AeroGarden Guide: Grow Easy Indoor Gardens that Thrive

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🌿 Dreaming of fresh herbs and veggies indoors?

This AeroGarden Guide will show you how to grow thriving greens, herbs, and veggies in your own home. No green thumb needed! 🌱

Many gardeners turn to these smart hydroponic gardens to grow fresh food year-round. But with so many models, it’s easy to get confused.

In this friendly aerogarden guide, I’ll help you choose the right setup for your space, walk you through getting started, and share tips to help your indoor garden thrive all year long.

Let’s get growing! 🌿✨

How Do You Grow in an AeroGarden? 🌱

To grow veggies in an AeroGarden, choose your model, insert seed pods, add water and nutrients, and plug it in.
The built-in LED lights and hydroponic system make growing herbs, veggies, and flowers indoors simple and hassle-free.

Table of Contents

Why Choose an AeroGarden for Indoor Gardening? 🌿

If you’re just starting with an AeroGarden, you’re in for a fun experience. I’ll share what worked for me and how I’ve kept my indoor garden thriving for over a year and a half! 🌿

I missed growing my own food once winter set in and my outdoor garden shut down. 🌨️

But my apartment is small and space for growing vegetables was limited. That’s where the compact size of this system really appealed to me. 🏡

As an experienced gardener, I was already familiar with hydroponic growing. What surprised me was how easy this unit made it to grow herbs and veggies, even for beginners. 🌱

It’s also mess-free. No soil means no dirt tracked indoors, which makes it perfect for apartments and small spaces. Plus, you can enjoy fresh harvests even in the dead of winter! 🥬🍅

Aerogarden Guide: Which AeroGarden Should I Buy? 🌿

Picking the right AeroGarden model can be confusing with so many options! 🤔 Whether you’re tight on space, on a budget, or looking to grow a specific type of plant, this guide will help you choose the best fit for your home and your goals. 🏡

When I first started researching different models, I found the number of choices overwhelming. Maybe you do too! I dug in, did the research, and here’s what I discovered about choosing the right setup:

Your decision will depend on:

🌱 How much food you want to grow
🏡 The space available in your home
💰 Your budget
🌿 The types of plants you want to grow (herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, or a mix)

Here’s a quick comparison of the main AeroGarden models to help you decide:

Model	Pod Capacity	Light Power	Max Plant Height	Ideal For
Sprout 🌱	3 pods	10W LED	10 inches	Basic herbs, small leafy greens, first-time growers
Harvest 🌿	6 pods	20W LED	12 inches	Herbs, lettuce, small patio tomatoes and peppers
Bounty 🍅	9 pods	50W LED	24 inches	Tomatoes, peppers, larger greens, mixed crops
Farm 🌾	12–24 pods	60W LED (varies by model)	24–36 inches	Larger harvests, full-size tomatoes & peppers, families

🌟 Tip: Start with a model that matches your space and experience level. You can always size up later as your indoor gardening skills grow! 🌿

AeroGarden Model Deep Dive 🌿

Now that you have a good idea of which AeroGarden might fit your space and budget, let’s take a closer look at each model. 🌱

Here’s what you can expect from each one, based on my personal research and experience growing with these systems at home!

AeroGarden Sprout Gets You Started🌱

The AeroGarden Sprout features 3 plant sites. It is very affordable and makes a great way to start growing your own food.

It has a 10-watt LED light and supports plants up to 10 inches tall. It comes with 3 pre-seeded pods: Genovese Basil, Curly Parsley, and Dill, along with liquid nutrients.

Measuring just 11.94 x 3.42 x 14 inches, the Sprout can fit almost anywhere near an outlet. It’s a great choice for new gardeners or anyone wanting to grow a few herbs or greens indoors.

It is inexpensive and makes a good choice for someone who has never tried growing before or doesn’t need to grow a lot of herbs.

You could grow greens, lettuce, and herbs in it, but the 10-inch height would not be good for tomatoes or peppers.

AeroGarden Harvest 🌿

AeroGarden Harvest Offers More Versatility. This model comes in several different versions. I bought a basic unit made with black plastic. But there are stainless steel models like the Elite and the Elite 360, which are round.

Some come in different colors or with different pods. To me, this was confusing at first but I settled for a basic AeroGarden Harvest

Some models are considerably more expensive too. My basic unit was about $80 but the stainless steel Harvest elite is about twice that.

Since then, the price has actually gone down on all models! However, you may need to buy seeds separately now.

AeroGarden Harvest Elite

The AeroGarden Harvest Elite has more bells and whistles. It has an interface that allows more flexibility in programming and it also features a vacation mode.

Other than that all models feature 6 pod sites, a 20-watt LED, and 12 inches of growing height. Their dimensions are 6 x 10.5 x 17.4 inches.

Mine came with Genovese Basil, Curly Parsley, Dill, Thyme, Thai Basil, and Mint and fertilizer. However, you can buy separate seed pod kits to grow other plants.

You can grow various greens and lettuce easily and even small patio tomato plants and peppers in the Harvest but you need to be willing to train and prune them.

I grew their chili pepper pods after growing their herbs. They did not get really large and training them was pretty easy.

The exception is the Harvest 360, which is 9.02 x 9.02 x 17.4 inches. The AeroGarden Harvest 360 is their most popular countertop model.

Aerogarden Bounty Does More

The Aerogarden Bounty Basic is a step up in size from the Harvest. It offers 9 pod sites and offers 24 inches of growing space. This makes it ideal for peppers or cherry tomatoes.

It has a 50-watt LED, which will provide the extra light that plants like tomatoes and peppers like.

It features a larger reservoir, which means less frequent refilling. It offers an enhanced display panel.

You get more control of the different settings and your grow itself. It also offers vacation mode.

It really seems to me like a bigger, better Harvest Elite. It measures 16.5″ W x 11″ D x and 14.5-30″ H.

The deck is larger, leaving more room for plants to grow. The seed pods it comes with are Genovese Basil (x2), Thai Basil, Curly Parsley, Italian Parsley, Thyme, Chives Dill, Mint, and Miracle-Gro liquid plant food.

Aerogarden Bounty Elite

The AeroGarden Bounty Elite takes things to another level by adding WIFI. The AeroGarden Bounty Elite is compatible with WIFI and Alexa too.

You can monitor and control it from the AeroGarden app or your Amazon Echo device.

Otherwise, there is not much difference between it and the Aerogarden Bounty Basic besides the higher price you pay for this convenience.

Aerogarden Farm Is Family Sized

The AeroGarden Farm comes in 2 sizes a 12-pod and 24-pod version.

One thing I really like about the AeroGarden farm is the fact they are modular and stackable allowing you to create a wall of food.

This is really taking square foot gardening indoors to another level.

If you want to feed your family and grow vegetables in your apartment this is the way to go.

A Size Comparison Between Aerogardens

A quick view comparing an AeroGarden Harvest, AeroGarden Bounty, and AeroGarden Farm 24.

Here is a look at the Farm control panel

AeroGarden Farm 12XL

The AeroGarden Farm 12XL increases your growing options.

Stacking is a great way to save floor space and increase production in a limited area.

The Farm units are large enough to grow full-sized tomatoes and peppers.

With proper plant training, the types of things you can grow are almost limitless.

The Farm 12XL measures 20 x 14 x 46 inches so it is pretty narrow and can fit almost anywhere.

It has a 60-watt LED and raising or lowering it is motorized.

You can also control the light intensity.

It has a sunrise/sunset setting to further mimic natural daylight.

It gives you 36 inches of growing height and has WIFI and Amazon Alexa connectivity.

It also has a touch screen and it reminds you when to add water or nutrients and you can use it with or without WIFI.

AeroGarden Farm 24 Basic

As you might guess this is basically 2 12XL units together. It has 2 LED lights.

They also offer a Farm24 Plus and a Farm 24XL for a few dollars more. The AeroGarden Farm Basic only offers 24 inches of growing space but it was designed to be stackable. The 24Plus also offers 24 inches of grow height.

AeroGarden Farm 24XL

Personally, if I were going to buy an AeroGarden Farm the AeroGarden Farm 24XL is the one I would choose because it offers 36 inches of growing height so it is perfect for tomatoes or peppers.

But with 2 lights you can keep one lower and grow lettuce or other greens alongside taller plants.

It does not cost much more than the other Farm models but offers more versatility because of the greater height.

How To Set Up Your AeroGarden 🌱

One thing I loved about my AeroGarden is how simple it was to set up. It’s truly a set-and-forget system that makes growing indoors easy, even for beginners. 🌿

The only thing I had to do was add some water to the reservoir about 2 1/2 weeks in when the indicator light started flashing. The light and pump are on a timer, and the pods germinated much faster than I expected! 🌞

Here’s a quick setup checklist to help you get started:

📦 Unpack your AeroGarden and choose a spot near an electrical outlet.
💧 Fill the water reservoir to the fill line.
🌿 Add the supplied liquid nutrients according to the instructions.
🌱 Insert your seed pods into the grow deck.
🔌 Plug in your AeroGarden and follow the quick start guide on the control panel.
💡 Adjust the LED light hood to the lowest position, just above the seed domes.
⏳ Let the system run! The pump and lights will cycle automatically.
🚰 Check the water level weekly and top off as needed. The AeroGarden will remind you when to add nutrients and water.

That’s all there is to it! Now you can sit back and watch your indoor garden thrive. 🌿

How To Care For and Maintain Your AeroGarden 🌿

One of the best things about using an AeroGarden is how little maintenance it requires. 🌱 Over the last two years, mine has worked perfectly with very little effort on my part. Here are some simple care tips to keep your indoor garden thriving:

When I grew herbs and peppers in my AeroGarden Harvest, I found that pruning regularly and keeping an eye on the water level made all the difference. I pruned my plants about three weeks in and added water when the indicator light started flashing at around 2 1/2 weeks. 🌿

The pump and lights are all on a built-in timer, so day-to-day care is truly set-and-forget. But there are a few easy things you can do to keep your AeroGarden happy and healthy:

🚰 Check the water level weekly. Top off with fresh water when needed. The AeroGarden will flash a reminder light when the water is low.
🌿 Add liquid nutrients as directed. You’ll be prompted to add nutrients about every 2 weeks—this keeps your plants growing strong.
✂️ Prune your plants regularly. This prevents overcrowding and encourages new growth. I usually prune herbs and peppers every 2–3 weeks.
💡 Adjust the LED light hood as plants grow. Keep the lights about 1–2 inches above the tallest plant for best results.
🧽 Clean your AeroGarden between grows. I recommend fully cleaning the reservoir, pump, and grow deck when starting a new planting cycle to prevent algae and buildup.

⚠️ Important Update: The AeroGarden app is being phased out as of January 2025. 🚫 If you have a WiFi-enabled AeroGarden, you can still control all settings and monitor your grow directly from the built-in control panel. I’ve used my AeroGarden successfully this way and it works great—no app required. 👍

Follow these simple tips and your AeroGarden will reward you with fresh, healthy harvests for months to come! 🌞

What Is The Best AeroGarden for Tomatoes, Lettuce & More? 🍅🥬

One of the questions I get asked the most is which AeroGarden works best for specific crops like tomatoes and lettuce. 🌿 The answer depends on the space and height you need, because different plants grow at very different rates and sizes!

🍅 Best AeroGarden for Tomatoes

You can grow tomatoes in the Harvest and Bounty models, but they are generally smaller varieties like cherry tomatoes. They taste great, but they don’t quite replace the flavor of a full-sized garden tomato. 🍅

If you want to grow full-size tomatoes or larger pepper varieties, you’ll need an AeroGarden that offers more height, like the AeroGarden Farm. These larger units give your plants room to stretch and offer more powerful LED lights to support fruiting crops.

I wouldn’t recommend starting with a Farm model if you’re brand new to AeroGardens. But if you already have some gardening experience or want to grow more food for your family, they’re a great choice!

🥬 Best AeroGarden for Lettuce

All sizes of the AeroGarden will grow lettuce equally well. It really depends on how much lettuce you want to harvest. 🥬

In my experience, lettuce tends to sprawl out, so you’ll likely use about half of your pod sites when growing it. I usually plant 3 pods of lettuce in my Harvest for a good balance of space and airflow.

Buttercrunch and other semi-heading lettuces will take up more space than looseleaf types, so plan accordingly. You can also harvest individual leaves instead of full heads to keep your plants producing longer.

If you want to grow a lot of lettuce at once, a Farm model gives you plenty of room and light. But for most homes, the Harvest or Bounty models work perfectly. 🌿

Is an AeroGarden Worth It? My Honest Experience 🌿

Based on my personal experience, I would say not only does it work, but it works very well. I actually harvested a small number of herbs three weeks after turning it on! 🌱

When it came time to buy my AeroGarden, I did a lot of research online. AeroGardens are hot right now, and you can buy them at just about any big box store. 🏬

But I chose to buy mine from Amazon because I wanted to read reviews from actual users before making a decision. Plus, having it delivered to my door was a huge convenience. 🚚

At a big box store, you don’t usually get the level of information and feedback you find in online reviews. For me, that made a big difference.

I spent a lot of time reading Amazon reviews to see how well the AeroGardens performed in real homes. I didn’t want just sales pitches—I wanted to hear from people who actually used the product.

Before I spent a lot of money, I needed to know if the AeroGarden would be worth it for me. I decided that the Sprout was probably too small for my needs, and the Bounty looked very promising but was more than I wanted to spend to test something out.

In the end, I chose the AeroGarden Harvest. It was large enough to give this product a fair test, and the price was more in line with what I wanted to spend. So far, I’m very happy with my choice! 🌿

The picture above was taken at week three after pruning my plants. The AeroGarden Harvest performed even better than I expected! 🌱

Here’s a quick video showing the AeroGarden Harvest I chose and how it looked during setup:

After owning my AeroGarden Harvest for over a year and a half, I can confidently say it has worked flawlessly. For me, buying an AeroGarden was definitely worth it. 🌟

In fact, now I’m considering buying a Bounty model next. I think it would be a better choice for growing tomatoes and peppers, since it offers more height and growing space. 🍅🌶️

To sum it up—if my current AeroGarden broke tomorrow, I would buy another one in a heartbeat. That’s how much I enjoy using it! 🌿

I am also documenting a week-by-week grow with the Harvest here: AeroGarden Harvest Review

❓Aerogarden FAQs

Choosing the right AeroGarden for your indoor gardening needs can be a challenge.

Below, I’ve answered some frequently asked questions to help guide you in selecting the best AeroGarden model for your home.

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, this Q&A will provide clarity on the different AeroGarden options available.

Q: What is the difference between the different AeroGardens?

A: AeroGardens vary primarily in size and pod capacity. The Sprout holds 3 pods, the Harvest 6, the Bounty 9, and the Farm 12 or 24. Larger models have bigger LED lights and can hold more water and nutrients.

Q: What is the most popular AeroGarden?

A: The AeroGarden Harvest is popular due to its balance of size, capacity (6 pods), and affordability. It suits most average-sized homes and gardening needs.

Q: What is the difference between the AeroGarden Basic and Elite?

A: The basic models typically have simpler designs and fewer features, while elite models, like the Harvest Elite, offer stainless steel finishes, more advanced interfaces, and additional settings like vacation mode.

Q: What are the pros and cons of AeroGarden?

A: Pros include ease of use, suitability for small spaces, and efficient hydroponic system. Cons can be the cost, especially for larger models, and the limitations in growing certain larger plants.

Q: Is it worth buying an AeroGarden?

A: Yes, especially if you have limited space or prefer a soil-free, hydroponic gardening method. It’s user-friendly and great for growing herbs, lettuce, and small vegetables.

Q: What can not be grown in an AeroGarden?

A: Root crops like carrots, beets, or potatoes are not suitable for AeroGardens. However, leafy greens like Swiss chard are a great alternative.

Is AeroGarden worth the money?

I definitely think it is. I have a small apartment so compact size is important to me.

I enjoy growing hydroponically and get better results than in soil, and I really don’t want soil in my apartment.

It has worked perfectly for almost 2 years so far. Is it worth it? It is to me, but your situation may be different.

To sum up, if it broke, I would definitely buy a new one and probably a larger one.

Which AeroGarden is best for lettuce?

All sizes of the AeroGarden will grow lettuce equally well. It really depends on how much lettuce you want to grow.

In my experience, lettuce sprawls out, so you probably will only be able to use half the pods fully.

Buttercrunch is a semi-heading lettuce and gets larger than leaf lettuce, so you will need fewer plants than if you grow leaf lettuce.

But lettuce grows fast, and you can thin out half the pods and let the rest mature.

Or you can try harvesting individual leaves instead of whole plants to extend your harvest.

Can I grow tomatoes and lettuce in the same AeroGarden?

Yes, you can. They work for virtually all plants. The growth rates of lettuce and tomatoes are very different.

Lettuce can be done in 45 days, while tomatoes can take twice as long to fruit. If you try to grow both at once, you may have problems with the tomatoes shading and crowding out your lettuce.

Can you grow different things in an AeroGarden?

You can grow many different plants in an AeroGarden, including vegetables, herbs, and even flowers. Some can be mixed and matched and grown at the same time.

How long do AeroGarden plants last?

That really depends on the plant. Some plants, like tomatoes and peppers are perennial and can last for years. Others, like lettuce, will only last about 60-90 days. Some herbs are also perennial and can last a long time.

Can I use my own seeds in an AeroGarden?

Yes, you can use your own seeds in an AeroGarden. You can buy unseeded pods and put your own seeds in them.

Final Thoughts: Start Growing With Your AeroGarden Today 🌞

So, what is the best AeroGarden? The best AeroGarden is the one that fits your space, your budget, and most importantly, the one you’ll actually use! 🌿

I’ve tried to give you an honest overview of the different AeroGarden models and what they can do. But don’t be afraid to start small—you can always expand later as your skills grow and your indoor garden takes off. 🌱

For me, growing my own food indoors has been one of the most fulfilling hobbies I’ve found. Watching plants thrive and harvesting fresh herbs, lettuce, and even peppers right in my apartment has been incredibly rewarding. 🥗🍅

The real question isn’t “What AeroGarden should I buy?” It’s, “How soon can I start growing?”

🌟 Ready to start growing? Pick your AeroGarden today and enjoy fresh food indoors all year round! 🌿