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TM
Plant & Grow
Your Own Seeds
W
elcome
Thank you for your purchase of the
Master Gardener Kit, created for AeroGardeners
™ like you who want to use your own seeds and design a custom garden. In this Guide we give you the tools you need to have a successful and pleasurable year-round gardening experience.
I sincerely hope you enjoy planting a garden of your own design.
Best Regards,
Michael Bissonnette
Founder and CEO
AeroGrow International, Inc.
Introduction
Master Gardener Basics
“What’s Inside” . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Additional Supplies . . . . . . . . . 5
Designing Your Garden
Plant Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Plant Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Water and Light. . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Nutrients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Life Span . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Plant Habit & Layout . . . . . . . . 8
Building a Seed Pod
Planting Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Number of Seeds. . . . . . . . . . .10
Getting Ready . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Placing Seeds in
Grow Sponge . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Labeling Seed Pods . . . . . . . . 13
C O N T E N T S
Planting Your Garden
Placing Seed Pods in Garden. . 14
Adding Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Lowering Lamp Hood . . . . . . . 15
Setting Light/Water Cycle . . . . 16
Feeding Your Garden
Choosing a Nutrient Regime . . 18
Nutrient Feeding Schedule
Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Adding Nutrients. . . . . . . . . . . 21
Signs of Stress . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Tending Your Garden
Removing Domes . . . . . . . . . . 23
Adding Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Raising Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Thinning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Pollinating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Pruning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Keeping Your Garden Healthy . 34
Plant Problems & Remedies . . 35
Harvesting Your Garden
Leafy Greens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Bunching Herbs . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Branching Herbs . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Preparing for Your
Next Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Appendices
Transplanting Seedlings. . . . . . 42
Supporting Plants . . . . . . . . . . 44
Rinsing and Refilling . . . . . . . . 47
Questions and Answers . . . . . 48
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Setting Your Light Timer . . . . . . 53
Reminders About Your
AeroGarden Setup. . . . . . . . . . 55
Gardener’s Reference and Logs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Seed Information. . . . . . . . . . . 61
I
ntroduction
Master Gardener Basics
The Master Gardener Kit has supplies for planting three custom gardens – that’s enough for one year’s worth of indoor gardening!
What’s Inside…
The Master Gardener Kit is designed for the experienced
AeroGardener. It includes the supplies you’ll need to plant and grow three custom gardens in your AeroGarden.
While the AeroGarden provides the ideal environment for growing plants, there are many decisions you need to make that will impact the outcome of your garden. This Guide will assist you in deciding what to plant, how to plant your seeds and how to care for your plants once they are growing. We recommend that you read the entire Guide before starting your garden.
Note: Planting an AeroGarden with your own seeds is a bit of an experiment.
We hope that most of your efforts will be successful and that you enjoy the discovery process. If you have not used an AeroGarden with one of our Seed Kits, we highly recommend that you do so before planting your own seeds. The knowledge you’ll gain by planting, tending, and harvesting a garden from one of our Seed Kits will help Guide your choices about what to plant and how to use your AeroGarden.
3
Introduction
Domes (7) Seed Pod Labels (21) Grow Sponges (21)
Split-Apart Baskets (7)
Small Nutrient Tablets Large Nutrient Tablets
Introduction
4
Master Gardener Basics
(Continued)
In addition to what is included in your Master Gardener Kit, there are a few additional items that you will need.
Additional Supplies Needed…
An AeroGarden
An Iron
5
A Permanent Marker
Glue Seeds
!
Remember to replace your Grow Bulbs after 6 months of use. Grow
Bulbs can be ordered from our website at: www.aerogrow.com.
Introduction
D
esigning Your Garden
SELECTING PLANTS
The following guidelines will help you plant and grow a thriving indoor garden. Take the time up front to plan your garden and you’ll reap the rewards of beautiful plants and bountiful harvests.
Plant Type
While we encourage you to try growing a variety of plant types in your AeroGarden, there are a few that will just not do well in an aeroponic system. Subterranean plants, such as carrots, beets, potatoes or peanuts should not be planted in your AeroGarden. In addition, plants that require very dry conditions and have very low water requirements, such as cactus and succulents, will not thrive in your AeroGarden.
Plant Height
The maximum height of the Aero-
Garden Lamp Hood is 12 inches
12”
HELPFUL HINT: When choosing seeds for your AeroGarden look for dwarf or miniature varieties.
from the Grow Surface, which means it is important to select plants that will not grow taller than this – or to choose plants that can be pruned to stay within this height restriction, such as basil.
If you decide to grow a garden with a variety of different plants, you will also need to consider their relative heights. Try to grow plants that will be about the same height as they mature. Again, you may be able to prune some of the
(Continued on next page)
Designing Your Garden
6
Designing Your Garden
(Continued)
plants in your garden to achieve this. Using plants that grow at the same rate lets you adjust the Lamp
Hood so that they all receive the amount of light they need to grow and thrive.
What happens when you combine plants of different heights?
Leaves of tall plants touch the lights and brown and burn. The shorter plants will be shaded and the light they need to grow will be blocked. Short plants may start to
“stretch” to reach the lights and look floppy and unhealthy.
HELPFUL HINT: Plant a garden with plants that have similar growth rates and heights, as in the Salad Greens
Garden (shown).
Water and Light
The plant setting on the Control
Panel regulates the amount of light and water for the entire garden.
This means that you will have the most success if you plant a garden with similar water and light needs.
For example, we found that lettuces grow extremely well if there is a constant flow of water over the roots. On the other hand, herbs, such as basil or cilantro, do best when the water pump is shut off for some period of time each day.
Nutrients
Choose plants that have similar nutrient requirements to avoid overfeeding some plants while underfeeding others. For example, mixing plants with fairly low requirements (such as lettuces) with plants that have much higher nutrient requirements (such as basil) is not recommended. There are 2 different types of nutrients to choose from in the Master
Gardener Kit and more specific guidelines on which one(s) to use are provided in the “Feeding Your
Garden” section of this Guide.
7
Designing Your Garden
Life Span
Try to choose plants that have similar life spans so that you do not end up with empty spots in your garden. For example, dwarf tomatoes and cilantro are a great flavor combination, but they would be hard to grow in the same AeroGarden. The cilantro will be near the end of its growing season just as your dwarf tomatoes are starting to ripen!
Plant Habit and Layout
Some plants are bushy, others feathery, some grow straight, others branch out. As you plant your garden, think about the shape and growth habit of the plants. You may want to put the feathery leafed plants in the front where they can be seen. Save the back row for the plants that grow straight or bushy to make a nice background for the more delicate plants in the front. You can always experiment with arrangements.
Even after you’ve planted your garden, you can remove the Seed
Pods and rearrange your garden.
(Just be gentle with the roots!)
Horizontal Spreading
If you grow a garden with plants that have extensive branching or will spread horizontally, you may want to leave some of the Grow
Surface Openings empty. (For example, we recommend planting only 3 Seed Pods for dwarf tomatoes and peppers, and leaving the remaining 4 Grow Surface Open-
ings empty.) This will give the plants room to grow and assure that each plant gets the light it needs.
If you do this, be sure to cover the unplanted Grow Surface Openings to prevent algae growth.
HELPFUL HINT: To cover unplanted
Grow Surface Openings, choose a
material that will stand up to a moist environment, such as aluminum foil or the plastic top from a milk jug (shown).
Designing Your Garden
8
B
uilding a Seed Pod
Once you have collected the extra supplies needed (shown), and decided which seeds to plant in your AeroGarden, there are two additional variables that you need to consider when building a
Seed Pod: How deep to plant the seeds and how many seeds to plant per Seed Pod.
Here are some general guidelines that will help you with these choices.
Additional Supplies: glue, iron, permanent
marker and seeds.
Planting Depth
The ideal planting depth of seeds in the AeroGarden will not necessarily be the same as recommended on seed packages from suppliers.
In general, we have found that small seeds need a shallower planting depth than large seeds. Plant oregano (a very small seed) at 1/8” depth and cilantro (a large seed) at 1/4” depth. Seeds planted too deep, may rot before germinating.
Oregano – 1/8” deep Cilantro – 1/4” deep
Number of Seeds
As with an outdoor garden, it is important to plant extra seeds in each
Seed Pod to ensure success. A rule of thumb is that for larger seeds and fruiting plants, sow only a few extra seeds. Increase the number of seeds as the seed size gets smaller and for plants that grow in bunches, such as chives. Typically, 6 seeds per Seed
Pod does the trick.
Chive seeds
Dwarf tomato seeds
Grow Sponges
with suggested number of seeds.
Getting Ready
To get started building a Seed Pod, here are a few preliminary steps that will help the process go smoothly.
•
Preheat iron to a moderate temperature (between the silk and cotton setting on most irons, 300°- 400°F).
Do not use steam.
•
Write the name of the seeds you will sow on the Label(s) with a permanent marker. Doing this before you start planting prevents accidental mislabeling of Seed Pods.
•
If you are re-using a Split-Apart
Basket, be sure to scrape any residue from the previous Label off the surface or the remnant glue will prevent the new Label from adhering.
(Continued on next page)
Building a Seed Pod
10 9
Designing Your Garden
Building a Seed Pod
(Continued)
Placing Seeds in Grow Sponge
It is helpful to use a little bit of glue to keep the seeds at the desired planting depth and prevent them from rolling away. You’ll only need a dab. Be sure to use a water-soluble non-toxic white school glue.
•
Squirt some glue on a piece of paper.
•
Gently open the slit in the
Grow Sponge.
•
Using a cotton swab, toothpick, matchstick, or something else with which you can grab a small amount of glue, apply a thin coat of glue on the inside of the Grow Sponge at the desired planting depth.
•
Place the seeds on the glue.
Keep the seeds away from the side edges of the Grow Sponge.
It is okay if the seeds overlap one another. Large seeds can be easily
put in place with your finger.)
A little trick for tiny seeds:
•
Spread the seeds on a flat surface.
•
Open Grow Sponge and gently touch the glued surface to the seeds.
11
Building a Seed Pod
•
Close the Grow Sponge and insert it into Split-Apart Basket
(slit side up).
•
Be sure the base of the Grow
Sponge is resting on the bottom of the Split-Apart Basket.
HELPFUL HINT: Don’t risk mislabeling your
Seed Pods! If you are planting
multiple
Seed Pods with the same seed
variety, then continue placing seeds in additional
Grow Sponges. If not, take
the time to apply
Labels as you go.
(Continued on next page)
Building a Seed Pod
12
Building a Seed Pod
(Continued)
Labeling Seed Pods
The Label not only helps you keep track of what you planted and the planting date, but it also promotes germination and decreases algae growth. Be sure to take the time to fill out and apply the Labels.
Remember to preheat your iron to a moderate temperature (between the silk and cotton setting on most irons, 300°-400°F).
Do not use steam.
•
Place Seed Pod Label on top of the Split-Apart Basket.
•
Iron for a total of 10 seconds as follows:
–
5 seconds with the iron in one place.
–
5 seconds moving the Seed
Pod around the outside edge of the iron – to ensure Label is secure.
Your Seed Pod is now ready to plant.
HELPFUL HINT: Before you begin ironing, make sure the
Grow Sponge
is pushed down to the bottom of the
Split-Apart Basket. This will prevent the
Grow Sponge and seeds from getting
overheated.
13
Building a Seed Pod
P
lanting Your Garden
Planting your custom Seed Pod is the same as planting one of the Seed Pods from an AeroGarden Seed Kit. We recommend that you record the planting date, seed depth, and number of seeds planted in the Gardener’s Log in the back of this Guide
(sample shown below). This will be a great reference when planting future gardens.
Placing Seed Pods in Your AeroGarden
•
Insert the Seed Pod into a Grow
Surface Opening by pressing the
Seed Pod down firmly until rim of the Seed Pod almost touches the
Grow Surface. (The direction of the
Seed Pod does not matter, but for easy reading, we recommend you have the Label facing forward.)
•
Place a Dome on top of the Seed Pod.
Note: Please refer to the Quick Start Guide included with your
original AeroGarden or go to Customer Service at
www.aerogrow.com to view a PDF of the Quick Start Guide.
Sample of Gardener’s
Log found in the back of this Guide.
Pod
#
Plant Type
(
# of seeds planted
)
1
Chives (20)
2
Cilantro (6)
3
4
5
6
7
Seed Planting Germination Nutrient
Depth Date Time Regime*
1/8” 12/1/06 7 days
1/4” 12/1/06 11 days
B
B
(Continued on next page)
Planting Your Garden
14
Building a Seed Pod
(Continued)
Adding Water
Add water to the AeroGarden
Bowl up to “Fill to Here.”
We recommend using municipal tap water, bottled or purified water. Well or softened water
SHOULD NOT be used because the extra minerals in these sources may be harmful to aeroponically grown plants.
Lowering Lamp Hood
Set the Lamp Hood at the lowest setting when starting a new garden. Most seeds need maximum light to germinate.
15
Planting Your Garden
“Fill To Here”
Setting the AeroGarden
Light/Water Cycle
The AeroGarden has a timer that automatically controls the length of time the lights and the water pump are on and off. There are 5 different plant settings on the Control Panel from which to choose. This allows you to find the ideal combination of light and moisture for the plants you grow. Use the chart below to determine which plant setting is best for your garden.
Control Panel Light and Pump Cycles
Control
Panel
Setting
Tomatoes/
Peppers
24-Hour Light Cycle 24-Hour Pump Cycle
Hours Lights Hours Lights Hours Pump Hours Pump
Are ON Are OFF Is ON is OFF
Hours Lights are Off with
Pump
Running
16 8 20 4 4
Salad
Greens
Herbs/Basil
Flowers
16.5
17
15.5
7.5
7
8.5
24
17
20
0
7
4
7.5
0
4.5
Strawberry 15 9 15 9
Note: On all settings, the pump always runs when the lights are on.
0
HELPFUL HINT: “Herbs/Basil” & “Strawberry” are the only setting for which the pump is always off when the lights are off. All other settings have a “wet” interval, when the lights are off but the pump is still running.
(Continued on next page)
Planting Your Garden
16
Planting Your Garden
(Continued)
Choosing a setting for a plant that is not listed on the Control Panel will take a little bit of guesswork.
For example, eggplant grown in a traditional soil garden has similar needs to dwarf tomatoes, so selecting the “tomatoes/peppers” setting would be a good place to start.
If you are not sure which setting to use, keep your eyes open for signs of plant stress. You can always change the setting.
HELPFUL HINT: On the “Salad Greens” setting, the pump is always running. Use this setting only for plants that can tolerate constant moisture, such as lettuces and other leafy greens.
Note: You can program your AeroGarden so that the lights turn off and on at a time that is convenient for you. Please refer to
“Setting Your Light Timer” in the Appendices section of this
Guide for detailed instructions.
F
eeding Your Garden
The Master Gardener Kit comes with two different types of nutrient tablets to meet the needs of a variety of plant types.
The amount of nutrients in your garden increases with tablet size.
The nutrient tablets consist mainly of mineral salts that provide
13 micro and macro nutrients that all plants require. There is also seaweed for a boost of 70 micro nutrients and trace elements.
Each nutrient tablet also has ingredients that will keep the water in your AeroGarden at a pH level that is ideal for aeroponically grown plants.
Choosing a Nutrient Regime
Most gardens will need a combination of the small and large nutrient tablets. Since we don’t know what’s growing in your garden, we can only offer some guidelines for deciding which tablets to use.
Small Tablets
These tablets should always be used when you first plant your garden.
They have a lower amount of nutrients, and are sufficient for sprouting and the first two weeks of growth. Leafy greens, such as lettuces, grow best with
2 Small Tablets at each feeding for their entire life cycle.
HELPFUL HINT: We have also found that woody herbs that prefer dry conditions (such as oregano, savory and thyme) grow best with
Small Nutrient Tablets for their entire life cycle.
Lettuce grown with Small Nutrient
Tablets.
(Continued on next page)
Feeding Your Garden
18 17
Planting Your Garden
Feeding Your Garden
(Continued)
Large Tablets
Most plant types other than leafy greens and woody herbs, need the higher amount of nutrients found in the Large Tablets after 4 weeks
(i.e. the third feeding after planting.)
Mint, basil and cilantro are examples of herbs that grow well with 2 Large
Tablets at each feeding for the remainder of their life cycle.
Gourmet Herbs grown with a combination of Small and Large
Nutrient Tablets.
19
Feeding Your Garden
Nutrient Feeding
Schedule Options
The table at right shows a suggested feeding schedule based on plant type. Use this table as a starting point for selecting a nutrient regime. But, keep in mind that experience and keeping a watchful eye on your plants will be the best way to learn the ideal nutrient regime for the plants you choose to grow.
Note: Options (A, B, C, etc.) in the chart at right are provided for your use when filling out the
Gardener’s Log(s) found in the back of this Guide.
Nutrient Recommendations for Plant Types
Options
A B C D
Plant
Description
Set Up
Week 2
Week 4
Week 6
Week 8
Week 10
Week 12
Week 14
Week 16
S (2) S (2) S (2) S (2)
S (2) S (2) L (2) S (2)
S (2) L (2) L (2) S (2)
S (2) L (2) L (2) S (2)
S (2) L (2) L (2) S (2)
S (2) L (2) L (2) S (2)
S (2) L (2) L (2) S (2)
S (2) L (2) L (2) S (2)
S (2) L (2) L (2) S (2)
S (2) = 2 Small Nutrient Tablets
L (2) = 2 Large Nutrient Tablets
Subsequent
Feedings
S (2) L (2) L (2) S (2)
*Such as dwarf tomatoes, chili peppers and eggplant
**Such as squash, strawberries and peas
(Continued on next page)
Feeding Your Garden
20
Feeding Your Garden
(Continued)
Adding Nutrients
•
Add two nutrient tablets when you first set up your
AeroGarden and then every two weeks when the “Add
Nutrient” light begins to blink.
•
Add water to raise the water level up to “Fill to Here” in the Bowl.
•
Push and immediately release the “Reset” button to restart the two-week nutrient timer and to turn off the blinking lights.
Bowl
Resetting Your Garden
If you have already grown a
Seed Kit in your AeroGarden, please follow the instructions below to reset the nutrient timer in your Garden for your new
Seed Kit:
•
Press and HOLD the “Reset” button for 6 seconds.
•
When the “Add Nutrient” light begins to blink*, release the “Reset” button.
•
Your garden is now reset.
*Note: In some cases you may see other lights blink as well.
This is nothing to worry about. Your garden is reset.
21
Feeding Your Garden
Signs of Stress
Reading the message from plants that are receiving too many or not enough nutrients is tricky.
Overnourished
If you notice the tips of the leaves are brown, almost burnt looking, then your plant is probably getting too many nutrients. You may want to decrease the tablet size for the next feeding, or use just one tablet. Look for signs of improvement on new plant growth.
Note: If the browning is severe, the nutrient concentration in the Bowl may
be too high to bring down by simply tapering nutrient tablets. You may need to empty all the water out of the Bowl, put in fresh water, and add nutrient tablets. Please see “Rinse and Refill” on page 47 of this
Guide for detailed instructions.
Undernourished
A plant that is not getting enough nutrients starts to yellow. If you notice the yellowing increasing over several weeks, you may want to add an extra tablet or increase the tablet size, at the next feeding.
Look for signs of improvement, which will mainly be apparent on the new growth. It takes time for the extra nutrients to be taken up by the plants and the yellowing to disappear. Be patient.
HELPFUL HINT: Err on the side of undernourishing plants rather than overnourishing, if you are uncertain of which nutrient regime to use.
Feeding Your Garden
22
T
ending Your Garden
A little bit of care for your garden will ensure rapid growth and healthy plants. All gardens will need the Domes removed, water and nutrients added, and the lights adjusted as your plants grow.
Some plants may need additional tending, such as thinning or pollinating. This section provides some general guidelines to follow as your garden matures.
Removing Domes
•
Shortly after planting your garden
(4 days to 2 weeks), tiny plants will appear through the center hole in the
Label on each Seed Pod.
When this occurs, remove the Domes from each Seed Pod and save for your next garden. Do not remove the Label.
•
Remove the Domes only from Seed
Pods with emerging plants.
•
To reduce plant stress, we recommend removing the Domes shortly after the lights turn off or near the end of the light cycle.
Don’t let this happen!
If your plant is curled inside the
Dome, it was left on too long.
Immediately remove Dome.
!
Never remove the Labels.
They promote germination, decrease algae growth and identify your plants.
23
Tending Your Garden
Adding Water
•
When additional water is needed, the “Water Level Low” light on the Control Panel will blink. Add water to raise the level up to “Fill
To Here” inside the Bowl.
•
It is okay to add water up to “Fill
To Here” before the “Water Level
Low” light blinks.
•
When your plants mature, they may need water as often as twice a week. Be sure to check the
“Water Level Low” light regularly.
Smart Garden Control Panel
“Fill To Here”
!
•
Use room-temperature water. Very hot or very cold water will hurt your plants.
•
We recommend using municipal tap, bottled or purified water. Well or softened water SHOULD NOT be used because the extra minerals in these sources may be harmful to aeroponically grown plants.
•
NEVER mist the plants in your garden. Water could shatter the
Grow Bulb glass.
Tending Your Garden
24
Raising Lights
As your plants begin to grow, leave approximately 1-2 inches of space between the top of plants and the lights.
3
4
5
6
To raise the lights:
1
2
Unplug the AeroGarden (the backup system will save your settings).
Carefully remove the Bowl from the Base and set aside.
Base
Turn the AeroGarden around so the back of the Lamp Arm is facing you.
Bowl
Firmly hold the lower section of the Lamp Arm and push in the
Locking Button on the Arm. With your other hand, grasp the silver ring at the top of the Arm (where the Lamp Hood attaches to the
Arm). Pull up firmly on Lamp
Hood until the Locking Button becomes visible in the next hole.
Lamp
Hood
Locking
Button
Lamp
Arm
Move Locking Button up only one hole at a time. The lights need to
be as close to the plants as possible for optimal light intensity.
Replace the Bowl onto the Base and plug in your AeroGarden.
Lift the View Door to check that the water is flowing. If not, refer to Troubleshooting on page 52 of this Guide.
!
If the Grow Bulbs are too close to the plants, the leaves may brown and burn.
If they are too far away, your plants will “stretch” towards the light and look floppy and unhealthy.
25
Tending Your Garden
Thinning
We recommended earlier in this Guide that you plant multiple seeds in each Seed Pod. This practice usually does not cause a crowding problem for plants because typically the seeds that are first to germinate will out-compete the later germinating seeds.
This is particularly true with herbs, lettuces, and plants that grow in bunches (such as chives). However, with broad-stemmed varieties, such as fruiting plants, it is best to thin the plants as described below.
•
When plants are about 1” tall, check each Seed Pod for multiple plants. Using scissors gently snip the smallest plants at the base of the stem, leaving ONE healthy plant in each Seed Pod.
•
Thinning seedlings ensures that the remaining plant in each Seed
Pod will have room to grow, get enough nutrients and water, and produce many, many fruits.
!
Be sure to cut, not pull, the extra seedlings to avoid damaging the roots of the strongest plant in each Seed Pod.
Tending Your Garden
26
Pollinating
The table below shows some common plant types and a recommended method for hand pollination. For plants not listed below, you may need to do some additional research to find out the most effective method of pollinating. The internet and seed suppliers are good sources of information.
Pollination Methods for Common Garden Plants
Pollination Method Plant Examples
Self-pollinating
How to Hand Pollinate
(After Flowers Appear)
Legumes (such as peas and beans) No hand pollination necessary
and English cucumbers
Shaking Dwarf tomatoes and peppers
Eggplant
Move male pollen to Pumpkin, squash, watermelon
female flower and common cucumbers
Shake plant gently every other day when the lights are on.
Shake plant vigorously every other day when the lights are on. An
electric toothbrush works well
.
Use paintbrush to move pollen from male flower to female flower.
Pollinate when the lights are off.
HELPFUL HINT: If you find your garden is producing many flowers, but no fruit, then chances are you need to do some pollinating or change your pollinating method. Dead blossoms on the
Grow
Surface are a good indicator that your
chosen pollination method is not working.
Dwarf tomato plants being pollinated by gently shaking.
27
Tending Your Garden
Pruning
Your garden may need pruning to keep the plants at about the same height and to control growth. Use garden shears or scissors to prune. While every plant has different pruning needs, here are some general guidelines on how to prune a variety of plant types.
Fruiting Plants with Upright Main Stem (1st Pruning)
(such as dwarf tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant)
– Early pruning of this plant helps strengthen the main stem and encourages the plant to branch out. A strong plant with many branches will be able to bear the weight of much fruit without tipping over.
•
From the base of the plant, follow the main stem up past the first 5 branches.
•
Cut the main stem just above the 5 th
branch.
The photo at left shows how a dwarf tomato plant should look after the first pruning.
(Continued on next page)
Tending Your Garden
28
Pruning
(Continued)
Fruiting Plants with Upright Main Stem (Ongoing)
When grown in an AeroGarden, these plants need extra pruning to control plant height and spreading.
•
Branches that touch the lights when the Lamp Hood is at the highest setting need to be pruned.
•
Use scissors to cut branches that are growing into the lights.
Follow the branch to where it meets another branch – make cut just before this junction.
Don’t be discouraged if you end up cutting a branch with some flowers, or even a few small unripe fruit. Pruning strengthens your plants and allows your garden to put energy into growing new branches that can support more fruit.
The photo at right shows the same garden after pruning.
The branches are no longer
growing into the Lamp Hood.
29
Tending Your Garden
Occasionally you may need to prune branches on fruiting plants that are growing outside the reach of the Lamp Hood’s lights.
•
The picture at right shows a bird’s eye view of plants that need pruning. The circled
branches hang too far over the
edge of the Grow Surface and
do not receive enough light
from the Lamp Hood to be
productive.
•
Use scissors to cut branches that hang over the edge of the
Grow Surface. Make your cut so that the branch no longer overhangs the Grow Surface.
The photo at right shows the same garden after pruning. The branches no longer hang over
the edge of the Grow Surface.
Note: You don’t need to
remove the Lamp
Hood to prune
your plants.
(Continued on next page)
Tending Your Garden
30
Pruning
(Continued)
Herbs with Upright Main Stem
– Sometimes an early pruning of a plant, such as basil, will encourage the plant to branch out, rather than grow straight up. For plants that will benefit from this, you should…
•
Follow the main stem up from the base of the plant, past 3 sets of leaves.
•
Weekly pinching or cutting of the plant just above the uppermost set of leaves (the growth point) at the top of the stem will also encourage many plants to grow and branch out.
•
Cut the main stem just above the 3rd leaf set.
The photo at right shows how a plant might look after its first pruning.
31
Tending Your Garden
All Non-Fruiting Plants
– If you see flower buds or flowers on a plant that is being grown for its leaves, not its fruit or flowers, remove them. Cut the flowering stem just above a set of leaves, no more than 1/3 of the way down the stem. This will extend the life and productivity of your plant.
HELPFUL HINT: For easier pruning, remove the
Bowl from the Base. This
makes it easier to reach all the plants and shape your garden.
(Continued on next page)
Tending Your Garden
32
Pruning
(Continued)
Flowers
– To keep flowering plants
(such as petunias) full of blossoms, remove the old flowers (process known as “dead-heading”).
•
As the number of blooms and buds dwindle, a seemingly severe pruning can result in an additional
“season” of flowers.
•
Cut the entire plant to a height of about 3 to 5 inches. Make your cuts so that the plant shape is appealing.
(Remember to lower the Lamp
Hood after pruning, if necessary.)
Though this garden may look severely pruned, in a few weeks, you should start to see a whole new crop of flowers.
33
Tending Your Garden
Keeping Your Garden Healthy
Keeping a watchful eye on your garden is not only a joy, but also a smart way to make sure your plants stay healthy.
As your plants grow, you may see some dead or brown leaves around the base of your plants.
This is perfectly normal.
•
Remove these leaves or branches with scissors or pinch off with your fingers.
•
Remove dead blossoms from plants by pinching off with your fingers.
•
Keep the Grow Surface clear of dead leaves and fallen blossoms for healthier plants.
Tending Your Garden
34
Plant Problems and Remedies
These pictures show plants that are stressed. Follow the suggestions to restore your garden’s health.
Wilted
Plants are not getting enough water.
Check water level.
Burned
Plant is too close to the Grow
Bulbs. Raise the Lamp Hood or prune the plant.
Unpollinated Flowers Falling Off
Fruiting Plants
If you see unpollinated flowers on your plant or blossoms on your Grow
Surface, plants are not being pollinated sufficiently. Pollinate your plants as described on page 27.
Bolting/Flowering
(Non-Fruiting Plants)
Plant is at end of productive growth period when it begins producing flowers. To extend the life of your plant remove all flowers when they appear.
35
Tending Your Garden
H
arvesting Your Garden
If you grow culinary plants, it is important to continually harvest to keep the plant healthy and productive. Here are some general guidelines for harvesting plants grown in an AeroGarden.
•
Do not remove more than a third of the leaves or stems from any one plant at a time.
•
Harvest just before using for the best flavor.
•
Remove ripe fruit.
•
As you harvest, try to keep the plants at about the same height so that they all receive enough light.
•
After harvesting, lower the lights, if necessary.
How to harvest each plant depends on the plant’s structure and growth.
Here are some general guidelines for some common plant types.
Leafy Greens
(such as lettuce varieties)
•
Remove entire leaves by cutting at the base of the leaf.
•
To ensure healthy new growth, do not harvest all the leaves from any one Seed Pod. For continuous harvesting, we suggest that you never harvest more than 1/3 of the plant at any time.
(Continued on next page)
Harvesting Your Garden
36
Harvesting Your Garden
(Continued)
Bunching Herbs
(such as cilantro, chives and parsley)
•
Harvest herbs that grow in a bunch by cutting an entire stem – just the stem, not the entire plant!
•
Select the oldest stems, found near the outer edges of the plant.
(These stems are generally wider
than the younger ones and the leaves may have some yellow
around the edges.)
•
Make your cut near the base of the stem.
Also, remember to remove stems that shade other plants in your garden.
37
Harvesting Your Garden
Branching Herbs
(such as mint, basil, oregano)
•
Cut plants just above a set of leaves (growth point) not more than halfway down the stem.
Also harvest by cutting just above a termination point (the place where one stem meets another).
•
Cut the wider (older) of the two stems.
Harvesting Your Garden
38
Preparing for Your Next Garden
After your plants reach the end of their life cycle:
1
2
3
4
5
Unplug the AeroGarden.
Carefully remove the Bowl and Grow Surface from the
Base and bring to a sink.
•
Set the Base and Lamp
Hood aside.
NEVER SUBMERSE BASE AND
CONTROL PANEL IN WATER.
Remove the Grow Surface from the Bowl and place on a counter near the sink.
Empty contents of Bowl into sink – never into your houseplants. The nutrient mixture may be too strong for them.
Remove Seed Pods and roots from Grow Surface.
•
Pull the Seed Pods out of the Grow Surface Openings.
•
Pull apart the Split-Apart
Basket. You may need to cut roots and/or the Label.
•
Throw away the plant debris and Grow Sponges. If you
compost, the plant debris and
Grow Sponges can be composted.
39
Harvesting Your Garden
Lamp
Hood
Grow
Surface
Bowl
Base
Grow
Surface
6
Rinse and clean the Pump Stand and Pump Filter.
•
Use a soft scrub brush to clean tangled roots from the
Pump Stand.
•
Remove the Pump Filter from the Pump Stand. Gently scrub the roots from the Pump Filter.
•
Place the Pump Filter back into the Pump Stand.
After cleaning, there may still be a
few roots in your Pump Stand or
Pump Filter. This will not affect the
operation of your AeroGarden.
7
Clean the Bowl and Grow
Surface.
•
Use a soft cloth or sponge to thoroughly wipe the Bowl and
Grow Surface. A mild soap may be used if desired, but rinse thoroughly.
Pump
Stand
Pump
Filter
(Continued on next page)
Harvesting Your Garden
40
Preparing for Your Next Garden
(Continued)
41
8
9
Sanitize your AeroGarden and Split-Apart Baskets.
•
Fill Bowl 3/4 full with water.
•
Add 1 cup of chlorine bleach or disinfectant cleaner.
•
Place Split-Apart Baskets in Bowl and let soak in disinfecting solution for 10 minutes.
•
Remove Split-Apart Baskets and rinse thoroughly with water.
•
Replace Grow Surface on
Bowl, place Bowl on Base and plug in AeroGarden for
1-2 minutes.
•
Unplug AeroGarden and empty sanitizing water from Bowl.
•
Refill Bowl with tap water and replace on Base.
•
Plug in and run AeroGarden for 1-2 minutes.
•
Unplug AeroGarden and empty water from Bowl.
10
Use the sharp edge of scissors to remove any remaining residue from Label.
11
12
Your Split-Apart Baskets and
AeroGarden are now ready for replanting.
If you have an AeroGarden with a backup battery and you plan on storing it before replanting, remove the backup battery from the underside of the Base. If you need to replace the backup battery, use any
CR2032 3-volt lithium battery.
(Newer AeroGardens no longer
rely on batteries to power the
backup system.)
Towel dry the Bowl and Grow
Surface before putting them back together and setting them back onto the Base.
!
Use only water and mild soap when cleaning your
AeroGarden (except when
Sanitizing - Step 8). Do not use abrasive cleaners or run through the dishwasher.
Harvesting Your Garden
A
ppendices
Transplanting Seedlings
The supplies included in the Master Gardener Kit are designed primarily for growing an indoor garden in the AeroGarden. You can however, start seedlings to transplant to an outdoor garden.
Below is a quick description of how to transplant seedlings.
Transplant seedlings to the outdoors when the plants are about 4 inches tall and have at least 3 sets of true leaves. Plants should only be transplanted when the weather outside is favorable (a problem
you will never have if you grow
indoors using your AeroGarden!).
If the weather is too cold, the ground temperatures will not promote new root growth and the tender top growth of the seedling could be damaged by frosty nighttime temperatures. If it is too hot, the seedling will be stressed and may die even with the best shading precautions and continuous watering for consistent moisture levels. Your seed packets should have guidelines on when to transplant.
(Continued on next page)
Appendices
42
Transplanting Seedlings
(Continued)
To transplant a seedling, remove entire Seed Pod from the AeroGarden.
Pull apart the Split-Apart Basket and place the seedling and Grow
Sponge into a 4 to 6 inch deep hole.
(Do not remove the seedling from the Grow Sponge; this could damage the roots.)
Amend the soil with compost, if needed, before transplanting to ensure appropriate nutrition and good drainage. Fill the hole with soil so that the top of the Grow Sponge is even with, or less than 1/4” below the ground surface. Water the seedling immediately after planting.
Make the transition as easy as possible for your seedling by creating a small protected environment to shelter the plant to keep it out of direct sun. An upside down pot or bucket works well for this. Water the plant daily. In about a week, the plant should start growing roots and you can remove the shelter.
As the plant grows, the Grow Sponge will biodegrade.
43
Appendices
Supporting Plants
Fruiting plants may produce so much fruit that you may find the plants are starting to tip over or even break. If this occurs, support your plants and bring them back to the upright position by securing each plant to the Lamp Arm with a tie.
Suggested Materials to Use for Supporting Fruiting Plants
There are a variety of materials you can use to support plants, all of which are easy to find at a local hardware store or even in your own home. Some options are shown at right.
Ribbon (at least 1/4 inch wide), velcro plant ties, or old stockings will all work for securing your plants.
!
Do not use ties that will dig into (and damage) the stem, such as string or wire. Also avoid materials that stretch, such as stretch ties sold in gardening shops, as these are not strong enough to support heavily laden branches.
(Continued on next page)
Appendices
44
Supporting Plants
(Continued)
How To Support Plants
The plant on the right is in need of support. The following steps explain how to support your plants.
•
Loop a tie around the main stem at a point where it: a) is strong enough not to bend or break when the tie is secured, and b) stands upright when the tie is pulled towards the
Lamp Arm.
Helpful Hint: The best way to figure out where to place the tie, is to very gently push on the main stem with your fingers, testing for strength and ability to support the plant. Typically, your tie will be no more than 2” above the base of the plant.
•
Tightly loop one end of the tie two times around the Lamp Arm.
Hold the tie in position with one hand. With the other hand, gently pull the opposite end of the tie to bring the main stem to an upright position.
•
Secure the two ends of the tie to each other (in this case, we used velcro).
•
If you notice other heavy branches that need additional support, secure them to the
Lamp Arm as well.
45
Appendices
The photo at right shows the same garden after tie supports have been added.
!
Loosen or untie the supports before raising the Lamp Hood, to avoid damaging the plant stems.
Appendices
46
Rinsing and Refilling
If the plants in your garden are severely burned from too many nutrients, follow these Rinsing and Refilling directions.
1
2
3
4
Carefully remove the Bowl from the Base and bring it to a sink.
Remove the Grow Surface from the Bowl and place on a counter near the sink.
(Hint: Lift the View Door and slide one
hand into the Bowl. Don’t worry if you
gently tear some roots.)
Empty contents of Bowl into sink and rinse Bowl. (Use only water.)
Fill Bowl with room-temperature water up to “Fill To Here” and set
Bowl on counter.
Bowl
Grow Surface
5
Place Grow Surface back on Bowl.
6
Carefully replace Bowl onto Base.
7
Add two nutrient tablets as follows:
•
For herbs and other non-fruiting plants, add 2 nutrient tablets of the same size used for previous feeding.
•
For fruiting plants that were receiving Large Tablets, add 3 tablets after completing the Rinsing and Refilling steps. For subsequent feedings, use only 2 tablets.
Bowl
47
Appendices
Questions and Answers – Lights
Do I need to turn the
AeroGarden lights on and off manually?
No. Your AeroGarden includes a built-in timer that turns your lights on and off at specific intervals. The timing system started when you first plugged in your AeroGarden. Every day it will automatically turn your lights on beginning at that time.
Non-fruiting plants (herbs, flowers, leafy greens) don’t care when the lights go on and off.
Note: If you are growing non-fruiting plants, you may prefer to have the lights go off when you go to bed and come on in the morning when you wake up.
Or, you may prefer to use the
AeroGarden as a nightlight
.
Can I change the time of day the lights go off?
Yes. To change the time your lights go off, follow the simple steps in
“Setting Your Light Timer” on page
53 of this Guide.
Does it matter what time of day the lights go off?
It depends on what you are growing. Fruiting plants (dwarf tomatoes, peppers and eggplants) all require a daily dark period in order to produce flowers. If your fruiting plants will receive any room light during the day
(either natural or artificial) we recommend that you set your
AeroGarden Grow Lights to be on during the day and off at night.
Can I change the number of hours the lights are on and off?
Only by selecting a different plant type on the Smart Garden Control
Panel. The light cycle for each setting is described on page 16 of this Guide.
Can I temporarily turn off my lights?
Absolutely. Just push the “Lights” button and then immediately release to manually turn the lights off (or back on). This will not change any of the settings for your AeroGarden and your lights will turn on (or off) at the next regularly programmed time.
Occasional use of this feature will not harm or slow down the growth of your plants.
Appendices
48
Troubleshooting
Why haven’t my seeds germinated?
If the seeds in your AeroGarden do not germinate, the first thing to check is the expiration date on the seed package. The viability of seeds decreases significantly with age. Also verify that your seeds, whether in the seed packet or in a Seed Pod, were stored properly.
Excessive humidity and/or heat can ruin a seed.
Examine the non-germinated Seed
Pod by opening up the Grow
Sponge. If the seeds are moldy, the planting depth may have been too deep. Try planting the seeds at a shallower depth next time.
A hard outer coat on a seed may also hinder germination. Try gently rubbing the outer coat of these types of seeds with sandpaper or a file before placing them in a Grow
Sponge.
Finally, make sure you “over plant” your Seed Pod. Even the best seeds do not germinate 100% of the time. Always plant more than one seed to ensure a successful growing experience. (See page 10 for more details on how many seeds to plant in each Seed Pod.
Can the Grow Sponges be re-used?
If your seeds did not germinate, you should be able to re-use your Grow Sponge(s).
Gently remove the Grow Sponge from the bottom of the Split-Apart
Basket. (Try to do this without ripping or removing the Pod Label.)
Remove non-germinated seeds and clean off any residue that may be on the Grow Sponge. Follow the steps on page 11 of this Guide for Placing Seeds in Grow Sponge.
What do I do if one of the plants in my AeroGarden dies?
Occasionally you might find that one of the plants in your custom garden does not thrive. If a plant dies, remove the entire Seed Pod from the AeroGarden. Cover the empty Grow Surface Opening to prevent algae from growing in the
Bowl. Choose a material that will stand up to a moist environment such as, aluminum foil or a plastic lid from a milk jug.
49
Appendices
What can I do if one of the plants in my AeroGarden is much taller than the others?
Despite all your planning, you may find you have a plant in your garden that is growing faster than the other plants in your garden.
Try pruning the plant to keep the size in check and keep the lights at the lowest level possible without burning the plants.
How long does the backup
battery last?
If your AeroGarden has a backup battery located in the underside of the Base, it will work for
6 months after activation. To replace it, use any CR2032
3-volt lithium battery.
(Newer AeroGardens no longer
rely on batteries to power the
backup system.)
How do I prevent a plant from spreading out and shading the other plants in my garden?
Try rearranging the plants to put the spreading plant near the outer edge of the AeroGarden.
Sometimes this, combined with pruning, can alleviate some of the shading problems.
What do I do if I want to move my AeroGarden to another location?
Go right ahead! Your AeroGarden has a built-in backup system that lets you unplug it without losing any of the settings.
To move your AeroGarden, be sure to pick it up by holding the
Lamp Arm with one hand and sliding your other hand under the bottom of the Base.
What do I do when one of my Grow Bulbs burns out?
Replacement bulbs can be ordered from our website at:
www.aerogrow.com
. We recommend you replace Grow
Bulbs after 6 months of use.
(Continued on next page)
Appendices
50
Troubleshooting
(Continued)
My garden doesn’t look healthy. What can I do?
If you are concerned about the health of your garden, please make sure to…
•
Keep the lights as close to your plants as possible, without the leaves touching the bulbs.
•
Do not use softened or un-filtered well water.
•
Continually remove dead leaves and flowers.
•
Prune and harvest to keep plants full and bushy.
•
Review nutrient guidelines on pages 18-22 in this Guide.
Your plants may be getting too many or too few nutrients.
How do I take care of my garden when I go out of town?
Add water to raise the level up to “Fill To Here.” A newly planted AeroGarden with Domes removed may not need care for up to 2 weeks. However, if your
AeroGarden is mature and you will be out of town for several days, we recommend you make arrangements for someone to care for your AeroGarden while you are away.
What can I do to reduce the sound of water dripping from the Seed Pods into the Bowl?
Keeping the water level in the
Bowl at “Fill To Here” will help reduce the sound of dripping water. As your plants grow and the roots reach the water in the
Bowl, the dripping noise will go away.
Shouldn’t water always be flowing over my Seed Pods and plant roots?
Yes and no. It depends on which plant setting you selected on the
Smart Garden Control Panel.
Please refer to the chart on page 16 to see the number of hours that the
AeroGarden pumps water through the Seed Pods.
If the water isn’t flowing when it should be, please check the following:
•
Is the Lamp Arm fully inserted into the Base? (see your Quick
Start Guide, page 1, step 1B).
•
Is the Bowl firmly seated in the
Base? (see your Quick Start
Guide, page 2, step 1F).
•
If the water still isn’t flowing, you may have a broken pump.
Contact Customer Service at
www.aerogrow.com
or call
800-GROW-NOW.
51
Appendices Appendices
52
Setting Your Light Timer
Your Built-In Light Timer
Your AeroGarden has lights and a built-in timer that automatically provide your plants with “sunlight” and “night.” (The hours of
“sunlight” depend on the selected plant setting. See page 16 to determine the best setting for your garden.)
As long as your plants get the optimal amount of light, it does not matter when the lights are turned off.* You may find it convenient to have the lights go on in the morning and off at night to match your own wake and sleep schedule.
Note: If the reflection from your
AeroGarden lights is visible from your bedroom, you may want to set the lights to go off about the time you usually go to bed, so as not to disturb your sleep.
*With the exception of fruiting plants. Please see page 48 for an explanation.
5 Simple Steps...
In order to make this as simple as possible, you only need to set the time you want the lights of your
AeroGarden to go off (Off Time) and your built-in light timer will automatically set the On Time...
nothing more for you to do.
Do the following at the time you want your lights to go off:
1
2
3
4
5
Decide what time of day you want the lights to go OFF.
AT THAT TIME check that the lights are on. If they are off, quickly press the Lights button and immediately release.
Press and hold the Lights button until the green SELECT light (next to selected plant type) starts blinking – about 5
seconds.
Release the button.
When the blinking stops (about
9 seconds), the lights will go off.
Your lights are now set to go off at this time every day.
53
Appendices
Lights Button
Blinking Light
Now, each day, your AeroGarden lights will automatically:
•
Turn off at the time you set using the steps on the previous page.
•
Remain off for the number of hours shown in the table below.
•
Turn on for number of hours shown below.
You can reset your timer as often as you want.
Setting
Tomatoes/Peppers
Salad Greens
Herbs/Basil
Flowers
Strawberry
Hours Lights OFF Hours Lights ON
8
7.5
7
8.5
9
16
16.5
17
15.5
15
Note: In case of power failure, your AeroGarden has a back-up system that stores your light timer and plant selection settings. When the power is restored, your AeroGarden will go back to the Off-On cycle you have set.
Appendices
54
Reminders About Your AeroGarden Setup
Please use the Quick Start Guide included in your original
AeroGarden box for more detailed setup instructions. If you no longer have your Quick Start Guide
, you can find a copy of it on our website at www.aerogrow.com.
Setting up Your AeroGarden
1
2
3
4
5
6
Is the Lamp Arm firmly inserted into the Base?
Are the Grow Bulbs firmly inserted into the sockets in the Lamp Hood?
Is the Lamp Cord plugged into the Lamp Hood?
Is the Bowl securely placed in the Base?
Is there water in your Bowl up to “Fill To Here?”
Is your Lamp Hood at the lowest level?
9
10
11
Are the Seed Pods pressed firmly into the Grow Surface openings (until the rim of the
Dome almost touches the
Grow Surface)?
Did you add 2 “Small
Nutrient Tablets” from the green-labeled bag?
Did you record your planting date in a Gardener’s Log?
Planting Your Garden
7
8
Is there a Seed Pod or cover in/on every Grow
Surface Opening?
Did you put a Dome on each Seed Pod?
Starting Your Garden
12
Did you plug in your
AeroGarden?
•
Is the water flowing?
•
Are the lights on?
13
Did you select your plant type?
14
If this is not your first planting, follow “Resetting
Your Garden” instructions on page 21 of this Guide.
55
Appendices
2
6
3
12
10
1
4
5
Pod
#
Plant Type
(
# of seeds planted
)
5
6
7
1
Chives (20)
2
Cilantro (6)
3
4
13
Seed Planting Germination Nutrient
Depth Date Time Regime*
1/8” 12/1/06 7 days
1/4” 12/1/06 11 days
B
B
14
11
7
9
8
Appendices
56
Gardener’s Reference and Log
Planting a custom garden in an AeroGarden is a bit of an experiment.
Keeping track of your plantings will help you plan your next garden.
Use the blank garden layout (shown below) as a reference for each plant’s pod location. (Careful Seed Pod location can make a difference
in how well plants do in your AeroGarden.)
Record what you’ve planted in each pod in the corresponding space on your log.
Sample
Gardener’s
Log
Use the log to record and track the progress of your garden. Take notes as needed in the area provided on each page. Your log can serve as a great reference when planting future gardens.
Pod
#
Plant Type
(
# of seeds planted
)
Seed Planting Germination Nutrient
Depth Date Time Regime*
5
6
7
1
Chives (20)
2
Cilantro (6)
3
4
1/8” 12/1/06 7 days
1/4” 12/1/06 11 days
B
B
*See page 20 of this Guide for nutrient regime options.
57
Appendices
Gardener’s Log – Garden #1
Pod
#
5
6
7
1
2
3
4
Notes:
Plant Type
(
# of seeds planted
)
Seed Planting Germination Nutrient
Depth Date Time Regime
Appendices
58
Gardener’s Log – Garden #2 Gardener’s Log – Garden #3
Pod
#
5
6
7
1
2
3
4
Notes:
Plant Type
(
# of seeds planted
)
Seed Planting Germination Nutrient
Depth Date Time Regime
Pod
#
5
6
7
1
2
3
4
Notes:
Plant Type
(
# of seeds planted
)
Seed Planting Germination Nutrient
Depth Date Time Regime
59
Appendices Appendices
60
Seed Information
The following is a listing of recommended seed suppliers and some seed suggestions for your custom AeroGarden.
Seed Companies Web Address Description
Burpee
D. Landreth Seeds www.burpee.com Family owned since 1876. One of the most progressive seed companies in the U.S.
www.landrethseeds.com Started in 1784 - the oldest seed house in the U.S. Lots of specialty seeds.
Johnny’s Selected Seeds www.johnnyseeds.com Full service seed producer – superior products, research and online descriptions.
Kitazawa Seed Co.
Richters Herb www.kitazawaseed.com www.richters.com
Specializes in Asian vegetable seeds.
Canadian supplier specializing in herbs.
Grimes Seeds
Park Seed
Thompson & Morgan
Seed Savers Exchange
The Cook’s Garden www.grimesseeds.com Full service seed producer – flowers, herbs and vegetables.
www.parkseed.com Providing vegetable & perennial seeds since 1868.
www.thompson-morgan.com Flower seeds galore! Also herb and vegetable seeds.
www.seedsavers.org Non-profit organization specializing in rare and heirloom seeds.
www.cooksgarden.com Seeds and recipes for gardeners who love to cook.
Seed Suggestions:
Dwarf plants – growing up to 12” high
Dwarf Tomatoes & Chili Peppers
Dwarf/Miniature Bell Peppers
Most Culinary Herbs
(exceptions: Rosemary & Lavender)
Most Hardy Annual Flowers –
examples: Marigolds, Calendula & Gazania
(exceptions: Poppies, Nasturtium & Celocia)
Miniature Cucumbers
Salad Greens Mixes
Braising Greens Mixes
Mesclun Greens Mixes
Sugar Snap Peas
Green Beans
HELPFUL HINT: Be sure to check full grown plant size when choosing seeds.
The term “dwarf” may refer to the size of produce – not the size of a mature plant.
61
Appendices
M
aster
G
ardener
K
it
L
imited
W
arranty
What Is Covered
This warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship with the exceptions stated below.
How Long Coverage Lasts
This warranty runs for one (1) year from the date of original purchase for the original purchaser/user.
What is Not Covered
The warranty shall not apply to problems arising from: normal wear; failure to adhere to included instructions; serial numbered products if the serial number has been removed or defaced; products subject to negligence, accident, improper use, maintenance or storage; products damaged by circumstances beyond
AeroGrow International, Inc.’s control; loss or damage to removable parts; or products modified (including, but not limited to, modifications through the use of unauthorized parts or attachments) or repaired by anyone other than AeroGrow
International, Inc. or its designee. This warranty does not cover non-germination, unsatisfactory plant growth, and/or the quality and quantity of harvest(s) resulting from customer’s selection of materials (including seeds) and/or methods (including planting, tending, and use of provided nutrient tablets). This warranty excludes all incidental or consequential damages. This warranty becomes void if the Master
Gardener Kit is used in a growing system other than the AeroGarden and/or made by any manufacturer other than AeroGrow International, Inc.
What AeroGrow Will Do
AeroGrow International, Inc., at its option, will repair any defects in materials or workmanship or will replace these products with ones of similar features and price. AeroGrow International, Inc.’s sole obligation and your exclusive remedy under this warranty shall be limited to such repair or replacement.
To Return This Product
See our website at www.aerogrow.com for instructions. Do not return products to
AeroGrow International, Inc. without our prior consent. Unauthorized returns, as well as C.O.D. shipments, will be refused.
Due to continuing improvements, actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other legal rights that vary from state to state. If you have any questions please feel free to contact our customer service representatives at [email protected]. AeroGrow International, Inc., P.O. Box 18450, Boulder, CO 80308
www.aerogrow.com
©2006 AeroGrow International, Inc.
Appendices
62
AeroGrow International, Inc.
P.O. Box 18450
Boulder, CO 80308
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our
Customer Service Department at:
www.aerogrow.com
1-800-GROW-NOW (1-800-476-9669)
300176 AA 10/31/06 © 2006 AeroGrow International, Inc. Patents Pending
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