The Bottom Line
Pros
- Easy to use
- Innovative technology
- A great way to have fresh produce always available
Cons
- Device requires a significant chunk of counter space
- Grow light is harsh and bright
Description
- Aeroponic technology grows plants in air and water
- Built-in grow lights on adjustable arm so you can raise it as your plants grow
- Comes with a starter seed kit (many others are available from the manufacturer for $10-$20)
- Programmable light timer
- Sensors indicate when water level is low or nutrients needed
- 21"H x 18.5"W x 10"D
- Available in black, white or silver
Guide Review - AeroGarden Classic
The Aero Garden grows plants indoors, using aeroponic technology (roots are suspended in moist air and nourished by a water chamber and periodic additions of nutrient tablets – no dirt is involved). The manufacturer, AeroGrow International, offers seed kits to grow herbs, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes and even flowers.
For those who don't have much luck with gardens, the AeroGarden is relatively foolproof. You pop the seed pods into the holes, fill the chamber with water, add a couple of nutrient tablets (included with the seed kits) and press some buttons. Germination and growth of the plants is faster than those grown in dirt, so you could be harvesting your bounty in just a few weeks. And there's little maintenance, just refilling the water reservoir and adding nutrient tablets every couple of weeks. A blinking light tells you when to do this. The bright light source is on for about 16 hours and off for 8 each day; you'll want to program the machine so that the lights are on at a time that's convenient to you because they're very harsh.
The AeroGarden doesn't always work as well as the photos and videos on the company's Web site would indicate. When I grew a mixed herb kit, one of my herb pods never sprouted at all, the "chives" pod grew only one lonely sprout, and the hardy basil crowded the other plants so they didn't thrive as much. (When pods are "duds" you can call customer service and they're replace them). What's more, the yield of some of the kits can be disappointing; the lettuce kits will only give you enough for a 2-serving salad, and you probably won't have more than a couple of ripe tomatoes at one time. And $150 can be a lot to spend for a novelty (Smaller versions are available for around $100).
But the AeroGarden can be a conversation-starter and a fun way to have fresh herbs always at the ready.
