five things I never skip:

Tip #1: Run a gentle fan 24/7

A small oscillating fan on low is one of my non-negotiables. It mimics natural outdoor wind, strengthens stems so the plants don’t get leggy, moves moisture away from the leaves, and keeps mold and pests away. I just point it so it lightly rustles the leaves — that’s all it takes.

Tip #2: Harvest early and often

The minute the leaves are big enough for a salad, I snip. The plant’s response? “Oh, you want more? Here you go!” I literally harvest 7 days a week and the towers never slow down.

Tip #3: Do a 60-second “dead leaf patrol” once a week

I walk around my tower with scissors and remove anything yellow, brown, or mushy. Takes less than a minute and keeps pests and rot from ever getting started.

Tip #4: Talk to my plants

Yes, really. I say a cheery "good morning" and chat with my plants while I harvest — the gentle vibrations and extra CO₂ from my breath actually help them grow stronger. Science backs it up, and honestly, it just makes the whole experience more joyful.

Tip #5: Never stop the seedling conveyor belt

I start 4–6 new rockwool cubes every two weeks. That way the moment one plant is done, a fresh one is ready to drop in. Continuous harvest, zero gaps.

That’s literally it.

Five small habits = bowls and bowls of fresh lettuce, kale, spinach, and herbs from October through April — even when it’s snowing outside.

Want five of my favorite recipes that use these exact greens?

Grab my free Tower-to-Table Recipe Guide.

What’s your favorite indoor-garden habit? Drop it in the comments — I’d love to hear!

Grow strong 🌱

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