19 Best Plants to Grow in A GreenStalk Planter

Vertical gardening is a game changer in small spaces, making the most of limited growing space. You’d be surprised how much you can grow with minimal floor area if you just look up. And to get started, one of the easiest ways to garden vertically is with a handy planter called a GreenStalk.

These containers have pockets arranged in tiers, allowing you to grow dozens of plants with room not much bigger than a standard pot.

But not all plants are suited to this growing environment. The best plants for GreenStalk planters either stay relatively compact, trail beautifully over the edges, or produce high yields in limited soil volume. These 19 options will help you make the most of your vertical garden with minimal maintenance and maximum returns.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one of the first vegetables new gardeners try to grow, and if you’re interested in saving space, GreenStalk planters offer the perfect environment. Determinate or compact varieties shine in this setting, fitting well while still producing impressive harvests.

Cherry types like ‘Sungold’ are a popular choice. One plant per pocket will trail down the sides, giving you masses of delicious tomatoes to harvest. As long as your GreenStalk sits in a sunny position, you shouldn’t have any trouble with yield.

For that reason, it’s best to place tomato plants in the top tier where they’ll receive maximum sunlight. The excellent drainage of GreenStalk planters prevents a lot of the disease issues that plague container-grown tomatoes.

Peppers

Fitting perfectly alongside your tomatoes (in a GreenStalk and your next salad), peppers can also fit perfectly within the pockets of these vertical planters. The slight root restriction in containers can actually encourage more fruiting in the short term, potentially leading to a harvest much sooner.

No matter whether you prefer sweet bell peppers or spicy varieties, as long as the variety is suitable for container growth, they’ll be happy in a GreenStalk. Something like mild ‘Orange Sun’ or spicy ‘Scotch Bonnet’ will work wonderfully.

Consider creating a pepper tower with different varieties in adjacent pockets if you really love the heat. The pop of color each type brings will also add tons of ornamental value.

Cucumbers

While traditional cucumber vines would quickly outgrow a GreenStalk, bush or compact varieties like ‘Spacemaster 80‘ are an ideal choice. These space-saving alternatives produce full-sized fruits in compact spaces, including the pockets of your GreenStalk.

Position cucumbers near the top or middle tiers and allow them to cascade over the sides, making the most of your vertical space and the available sunlight. Once fruits begin to appear, they may need additional support to avoid snapping.

Like tomatoes, the quick drainage helps prevent the fungal issues that can plague these vegetables. It also improves air circulation around the leaves and fruits, while retaining enough moisture to ensure juicy fruits.

Eggplant

Much like cucumbers, as long as you choose the right varieties (like ‘Jewel Amethyst’), eggplants are another great choice. Their naturally compact growth fits perfectly within the pockets of a GreenStalk, adding a wonderful pop of color too.

The contained environment of a GreenStalk actually helps these heat-loving plants early in the season by maintaining warmer soil temperatures, which eggplants need to thrive. Place them in the upper tiers where they’ll receive plenty of sunlight to fuel fruit production, potentially extending their productive season.

Beans

For quick returns, beans are great performers in GreenStalk planters. Bush beans like ‘Jade’ deliver harvests without requiring the space and maintenance that pole varieties need. Their compact size is perfect for the pockets, and they won’t mind the restriction in space.

The elevated position makes harvesting straightforward. In fact, it’s almost too easy, meaning you’ll be picking off crunchy beans to snack on fresh all day long. Don’t forget to save some for the kitchen!

In GreenStalks, beans are less likely to suffer from soil-borne diseases with the right care. For a continuous supply, consider succession planting by adding new bean pockets every few weeks throughout the growing season.

Lettuce

A GreenStalk planter can effectively serve as a pick-your-own salad bar when you include some previously mentioned entries on this list and the salad staple: lettuce. These leafy greens with consistent moisture and good drainage, creating ideal growing conditions.

One advantage of GreenStalks and lettuce is the ability to grow multiple varieties simultaneously. There are so many delicious varieties of lettuce to try, and you can plant new types as you harvest others, making it ideal for indecisive gardeners.

If you’ve popped your tomatoes or cucumbers in the top, lettuce is perfect for the middle or lower tiers. Here, they get some protection from harsh midday sun, extending the growing season.

Spinach

For a little more nutritional value from your leafy greens, spinach also appreciates the controlled growing environment GreenStalk containers provide. Since spinach has such a shallow root system, it fits perfectly within the pockets for maximum production.

Plant spinach in the middle to lower tiers where temperatures remain slightly cooler, great for gardeners in warmer climates wanting to extend their season. The consistent moisture helps prevent the bolting issues that often plague spinach later in the season.

Arugula

For impatient gardeners, one of the quickest crops you can grow in a GreenStalk planter is arugula. You’ll be picking peppery leaves in as little as 21 days after planting.

This fast-growing green has a shallow root system, great for filling in gaps. Its upright growth also ensures good air circulation between plants.

Arugula can be positioned pretty much anywhere in a GreenStalk, though middle tiers often provide ideal growing conditions. For continuous harvests, succession plant every few weeks, replacing pockets as plants fade or bolt.

Bunching Onions

Vegetable gardens are incomplete without the flavor-enhancing value of onions, but many of these are not ideal for GreenStalk growing. That’s where bunching onions come in.

Also called green onions, these kitchen staples have a narrow and upright form that fits seamlessly into a GreenStalk. These vertical growers make excellent use of limited soil volume while providing multiple harvests over time.

A single plant like ‘Tokyo Long White’ can produce for months. Unlike bulbing onions that demand extensive space, bunching types fit well. They adapt well to various light conditions, making them suitable for placement in almost any tier throughout the tower.

Radish

While large bulbing onions may be tricky to grow, that doesn’t mean all root crops are off the table. Radishes don’t take up much space and mature from seed to harvest in as little as 21 days.

Their small root systems work well with the pocket design, and several plants can grow in each section. That’s why radishes serve as excellent space maximisers in a vertical garden. Plant between slower-growing vegetables to make efficient use of every pocket.

The consistent moisture from the GreenStalk’s irrigation system produces tender, crisp roots without the woodiness or splitting that sometimes occurs with inconsistent moisture. Varieties like ‘Cherry Belle’ are small and reliable producers.

Beets

Another root crop to try that delivers root-to-stem goodness is beets. They have nutritious roots below (the main attraction), but also offer tasty leaves above from the same pocket space.

While they need a bit more room than tiny radishes, compact varieties like ‘Golden Boy’ perform well in containers, and by extension, in a GreenStalk.

The middle tiers provide ideal conditions for beets (moderate sunlight without overheating). The controlled environment often produces smoother, more uniform roots. Plus, the vertical arrangement makes harvesting both greens and roots convenient.

Strawberries

Some plants seem designed specifically for GreenStalk planters, and strawberries certainly fit this description.

With naturally shallow root systems and a trailing habit, these beloved fruits are ideal residents in vertical gardens. The plants spill attractively over the edges while producing sweet berries that are easier to spot and harvest than in traditional beds.

The elevated growing position creates multiple benefits for strawberry production. Beyond the excellent drainage (which prevents fruit rot), the height significantly reduces pest damage. The result is cleaner, more perfect berries.

Basil

Many herbs thrive in GreenStalk planters, and basil is no exception. The warm soil and excellent drainage create ideal conditions for lush growth, while the controlled environment enhances essential oil production for more flavorful leaves.

Multiple varieties can be grown simultaneously. Sweet Italian in one pocket, Thai basil in another, and purple basil in a third provide culinary diversity and visual interest. What more could a gardener ask for?

Basil performs best in the upper to middle tiers, where it receives plenty of sunshine. The convenient height makes regular harvesting straightforward, which encourages greater yields over the season. Trim often to keep the plants compact and avoid leggy growth.

Oregano

Many Mediterranean herbs excel in containers, including oregano. Its sprawling, semi-trailing habit cascades over the edges of each pocket, adding edible and ornamental value.

This herb appreciates excellent drainage and warm soil temperatures, elements not in short supply in GreenStalks. The leaves develop a more intense flavor under these ideal conditions than when grown in stressful environments.

Thyme

Small in stature, thyme is another herb that makes effective use of GreenStalk space. This low-growing herb forms a dense mound of aromatic foliage within each pocket, bringing both culinary value and beauty to your vertical garden.

As a drought-tolerant Mediterranean native, thyme appreciates the excellent drainage these planters provide. Plus, container-grown herbs often develop stronger flavors, making the small leaves much more powerful in your dishes.

The upper tiers provide full sun exposure, while the contained environment prevents woody, sprawling growth that older thyme plants often exhibit in the ground. Different varieties like lemon thyme or creeping thyme have unique flavors you’ll struggle to find in the grocery store.

Mint

Growing mint without garden takeover is tough. In a GreenStalk, in-ground spreading is no longer a concern. This typically aggressive herb stays perfectly contained in a GreenStalk, giving it room to thrive without crowding in-ground plants.

Spearmint, peppermint, and chocolate mint can thrive in different sections of the tower, each maintaining a distinctive flavor profile. Positioning mint in the middle to lower tiers provides some shade during the hottest part of the day.

Petunias

GreenStalks are commonly filled with vegetables and herbs, but they’re perfect for flowers too. Particularly trailing varieties that grow well in pots, starting with petunias like ‘Petite Charmer’.

These flowering annuals cascade beautifully, creating flowing carpets of blooms that soften the planter’s edges. Trailing varieties are particularly effective, quickly spilling over the sides and disguising the structure beneath. Their continuous flowering habit ensures months of color in your vertical garden.

Positioning them in the upper to middle tiers where they’ll receive abundant sunshine fuels flower production. For maximum impact, consider mixing different colors in adjacent pockets or creating a coordinated color scheme throughout the tower.

Sweet Alyssum

Alyssum is known as a wonderful container companion, trailing beautifully down the sides of pots and hanging baskets (and now, your GreenStalk).

This low-growing annual creates cascades of tiny, honey-scented flowers that spill beautifully from the pockets. The cloud-like effect softens the edges of a GreenStalk while providing valuable habitat for pollinators.

This adaptable plant performs well throughout the GreenStalk tower. It adjusts to different light levels and thrives with good drainage. The trailing habit creates a unified, cohesive look that ties the vertical garden together.

Marigolds

Marigolds earn their place not just through their cheerful blooms, but through their pest-repelling properties as well. They make excellent companions for edible plants, deterring certain insects while brightening the overall display. Compact or French varieties fit perfectly within the pockets, forming neat mounds of colorful blooms. Intersperse them throughout the GreenStalk tower, adjacent to vegetables that benefit from their companion effects.