The AeroGarden Includes: 

1. Built-in plant-lighting system
• The full-daylight-spectrum, energy-efficient grow lights allow you to grow anywhere with no natural sunlight needed.

2. Aeroponic optimizing chamber
• Creates a near-perfect rainforest growing environment.

3. Computerized "smart" garden technology
• Built-in microprocessor automatically adjusts nutrient delivery, light cycles, and water for specific plant types
• Built-in light timer turns lights on and off
• Built-in reminder system automatically alerts you to add water and nutrients

  

Free seed kit also included with each AeroGarden: 

A. Preseeded bio-dome seed pods
• Enclosed in their own mini-greenhouse for ultra-fast germination

B. Timed-release nutrient tablets
• Perfect plant nutrition with 85 macronutrients and micronutrients for optimal plant health. 

C. Tending and harvesting guide with recipes
• Walks you through everything you need to know to grow and harvest your plants, as well as tips and recipes for enjoying your harvests.

  

FAQ
Q: What is aeroponics?
A: Aeroponics is a dirt-free growing method in which plant roots are suspended in air within a 100 percent humidity, highly oxygenated growing chamber. Because the roots are bathed with ideal levels of nutrients, water, and oxygen, plants grow significantly faster, are healthier, and have a higher nutrient content than plants grown in soil.

Q: How big is the AeroGarden?
A: The AeroGarden has the footprint of a breadbox and is sized to fit conveniently under most cabinets. The AeroGarden measures 16 inches long by 10 1/2 inches wide by 15 1/2 inches high when it is first set up with the lights at the lowest possible setting, and 21 inches high at the highest level. Currently the AeroGarden comes in only one size.

Q: What can I grow?
A: Salad greens, gourmet herbs, chili peppers, cherry tomatoes, cascading petunias, and several types of basil.

Q: How much time do I need to spend taking care of my AeroGarden?
A: Approximately 5 minutes a month. You will need to occasionally add water, drop in two nutrient tablets, and provide minimal tending to your plants. Most of your time

will be spent harvesting and enjoying delicious, fresh food.

Q: How long can the AeroGarden be left unattended? What if I travel a lot?
A planted AeroGarden can be left unattended for up to two weeks, depending on the type of plants you are growing and their maturity.

Q: What kind of lightbulbs does it use?
A: The AeroGarden uses full-spectrum compact fluorescent bulbs exclusively designed for the optimal amount and type of light needed for robust, healthy plant growth.

 

Customer Review: AeroGarden Pro 100
Grow herbs and more, even with the "thumb of death"
This is a remarkable device, one that is a boon to apartment dwellers with no patch of garden, or to anyone who wants an indoor garden that's nearly foolproof.The Pro 100 has a black shell, stainless steel plate and trim, and a newer feature called "adaptive growth intelligence" which is supposed to automatically monitor water, light, and nutrient delivery for maximum growth. I think it may be a complex timer that is keyed to what type of plant you choose from the front panel (ie, herb, lettuce, tomato)

because it seems to demand water the same time every week, though I fill it up whenever I see the level dip below an indicator post inside. The Pro does tell you when to add new nutrient tablets and tells you what phase you are growing--sprouts, new growth or mature plant.

I have to say, I have probably a "black thumb." I can grow aloe plants really well, pothos (ubiquitous viney house plant) and I once had a good crop of morning glories but normally, my gardening efforts are pretty sad. I don't trust myself to keep an outdoor herb garden growing.But I like to cook with fresh herbs, and I got really tired of trying to find chervil, let alone keeping basil and mint from going all black and soft in the fridge. After reading a lot of discussion about the Aerogrow and seeing a tempting sale, I decided to spring for one and try it out.

The device is a rounded vessel that holds a pump and water, and a light attached at the top. The surface of the lower vessel has a stainless steel plate with seven wells. You put plastic seed pods in these wells, cover with plastic "bio-domes" and add tablets of nutrient and let 'er rip. The pump feeds the foam in the plug where seeds are embedded. The light encourages the seedlings. Within weeks, you have a crop of various herbs or lettuce or flowers.

The "razor blade" of this device is the seed pod. It is a specially designed unit, like a small plastic frame rather like a thimble. It holds foam plastic, split in two. Inside the split, the manufacturer places some seeds and puts a paper collar with the name of the herb on top. The collar serves also to support the plant as it grows taller. The other "razor blade" is the grow bulb, which needs replacing after some months because lights grow dimmer as they are used. Eventually, the grow light is too weak to do its job and you need a replacement. I say "razor blade" because these disposables are unique to the unit and you must purchase them from retailers who sell Aerogarden products. There are master gardener kits with special pods you can use to insert your own seeds--probably a great idea for gardeners who need to get a real jump on the growing season, such as folks in New England where the season can be as short as 60 days.

I tried three kits so far: first, I used the gourmet herb kit. This had two types of basil (purple and green), mint, parsley, cilantro, dill and chives. I got a great crop of basil. Enough to share some baggies of this essential herb with my assistant at work. I got a bumper crop of dill, plenty of chives for breakfasts of omelets, and eventually, some viney mint that seems to be of the apple mint variety. Not enough to do tabbouleh salad, but enough to use in drinks and garnish fruits. Only the cilantro failed to grow. No seed even showed a sprout. I called the support number, and very polite folks immediately sent me a replacement and noted they felt it would take more than four weeks to sprout cilantro. Now, some of the herbs are slow to grow (parsley is notoriously slow) but neither pod ever showed a ghost of cilantro. I assume that the seeds supplied to the company might have been mistakenly irradiated food-grade spice seeds and not fresh crop growing seeds. In any case, I got absolutely nowhere with cilantro, a shame, as that is a very tender herb that doesn't keep well. The parsley grew too slowly to be of any real use, as well. But it did grow.

I eventually depotted the herbs into a kitchen flower pot (cutting off the plastic frame and leaving on the foam, into which the roots had really made a home.) Then I tried the lettuce. It sprouted in three days and in a month, I had enough to make some light salads and yes, share a bag with the assistant. But it seemed a waste to let the Aerogarden grow something as mundane as lettuce, and I prefer mache (cornsalad, feldsalat) or arugula to leaf lettuce, so I harvested the rest of the crop and started the French Herb kit. This is chervil, sorrel, parsley, chives, Marseilles basil, sage and savory. Everything sprouted immediately except the parsley and chervil, notable slow-pokes of the herb world.

I sure like having fresh herbs to hand on the kitchen counter. I can even see the attraction of having three or these mounted on an optional wall rack, but that is quite a luxury. However, a determined gourmet or gardener in a harsh climate or restrictive living setting could satisfy their green thumb with such an arrangement. 

The customer support is fast and friendly. I have heard stories of failed pumps but mine is quite reliable, and I did have a light give up the ghost way early, and this was cheerfully replaced by customer service. The unit is attractive, easy to use (hey, my black thumb has yet to deter the Aerogarden) and it is a lot of fun to watch the plants grow taller and taller. I'd say this is a great idea for kids as well as cooks who like fresh herbs. As to the other kits, there are a number of them and more are being made available. I can purchase them at my local farmstand-garden shop and that's quite handy. Of course they are also available online.

The kits so far that I know of are the French Herb, Gourmet Herb and Lettuce I mentioned and:
Japanese Herb--two colors of shiso, mitsuba, chives, shungiku and cress
South of the Border: Epazote, cilantro, oregano, thyme, parsley, basil
Year Round Gourmet Herb (extra herbs like savory, sage, lemon basil, and the ones in the regular gourmet kit)
Holiday Herb (parsley, sage, oregano, thyme)
International Basil
Italian Herb
Cascading Petunia
Cherry Tomato
Salsa Garden
Beans
Snow Peas
Chili Peppers
More greens (arugula, mesclun, baby greens, chef pack, romaine)

And I assume more packs are in the works. All come with nutrient tablets and complete instructions.

I give this two (greenish) thumbs up.
By Joanna Daneman - Middletown, DE USA

AeroGarden PRO100 With Gourmet Herb Seed Kit

Enjoy Fresh Greens At Every Meal No Matter What The Season

Includes Gourmet Herb Seed Kit, grow bulbs, and everything you need to grow now!