Imagine having fresh tomatoes or refreshing mint on-hand anytime you want it. How would you like to be able to enjoy flowers at any time of the year? This could be your reality if you own an AeroGarden.
Even if your green thumb isn’t all that green or you’ve managed to kill every plant you’ve ever tried to grow, AeroGarden can bring your dreams of growing a bountiful garden to life. It makes it so simple to grow plants from seeds that anyone can do it.
If you haven’t heard of AeroGarden, then continue reading to learn everything you need to know about this countertop garden center.
How the AeroGarden Works
The AeroGarden is a hydroponic gardening system. Business Insider explains that the garden allows you to grow a variety of plants from seed by using only water.
As the name suggests, this type of gardening uses a concept called aeroponics, which is a hydroponic system. Instead of roots growing in soil, they grow in the air and then into a water solution full of nutrients.
The system also uses an LED grow light that provides the right balance of light to optimize the growing conditions and keep your plants healthy.
While all the AeroGarden systems use the same growing concept, they do come in a variety of configurations, which allows you to choose the size that works best for your needs. You will have to buy the unique grow pods and nutrients to go with your chosen garden system.
Does AeroGarden Really Work?
While you may now have the answer to “how does AeroGarden work,” you may wonder if it really does work. The answer to that is the AeroGarden works wonderfully. It can grow plants five times faster than under normal growing conditions in the soil. It is also effortless and almost mistake-proof because it only takes three steps, and you get everything ready to go when you order.
Anyone can grow plants using this system because the design makes it simple to use and maintain.
You should read all instructions that come with your system to ensure you do everything correctly, but it really is that easy to go from seed to plants in no time at all.
Are AeroGardens Safe?

As with any new technology or product, it is natural to wonder if the AeroGarden is safe. What may surprise you the most about this gardening system is that it is actually safer than growing plants any other way.
The system does not use pesticides or herbicides. It also provides you with non-GMO seeds. There is a focus on natural products. The company states that it tries to use heirloom varieties and organic whenever possible.
The liquid plant food that you will use with the system is all-natural as well. It is merely nutrients that only offer a boost to the plants without any harm possible.
- No pesticides or herbicides
- Comes with non-GMO seeds.
- Comes with all-natural plant food.
How Long Does AeroGarden Last?
The AeroGarden should last for years as long as you take good care of it. The pods, though, generally have a lifespan of about four months to one year. It depends a lot on how you care for your garden and what you want to grow.
Herbs will likely last about four months once they grow. However, with careful harvesting, it is possible to get at least six months of life from them.
Vegetables will last you the longest. They generally last a minimum of six months. Some, such as hardy tomatoes, can last up to a year.
If you want to grow flowers, then you can get up to seven months of blooming time. However, flowers are the most finicky. You have to stay on top of maintenance and care to get them to last. This means you must follow the instructions and make sure you don’t miss a single watering or feeding.
To help encourage your plants to live longer, you need to make sure that you do your part when cleaning up to prepare your garden for a new growing cycle. It is essential to clean the garden properly to avoid issues with disease. If you have root pathogens in your system, it will kill your plants regardless of the care you provide, so ensure you get the best start with a clean AeroGarden.
What Can You Grow With the AeroGarden?
One of the best things about an AeroGarden is it is so versatile. BuzzFeed explains that you can grow almost anything from flowers to vegetables to herbs. It also grows some superb salad greens.
For the best results, make sure you match your plants to the system you choose. Each model has different sizes and can accommodate different types of plants better than others. Especially pay attention to growth height as all gardens will have height limits.
You also won’t be able to grow anything that sprouts under the ground, such as potatoes or carrots. Tall plants also will not work. However, some other tricky things can grow in an AeroGarden, such as strawberries, which require a special grow bowl. You’ll have a chance to experiment and see what you can grow.
While AeroGarden sells pre-seeded pods to make it as simple as possible to create your garden, you may want to grow something that isn’t available in the pods. You have to have the pods to grow anything in the AeroGarden, but don’t worry. You can get a grow anything kit that allows you to grow whatever you want as long as the plant will fit into your system.
Don’t forget that you aren’t limited to growing seasons. Since you are growing indoors and under controlled conditions, you can grow whatever you want no matter the time of year. It is very liberating because you are not at the mercy of the weather or the growing conditions of your outdoor soil, as you would be with a traditional garden setup.
Is the AeroGarden Worth It?
The value of the AeroGarden really depends on how much you plan to use it. You can easily save money over buying fresh produce, flowers, and herbs at the store. If you are willing to put in the time to care for the plants, then you can easily make back the money you spend on the system.
For someone who wants to grow their own plants, it can be the easiest way to do it. It takes the guesswork out of everything. The pods come with the seeds already in them. You pop everything into your system, choose your settings, and let it grow. You will have occasional maintenance tasks, but these are simple, and the system makes it super simple to remember to water and feed your plants for the best growth.
It also is perfect if you have trouble with traditional gardening due to space since it is a countertop garden system. Most of the lines are compact enough that you won’t need a huge space. Plus, you won’t have large bags of soil to contend with or other supplies to worry about that you would have with traditional gardening.
If you have never had success trying to grow anything from seed, the AeroGarden will allow you to finally do it. It is smart gardening at its best. You can even connect your garden to Alexa and use the app to make gardening automated.
Best of all, you get fresh vegetables and fruit, herbs on-demand, and flowers anytime you want when you use this system. How many times have you needed a bit of rosemary for a recipe but didn’t have any on hand? What about remembering you forgot to grab a tomato at the store? These worries are no more when you can grow your own at home.
What Is The Best AeroGarden to Get?
As you now know from learning how the AeroGarden works, there are different garden styles available from the company. The best AeroGarden depends on what you want and your needs. You should consider how much you want to get from your garden. Another major consideration is the amount of space you have since some gardens are larger than others.
For the Family
If you want to get enough vegetables or herbs to feed your whole family and cook wonderfully delicious meals, then you will want to choose from the larger lines available from AeroGarden.
The Farm Family line provides you with up to 24 inches of growing height with automatic reminders for watering and feeding. It has a slim design to fit any space easily. It fits up to 12 plants. This line offers the most growing space and potential. It would work for a larger family.
The Bounty Family line comes in your choice of basic, elite, artisan, and regular models. It also offers a height up to 24 inches for up to nine plants at a time. This is the largest water bowl of all the gardening systems. It is feature-rich to provide you with the most high-tech experience. This is the medium line. It does have a trellis option as well, so it would be good if you wanted to grow climbing vegetables.
The Harvest Family line offers you the 360, regular, elite slim, and elite 360 options. This is a smaller size with up to 12 inches of growing height for up to six plants. It has a simple design with an easy to use control panel. This line is suitable for smaller families or if you want less from your garden system. It is also perfect if you have limited space since it has a smaller footprint.
For the Single
If you live alone or it’s just you and one other person, then you want to look at the Sprout line. The Sprout is the smallest AeroGarden system available. It provides up to 10 inches of height for up to three plants. It is perfect for a single person or if you only want to grow a small amount of harvest. It has all the basic features and easy control panel operation.
This system is ideal for apartment living as it has a compact size. You won’t need a lot of space and will be able to grow whatever you want right in your home with ease. Plus, it is also the least expensive option, which is useful if you have a tight budget.
What Is an Acceptable AeroGarden Alternative?
If you want to find an alternative to the AeroGarden, then you need to focus on finding something that uses the same basic concepts. When you learn how an AeroGarden works, you discover that this is a hydroponic system that works indoors and fits on a countertop. Those three characteristics are what you want in an alternative system.
New York Magazine explains that one of the top choices for an alternative is the Smart Garden 3. This system is easy to operate. You simply click the settings and let it grow. It waters itself, and the lighting is easy to manage. Like the AeroGarden, it uses grow pods, and the plants all grow from seeds.
Another option is the Modern Sprout Growhouse. A nice feature of this gardening system is that you can hang it on the wall if you don’t have counter space. This makes it ideal for small apartments where space is at a premium. You can control the garden via a mobile app. It also has excellent features where the lights will mimic dawn and dusk.
The Real Deal
The AeroGarden may seem like a gimmick at first, but once you get the facts and answers to questions, such as “how does AeroGarden work,” you can see that this gardening system is serious. You really can begin to grow like a pro right in your own home.
If you dream of being able to grab some freshly grown peas or clip a beautiful flower to put in your hair anytime you want, then the AeroGarden can make that a reality. It is easy to use and available in a range of designs so that you can choose the system that is right for your needs.