This is my 2nd Aerogarden. The 1st is a Harvest (6 pods) that was gifted to me a year ago. After careful consideration I bought an alternative brand with 12 pods that should have been comparable to the bounty but with more pods. It was a nightmare and made me realize the importance of certain key features most retailers won’t be upfront with… and why Aerogarden was worth the investment. Before purchasing a hydroponic system, try to find out some less known info… - Are the parts easily replaceable * Bad models will have the wires directly soldered into the unit (e.g. pump and/or light cannot be replaced). Why is this important? If you cannot replace parts that tend to break more often (pump and/or light) then you’ll have to replace the ENTIRE unit!!! If you have a part that malfunctions, the seller won’t be able to easily send a replacement part. Oftentimes you’ll be required to pay for shipping the entire unit back & pay for shipping repaires or replacement. If the pump/light breaks, you’ll be stuck with a water bucket that can’t do much for you. Now think of all the money you wasted, the environmental impact it has since it isn’t sustainable, etc. YIKES! * Good models (like Aerogarden)… each part is separate & replaceable. Pump has an issue… you can have it replaced if it’s under guarantee or buy a new one. What a cost saver! - Noise level of the pump * Bad models can easily be around 50 db. If you are sensitive to noise it can be disturbing (e.g. I had my unit in the living room and I still heard it in the bedroom. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… are much quieter. When the pump is working you might hear a soft hum and some water dripping. If your water level gets low, you’ll hear more the water. You can use this to your advantage since sometimes the water indicator can become unreliable/defective if roots go and hide there (yes, it’s a common prob but easily fixable when you clean the unit). - How easy is it to disassemble & clean? Hopefully you want healthy plants as well as to reuse the unit. Roots, algae, mold, etc. can get into a bunch of places. * Bad models are a nightmare to clean. ** Pump: Is it easily removable? Is it screwed in? Can you easily open the plastic parts without breaking plastic &/or your nails? ** Area under tray: Can it be easily detached? In a bad model you can have small columns that distribute the water to the pods whereby they are not made to be opened/cleaned. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… The entire top surface area is a detachable tray. You can remove roots (yes, they love to get in there), algae, etc. It does take a bit of time and patience but at least you can clean it Tip: clean with double strength vinegar (10%) to easily get stains out. - Water level/spills * Bad models have high tops whereby there can be approx. 1 inch side. The water must NOT pass that height otherwise it’s leaking everywhere. The “max” water indicator is almost at that outer 1 inch line. One prob is that if you want to move your unit (add water, clean, etc.) as soon as the water moves a little it starts leaking from the side connection. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… The side of the water tank goes all the way up to the top and only at the very top it comes off. The max water level is about 1 inch below the openable top. This makes it much easier to move a unit to clean, add water, etc. - Location of electronics * Bad models have connections INSIDE &/or right under permitting water to enter. Water plus circuit boards & loose wires = dangerous, fire hazard, electrocution risk & more! Apart from it going against common sense/safety… it is also difficult to discover from images. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… the only electrical thing that is in the water tank is the water pump whereby the connection is outside the water tank onto the base unit. ——————- I won’t go into basic details of reminders, tips, etc. as many people review those. Why did I choose a “basic”? vs other more expensive models It depends what kind of needs you have… I tend to use empty pods to grow varieties that aren’t commonly available (e.g. redventure celery, cresson du Bresil, Turkish Orange Eggplant, Bonsai Tomatoes, and so much more!). I check on my plants every few days or daily. So, knowing I need to add water & when to add food is basically (pun intended) all I require. Something important to take into consideration: How many plants can you grow in a healthy manner vs actual pods. There is no clear-cut answer since it depends the types of plants you grow. * Just herbs - Yes, in a 9 pod you can grow 9 plants. However, you will still have to cut/trim often… not only the leaves but the roots as well. ** Can certain herbs grow longer than suggested lifespans? Yes… for example Thai Basil (which I actually used from Aerogarden) can live a year or more. The main stem will thicken and start to look more like bark. The taste of the leaves will also change. You’ll wind up with a plant that looks a bit like a small Bonsai. * Plants that grow less than 1 foot, need less roots, don’t make large fruits, etc. (e.g. lettuce, swiss chard, dwarf kale) - Although technically you could do 9/9 pods, if the plants seem to struggle go down to a ratio of 2/3… so 6/9 pods. * Plants that grow fruits, need more roots, etc. (e.g. dwarf tomatoes, self-pollenating cucumbers, etc.) You will need at the very least a bounty model since the light can go up to two feet. You can try a 1/2 ratio (4/9 pods) however you will need to do a regular maintenance of pruning the leaves & roots. The plants will require more roots and various people recommend for more productive plants to reduce the ratio to 1/3 (3/9 pods). So, if you want a bounty thinking you’ll grow 9 healthy tomato plants you’ll be quite disappointed… especially if you plant indeterminate queen beef tomatoes. No, I did not try but neither should you (or are having a good laugh because you know why it’s a no-no). I bought the Bounty already knowing these types of constraints. What do I do in mine? I prefer a combo plant technique. Some are leafy (e.g. red celery, dwarf kale), some are fruity (e.g. dwarf tomato, Turkish Orange Eggplant), and some are small medicinal (e.g. cresson du bresil). I use a max of 5/9 of the pods. I place larger/fruit pods at the extremities to permit them to expand outside of the bounty surface area. I also check on them every few days/daily to maintain roots/leaves & hand pollinate when necessary. Yes, I have the time and patience to do this. Now ask yourself if you do and be honest. If not and you want tomatoes/peppers/etc. that are fruit plants, go down to 3 pods max for the bounty model. Is the expense worth it? That’s more of an answer that depends upon the individual. - Someone that is willing to create something from scratch, that doesn’t need reminders, etc. It could be considered quite expensive… but you’ll have to invest more time, energy, upkeep, etc. - Someone that wants to save money and buy something similar but a bit less expensive… don’t! You might wind up not being able to use the unit for long, parts won’t be replaceable, etc. - Someone that wants it to be less of a strain on the wallet… look into paying in payments. Amazon offered me to do so & that’s what made it possible for me to get. - If you’re the type that wants fruit plants but don’t have much time to take care of them… you should stick to 3 plants per bounty. It’s up to you to ask yourself if it’s worth that much to grow only a bit of fruit… especially if the varieties you like can be bought at the supermarket. If the pants you want to grow are rare and difficult to obtain at the super market then it might be worth it. I also would like to point out a few things to consider buying: - Grow tent: It will help create a more stable environment, reflect back the light so the plants benefit even more and for those that don’t like the “bright light” it can be a way to eliminate that challenge. There are also black
