I love fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs but often wonder about the pesticides used during the growing process.
So, I had the brainiac idea to start growing my own pesticides-free veggies at home. And while planting a vegetable garden in my backyard sounded like a reasonable idea, it was a disaster. The bugs were all over my plants and something lurking out there was eating my harvest.
I get squeamish at the mere prospect that my freshly grown produce could potentially be crawled upon by the insects found in my backyard. So, I came up with another great idea to solve that problem. I would grow my vegetables and herbs indoors. Problem solved.
“Smart” Gardening is the Next Best “Smart” Device
Rather than simply planting seeds in garden containers in my kitchen, I discovered the Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System Kit on Amazon.com. And since you’re probably unfamiliar with the brand, let me point out something in the name. The “Ahopegarden” brand spells out, “A-hope-garden.” In fact, the Ahopegarden brand is known for cultivation technology that creates an easier gardening method that yields organic vegetables, herbs, and fruit all year round.
Yes, I could have ordered a less scientific planting system, but the Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System Kit caught my attention based on the fact that it’s essentially a “Smart” garden and I could plant and nurture 12 plants at one time. I found an indoor hydroponic system that is the ideal option for growing produce at home.
The cost of the Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System Kit with 12 Seed Pods, was $59.98 on Amazon.com, a 33% savings off the regular price of $89.99. The brand’s website, Ahopegarden.com, offers it at $67.99. With the high cost of produce at the grocery store, I was not concerned about justifying the cost to grow my own fresh produce.
What is a Hydroponics Growing System?
A hydroponics system allows plants to grow in water rather than soil. It also allows you to grow multiple plants together in one contained indoor garden. The best part is that this system automates and accelerates the growing process, so it’s user friendly for gardeners like me that have no real vegetable planting experience. Let’s just say that throughout the years I’ve planted vegetable and fruit seeds with no success.
Features of the Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System Kit
One important benefit of using the Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System is the “Smart” features that helped me control the nutrients and the growing environment. I didn’t have to guess when it was the right time to feed or water. And eliminated the need for me to go outside in the backyard to constantly monitor the plants. The features of this Hydroponics growing system really checked off my list of gardening concerns.
Features:
:: Hydroponic system offers 5X faster growth
:: Pollution-free organic fertilizer
:: Indoor planting eliminated my “pest” issues
:: Grow vegetable, herbs, and fruit all year round
:: “Smart” system alerts when to add water and nutrients
:: 26-watt LED grow lights, no sunny window required
:: 5 liter water tank capacity
Setting Up the Hydroponic System
Setting up Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System is straightforward and the user manual guides you through each step. The system comes with everything needed, except the seeds. The fact that I had to purchase my own seeds was a benefit as it was fun to select my own varieties of vegetables, fruits, and herbs.
Here’s what you get in the growing system kit:
:: Smart Garden
:: Power adapter
:: User manual
:: 12 grow domes
:: 12 baskets
:: 12 sponges
:: 6 covers
:: Fertilizer
:: Stickers
:: Tweezers
:: Extended Warranty Card
One note, the light on the Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System is very bright so you’ll want to place it somewhere away from where you sleep. The light is automated so you just need to turn it on and it will go through a 16-hour cycle. Within a few days, you’ll already see some of your seedlings start sprouting.
Hydroponic System Offers 5X Faster Growth
I know what you’re thinking … how long did it take for my vegetable and herb plants to grow in this hydroponic system? You see sprouts in just days, and the herbs and vegetables only took about 4 weeks to mature. We planted lettuce, spinach, basil, oregano, dwarf tomatoes, peppers, and thyme.
Setting the system up is so easy!
<1> Prepare larger seeds by soaking in water for 6 to 12 hours. (Small seeds don’t need soaking.)
<2> Soak the sponges in water until water is absorbed.
<3> Put soaked sponge into individual basket
<4> Using the tweezers, add 2 to 3 seeds to each sponge
<5> Cover the seeds with the pod label
<6> Insert the seed pod into the grow deck
<7> Fill the water tank
<8> Add the grow domes to plant pods
<9> Select “vegetable” button control panel
That’s all you do to set it up! The light is automated, so it turns itself on and off. After the seeds germinate, you will need to add the nutrients but all of that is clearly explained in the user manual.
Only the seeds need to be purchased separately. I suggest you buy quality seeds to yield the best harvest possible. The sponges, baskets, and nutrients are all included in the kit. While this system can be used to grow any plant, the adjustable lamp arm reaches a maximum height of 17.32 inches, so select plant varieties that won’t grow too high. You can always relocate tall plants into a container pot if necessary.
Specifications of the Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System Kit
:: Model: 12 Pods Smart Garden
:: Colors: Black or White
:: Dimensions: 16.61” L x 7.87” W x 6.50” H
:: Adjustable height: 0.79” to 16.93”
:: Weight: 5.05 lbs.
:: Material: ABS
:: Power consumption: 26W
:: Water tank capacity: 5L
:: Cable length: 59.05”
Do I Recommend the Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System Kit?
Yes, I am very pleased with my Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System Kit! It was easy to set up and the “smart features” including an automated light and telling me when to add nutrients adds to my gardening success. I’m so glad that I ordered the 12 seed pod kit. Planting a variety of seeds at one time in one growing system to yield 12 plants simultaneously is an added bonus. The value for the cost of the hydroponics system exceeded my expectations. Seeing how amazingly fast the seeds sprout is always a real treat.
We keep our Ahopegarden Hydroponics garden on a small table in the kitchen. The sleek design makes it a conversation piece in the room, and I love to admire the work of my newfound “green thumb.”
Visitors to our house are always admiring my new indoor garden. While the light is bright, it never disturbs us, and I was surprised at how quiet the operation is. You can barely hear that it’s running.
Having fresh basil, oregano, and tomatoes on hand is so convenient. I’m looking forward to planting other varieties of seeds to include strawberries, cilantro, parsley, and kale. I’m even contemplating buying a second Ahopegarden Hydroponics Growing System. No more trips to the Farmer’s Market for me. I have my own Farmer’s Market in my own kitchen.
