AeroGardens are great because they allow you to grow fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits, and flowers indoors year round. They also help reduce your carbon footprint and save you money on groceries.
But how do you make sure you get the most out of your AeroGarden system?
In this article, I’ll share with you the top AeroGarden tips and tricks for using your indoor garden system effectively.
1. Choose the Right AeroGarden Size
The first step in making sure that your AeroGarden is working well for you is choosing the right size. The best way to choose the right size is by looking at what you plan to grow and how many people you will be feeding.
Here’s a handy table to help you decide on which AeroGarden is right for you:
| AeroGarden Sprout Family | AeroGarden Harvest Family | AeroGarden Bounty Family | AeroGarden Farm Family | |
| Seed Pod Slots | 3 | 6 | 9 | 24 |
| What to Grow | Herbs | Herbs, Salad Greens | Herbs, Salad Greens, Small Vegetables and Fruits | Herbs, Salad Greens, Small-Medium Vegetables and Fruits |
| How Many People | 1-2 people | 2-3 people | 3-4 people | 4+ people |
Check the options of garden kits available on AeroGarden’s website.
2. Select the Right Plants to Grow
Selecting what plants to grow in your AeroGarden should always be done carefully. Quality seeds are needed to ensure that the plant grows well. Seeds need to be planted in the right place, and at the right time.
You should select plants based on their growth cycle and the amount of light needed. For example, some plants need more light than others. Some plants require more water than others. You may want to consider planting different types of plants together so that they thrive
AeroGardens are also indoor smart gardens, so choosing plants that can grow well indoors and under grow lights can be considered. If you look at the various seed pods that AeroGarden offers, that will let you know what’s good to grow.
The size of your AeroGarden will also affect the decision on what you can grow. For example, if you want to grow tomato plants in an AeroGarden, you’ll want to look at growing the smaller cherry tomatoes.
3. Plant Seeds and Grow Plants Together
You need to plant seeds at the same time to make sure they grow together. That will help them reach the same heights around the same time.
That will also allow them to be exposed to light together. If one plant were to overshadow the smaller plant, then the smaller plant won’t receive enough light. This could cause it to grow slowly or not grow at all.
If you have two plants that are close to each other, then you can put them next to each other in your AeroGarden. But you don’t want to crowd your plants too much, especially if they’re both large plants you’re growing.
4. Use Less Pods for Larger Plants
AeroGardens are great for growing herbs and vegetables, I’ve found that it is hard to grow tomatoes and other large plants in the AeroGarden if all the pod spaces have plants growing in them.
One way for larger plants to grow healthily and more efficiently is to use less pod spaces at one time. That will allow your plants and roots to have the space and light exposure to thrive.
I use half the spaces, so with my Bounty Elite, I use 5 spaces when growing tomatoes. Half the pod slots is a good rule of thumb. Test it out as you grow and you’ll find a good balance.
5. Raise and Lower the Lights as Plants Grow
All AeroGarden systems have a feature to raise or lower the lights. Adjust the lights so that they’re one inch away from the highest plants. This allows the plants to grow at their highest potential.
When you trim and harvest plants, you should also lower the lights back down to about an inch above the tallest plants. This will continue to give your plants the best chances to grow well.
If plant leaves are touching the lights or too close, the leaves may burn, so you end up with scorched leaves.
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6. Use Light Reflectors
AeroGarden light reflectors are used to direct light towards other areas that are not at the top of your AeroGarden and plants. They are useful for getting lights to the sides and bottom of plants to help them grow better.
You can DIY your own light reflectors with cardboard, tape, and aluminum foil or mylar film. You can get tri-fold presentation board and cover it with mylar film.
7. Turn Off the Lights at Night
Plants need sunlight to photosynthesize, but they also need darkness to rest. Artificial light at night can cause problems for plants.
Giving them too much light can cause them to produce more chlorophyll than they need, and it can also cause other problems, such as stunted growth.
Plants need darkness to grow properly. If your AeroGardens lights are always on, or if there is no time for darkness, then your garden won’t be able to produce anything.
8. Add Nutrients When Reminder Lights Suggest
When the nutrient lights turn on, you should add more nutrients. The reminder lights will tell you when it’s time to add more plant food to the water.
Nutrients are necessary for healthy plants. Adding nutrients when needed helps keep your plants healthy.
9. Make Sure There’s Enough Water in the AeroGarden
To have a thriving and healthy AeroGarden, you need to make sure there is enough water in your AeroGardens. Water levels should be checked regularly, even if the add water level indicator doesn’t say that the water level is low.
The indicators can sometimes malfunction or become inaccurate, so check the water level yourself. On older AeroGarden models, the Add Water indicator could be on a timer and not based on the actual water levels.
If plants don’t get enough water, they won’t grow as fast or as big as they would otherwise. The plants could also suffer and not survive. It’s important to keep the water flowing through the AeroGarden system.
10. Change AeroGarden Water Every Few Weeks
Every few weeks, change the water in your AeroGarden. It’s easy to forget to do this and let the water sit stagnant. This can lead to algae blooms, fungus, bacteria, and/or diseases which can harm the plants.
With new plants, you want to start out with fresh water. Be sure to clean and disinfect the AeroGarden each time. Changing the water and starting off clean will prevent diseases being passed on from the previous plants to the new plants.
Nutrients can also build up in the water if the water isn’t fresh, which can lead to blockages and pump failures. Changing the water will help prevent the blockages.
11. Store AeroGarden Herbs in the Fridge
Herbs can grow quickly, especially basil, so you could have bountiful harvests with basil. What do you do with all the extras though?
Herbs should be used within 6-7 days after being harvested. They should be stored in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight. Keep them in an airtight container or bag. Don’t put them near any heat sources such as radiators or ovens.
Herbs are best stored in the refrigerator to keep their flavors and freshness longer if you plan on using them in the near future.
If you’re not planning to use the herbs, vegetables or fruits for a while, you can store them in the freezer.
12. Store AeroGarden Herbs in the Freezer
Herbs should be stored in the freezer for longer term storage. To make sure they stay fresh longer and retain as many nutrients as possible, you should blanche them before freezing.
- Blanch the herbs with boiling water for a few seconds.
- Put the herbs in a vacuum bag and use a vacuum sealer to seal the bag.
- Leave the bags in the freezer.
Flavors should be retained with these easy steps. The color might not be retained though.
13. Keep Your AeroGarden Clean
Keep your AeroGarden clean. You don’t want to leave mold, mildew, or other contaminants behind. If you see any nutrient buildup, mineral deposits, plant or root remains, or discoloration in the base, then take action right away.
As mentioned earlier, changing the water every few weeks will help prevent problems with nutrient and mineral deposits.
Clean the top of the AeroGarden deck by wiping it down every 1-2 weeks to prevent dust and dirt from accumulating on the surface.
Remove any dead plant leaves or fallen leaves when you see them. That will help to prevent them from sticking to the surface. Once it sticks, it’ll be a lot tougher to remove.
Read this guide on How to Clean Your AeroGarden.
14. Trim the AeroGarden Plant Roots
Some plants will grow large roots that can serious issues with the plants in the AeroGarden. You may need to trim those roots back to avoid damage to the AeroGarden pump.
The roots can get caught in the pump, stopping and breaking it. You can cut the roots back with scissors or pruning shears. Make sure you only cut the roots and not the stems.
Learn more in this in-depth guide for How to Trim AeroGarden Roots.
15. Trim AeroGarden Plants Regularly
You should regularly trim the plants in your AeroGarden. This helps to ensure healthy growth and prevents the plants from becoming too tall or lopsided with one side growing very tall.
It’s important to remember that the taller the plant gets, the higher you’ll need to move the lights. That means the lower portions of the plant will not get much light. A light reflector mentioned above can also help.
Trimming plants will also encourage new growth. It’s a great way to get more productivity from your plants and AeroGarden. Be sure not to trim or harvest more than 1/3 of the plant at any time.
16. Provide Supports for Higher AeroGarden Yields
Plants need to be supported by something when they’re producing heavy fruits. Otherwise, they could crush themselves because they’re top-heavy. Supporting your plants will help prevent that.
Support should be provided for each plant. Plants need support to grow. Supporting your plant allows sunlight to reach more parts of the plant, which helps with growth.
Also, supporting your plant lets air circulate through it, which helps with growth by letting oxygen flow into the plant.
You can support the plants with a trellis system and soft-ties.
17. Plastic Domes Are Evil
Avoid using plastic dome containers after seeds germinate and you see leaves. The domes are not necessary for growing healthy plants. AeroGarden systems already provide enough humidity.
You can use the domes if you want to plant seeds though. Remove the domes once the seeds sprout. The domes help control temperature and humidity for germination, while the seedlings develop. They won’t hurt anything.
Learn more about the Best Time to Remove AeroGarden Domes.
18. Buy Plant Food in Bulk
One of the best ways to save money is buying bulk quantities of nutrients. AeroGarden provides a 1 Liter bottle that provides more than 100 feedings. See it on their website.
One tip to keep in mind is to mix the bottle before you add the nutrients to the AeroGarden. The nutrients can settle, so mixing it up will help the nutrients stay mixed throughout the container.
19. Buy Individual Grow Sponges
Buying separate grow sponges can save you some money. Instead of purchasing a whole sponge with grow basket and seed, you can just purchase grow sponges. This saves you money since the grow sponges are cheaper than the whole seed pod kits.
This allows you to choose any seeds you want. You can buy individual seeds instead of a kit. Learn more about DIY AeroGarden Pods and Systems.
You may need to purchase an AeroGarden Grow Anything kit to start out with if you don’t have anything. Or you can purcahse one of the seed pod kits that already come with seeds.
Remember to hold onto the grow baskets after growing plants in them. You’ll need to put the sponges in the baskets.
Read the in-depth guide to AeroGarden Seed Pods.
Top AeroGarden Tips Final Thoughts
All in all, there are many things you can do to maximize your AeroGarden and harvests. These tips will help you increase your yield and save money.
Read more about the AeroGarden:
