I’ve had my AeroGarden for over a 12 months now, so I believe it’s time to do an sincere assessment and analysis of the product. In case you’ve by no means heard of those infants earlier than, sit tight. I’ll give you an outline of what the product is. A hyperlink in case you’re fascinated by buying one. And an sincere assessment that can embrace my private professional’s and con’s whereas residing the RV Life.
I need to level out that this isn’t a paid commercial. I’m not being sponsored by AeroGarden, they usually didn’t pay me to jot down a assessment. That is an sincere evaluation of how I really feel about my backyard and their product.
What’s the AeroGarden?
The AeroGarden is an indoor hydroponic backyard. A hydroponic backyard is one the place the crops develop in water and little or no (if any) soil. For the Aerogarden, every seed pod has a small quantity of soil in every pod containing the seeds. No extra soil is used whereas the plant grows. The roots are all free floating in water contained within the decrease bucket portion of the unit. What makes the AeroGarden so particular? They’ve made this dynamic and versatile method of rising, simple to make use of for the frequent family.
You will get quite a lot of sizes starting from a 3 plant system to an excellent massive 24 plant system. A lot of the backyard’s are counter measurement, no bigger than a toaster oven. However their Farm Household setup is ground based mostly and would require extra space.
What Are you able to Develop in It?
I’m certain I’ve no less than piqued your curiosity at this level. So what are you able to develop on this factor? As soon as once more, there are a number of choices that AeroGarden has proper on their webpage in your selecting. You possibly can attempt your hand at herbs. In case you actually like a freshly grown salad, you possibly can choose to plant an array of lettuces. If flowers are extra your pace, you are able to do that too. You possibly can even get greens that develop indoors all 12 months spherical so that you’re meals are at all times made with brisker elements. Within the uncommon case that you just aren’t glad with the seed package choices they provide, you possibly can even buy empty pods to place your individual seeds in.
Okay. Okay. You suppose this factor is fairly cool, however you possibly can’t hold a small cactus alive in your kitchen window. Belief me. I get it. I don’t have a inexperienced thumb both. AeroGarden to the rescue as soon as once more. They’ve made this stuff for the Inexperienced Thumb Challenged particular person, like myself. It has an alert when it wants extra water. One other alert when it’s time to provide your little child crops meals. You’re happening trip, no want to fret. You simply put your backyard into Trip Mode the place it reduces the variety of hours the sunshine is on! And it’ll even decrease the frequency the water pump runs.
What About A Warrenty?
Yup. They’ve obtained that too. Not solely does AeroGarden have a restricted guarantee on the backyard unit, however additionally they have a assure on the seed pods! If you buy the merchandise straight by way of them, they may again the seeds with a 100% germination assure. Loopy, proper?!
Other than the warranties and ensures that they supply, they’ve a number of FAQ’s on their web site. Earlier than you even attain out to the corporate by way of chat, e-mail, or telephone name, you’ll possible discover your query proper there. Questions vary from the kind of plastic used to help with the water pump not working. All questions with the commonest answer at your fingertips with out sitting on maintain ready for customer support.
AeroGarden Professional’s
Actually, in case you’ve made it thus far within the article, you need to have found out that I really like this product. After we did our walk-thru video of our RV, we really needed to edit out a bit of it as a result of I obtained caught speaking about my backyard a lot. You possibly can nonetheless see the backyard with all of my pretty crops rising. However can I truthfully give you any extra motive’s to purchase it? I actually can.
Contemporary Components
It’s 2022. Actually, it’s nearly 2023. Everyone knows that FRESH meals is healthier for us than something that is available in a can, field, or bag. We don’t want to affix a well being membership or see a nutritionist to be advised this. You recognize it, I do know it, even your neighbor is aware of it.
Contemporary elements usually are not solely more healthy for us, however they TASTE higher too! Go forward… Inform me the can of inexperienced beans style nearly as good because the contemporary inexperienced beans you picked out of your backyard. You possibly can’t! They don’t. I imply, they’ll work, you possibly can eat them. There’s even dietary worth in these canned veggies. However they may by no means style nearly as good because the contemporary stuff does.
Inspiration
Huh? Right here I’m telling you you can go surfing and buy pre-selected seed pods and now I’m speaking about inspiration. This goes again to that excellent assist that AeroGarden offers. If you’re on the Aerogarden web site, you possibly can tab over to Inspiration. Right here, they’ve a number of articles about Rising, Cooking, Studying, and even Crafting your backyard the way in which you need it. Getting began with a backyard could be overwhelming once you first begin. That is very true in case you’ve by no means executed it earlier than.
AeroGarden helps you thru studying methods to prune and harvest out of your crops. When you may have an abundance of Basil, they’ve an article on methods to dry and retailer it. Want a recipe for all of these tomatoes you harvested, they’ve obtained that! The articles are tailor-made to the particular kinds of crops that they promote. So that you aren’t studying a recipe about Beefsteak tomatoes, they’ve one for cherry tomatoes.
Area
As I mentioned earlier, these little counter prime backyard’s don’t take up extra space than a toaster oven. If you plant a backyard outdoors, you really must have some house. The individual residing in an condo could have a balcony to place a couple of potted crops on, however they don’t have a yard. Even in case you’re in a home with a yard, it’s essential to dedicate an space for rising a backyard. I dwell in an RV, so my counter house is restricted, however I had room to arrange my backyard. I used to be in a position to have contemporary basil, dill, and tomatoes for all of my cooking.
AeroGarden makes use of non-GMO seeds which are particularly designed for the house supplied of their gardens. You aren’t buying an eggplant that can develop over 3 toes extensive. You might be getting a plant that can slot in inside the confines of the backyard. This alone saves house.
AeroGarden Cons
You didn’t suppose I had any, did you? I’ve gone on an entire rant about how great and wonderful this factor is. You’re even prepared to purchase one. However maintain up a minute. Let me go over why I don’t even use my unit anymore. Actually. You should still need one even after I assessment my cons. A few of my causes will possible be a lot completely different than the conventional family. However I nonetheless suppose I’ve a couple of cons that each consumer want to find out about.
Energy
We dwell in a camper. Our energy provide is restricted. After we go Boondocking for two weeks at a time, we’re solely operating on photo voltaic panels and a generator. Each single amp of energy must be accounted for once we do the sort of tenting. Using a few of that electrical to run the AeroGarden, even with it’s LED lights, is electrical we now have deemed pointless. Now, the solar does nonetheless come up each day without spending a dime. Putting the backyard outdoors will present the mandatory mild.
However there’s additionally the tiny water pump. This too attracts energy. To not fear, the backyard will nonetheless work with out the pump going. So long as there’s water within the unit, the crops will likely be high quality. However we additionally want to think about our water utilization. The crops nonetheless require water, however so will we, and we now have a restricted provide. For the frequent house owner, this isn’t actually a con it’s essential to fear about. However for the RV Life-style it’s.
Yield
Doug and I are solely 2 individuals. There isn’t anybody else residing in our camper. The seeds supplied by AeroGarden yield SO a lot that we truthfully couldn’t sustain with it. Now, I do know for lots of people, that doesn’t sound like a foul factor. Perhaps if we had been in a home and never a camper, it could be factor for us too. Nonetheless, we’re restricted on house. There isn’t sufficient room to dry, protect, and hold the entire harvest.
We began harvesting and giving it away there was a lot. We’re all for serving to one another out and offering to others when we now have an abundance. However, we aren’t at all times with different individuals. Plenty of our tenting areas are in solitude. Then I discovered myself having to throw out completely good herbs and greens.
Getting New Pods
Once more, this isn’t one thing that can impact a family. Solely one thing that must be thought of when utilizing one in an RV. We don’t get mail or packages on a regular basis. We aren’t even in most locations lengthy sufficient to order one thing. Our mail is delivered to a mail service situated in Texas. After we know we now have necessary mail that wants our consideration, we now have to e-book a campground that enables deliveries. We contact our mail service they usually package deal and ship all of our mail to mentioned campground. On a couple of events we now have needed to prolong our keep as a result of we’re nonetheless ready for that mail supply.
I can’t place an order for extra seed pods except we’re stationary lengthy sufficient for them to be delivered. That is one thing we cope with for all on-line purchases. We accepted this with most issues and perceive that if we are able to’t purchase it in a retailer, we have to plan for ordering something. This has an added price, which convey me to my final con.
Price
Yeah. Right here it’s. The actual zinger. These infants are costly. For the smallest backyard unit AeroGarden provides it’s an preliminary $100 funding. If you think about that it comes with a starter seed package and the plant meals, that doesn’t sound horrible. However their Bounty (the one I’ve) it’s $460! Don’t get me fallacious, they’ve choices and you could find one that matches your finances. However lets do a breakdown right here… How a lot does it price to choose up some contemporary basil on the grocery retailer for tonight’s dinner? Perhaps $2.00. I must use basil in 230 days of dinner simply to cowl the price of the unit. Tomatoes could also be sooner.
Seed pods have an expense too. Only a fast poke on the web site exhibits me {that a} 6 pod tomato and pepper package will price about $13.50. This isn’t horrible when you think about the price of contemporary greens on the farmers market. However nonetheless a value none the much less. Bear in mind, we’re nonetheless making an attempt to get sufficient harvest to cowl the price of the unit.
Remaining Judgement
For the Fulltime RV’er, having a backyard with you sounds great in concept. AeroGarden has technically even made that attainable. Like I’ve mentioned in your entire first half of this text, I actually adored my unit and liked having contemporary elements at my disposal. Nonetheless, protecting the backyard operating simply hasn’t been essentially the most sensible factor within the camper.
Even in case you take out the Energy and Yield issues, you continue to must think about Getting New Pods and the Price related to it. For us, protecting our backyard going simply wasn’t pragmatic anymore. Hopefully this sincere assessment provides you a couple of issues to think about earlier than committing to, and buying, a unit in your RV Life.
