Herb Garden (inactive)

And we're off! While this is exactly the kind of system I was looking for in my new place, I already have a couple concerns about aerogarden the company. But first, onto the garden:

Some background: this is what I used to have at my old place. From back in February, shortly I after turned over the soil and put in new plants. It will help explain why I might get overly ambitious with, and excited about, the aerogarden!



And this is what I came home to one day in August. My garden "didn't fit the vision" of what the new property manager had for the house. And it wasn't just my vegetables: they took out a mango tree and some dwarf citrus trees, as well as my native Hawaiian plant corner. Words were spoken. It was time for me to leave anyway, but this was the final straw.



I'm happy with my new place, and I do have a strip of sandy soil ... but no sun. Most of what you see here didn't survive.



And so I was like an excited kid when my 6-pod Harvest arrived today. I had planned on putting it on my at-home work desk, but as I was warned, it was much too bright for a small studio. Luckily I have a dressing room / laundry room with a shelf just the right size for a Harvest, a Bounty, and some friends.



Here's a top-down view. There seemed to be enough extra light, especially with the mirror, that I added a few potted plants: oregano, sage, lemon thyme, lavender, and a Roma tomato. These are all plants that have never worked for me outside at my old place (which had direct sun in the day, and killer slugs at night).



I have a nine-pod Bounty on order, along with pods for chervil, savory, and marjoram. There should be just enough room on the shelf for the Bounty. I also ordered seeds for some non-traditional herbs and a do-it-yourself kit. That order, however, is still "in process" - and I suspect it might still be quite a few weeks before it ships.

First thoughts:

1. Seriously, I already love this. I researched how to build a DYI hydroponic system, but it looked overwhelming. I'm not a mechanical kind of guy. Also, the only tools I have are a hammer, a screwdriver, and a corkscrew. This is what I needed.

2. Related: I looked at different less-expensive brands, but the presence of an active online community helped swing me in favor of an aerogarden.

3. You all weren't joking that the light is bright! I'm glad this room is enclosed.

4. The seed pods that come with the system are an odd choice. I understand that you need some standardization - but the nine-pod set includes even more basil and parsley. Some variety would have been nice.

5. More of an issue - a serious issue, for me - is that aerogarden won't reveal the botanical names of their seeds. I wrote and asked, and they politely told me that the information was proprietary. What kind of nursery won't tell you what kind of plants they are selling? Given that they are selling a tarragon-scented marigold (Tagetes lucida) and calling it "tarragon," and the reports that at least the mint and sage don't taste like expected, it makes me suspicious of what some of their other herbs might be.

6. In the end, I'll probably experiment more with my own seeds than with theirs. The trust isn't there.

6. I spent a good hour trying to turn the "add water" and "add nutrients" lights. I followed the instructions, and reset the unit a couple times, then turned to Reddit - and learned that the lights don't go off. Instead, the will flash when it's time to add water / nutrients. The instructions were wrong, which I wouldn't expect from an expensive product.

7. And yet I'm still excited, and if this works I'm already pondering about what comes next ...