If you're talking that big thing like Ina got, I can't afford something like that. Thank you for the heads-up on Nasturtiums. I didn't plan to put those with my herbs but good to know how fast they can grow. I have zero-outdoor space where I live, so everything I grow has to be indoors. I also have what seems like quite a bit of sunlight with 2 large windows (I think their still called picture-windows). Anyway, really not sure if I need something with artificial light because I don't get year-round, everyday sunlight?? What do you think?
The aerogardens have their own light system, so they do not need to be placed in a window. It is set to go on and off automatically, depending on what types of plants you are starting in the aerogarden. With small plants like herbs, you can grow them just fine because you will be trimming them as you use them up. For larger plants, like a tomato, what I do is start them in the aerogarden, and then transplant them into a pot once they are large enough. If you start out with one of the small aerogardens, they are a fairly cheap way to find out if you enjoy growing things in an aerogarden or not.
Some one did a review and said that the roots got so tangled they couldn't transplant them. That person also said they weren't sure they were supposed to remove the plastic before transplanting which I'm clueless, totally new at even reading about these
They probably left the plants until they got really large and had huge inches of roots, @Denise Happyfeet . When I know that I will be transplanting them, I only grow the plants to maybe 6 inches or so. By then, they have developed roots, but not so much that they are all interconnected, and I just trim the roots as needed to replant them. I re-use the plastic containers that the little pods fit into, and just take the pods out of the plastic part. Again, the longer you leave them growing in the aerogarden, the harder that is, so earlier transplants work better for what I am doing . One thing that I have discovered is that the lights for the aerogarden are really bright, and will probably be on after you have gone to bed and also early in the morning; so it helps if they are not in your bedroom, or where the light can shine in your bedroom. However, you can set other plants next to the aerogarden, and the lights will help them to grow faster, too.
Thanks for the info @Yvonne Smith and it makes perfect sense now that I was reminded of leaving my other plants in a smaller container too long I'm thinking to get one with lights, but only use the lights when we don't have Sunlight on my East-facing Window, or, my West Facing window?? The East has much longer Sunshine than the Sun that finally hits the West Facing. I'd love to be on the Southside of this building. My neighbor just complains about hers being too hot, or the wind hitting it. Sure be good for plants although they would not live long when it gets super hot in her place. I'm really surprised at all the weeds, and other plants you can find in the wild that are edible! I also understand you can't just go out and harvest a bunch without permission etc. I'm just wanting to do this for me, just as a both a hobby, and to save money on the bulk things I am now buying at the Health-food store. I don't remember ever growing anything from a seed, bulbs I bought yes, but not little seeds I'll start with just a couple of things, see how I do
I harvested some lettuce yesterday and also used some basil leaves for a recipe on Friday. Still no parsley but the dill is beginning to fill out a little. I will probably transplant the dill into my little raised garden in a month or so. Here's how the lettuce is looking after being "pruned" a bit. You can see the dill and basil in there. I still haven't set up my Kratky jars; I decided to order a "seeds and greens" grow light bulb because I want to start a small tray of pickling cucumber seeds along with the jars. Hopefully tomorrow.
Here in Wisconsin you can gather for personal use but not for commercial use in state parks etc. I finally asked a few years ago because we would go and 'steal' stuff sometimes while hiking.
I noticed a couple of "off-brand" Aerogarden knock-offs that have very good reviews on Amazon and decided to buy one of them. I ordered this one which is larger than my Aerogarden (12 pods versus 6). Supposedly all my Aerogarden pods, covers, etc. will work with it. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BCXWWGRP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 Pretty soon I'll have as many hydro-gardens as Yvonne!
I was looking for another grow light to go on one of the Aerogarden shelves because I want to start some seeds for my outside garden next month. After looking at the grow lights, I decided that for the money I might as well just buy another Aerogarden, since they are actually cheaper and come with the lights, timer, and watering/feeding system built in. (Most of the grow lights need separate timers and are pricey.) Amazon has the black Harvest Aerogarden model for $79 today, so I ordered that and one of those seed starter inserts that @Yvonne Smith mentioned earlier in this thread. I can start 23 seedlings without much effort after the initial setup. I'm also going to start some seeds outside in regular seed starter trays and see how they do. If we get another blast of freezing weather I can move those inside easily.
Just for the record, you don't need fancy grow lights if you are just starting plants for transplant outside. If you intend to grow plants to maturity, you need the fancy grow lights.
I use LED shoplights for most of my plants. I grow thousands of plants every year from seed, but I only have one real growlight and that was a gift from one of my sons. If you want to grow anything to the flowering/fruiting stage, you need the real growlights, but I never do that. Most of my plants get sold to others, and the rest go into my own many garden and greenhouse spaces. You can grow green crops like lettuce just under shoplights as well. Most seeds will germinate in the dark, and some seeds even require darkness to germinate, while others, like lettuce, require light to germinate.
We just deal with things on a different scale. My wife has transplanted the stuff she has had in the Aerogarden over the winter and has replanted salad greens. I will start my big planting later this afternoon.