Aero (hydroponic) Garden questions

[mcnerd]

That's one of the things on my wish list. With a sun-less kitchen, the Aero would be a nice addition.

[sage™]

lol..just get some big pots and some grow lights..can set up in garage or an extra room..where ever you want..buy the seeds you want. Then you can move them outside when the weather is right.

[GrillingFool]

LOL....
I got the Chia Herb garden. Beloved wife wanted to get me an Aero, but
we decided it was too pricey and a bit gimmicky.
Besides, she's a botanist, kinda... at least on the genetic level, LOL!

Now, to figure out how to keep the cats out of the window and herbs!

(I do think the Aeros are pretty darn nifty, though!)

[letscook]

i saw that on an infomercial last year -- thought it would be a great gift for my dad, I had already brought his gift, so I figure this year I would order him one. My mom beat me to the punch she brought on for him-- he was thrilled. She got his at a Pennys Store. It was 120.00. They have a website AeroGarden®

pennys were selling the seed kits

[Constance]

It sure doesn't have much room.
You can put together something better yourself, for a lot less money, by hanging a regular fluorescent light fixture from a chain under your kitchen cabinets. You can use a grow light, but a regular daylight white bulb will work just fine. The important thing is that it is close enough to the plants, and you can regulate that by moving the light up and down the chain.
Plant your seeds in separate 4-5" pots, as not all need the same amount of water, and set them under the light.
If you want to do the hydroponic thing, I'm sure you could rig something up with one of those long trays you use for wetting pre-pasted wallpaper.

[Poppinfresh]

Well, I went ahead, bit the bullet, and bought one of these things. I obviously don't have any product to taste test yet, but so long as it works, I guess it's not going to be a purchase I regret, though not something I am going to brag about, either.

On the upside, it does have a fairly stylish look, it's efficient, it's pretty much idiot-proof, and once I took a look at some of the pods, I figured an easy way to MacGuyver my own pods (for a lot less money) that contain whatever the heck I want them to contain. Whether my idea will ultimately work or not remains to be seen. I'm attempting to grow chives with my jimmy-rigged "pod".

On the downside, it's a bit bulky--I actually don't even have mine in my kitchen; I've put it on my breakfast bar in my dining room. The pods (if you choose to buy them) are expensive, and some of their choices are head scratchers (Dill? Seriously? Dill will take over your entire house if you let it; I don't even want to think what it will do in a limited space environment like that). And the price is offputting a bit--but hey, it's only money in the end, right? Not like one can't just go and get more.


Could someone make something like this on their own with grow bulbs and installing fixtures and what not? Yeah, sure. I could also break down the wall separating our library from my den and then transform my den into the ultimate man-space. Doesn't mean I want to (OK, I want to, but it doesn't mean I have the motivation, inclination, time or energy to do that much work--and the Lady of the House would not only kill me, she would start nagging me to fix other things around the house again since I was feeling so "handy").

Conclusion: It's not going to be the proudest purchase you ever make, but you're not gonna kick yourself over it like you would if you bought Chef Tony's Abomination Blades, the pasta express or whatever other ridiculous infomercial product of the week is begging for your dollar.

[jpmcgrew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poppinfresh Well, I went ahead, bit the bullet, and bought one of these things. I obviously don't have any product to taste test yet, but so long as it works, I guess it's not going to be a purchase I regret, though not something I am going to brag about, either. On the upside, it does have a fairly stylish look, it's efficient, it's pretty much idiot-proof, and once I took a look at some of the pods, I figured an easy way to MacGuyver my own pods (for a lot less money) that contain whatever the heck I want them to contain. Whether my idea will ultimately work or not remains to be seen. I'm attempting to grow chives with my jimmy-rigged "pod". On the downside, it's a bit bulky--I actually don't even have mine in my kitchen; I've put it on my breakfast bar in my dining room. The pods (if you choose to buy them) are expensive, and some of their choices are head scratchers (Dill? Seriously? Dill will take over your entire house if you let it; I don't even want to think what it will do in a limited space environment like that). And the price is offputting a bit--but hey, it's only money in the end, right? Not like one can't just go and get more. Could someone make something like this on their own with grow bulbs and installing fixtures and what not? Yeah, sure. I could also break down the wall separating our library from my den and then transform my den into the ultimate man-space. Doesn't mean I want to (OK, I want to, but it doesn't mean I have the motivation, inclination, time or energy to do that much work--and the Lady of the House would not only kill me, she would start nagging me to fix other things around the house again since I was feeling so "handy"). Conclusion: It's not going to be the proudest purchase you ever make, but you're not gonna kick yourself over it like you would if you bought Chef Tony's Abomination Blades, the pasta express or whatever other ridiculous infomercial product of the week is begging for your dollar.

I think you are going to be very happy with it. Its totally idiot proof I'm growing romaine lettuce and it ready to start harvesting you only take a third of each plant and it will regrow more leaves. There is a whole forum on the Aero Grow on Amazon and some people are aleady adapting it to other methods as opposed to buying the pods. Some are saving the plastic domes and using something called rock wool as the growing medium and using miracle grow which would cost pennies.

[Jeekinz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poppinfresh some of their choices are head scratchers (Dill? Seriously? Dill will take over your entire house if you let it; I don't even want to think what it will do in a limited space environment like that).

Put some mint in there, Poppin.

[Poppinfresh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeekinz ~JERSEY BORN~ We pump our fists, not our gas

Good sig. I'd use it too but unfortunately we don't pump our fists here in Oregon, either; it scares the hippies.

[Jeekinz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poppinfresh Good sig. I'd use it too but unfortunately we don't pump our fists here in Oregon, either; it scares the hippies.

Air horns work for that here.