EquipmentAeroGarden Harvest, AeroGarden Bounty units
Plants15
AudienceExperimental
What you can learnA detailed experimental herb diary with strong information on germination timing, flavour, pruning, longevity, and unsuccessful spider-mite control.
Actions:4 Harvest3 Pruning2 Equipment2 Planting2 Transplant1 Training
Useful practices
tracking germination and growth
moving faster plants to larger units
regular basil and dill pruning
supporting weak dill stems
taste-testing uncommon herbs
showering and spraying plants with horticultural oil
Problems encountered
failed germination
slow-growing herbs
algae
weak and falling stems
spider mite infestation
plant damage after repeated treatments
*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.
I gave my basils & dill a major haircut for New Years Eve; my parsley was looking very weak after 2 months, and I'm hoping more direct light can help. Also - the dill has a wonderful flavor, but it's producing far far more than I can use! Also, look at my chervil! I tasted one of the leaves, and it has a pure black-pepper zing. I like it, and hope it grows strong.My savory, meanwhile, is ready for a good harvest. The stalk is nice and thick, so this looks like a strong one. I'm thinking of making a savory mashed-potato dish tomorrow.And finally: sorrel is growing very slowly in a pot. This is a bit bitter like arugula, but with a stong lemon taste. I tried some seeds in the ag; they sprouted but don't look healthy. Sorrel is a cool-weather plant, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to gather enough for a proper sauce. It needs to be cooked, so I won't be using the leaves raw. I need a good amount.As for some of the other guys: my chives are just a few straggle stalks after two months. Does it ever get large enough to harvest? Lovage and borage never sprouted, but they were some experiments more than herbs I really want or need (though lovage would have been a nice addition; it looks like parsley and tastes like celery). And I cut back on the zaatar after leaves started turning brown, and the new growth looks healthy,
Chives normally stay a bit scraggly, since they grow as hollow tubes rather than a plant with leaves and branches. Once mine got close to what I expected in diameter (close to what I get from the store), I started cutting them down to half-way every time they got near the light.
I did some two month housekeeping:- Removed the mint. The mint was pretty enough, but didn't have much flavor. I tried making ice cream with it, but you could barely taste the mint. I made tea a few times, but I'm not much of a tea drinker. I have a spearmint plant in a pot, and the difference was striking - the spearmint smells and tastes wonderful.- Removed the Thai basil. I like it with Asian food, but it doesn't really match with anything I cook at home. I just don't use it enough, and I wanted more light to reach some of the slower growing herbs. - I tried planting cuttings from cilantro, French tarragon, and rosemary. The cilantro shot up some leaves the first day, but then slowly rotted. I pulled it. It's too early to tell how the tarragon and rosemary will do.- I put in new pods with epazote (attempt number 3), and added second plants for chervil and pipicha. I really like the flavors of all of these, and I can easily use all that I grow. I think it would be good marketing for Aerogarden to add savory and chervil to their regular pack, instead of giving us four (!) pods of basil in the nine-pod herb pack.- On order: AG pods for another savory, oregano, globe basil, and Marseille basil. That will give me four varieties of oregano (marjoram, zaatar, AG oregano, oregano in soil). It will make an interesting taste-test when they all mature.
I think your cooking must be more interesting and adventurous than mine. It would be fun to watch! The savory, especially, is beautiful. I agree with you about the mint vs spearmint. When you had a soil garden, did you ever grow pineapple sage? It's a huge plant, but the scent and flavor (especially for teas) is exquisite. It also has attractive red flowers.
kanewai, about the chives... I let two AG chive pods sprout until they were about 3-4" high, then removed the sponges and cut one side of each sponge open, then carefully removed the 5 or 6 seedlings from each. Then I planted all the little seedlings in a pot. They grew like weeds. I could not keep up with them. In fact, they are still going. But the papery bases are getting tall, so it's probably time to replant soon. I will probably just plant seeds directly in a pot next time.
Thanks! It's fun to experiment. Though some of these are actually standard herbs that I see all the time in old recipes, but since they don't ship well, or can't be grown in bulk, they disappeared from the stores. We live in such a mass-market world, yeah? If you use oregano, thyme, or sage then you could add savory - it blends well with them. And chervil could go with anything you use chives in, like beans or potato salad.Some of the Latin ones are definitely more experimental, at least for me.The pineapple sage sounds lovely. I live in the tropics, so never had much luck with even regular sage.
kanewai, yes, it is a mass market world. If you want something that not everyone wants, you have to get creative. I have rarely used savory, mainly because it is considered "the bean herb" and I didn't know what else to do with it. It is such a pretty plant. I'd like to try growing it when I have a slot for it. Thanks for suggestions on how to use it. I don't know how well pineapple sage would grow in the tropics, but it grew vigorously for me in north Florida where it is hot and very humid. It is a short day plant that gets 3-4 feet tall.
I did some cleaning and re-arranging to try and bring more light to the slow-growing herbs. Also, some of the herbs look like they're nearing the end of their productive lives. I realize I don't see much about how long different plants are expected to last, so here's my observations:Productive, but after three months I might need to replace them. savory: Flowered after about 70 days and started to die back. I removed the pod and planted a new one. Genovese basil: Taste is still fine, better than store-bought, not as good as when the plant was young. Leaves are looking a bit old. I planted a Marseille basil pod that sprouted after three days; I might remove the Genovese soon. Dill: similar to basil. After about three months started flowering. I've cut it back significantly. I like having dill on hand, though I don't use it much. I might look for some dwarf varieties. Doing well after three months Thyme: Nice and compact. Slow growing. Zaatar (oregano): I moved to the Bounty; he wants to get big! But it's slower growing than the dill and basil, and so easier to keep trimmed and compact Pipicha: my new "cilantro." Healthy but so slow after three months - once in awhile I cut enough to use, but not regularly: chives, Italian parsley, curly parsley. Meanwhile, the chervil still looks frail after six weeks. I have two pods, one from AG and one from my own seeds. It's slower growing than even the parsley. Culantro looks healthy but is still only an inch high. I stuck a rosemary sprig in a sponge and I see roots growing! The marjoram sprouted early, but still looks delicate & isn't strong enough to hold itself up (my thyme acted the same way for a few weeks).
Great observations! I don't know how long herbs will grow because I freeze or dry mine when they begin to decline. Or when I have enough preserved that I want the Aerogarden space for a new project. Shawn or someone else should be able to give you an accurate estimate. The tip on rooting rosemary in an Aerogarden is much appreciated. I tried to start cuttings in water a while back without success.
I have seen many herbs go on and on. I personally find after some time they get thin or bitter. I usually end all mine after a couple of months and start new. It is a personal choice.
If I get motivated I'm going to update my chart & note which herbs were annual, perennial, or biennial. And which are cool weather / warm weather herbs. I suspect there's a correlation. I pulled the basil, dill, savory, and pipicha. After three months they weren't producing much new growth, and I wanted more light to reach the slower growing herbs. I made one last batch of pesto, and now will wait for my new basils to come in. I also replanted a pipicha and savory. And - for the first time - I am not maxing out the Bounties with nine pods. This is a breakthrough for me! For the first round I wanted to grow everything I could think of. Now I want to give more light to the herbs that I use the most, and to keep them healthy.New pods: Marseille basil, globe basil, borage, and oregano have all sprouted. All are a.g. pods except the borage.I haven't used borage before, so this one is an experiment. An earlier attempt never sprouted. I know it gets big, so I'll need to keep this guy under control.My zaatar oregano is doing fine, and the marjoram is slowly growing, and I also have an oregano in a pot. Luckily I can use a lot of it. I'm curious to do a "flavors of oregano" post once I have enough to compare all of them. I also put in sage, garlic chives, and lovage pods. They haven't sprouted yet, but it's early.My chervil are still tiny. I get new growth, but the old leaves dry out as soon as new ones come in, so I haven't had enough to actually use in the kitchen. I looked at the roots, and they haven't even broken free of the sponge yet. This is a cool weather herb, and I've read that they're too delicate to transplant, so I suspect that they might not be suited for the a.g.
Your obvious conclusions about annuals vs, perennials is so obvious. I can't believe I didn't make the connection. I haven't used lovage or borage either. Keep us updated! I did buy savory seeds after reading your post about it. There was a post somewhere where dwarf dills were discussed. When I grow dill again, it will be the fernleaf dwarf. That might work better for you, too. I also packed every space in my Aerogardens at first. Now, like you, I realize I often get a much better harvest with fewer pods planted.
One of the nice things about the AG and indoor Hydroponics in generally is, you can start over any time.. unlike outside in areas with 4 seasons..This article may be of interest on Annual, Perennial or BiennialAnnual, Perennial or Biennial
airscapes , kanewai had a very healthy, diverse, outdoor garden before he began aerogardening. He has already mentioned knowing those differences in his thread. He has also done unique and successful Aerogardening and knows more than most of us about herbs.
My battle with the spider mites continues. I gave everyone a shower, and then sprayed with horticulture oil. That seemed to do the trick, and some of the plants that had been struggling started to look greener and stronger. After a week, though, I started to notice browning on a couple of the delicate plants (like parsley), and the younger plants weren't looking as robust as they should. Sure enough, I found a few little black dots. Sprayed again. And a week later, again.What's odd is that I only see them on a few plants (like the basil), but I see damage on many plants. I should probably just compost everyone & start from scratch ... but I'm going to stay in denial for another week or two.At least this time I'll know exactly what I want! And I wonder if it wasn't mites that stunted my peppers - I might try them again. Once I've disinfected everything, of course.
You might have multigenerational bugs with each of them in different life stages. That makes them very difficult to wipe out. If you do have to start over, I'd wait a couple of weeks to make sure there are no viable eggs or larvae left. They, like aphids, can reproduce sexually or asexually. My problems were with aphids, which also have a winged stage. Now that I am starting over, I hope I waited long enough. Fingers crossed for you!
Sigh. I have lost the battle of the mites. I just can't find the source of the invasion, so everything has got to go.Today I will harvest what I can, toss out the AG plants and the companion plants, scrub everything, wait a week, and start fresh.I don't mind having to start over with the AG units. Things grow fast, and I have a better sense of what I want and what goes well together. I'll miss the plants in pots, though. I'm going to be a little bit paranoid about bringing home plants from the nursery, and three in particular: the negi onion, the lavender, and the spearmint, were doing so well.On the plus side: it might have been mites that stunted my peppers. I'll be able to give chiles a second go.
I thought something was wrong with the pipicha - it kept falling over, like it was too weak to grow upright. I've since learned that this is just how they grow. I really like the taste of this plant, it's very bright and citrus-like, with a cilantro-like flavor thrown in. I don't think one branch will make much, though - I have a recipe for guacamole de pipicha that uses the leaves from six branches for one avocado. Maybe I'll try a miniature version ... and hope the pipicha grows back if I cut it.
The savory is beautiful! I have never eaten it fresh, just ground. I will have to put that on my To Grow list. It sounds delicious. The brown on the zaatar looks like a disease to me. It doesn't look like nutrient burn. Possibly a fungal or bacterial problem. My guess is that you will lose that plant. If it were me, I would remove it, add clean water and nutrients to the tank and add one teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide to the water to hopefully keep it from spreading. I have no idea if the pipicha will regrow. Cut it above one of the leaf joints and try. It may regrow two stems instead of one. It, too, sounds delicious! Your garden is different and fun!
I have my first complete miss: the pápalo is growing strong, but tastes like soap. I've heard people say that cilantro tastes like soap to them, but I never thought so. What's odd is that I've grown pápalo before, and loved the taste. I'm not sure if it's the nutrients or the cultivar, or what is different this time.The pipicha, meanwhile, was fantastic. I used it in a guacamole, and I think I like it better than regular cilantro. I'll learn soon if it will grew back after harvesting - it was only one single stalk. This one might be better in a pot, where I can grow multiple bunches at once.
Let me ask, when did you add nutes prior to picking it? They say to never pick your lettuce or herbs the day of or within two days after as the uptake of nutes can affect the taste. Now, are there different varieties of Cilantro, yes. Can they taste different, of course. Try a new variety, this one may just not be to your liking. Also it is said that you either love cilantro or you don't. If you liked it before it may just be this variety.
I've read that, but it's been close to a week. I taste a little of of the citrus- and cilantro-flavors that it normally has, but they're weak. I suspect it's the cultivar; when I grew papalo in my garden the leaves were a silver-green color; these are just green.Ah well.
I'm not sure what is happening with the zaatar. It was healthy last week. I've read that brown leaves are a sign of nutrient imbalance, but the other herbs in the unit are doing well. There does seem to be some algae growing in this unit. I'm going to do a rinse and replace this weekend.
Day 57
UPDATE#9
Grower update
Update #9
🔧Actions taken
🧺HarvestTook light savory harvests and used them in potato salad.
The savory is doing great at day 43! I've done some light harvests, and added it to potato salad. The taste is slightly peppery, and somewhere between sage and thyme, though more subtle than either. This is my favorite of my 'new' herbs (new to me). I think aerogarden could offer savory in their standard nine-pod mix, instead of multiple basils. In the lower right, chervil is just starting to grow. This is the replacement pod; the first did nothing.
It's been about fifty days from my first garden ... and now I have three. I've been trying to track growth on an excel sheet, but I've planted things at so many different times that maybe it's easier just to do a quick summary. Harvest, Bounty, and Friends - this will be my main hard garden:Bounty II and Friends - This will be my chile garden, though I tried to sprout a few experimental herbs in here that I'll transplant if they grow.Sprouting timesthree to five dayssavorypipichapápalosorrelzaatar*thyme***basil (Genovese and Thai)six to ten dayschervilAleppo pepperchives***dill*mintparsley (curly and Italian)mirasol pepper* / *** = I've been harvesting them a little / a lotstill waitingepazote (5 days)sheepnose pepper (10 days)cress (12 days)lovage (14 days)borage (14 days)culantro (14 days)replaced after 30 daysepazote (replanted with second pod)savory (replacement pod is doing well)marjoram (received replacement pod, but no space for it)garlic chives happy neighbors (in pots) - These are the ones that are thrivinglavender - this is growing fast in the ambient light. I haven't had any flowers yet, but it is super aromatic. I brush it quite a bit just to let it release its perfume into the air.purslane (portulaca) – I didn't realize there were many species, and I thought this one might be the verdolaga that's used in Mexican cooking. It's not. He has pretty red flowers that bloom quickly, so he can stay. It is also growing fast! Probably too fast to actually plant in the a.g. It filter the direct light from the a.g. and casts shadows.**koba green onion - this is our local, Asian-style of green onion. It's more of a fat chive. I like it, and use it a lot.**oregano - It is big enough already that it's probably better in a pot than the garden.*lemon thyme - It looks fine - but the thyme in the a.g. is growing at twice the rate!melancholy neighbors - These are surviving, if not thrivingsage - It hasn't grown much, it hasn't died. It's just kind of there. I might try a pod in the aerogarden when I have a slotsorrel - A lot sprouted, and they look healthy, but they are growing slow. It'll be interesting to compare these with the a.g. sorrel pod.rau ram (Vietnamese coriander) - This guy is not happy. He's growing slowly, but a lot of leaves turn brown and drop off.globe basil - He's a rescue plant, and I haven't been able to nurse him back to life. He had a spurt of growth, then stalled.I've got others in pots, but it's too soon to tell how they'll do: cilantro, rosemary, & spearmint.The only herb I'm missing is French tarragon - if I could find that I'd have a complete set of herbes de provence. But it doesn't grow from seed, and I can't find cuttings at any nursery near me. I'll keep looking, though. I'll start a new thread just for the chiles once they grow a bit more.
I love how organized you are. I have thought many, many times of having charts to track stuff, but decided against it Looks like a great set-up and great variety of stuff you are growing.
I think I'm addicted to excel spreadsheets. But I always start super organized, but after a month or two I start getting sloppy. We'll see. It helps me a lot now here at the beginning. I get impatient & start to think that something isn't growing ... and then I check the spreadsheet and realize it's only been five days for that podd
pipicha (Porophyllum tagetoides) looks so delicate. I hope it produces enough to use. This is a type of quelite, the Nahuatl word for wild greens used in indigenous Mexican cooking. I'm going to experiment with a couple different types in the aerogarden. This pipicha is the only one so far that has sprouted. I think the aroma of the pipicha amazing, sort of a mix between cilantro and lime. It's used in salsa verde, guacamole, and a pork and pumpkin stew out of Puebla that ... hopefully, I'll be able to make one day!
When it says the light will go off, it means the overhead light, not the button light. I have 2 harvests and am not as experienced with them... I have some issues with them as well. My partner got them back in May through a Kohl's sale so they were like $70. For the usual $99 sale price, for my money I would get a Bounty Basic one sale for $179 ish because it is more space and more customizable. For example, on the basic Harvest, it keeps the old settings for the previous garden unless you reset. Which is not, in itself, bad but had no idea and wondered what the heck what going on with the lights and pump. I think the Harvest is a good entry level and gets people going, but I think the larger machines (on sale) seem to have more longevity? I would agree with sher and Shawn that doing custom jobs with your own seeds and sponges is cheaper, more enjoyable, and more expected results. However, I have had very little issues with the AG pods. I have done the herbs many times, the heirloom lettuce (which have always turned out lovely), the heirloom cherry tomato (which was great), the poblano and sweet bell pepper (better to use own seeds). I think some of the fun is the experimenting and the indoor growing... which is the same fun as outdoor I suppose. People also get a kick out of it. I cannot tell you how many times I have shown photos of my garden to friends and family and they are floored.
Did my first round of replanting after 28 days of no germination: epazote - Replanted using a new sponge.chervil - Replanted using replacement from aerogardenmarjoram - I have replacement pod from aerogarden, but I used the slot to try and sprout an hoja santa seed.garlic chives - I put new seeds in the same sponge; I have no idea if that's a good idea or not.Meanwhile, I've been harvesting and using lots of basil and dill, and occasionally some thyme. I have enough mint to use, though I'm not sure what to do with it. I tried making a tea, and it was ok. I think I like the idea of herbal tea more than I actually like drinking it. I'm not sure I like this cultivar, and might try different types of mint in the future.The other herbs looks healthy, but are growing much more slowly. I think I'll be able to use the zaatar oregano & savory soon, in small quantities. Parsley and chives aren't even close to being harvestable.In the new garden, I have sprouts already for pápalo, sorrel, and Aleppo pepper. The last surprised me - it sprouted after 6 days, which seems fast for a pepper. There's been no growth for lovage, cress, or borage after 8 days. I'm a bit surprised, since everything sprouted super fast in my other garden.
Thanks! I’m anxious too. So far the pipicha is just a single frail stalk - but so are the chives. Or rather: the chive. Singular.And it’s still growing faster than the parsley. And that usually grows strong eventually, right?
Yes, parsley can grow strong eventually. This is a picture of curly parsley in a Bounty from a long time ago. It was stealing nutrients from the other herbs, so I had to take it out.
za'atar (Origanum syriacum) is looking healthy. It has a slight pine aroma, but otherwise has a strong oregano flavor. I've read that folks have trouble sprouting regular oregano; this might be a good alternative for the aerogarden. I used seeds from Thyme Garden.
Day 36
UPDATE#5
Grower update
Update #5
🔧Actions taken
🧺HarvestSnipped one leaf from each of three young herbs for an early flavour test.
Week ThreeI got impatient, and did an early taste test of three of my non-traditional herbs. They're all so young, and I only snipped a leaf off of each - just enough for a first impression. savory (Satureja hortensis) has a very fresh, peppery taste. I can see using this with meats, potatoes, grills, salads ... it seems like it will be very versatile. I know it used to be popular in the US, but at some point disappeared from our shelves. On first taste, I'm gonna say it's time to bring it back.
Day 33
UPDATE#4
Grower update
Update #4
🔧Actions taken
🪴TransplantMoved faster-growing herb pods into the Bounty.
✂️PruningPruned Genovese basil leaves repeatedly.
✂️PruningPruned the dill plant.
🪴TrainingPropped the weak dill stem with shells until it firmed.
🧺HarvestPinched mint leaves for a taste test.
🌱PlantingAdded fresh epazote seed to the existing sponge.
Herb Garden Month One updateI mixed the pods around, moving the faster growing ones to the Bounty. Between the Harvest and the Bounty I've had 12/15 pods germinate ... I think. I am convinced I saw a marjoram sprout, and logged it, and then it was gone. There are others, like garlic chives, where I saw a sprout after a couple days, but that's all I see: a little yellowish sprout in the sponge, and nothing more. I had thought about logging first leaves rather than first sprout; next round I will. In no particular order:Genovese basil is the master of the garden. I've had to prune leaves a number of times. Surprisingly, I don't think this will produce enough to make a proper pesto Genovese - the official recipe requires about one plant's worth of leaves per serving! I did experiment once, pounding the basil by hand in a mortar and pestle with the cheese and nuts - and supplementing with store-bought basil so I had enough - and it was divine. I could probably do a whole garden just in basil. And aerogarden basil is much much more nicer than store-basil!Thai basil is growing strong, but what do I do with it? I used to grow this outside, and I like the taste, but it doesn't really pair will with the European or Latin dishes that I usually cook. I like having it around for when I try making Asian dishes, but that's not too often.Dill got pruned once. It seemed that one stalk grew too fast, and got too weak, and just fell over. I propped it up with shells to keep it erect while the main stalk firmed up. I cut some of the secondary plants, and the flavor was nice, clean, and strong.Mint started slow, and now is growing quickly. Not enough to harvest, but I pinched some leaves off and tasted them. There was a bitter after taste. I'm not sure I like this cultivar, but we'll see.Thyme looked so weak and frail at first, and could barely stand, but is now looking more solid and is the fifth most vibrant of the first bunch.Italian and curly parsley are slow ... they sprouted after a couple days, but have just broken through the paper cap now!Zaatar (a Middle-eastern oregano), pipicha (a Oaxacan herb) and savory (an old-world Mediterranean herb) are all just under an inch. I'm excited for these guys - I've never managed to grow any of them outside, and I have never once seen them in stores. I can't wait to report back on how they taste!Chives and garlic chives are going to kill me they're so slow. One single chive sprout reached above the paper cover, but I must have brushed him when I was trimming someone else because he totally fell out of the sponge. And I saw a garlic chive sprout four days after planting ... but then nothing. All I see in the sponge is a little worm-like yellow sprout, lying there and not doing anything.Chervil, marjoram, and epazote have not sprouted after three weeks. I thought I saw a marjoram sprout earlier, but it's gone. I re-seeded the epazote sponge few days ago, and maybe I see something? I'll know in a day or two. I also think maybe I saw a chervil sprout this morning? For the official aerogarden pods, I'm only waiting on chervil and marjoram. I am sure marjoram is not happening, but I'll give chervil a few more days until I contact the company.And that's my fifteen! Next up: I ordered another Harvest on Black Friday. I intend to try chile peppers - three plants max (sigh), though I might supplement these with a couple of the herbs I haven't tried in the aerogarden yet (lovage, borage, and pápalo). I know that the chiles will crowd them out the herbs in time, but in the interim I'll at least learn if the new herbs are viable in the aerogarden.
Basil is always a front runner for me. It grows fast and is usually full and lush. You get a lot! As for other pods, some I have never grown but what I have found is that some herbs like more nutes while others like less. Some play nice together whiles others do not. Do not ask me why because I have no clue but from growing many different ones I have learned what to keep separate. As you grow you will see what works together Also, remember some take a long time to grow while others grow super fast. I had a Rosemary once take 45 days until germination.
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Unknown
I see a lot of nice things there that a landlord can't get at! Great progress and interesting choices!
Choices, choices ... I only have four spaces left, but ten packages of seeds.Though I know I want the epazote, pipicha, and za'atar. I've narrowed it down to garlic chives, sorrel, pápalo, or borage for the final slot.
That was good! But not enough to deter me. There are so many things that smell really vile (fermented fish paste, for example) that actually blend well when mixed with other spices. Hopefully epazote is one; I've never actually cooked with it.
Hello kanewai! Welcome!! What a story man - so sorry that blankity blank blank destroyed your garden. Seems we all agree there would be words o plenty with that jerk.Your AGs - Looking good! I'm a noob myself to this, used to do the aquaponics thing years ago but was a lot of work with little reward, although it was fun.Looking forward to your projects! Keep posting pics! I've been keeping a (mostly) daily photostream update on Flickr and also did a couple one week time-lapses I put on Youtube. I think you'd be surprised when you look back from start to present at how fast the growth rates can be.Shawn I did the same thing!
Day 13
UPDATE#2
Grower update
Update #2
🔧Actions taken
🔧EquipmentSet up the newly arrived Bounty.
🌱PlantingPlanted chives, Italian parsley, savory, chervil, and marjoram in the Bounty.
🪴TransplantMoved the potted Roma tomato outside because its leaves were growing toward the AeroGarden light.
Week two - so far so good!The Bounty arrived this morning, and I immediately set it up. I'm leaving four pods empty for now, as I have seeds I want to try, but the grow-anything kit is taking forever to arrive. FedEx tracker says it will still take a few more weeks.I have 100% germination in the Harvest! The thyme and the two basils sprouted on day 5, the dill on day 7, the mint on day 8, and the parsley on day 10. These were all the standard pods that came with the unit.In the pots, the oregano and lemon thyme love this set up & are doing strong in the extra light. I moved the Roma tomato outside; its leaves kept trying to grow downward to meet the lights. The lavender seems to be doing well. It gives off a lot of scent; every time I brush it its leaves perfume the air. The sage looks limp, but there's new growth that looks strong. I have room for a few more small pots. In the Bounty I planted the chives and Italian parsley from the standard kit, plus savory, chervil, and marjoram pods. I have four slots left, but have seeds for za'atar, borage, pápalo, garlic chives, culantro, epazote, and pipicha. I change my mind constantly about which four to start with.(links are to The Thyme Garden Herb Co., where I bought the seeds. I'm not affiliated with them, but I love the variety of seeds they have.)
I am so happy for your success. It is exciting! I had never heard of some of those herbs. I think I would like to try za'atar someday. I'll be following your adventurers!
Thanks! Some are actually new to me, herbs that I've read about and wanted to try. I'll be learning too!Za'atar goes in a mix (also called za'atar) with sesame seeds & sumac. In southeastern Turkey they'd mix it with olive oil and serve it as a dip for fresh pita bread for breakfast, and it was delicious. I think all the cultures in the eastern Mediterranean use a variation of the mix. I'm excited to have the fresh herb, I've never seen it in the markets.Others have a similar flavor to cilanto, though they're not related - the culantro, pipicha, and pápalo. I've only grown pápalo, which I think has a beautiful citrus scent ... though honestly, I've shared it with friends and they haven't been impressed. Culantro we get sometimes with Vietnamese pho. And pipicha I've only read about.As for epazote - it's mandatory for black bean dishes in southern Mexico! And also impossible to find fresh where I live.
kanewai, I am interested in wild edibles and have often heard of espazote, which grows wild in a lot of places. Based on the description of its taste by non-espazote lovers, I have never looked for it. If you have a funnybone, read Green Dean's unflattering description of its taste -- as well as some of the defensive comments. It made me laugh. Hope it does you, too! link
Day 1
UPDATE#1
Grower update
Update #1
🔧Actions taken
🔧EquipmentPlaced the new Harvest on a shelf with companion potted plants positioned to use the spill light.
And we're off! While this is exactly the kind of system I was looking for in my new place, I already have a couple concerns about aerogarden the company. But first, onto the garden:Some background: this is what I used to have at my old place. From back in February, shortly I after turned over the soil and put in new plants. It will help explain why I might get overly ambitious with, and excited about, the aerogarden!And this is what I came home to one day in August. My garden "didn't fit the vision" of what the new property manager had for the house. And it wasn't just my vegetables: they took out a mango tree and some dwarf citrus trees, as well as my native Hawaiian plant corner. Words were spoken. It was time for me to leave anyway, but this was the final straw.I'm happy with my new place, and I do have a strip of sandy soil ... but no sun. Most of what you see here didn't survive.And so I was like an excited kid when my 6-pod Harvest arrived today. I had planned on putting it on my at-home work desk, but as I was warned, it was much too bright for a small studio. Luckily I have a dressing room / laundry room with a shelf just the right size for a Harvest, a Bounty, and some friends.Here's a top-down view. There seemed to be enough extra light, especially with the mirror, that I added a few potted plants: oregano, sage, lemon thyme, lavender, and a Roma tomato. These are all plants that have never worked for me outside at my old place (which had direct sun in the day, and killer slugs at night).I have a nine-pod Bounty on order, along with pods for chervil, savory, and marjoram. There should be just enough room on the shelf for the Bounty. I also ordered seeds for some non-traditional herbs and a do-it-yourself kit. That order, however, is still "in process" - and I suspect it might still be quite a few weeks before it ships.First thoughts:1. Seriously, I already love this. I researched how to build a DYI hydroponic system, but it looked overwhelming. I'm not a mechanical kind of guy. Also, the only tools I have are a hammer, a screwdriver, and a corkscrew. This is what I needed.2. Related: I looked at different less-expensive brands, but the presence of an active online community helped swing me in favor of an aerogarden.3. You all weren't joking that the light is bright! I'm glad this room is enclosed.4. The seed pods that come with the system are an odd choice. I understand that you need some standardization - but the nine-pod set includes even more basil and parsley. Some variety would have been nice.5. More of an issue - a serious issue, for me - is that aerogarden won't reveal the botanical names of their seeds. I wrote and asked, and they politely told me that the information was proprietary. What kind of nursery won't tell you what kind of plants they are selling? Given that they are selling a tarragon-scented marigold (Tagetes lucida) and calling it "tarragon," and the reports that at least the mint and sage don't taste like expected, it makes me suspicious of what some of their other herbs might be.6. In the end, I'll probably experiment more with my own seeds than with theirs. The trust isn't there.6. I spent a good hour trying to turn the "add water" and "add nutrients" lights. I followed the instructions, and reset the unit a couple times, then turned to Reddit - and learned that the lights don't go off. Instead, the will flash when it's time to add water / nutrients. The instructions were wrong, which I wouldn't expect from an expensive product.7. And yet I'm still excited, and if this works I'm already pondering about what comes next ...
What a heartache to see how your beautiful former garden was destroyed! You probably handled it better than I would have. And yes, there are frequent mix-ups with the Aerogarden seed pods. It happens a lot more now than it used to. Except for something I really want, like the cascading petunias pods, I always just buy sponges and fill them with my own seeds. Not only is it much cheaper, but you can be more certain of what you are actually going to grow. You can buy the empty baskets if you need more, and they can be used and reused. The reason they don't give you the botanical names of their plants is simply that you would buy your own seeds instead of their expensive pre-seeded pods. Before COVID, Aerogarden's customer service was legendary. I hope it gets back to that wonderful normal someday. I have three Bounties and love them. I also have several Harvests. I love the plain ones better than the Elites because they are foolproof and don't have to be reset after power fluctuations. But the capabilities of the Bounties are much greater in what you can grow. If you love gardening, and you obviously do, you will get a great deal of enjoyment from your Aerogardens. There is a learning curve, but you will be a pro in no time. And, believe it or not, you will eventually adjust to the brightness of the lights as long as you keep them low enough so you don't look up into the LEDs. I am so glad you joined us. Maybe someone else can explain about your nutrients and water lights. I don't quite understand the problem.
First let me say I am sorry that the property manager ruined your garden. Not nice at all. I am glad you found us and hope we can continue to help. The lights on your units. Yes they can and are bright. I have a harvest on my desk and at night I either just turn the light off early or put a Light Block in front. I actually use a a Tri-Fold board in front of it, It cuts the light down a lot. I have used this early morning so it does not brighten the entire house. As for their seeds, I have not used them for years except for the recent tomatoes I grew so I really can't say much. Remember you can always reuse the cages (if not ruined but huge stalks) so keep them. Also the domes are reusable. I even reuse the labels. Sponges, you can get cheaper on Amazon or Park's (60-cell biosponge). I have been growing custom for years. This is fun because you can experiment. Hey some fail but that is ok because I can always start a fresh project I look forward to seeing what you grow next. Keep us posted on your gardens
Thanks for the support!I might not have explained that part well. The instructions said "tap once to turn the light off," and that the light would turn on once it's time to feed or water. I thought my machine was already broken, because my lights wouldn't go off no matter how many times I tapped them! It turns out that's not this model: the lights are always on, and will flash red when it's time to feed / water. Not an issue, just a very very minor frustration.
kanewai, if it's the regular Harvest (not the Elite) you choose what time you want the lights to come on each day. Then you set your alarm for that time and hold the white light button down for at least 3 seconds. The button will flash 3 times, and from then on, it will come on at that same time every day. You should be able to press the white button at any time to temporarily turn them on or off. Then they will still come on at the starting time you selected. The center (blue)button is for water level. If your water level gets too low, it will come on and blink until you add water. The green button will turn red 14 days after you first set up your Harvest. It means Add Nutes. After you add your nutrients, press the red button and it will turn green again. When I start a new garden, the nutrrient light will sometimes come on off schedule the first time. If you recently gave it nutrients, just hit the nutrient button. It will go off, then come on again in 14 days. If it is getting close to the two weeks to add nutrients and the red light comes on, dump and refill the Harvest, add fresh nutes, then press the red nutrient button. It will turn green again, then be set to come on automatically every 14 days. If it's an Elite, it's more complicated.
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WOW! Yes, if someone came and tore up my garden we would indeed have words. Glad your figuring out your aerogarden and enjoying it. The thing with the indicator lights confused me as well. Why would they stay on 24/7? Seems like an odd design choice but :shrug:.Welcome to the forum! Hope you find some good projects to work on on here. It really is a great resource and the members are very helpful and encouraging.My porch at my apartment gets really limited sunlight. It was a godsend when I learned about aerogardens. I don't have a TON of space inside, but everything I do have is being maximized for aerogarden space. Currently saving up for a farm. Want to grow some of those 3 foot plants.
Wow that was fast - Day 5, and the two basil and the thyme have sprouted. As for the potted plants, the tomato started growing downwards to catch the light. I moved it outside, and will bring it back in when I raise the lights. Or when the Bounty arrives next week - I think that's taller.
AG may not give you all the information you want about their seeds, but they really do have very high quality seeds that are selected to be ideal in their gardens. Of course, others have good seeds too, but I have been very impressed with the AG pods.
Wanted to cry when I saw what the PM did. I would definitely be demanding payment for damages.But I’m glad you’re now experimenting with AeroGarden! I’m a little over a month in myself and it’s definitely an experience. As far as releasing details on the seeds, just like others have mentioned above, companies love to be proprietary when they can 🙃 I have several of their seed pods but have been enjoying using my own seeds and think I’ll continue down that route.Excited to see what you grow ☺️