I May Have an AeroGarden Addiction

This was our first AeroGarden so to test it out we chose plants that would grow fast and look nice. I was unaware that Dianthus flowers are good for eating, but the kit called them "Incredible Edibles" so we took a chance. According to the chart offered by NCSU's Horticultural experts, it is best to remove the narrow base of the petals before eating the rest of the flower as they are bitter. We'll see!

The kit included marigolds and snapdragons, too, but since this high priced flower pot only has 3 growing spaces and we wanted to try an herb, I saved those for later and plunked in a basil pod. It was the first to surface, showing green the very next day. The marigolds came up next. What is most remarkable to me is how healthy these plants look. We already ordered a another Aerogrow product, the Deluxe unit shown below.

We'll be starting out with a crop of sugar peas, cherry tomatoes, and decorative and tasty peppers.

The seed kits for the Aerogarden 3 are different from the ones designed for use in the standard and Deluxe planters, but we are willing to experiment and are looking forward to playing with the Master Gardener Kit which is designed to facilitate using one's own seeds.

It was hard to choose between the Deluxe planter and AeroGrow's new Pro 200, which is supposed to be engineered for higher yields, but for us the deciding factor was the color. We wanted another white planter, and the Pro's are only available in dark colors.

When I say we, I mean the two of us! Although hubby was rather skeptical when I spoke of ordering these high-tech gardening toys, the fast-growing little plants have him wrapped around their little fingers already. In fact it was he who asked today, "When are you going to order another one of those planters?" My response was immediate. We will have shipment in a few days.

Less than two days old these little cuties had already captivated us. Every few hours they seem bigger and now that they are four days old they have risen above their label. The attractive labels not only make the unit look nice until the green shoots begin to show and identify the plants, but they also contain something that aids germination and prevents unwanted algae from growing.

Definition of Pruning = An excuse to eat the Plants!

Yes, it has only been a month and we have dines on the greens twice already. In this photo you can see how the leafves on top are shading the smaller one's on the bottom. That means it needs to be pruned back. It also means we will have pasta tomorrow!