How to Build a Flower Tower

• Wear gloves when handling the fencing to avoid injury from sharp edges.
• Use the outside of a slightly smaller container as a guide to help round out the cylinder as you bend it into shape.
  Be sure to choose a diameter that will fit inside the flower pot you want to use as a base.
• Overlap the length of one section of fencing to make the seam stable.
• Cut the fencing to the desired diameter using the aviation snips.

• Overlap one rectangle of the wire fencing and snugly zip-tie the two sides of the cylinder together.
• Continue tying the rest of the tower together across the joints in the fence.
• Use enough ties to keep the wire rigid and stable once it is filled.
• Cut the excess at the ends of the ties, leaving about 1/4 inch.
• Check to make sure the wire tower frame fits into the selected container. It should fit about one-half to three-fourths of the way into the container to increase stability once filled.
• If you need to cut down the height, use the snips.

• Wrap the landscape fabric around the outside of the tower to measure how much you will need.
• Overlap the fabric an inch or two. This will make sure the soil can’t spill out through the seam.
• Cut the fabric to size using a pair of scissors.
• Roll the fabric and slide it inside the tower.
• Smooth the fabric along the inside of the tower and cut off any excess. Leave 2 inches of overlap at the top that will be used to secure the fabric in place.

• Fold the 2-inch flap of fabric over the top of the tower.
• Use a utility knife to make small slits in the fabric just under the metal rim, cutting through both layers of the fabric.
• Cut one slit in every third rectangle of the fencing.
• Insert zip ties through the slits and tie down the top of the fabric.
• Cut the long ends of the zip ties to 1/4 inch.

• Fill the tower up about one-third with potting soil.
• Add water to settle the soil.
• Fill to two-thirds full with soil and add more water.
• Fill to about 1 inch from the top of the tower with soil and add water.
• Lightly press the soil into the tower to prevent sinking.

Use a garden spade to fill soil around the outside of the tower inside the container.

• Cut a vertical slit and a horizontal slit into one of the top-level rectangles in the tower to create a “+” shaped hole. These holes are where you will plant the flowers.
• Cut one hole in every other rectangle and stagger them as you work your way down the tower.
• Leave the bottom row just above the soil line free of holes to allow plants to cascade over the edge of the container.

• Use your finger to poke holes behind the fabric openings.
• Gently press the plant or seedling into the hole.
• Make sure the flaps of fabric close around the stem of the flower to help hold soil in the tower when watering.

• Place a few plants at the top of the tower to finish it off.
• Water twice a week and fertilizer every three to four weeks for continuous blooms.

As the season progresses, your flower tower will fill in for a lush display. Keep it well-watered and fertilized for a summer full of blooms. Drip irrigation is a good solution to hand-watering in the heat of summer. Install the irrigation tubing when you create the container.