Setting up 6 Aerogardens from scratch...all within a month!
Aug 9, 2023 23:10:28 GMT -5
maskedsonnet, lynnee, and 3 more like this
Post by agnoob on Aug 9, 2023 23:10:28 GMT -5
I just finished phase 1 of setting up my 6 new Aerogardens (from not having any hydroponics before)! I placed my very first order for a Harvest at $50 on Amazon Prime Day (July 12) and it's Aug 9 today. So all of this was set up within a month. I sometimes scare myself with how crazy I get when I really get into something (and how much I end up spending - close to $3k in this case.) Phase 2 of setting up would start when I can transplant my flowers (once they have 2 pairs of leaves) into rectangular pots sitting in front of the shoe racks. That way I can free up space for the veggies in the AG systems. Right now I've only transplanted one marigold plant into the random single white pot in the middle of the picture.
How did I spend $3k within one month just on gardening stuff, you may ask? Well, here's what I got this past month to set everything up. I've included sales price so you know if the price you see online can go any lower. I'm providing links in case it's helpful to new gardeners starting from zero - these are not affiliate links and I don't make money off of them. And some of these links aren't the cheapest for the item but I just wanted it tomorrow so Amazon it is...
Gardens (seeds planted 7/19 or after)
1 Sprout (at $50) - now growing 3 types of AG lettuce
1 Harvest (at $50) - now growing AG red heirloom cherry tomatoes and AG petunias
1 Harvest 360 Elite (at $80) - now growing Hedou tiny bokchoy from Baker Creek
1 Harvest XL (at $135 with 3 seed pod kits) - now growing AG golden harvest cherry tomatoes and AG lavender
1 Bounty Elite (at $250) - now growing AG cukes and AG snap dragons
1 Farm 12XL (at a whooping $250 from Best Buy!) - now growing ground cherry, golden beauty Chinese cabbage (both from Baker Creek), misc. herbs from AG and Baker Creek, and the Baker Creek freebie Japanese wasabi radish
Shelving and organization
(I already owned the IKEA TV stand in the pic before all this)
2 Shoe racks to prop up the 3 gardens so I don't have to crouch to work on the plants
1 Bookcase with two shelves removed for extra height
3 Small stands for potted plants if needed - only using 1 right now in the bookcase to elevate the trio grow light for my tall (purchased) coleus. Not very sturdy though
1 Printer stand with wheels to prop up the Farm so that the screen is at eye level and wheels for easy access to the plants in the back
6 Plastic bins with lids to keep all the supplies inside the shoe racks
1 Cable box to keep all the cables concealed and out of the way
2 Power strips with outlets spaced far apart for the bulky AG plugs
2 Bug zappers because I’m paranoid about bugs (model 1 and model 2)
2 4-panel room partition screens to partially block the bright LED lights for when I want to watch a movie in the room
1 Trash can with lid just for gardening waste
1 Label maker for labeling bins, putting start dates on gardens, plant names on seed pods
Water
5 gal reservoir set (2 pack, one for the Farm and one for Harvest, Harvest XL, and Bounty all together)
Tubing and connectors, tube cutter for DIY reservoirs
1 Aerovoir (for Harvest 360. I covered the tubing completely with black electric tape, and the reservoir with potato grow bag. Purchased on sale for $35)
7 gal potato bag with flap to cover reservoir set (bottom)
10 gal potato bag with flap to cover reservoir set (top, covered draining holes with black electric tape on both sides)
Food-grade 3% hydrogen peroxide to prevent algae
Brita filter elite with dispenser to remove chlorine, minerals, lead from my city water
AG no-spill water jugs x2 (on sale for $17.5)
Manual siphon pump for R&R
For my current and future potted plants
A few succulents and a coleus from local plant store (all inside the bookcase in this pic) - sprayed with neem oil solution to prevent bugs
Moisture control potting mix
Succulent potting mix and plant food
Transplant starting solution
Self watering pots x5
Rectangular self watering pots x6
AG Stem grow lights (Pack of 2 at sales price $35)
AG Trio grow light (sales price of $75)
2 Long grow lights for the rectangular pots
Various consumables/ tools for the AGs and potted plants: custom AG seed pod kits (flowers, herbs, and the ones I mentioned above all purchased at 40-50% off from AG website), AG plant anything kit (pack of 50 on sale for $35), seeds from Park seed and Baker Creek, grow sponges from Park seed (pack of 60 on sale for $9), 1L AG plant food (on sale for $28), hydroguard, Cal-Mag, neem oil and mister spray bottle, syringes and pipets for adding nutes and restarting reservoirs, preventative systemic pesticides, herb savor pod 3 pack, empty slot covers, extra Bounty trellis (on sale for $14), pruning shears (on sale for $12)
How did I spend $3k within one month just on gardening stuff, you may ask? Well, here's what I got this past month to set everything up. I've included sales price so you know if the price you see online can go any lower. I'm providing links in case it's helpful to new gardeners starting from zero - these are not affiliate links and I don't make money off of them. And some of these links aren't the cheapest for the item but I just wanted it tomorrow so Amazon it is...
Gardens (seeds planted 7/19 or after)
1 Sprout (at $50) - now growing 3 types of AG lettuce
1 Harvest (at $50) - now growing AG red heirloom cherry tomatoes and AG petunias
1 Harvest 360 Elite (at $80) - now growing Hedou tiny bokchoy from Baker Creek
1 Harvest XL (at $135 with 3 seed pod kits) - now growing AG golden harvest cherry tomatoes and AG lavender
1 Bounty Elite (at $250) - now growing AG cukes and AG snap dragons
1 Farm 12XL (at a whooping $250 from Best Buy!) - now growing ground cherry, golden beauty Chinese cabbage (both from Baker Creek), misc. herbs from AG and Baker Creek, and the Baker Creek freebie Japanese wasabi radish
Shelving and organization
(I already owned the IKEA TV stand in the pic before all this)
2 Shoe racks to prop up the 3 gardens so I don't have to crouch to work on the plants
1 Bookcase with two shelves removed for extra height
3 Small stands for potted plants if needed - only using 1 right now in the bookcase to elevate the trio grow light for my tall (purchased) coleus. Not very sturdy though
1 Printer stand with wheels to prop up the Farm so that the screen is at eye level and wheels for easy access to the plants in the back
6 Plastic bins with lids to keep all the supplies inside the shoe racks
1 Cable box to keep all the cables concealed and out of the way
2 Power strips with outlets spaced far apart for the bulky AG plugs
2 Bug zappers because I’m paranoid about bugs (model 1 and model 2)
2 4-panel room partition screens to partially block the bright LED lights for when I want to watch a movie in the room
1 Trash can with lid just for gardening waste
1 Label maker for labeling bins, putting start dates on gardens, plant names on seed pods
Water
5 gal reservoir set (2 pack, one for the Farm and one for Harvest, Harvest XL, and Bounty all together)
Tubing and connectors, tube cutter for DIY reservoirs
1 Aerovoir (for Harvest 360. I covered the tubing completely with black electric tape, and the reservoir with potato grow bag. Purchased on sale for $35)
7 gal potato bag with flap to cover reservoir set (bottom)
10 gal potato bag with flap to cover reservoir set (top, covered draining holes with black electric tape on both sides)
Food-grade 3% hydrogen peroxide to prevent algae
Brita filter elite with dispenser to remove chlorine, minerals, lead from my city water
AG no-spill water jugs x2 (on sale for $17.5)
Manual siphon pump for R&R
For my current and future potted plants
A few succulents and a coleus from local plant store (all inside the bookcase in this pic) - sprayed with neem oil solution to prevent bugs
Moisture control potting mix
Succulent potting mix and plant food
Transplant starting solution
Self watering pots x5
Rectangular self watering pots x6
AG Stem grow lights (Pack of 2 at sales price $35)
AG Trio grow light (sales price of $75)
2 Long grow lights for the rectangular pots
Various consumables/ tools for the AGs and potted plants: custom AG seed pod kits (flowers, herbs, and the ones I mentioned above all purchased at 40-50% off from AG website), AG plant anything kit (pack of 50 on sale for $35), seeds from Park seed and Baker Creek, grow sponges from Park seed (pack of 60 on sale for $9), 1L AG plant food (on sale for $28), hydroguard, Cal-Mag, neem oil and mister spray bottle, syringes and pipets for adding nutes and restarting reservoirs, preventative systemic pesticides, herb savor pod 3 pack, empty slot covers, extra Bounty trellis (on sale for $14), pruning shears (on sale for $12)
