Aerogarden?

bluedogz · #1 01-03-2007, 10:51 AM

Has anyone ever used one of these things? I got one for Xmas and it appears to be just the thing for a guy with little time or skill to garden, and little space indoors.

Experiences, anyone?

bluedogz · #2 01-10-2007, 11:49 AM

Alright, it looks like I'm the guinea pig. "Italian" herb kit is sprouting well. If it ends up looking like the photos on the box then this thing is the bomb. If they die like all my other plants, then it'll be... like all my other plants.

Free Rider · #3 01-10-2007, 01:21 PM

I thought about getting one but decided on a square foot garden instead. My seeds should be arriving any day. Hope they hurry because it's getting late for my area. I bought "heatwave" varieties along with some others.

bluedogz · #4 01-12-2007, 06:36 PM

Square foot garden? I picture a square 13" Pyrex filled with dirt and seeds...

Free Rider · #5 01-15-2007, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluedogz

Square foot garden? I picture a square 13" Pyrex filled with dirt and seeds...

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

Jenyfari · #6 01-21-2007, 02:48 AM

I'd never heard of square foot gardening before. Since reading your post I have spent the last hour researching the net for more info. I will definitely be giving this a go.

bluedogz · #7 01-22-2007, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluedogz

Square foot garden? I picture a square 13" Pyrex filled with dirt and seeds...

Well, duh... it didn't occur to me that "square foot gardening" didn't mean only using ONE square foot.

mudbug · #8 01-25-2007, 10:19 AM

Here is a thread on Square Foot Gardening.

bluedogz,

Since you received it as a gift, you've avoided the biggest "negative" of this product which is the price. It works just fine. Since you're growing herbs, just be sure to use them so you're constantly trimming them.

Joyfull · #9 01-26-2007, 10:52 AM

Free Rider, thanks for posting the square foot garden info..
It looks like a fantastic and much easier way to garden!

Free Rider · #10 01-26-2007, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joyfull

Free Rider, thanks for posting the square foot garden info..
It looks like a fantastic and much easier way to garden!

The thanks should go to the person on this forum who told me about the square foot gardening. I can't remember who it was, but that's who deserves the thanks.

web monkey · #11 01-26-2007, 11:09 AM

I did hydroponic gardening indoors for a couple of years.

The good news is that you can grow all the green stuff (lettuce, herbs, etc.) just like in the commericial.

The bad news is that tomatos are a losing bargain. You need to keep the growing room warmer than you can afford to if you live in the north. They need to be pollinated, which usually happens with bees, but indoors, needs to be done individually to each blossom by hand.

Also, unless you have a bunch of them, a single batch of pesto will wipe out sveral months worth of growing basil.

The good news is that fresh herbs are really nice, and it's very cool to pick them in your own kitchen. If you grow things that you don't need huge quantities of, it should work great.

On a larger system, I grew tons of basil that was really nice (pungent, sharp, made great pesto), but ended up with two tomatoes that cost me about $400 in electricity and heat, took 3 months to grow and tasted terrible.

Terry

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluedogz

Has anyone ever used one of these things? I got one for Xmas and it appears to be just the thing for a guy with little time or skill to garden, and little space indoors.

Experiences, anyone?

bluedogz · #12 02-02-2007, 12:44 PM

Well, the results, compared to what the instructions said to expect, are disappointing. They said, "harvest in 3 weeks!" Lies. I might be able to pull off 5 or 6 basil leaves, but that's about it. Everything else is not even enough for a garnish.

KCZ · #13 02-17-2007, 05:27 PM

Blue,

How's the garden doing now? I would be very interested in trying something like this if it works well.

deltadoc · #14 02-18-2007, 06:43 AM

If you really want something that really works, then the Klimagro is the "bomb"!

www.klimagro.com

I've got the Majestic, which is 4' tall and the Classic which sits in my "garden window" over the sink in my kitchen.

Right now, I've got everything from cactus, basil, oregano, aloe, and a tomato plant growing in the Majestic. Soon, I will be growing starters for the outdoor garden in it.

The Classic has a huge Rosemary bush growing in it, and it is the most pungent great tasting fresh Rosemary I've ever had. I've grown 5 types of basil simultaneously in the Classic, as well as oregano, thyme, marjoram, and even decorative plants.

They have little fans for air ciculation, sliding auto safety glass doors, built-in heater and temperature selector, built-in humidity wand and gage, built-in lights and timer (set for 18 hours so plants don't flower, or at 12 hours to flower).

They're built rugged, and are easy to keep watered (by using the retractable faucet hose on the sink).

doc

Chef Jules · #15 02-18-2007, 03:57 PM

Greetings All Kitchen Gardeners!

I almost succumbed to the lure of the Aerogarden until I decided it might be a bit too product-driven for Ol' Jules! The special seed packets you had to purchase seemed a tad on the pricey side and of course, there is no other alternative as these are pre-treated for growth with the unit.

I am fond of fresh herbs for use in my cooking year-round. If I dry them, I do so in small quantities and from my home-grown. I grow herbs in raised beds in the garden, and in a variety of pots on my over-crowded windowsills and other sunny spots throughout the home.

I will go through my files and try to find one for instructions on DIY herb bags for the kitchen.

Get Growing,

Jules