Are you looking for a safe way to grow food indoors? Do you love fresh vegetables and fruits? Then you should check out the AeroGarden.
In this article, I’m going to answer the question “Is AeroGarden safe?” and “Can you eat the plants grown?”. I’ll also tell you how to get started with growing your own food indoors.
I’ve tried the AeroGarden indoor garden myself and I really like it. But I wanted to make sure it was safe before recommending it to others. So I tested it myself and found that it’s very safe. And I also found that you can eat the plants grown inside the AeroGarden.
What Parts Make Up the AeroGarden Unit?
The Aerogarden kitchen countertop unit comprises of:
- A base unit with a controller housed within.
- A Water Bowl / Water Reservoir to fill with water and liquid plant food for nutrients.
- A Grow Deck where you insert the seed pod, allowing the roots to hang into the nutrient mix within.
- A Pump to circulate and oxygenate the nutrient solution.
- A Grow Light is an important part of growing plants indoors. This unit needs to be placed near a power source.
How an AeroGarden Works
Plants in an AeroGarden grow quickly because they get enough nutrients without having to search for them. Their roots absorb water and nutrients directly from the water without soil.
Plants in an AeroGarden don’t need to be anchored to anything. They can stand up straight because there is no wind or rain to hold them down.
This garden is designed to be controlled by a remote system. You can set the timer for the lights to turn on and off, as well as the amount of time each cycle lasts. This garden also comes with a pump to help water the plants.
Grow bowls are used to feed plants. They are made out of food safe plastic or stainless steel. They contain nutrients that help plants grow. This product is also known as hydroponic systems.
Water and Nutrients in the AeroGarden
Water and the AeroGarden nutrient solution will be a big part of providing optimum growth with hydroponic principles in these units.
Use distilled or filtered water in the AeroGarden to prevent mineral build-up that could result from tap water. You can use regular tap water if you want, but you will have to filter it first.
Municipal city water will often contain chloride and fluoride, which can cause problems when using it in a garden and for plants. These minerals can harm plants.
If tap water is the only option, then make sure you let the water sit out for 24 hours before using it. This will help the minerals dissipate from the water.
Use the AeroGarden Liquid Plant Food that contains the essential elements for healthy plant growth. The best thing about this product is that it doesn’t require any special preparation. Just add the nutrient solution to the water and you’re good to go!
It’s best to change the AeroGarden water and nutrient solution every 4-6 weeks to keep water fresh for optimal plant growth.
Grow Lights Plants
The grow lights should be kept away from touching leaves on the plants, but close enough to still have effects to help plants grow. Keep the lights about 2-3 incheas away from the tallest part of the plants.
Plants grow when they need help or support. When they start growing too tall, you need to prune some of the leaves to allow the lower leaves to have access to the lights. Without exposure to the light source, you’ll have a poor yield of plants.
This will help your AeroGarden by reducing the chances of pests and diseases. You should plan out what plants you want to place where, because there is limited space between your grow deck and the maximum height of the lights.
Older versions had a complete lighting module that could be removed, but newer versions do not. Older AeroGarden grow lights should be replaced every year. They’re not the easiest to remove and can potentially break.
Glass breakage is never fun, but it’s better than breaking your hands trying to remove the old bulbs. Mercury and phosphor are dangerous chemicals, so they shouldn’t be used around children or pets.
Push-fit connectors release suddenly and you push the light into the other side of your hood. You end up with glass and bits on your plants, or if you’ve removed the hood, then glass and bits inside the hood. They changed the lights for LED bulbs in newer models, which now do not need replacing because they last at least 20K hours – and this is to the 80% brightness point.
By my reckoning using the unit everyday for the next 3 years, will use up those 20 thousand hours. We will see what it looks then… The LED lights are a lot better than incandescent bulbs for maintenance – a quick wipe over the surface and they are good for going. But make sure that you don’t blind any pets or children as they are quite intense looking from below.
Growth of Plants
Use AeroGarden seed pods to grow salad greens quickly in an indoor environment. Harvest the plant when it reaches the desired size, all without an outdoor garden.
Gardening without soil is much easier than gardeners know. Children can learn a lot about growing plants while doing most of the work. Fresh herbs smell great and taste wonderful. You can plant and grow from regular seeds too.
The freshness of the herbs and the fullness of the flavors will leave you in no doubts whether it is worth the time spent every day just to check the nutrient levels, add water to top up and occasionally replace the nutrient levels.
Herbs and salad crops are great to eat when you’re hungry. You can freeze them for later, or even cook them. Growing your own plants is a fun hobby.
- Related article: Best Plants to Grow in AeroGarden
Is AeroGarden Safe? Final Thoughts
Overall – Yes. Or as safe as possible, operated sensibly. Keep it on the kitchen countertop, and it will give you edible plants whenever you want.
AeroGardens are great because they help plants grow better. They also make homes look nicer. I recommend adding AeroGarden to your house!
Check out these other AeroGarden articles to learn more:
