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I ’ve always had a negative opinion about aquacultural horticulture . To me , hydroponically rise green groceries try bland and involve more work than gardening out of doors in raised containers or in the ground . However , after my 2d book , craft with herbaceous plant , was released , a PR rep contacted me about test an AeroGarden Harvest for growing herbs . Though initially apprehensive , I did a routine of enquiry on the product and decided to give it a go because it seemed dewy-eyed to use . I figured that perhaps this system might be a honorable way to grow Basil of Caesarea during the wintertime .
After growing two round of herb in the winter of 2020 , I was very impressed . Unlike most home hydroponic systems , AeroGarden systems do not involve the complex balancing of plant food and pH monitoring . I was able to get started in under 10 minutes , and I reaped plants in as little as a month . I ’ve used several AeroGardens over the last 3 years to school an raiment of herbs , leafy greens , blossom , and vegetable , so it ’s dependable to say these systems have really grown on me !
Photo: Debbie Wolfe for Bob Vila
AeroGarden Harvest: At a Glance
Rating:9.5/10
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What is the AeroGarden Harvest?
AeroGarden is an indoor gardening organisation that uses tank farming to replace soil with water supply as the growing medium . The Harvest framework is a midsize organization that can grow up to six plant . It ’s a quad - efficient unit of measurement that meet easily on a kitchen counterpunch or desk .
The Harvest features a lower water source with three light-emitting diode controls at the bottom . It has a removable grow deck with six golf hole for the planting pod . It also has an attached adjustable overhead raise lite panel with 20 - watt full - spectrum LED grow lights . The Harvest features an automatic timer that ensures the lights sprain on and off at the right times , and the backlit buttons prompt the nurseryman to tally water and plant nutrient . Each fashion model is typically betray as a bundle , and shoppers can opt whether to order an herb , vegetable , or flower germ kit . However , any seed outfit can also be purchased separately .
How easy is it to set up an AeroGarden Harvest?
TheAeroGarden Harvestrequires minimum assembly . Once it was unpacked , I was able to put the system of rules together apace . To get commence , all the user needs to do is fulfill the H2O man-made lake with rap water supply just below the mix ticker . The fertilizer bottle indicates how much fertiliser to add to the artificial lake at startup and every 2 weeks while the plants maturate .
The germ pack and pod ’ instructions declare oneself sizable helpful information to get started . The pods are retinal cone - influence peat shot with several seeds glued into the medium . The peat pod sits in a reusable credit card hoop . Each works pod is categorized as brusk , intermediate , or tall ; for optimum increment , it ’s a good idea to place the taller plant life in the back row . The industrial plant pods also inform users about average sprouting times . Each plant pod has a pocket-sized humidity dome to locate over the opening to serve keep it moist during sprouting .
All the nurseryman require to do is enter a fuel pod into one of the six opening in the growing deck . The brightness starts in the low-spirited emplacement , closest to the growing deck . I found that it ’s best to prepare the light in the cockcrow because it will automatically detain on for 15 hour . This was light to do by constrict and throw each clitoris ( light , piss , and industrial plant food ) for a few seconds . The button take off to blink rapidly , then the drug user can reset the timer . The industrial plant nutrient timer will institutionalise an qui vive in 2 week when it ’s sentence to add more fertilizer . When the water stage is too downhearted , the weewee level indicant will blink .
Photo: Debbie Wolfe for Bob Vila
How easy is it to maintain the hydroponic growing system?
AeroGarden ’s robotlike timers make the harvest home well-to-do to maintain . The button lights will remain unripe , dispirited , and white when solid food and water levels are right , and when the garden needs plant life nutrient or urine , they ’ll blink carmine . The risque water Light Within , for instance , will flash scarlet when water is needed , then stop swank once H2O is added . The green plant intellectual nourishment light will start flashing every 14 days or so whenever plant life food needs to be added . Once fertilizer or piss has been added , all the drug user involve to do is tap the folio or water push to reset .
As the plants grow , users must manually invoke the light deck to keep the plants at least an inch aside from the light . Fortunately , I ’ve find that the faint deck easily slides up with piffling campaign . As the works grow , H2O will need to be added several times a workweek — their long root scheme use up piddle at a faster tempo . Depending on growth , it ’s a good idea to prune regularly and alsohand pollinateas involve . This cognitive operation of transpose pollen from manful flower to the brand of female flowers can be done with a cotton swab or thepollinating toolAeroGarden sell separately .
What can you grow in an AeroGarden Harvest?
TheAeroGardensystems can farm several type of vegetable , include peppercorn and tomatoes , herbs , leafy greens such as cabbage , and flowers . small varieties , like cherry love apple , work intimately . While root vegetables and larger garden truck like eggplant ca n’t be grown in an AeroGarden due to lack of space , users can start source in the AeroGarden for transplant out to a container or in - ground garden .
I in the main use the harvest time to get herb and start transplantation for my outside garden . I have tried grow chili peppers , tomatoes , and flowers , but I found mitt pollination to be a bit tricky to get exactly correct . I used the pollinating tool AeroGarden sell , but I contract mixed results . I also grew head lettuce in my Harvest , which did highly well — too well , however , since I apace ran out of grow elbow room . lately , I tried AeroGarden’smicrogreens kit , which allows me to harvest mini green in less than a week ! I grew broccoli , boodle , radish , and beet microgreens . They are yummy on top of sandwich or eaten as salad greens .
Overall , I intend the AeroGarden Harvest glitter when growing leafy Green and when it ’s used as a seed starter motor . I solely begin all my come in the Harvest using theseed start system . After years of starting seeds apply horticulture passion pads , humidity domes , and grow igniter , I fuck that the Harvest can do the same business with a small-scale footprint and less effort . However , the Harvest is too small to make development tomatoes , peppers , head lettuce , or flower worth the try . For those plants , it ’s best to expend one of the larger fashion model , such as theHarvest XLor theBounty .
Photo: Debbie Wolfe for Bob Vila
Do vegetables grown in the AeroGarden taste good?
In my experience , nothing can mimic the taste of Lord’s Day - mature tomatoes , so I come up that vegetables grown in an AeroGarden taste much like hydroponically develop produce from a depot — not regretful , just a bite politic . That ’s the main reason I stick to growing greens and herbs with my AeroGarden . Basil and Anethum graveolens , in particular , grow signally well and taste great .
I have had mixed results with lettuce . Some batches in the past tense have tasted acrid , but I mistrust it had to do with the timbre of the water I used . I typically practice tap H2O , but I had sound results ( taste sensation - wise to ) with lettuce when I used filtered water . Microgreens and herbs have always tasted finely when I ’ve grown them with tap water .
Is the AeroGarden Harvest right for you?
The Harvest is a worthwhile investment funds for those who lack outdoor space or want unused herbs and leafy greens twelvemonth - round . Those who need to take indoor gardening to the next degree might need to try the Harvest XL or the Bounty . you may use any seeds for leafy jet , herbs , and microgreens in the AeroGarden , and it ’s possible to begin just about any case of vegetable for transplanting outside , too . I ’ve go onions , cabbages , and large tomato salmagundi in my crop and had corking results .
I bonk that AeroGarden seed kits do n’t call for to be used solely . Peat fuel pod refill are trade severally , and third - party pods sour in the system , too . You ’ll want to be sure to save the baskets and humidity domes from the startup kit to reuse by and by , though . Once you see how easy and addicting it is to get tonic green groceries in an AeroGarden , it ’s potential you ’ll want to get several !
Where to Buy the AeroGarden Harvest
Meet the Tester
Debbie Wolfe is a photographer , author , and freelancer writer in various niche . She has contribute hundreds of plate , garden , and crafting articles and DIY tutorial for leading media outlets and retail merchant , including HGTV , Real Simple , Forbes Advisor , The Spruce , The Home Depot , Walmart , and Mother Earth News . She is the author of two DIY books : Do - It - Yourself Garden Projects and CraftsandCrafting with Herbsfrom Skyhorse Publishing . Her examination approach is aboveboard and budget - disposed .
Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
We ’ll aid you set up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your patio , a raised bed , or an in - ground plot out back — and choose the good plant for your soil and realm .
Photo: Debbie Wolfe for Bob Vila
Photo: Debbie Wolfe for Bob Vila
Photo: Debbie Wolfe for Bob Vila
