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Post by brainofdane on Mar 12, 2022 21:05:31 GMT -5
I just wanted to introduce myself.
My name is Dane, and I live in North Texas. My wife and I have a decent sized backyard garden. We love to dig in the dirt and grow useful things, but I have been curious about hydroponics / aeroponics / aquaponics for quite some time now. I am a software engineer and a technology geek. Having a tightly controlled growing environment intrigues me.
Just the other day I stumbled across a tattered box in the back of a Goodwill that contained an AeroGarden from ~2007. Upon closer inspection, it looked like none of the parts had been taken out of their original bags. Everything was brand new and intact. The only thing that was missing was the bonus herb seed kit. I felt like it was a good entry into the world of hydroponics, so I grabbed it and took it home. I think it's what you would call the "Classic 7" and I'm pretty sure it's discontinued.
After some googling, I stumbled across this group and I immediately signed up. You folks seem really nice, and I'm hoping this is a good place for me to get some support with this discontinued model. I can't wait to get a pod kit and start growing.
Does anyone have any recommendations for a good first kit, or any tips for using this older model? I would appreciate any advice for someone new to the hobby. Thanks!
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Post by lynnee on Mar 12, 2022 21:31:14 GMT -5
Hi, brainofdane , and welcome to the group! Your 2007 AG should serve you well--the only reason that I've ever retired an AG is to replace it with a fancier model with a touchscreen display or wireless capability or LED lights. If you post a photo of the garden, someone here may be able to tell you more about it. Here is a link to the AG manuals, which you have probably found already. A friend of mine recently contacted AG about an older model she found in storage, and AG sent her the manual for her particular model. If your model has 7 pods, you can probably grow anything intended for the 6-pod Harvests. The herbs, red or yellow heirloom tomatoes, and lettuces should all work. The key factor is height--you need to choose things that don't grow taller than the space between the grow deck and the lights.  |
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maskedsonnet
AGA Farmer
Without the burden of comparison, everything is beautiful
Posts: 1,607
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Post by maskedsonnet on Mar 12, 2022 22:15:14 GMT -5
I agree that height is the most important limiting factor with AG- what types of plants are you interested in growing (peppers, tomatoes, herbs, other?), and how high does the light raise on your model? I’m not really familiar with the older models, but knowing what you want to grow and the height limit you’re working with will help us give recommendations. Welcome to AA and hope we can help you choose something great to start with!
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Post by brainofdane on Mar 12, 2022 22:37:23 GMT -5
Thanks for the warm welcome lynnee! I'm sure I'll upgrade for similar reasons at some point, and it's good to know that they only get better from here.
Apparently the model number is 100703-WHT. Luckily the box still had the quick start guide and the warranty. I'll see if I can register with AeroGarden, and then I'll dig around in the manuals here. So cool that this community has them!
maskedsonnet I think we intend to grow tomatoes in our garden this summer, but my son suggested I should try growing the Strawberries. I'm also interested in herbs, peppers, lettuce, and flowers.
Honestly, it's hard to figure out what I want to try first.
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Shawn
Administrator
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Post by Shawn on Mar 13, 2022 3:17:34 GMT -5
Welcome Dane!
I envy those that can garden outdoors. I can not keep anything alive except for maybe some flowers on the deck LOL. Finding Aerogardens changed that for me indoors only. I think you will really enjoy it!
I am happy you found us and there really is a lot of information here on the forum. Members are excellent, knowledgeable and helpful. I think you will find what you need here. If you don't, someone will be able to answer.
When I started many had the Classic 7. If I remember that came with the CFL lights? I think they (lights) are still available for purchase. From what I remember the only drawback, and it may be somewhere here on the forum is that the CFL lights were not as strong as the LEDs and the plants grew a tad slower. However it was a very much liked machine.
As for what to grow, to start? Anything really be as mentioned you want to know the height between the deck and the lights.
We look forward to hearing more from you, seeing your gardens and helping you along the way.
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Post by campingcorgis on Mar 13, 2022 11:40:19 GMT -5
Welcome to AGA, brainofdane! My best suggestion would be to try something that is fairly quick to grow and mature. I would suggest herbs, like basil...if you enjoy basil, is a great one. But you could certainly grow other things with it or just more of it. AeroGarden sells a "Pesto" kit and an "International Basil" kit. Alternatively, lettuce grows quickly too. There are AG kits for lettuce too. Or, get a "Grow Anything" kit and some seeds from you a local store or online. Of course, with that path, you'll want to keep height and size in mind, as warned above! And, some things grow better/easier than others, true of traditional gardens and our hydroponic gardens too. Whatever you choose...good luck and hope to hear about them on AGA soon! |
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Post by lynnee on Mar 13, 2022 13:36:32 GMT -5
brainofdane, you might want to hold off on growing strawberries until you've grown some flowers, herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, or peppers in your AG. Strawberries need hand pollination, and are easiest to grow when started from crowns. As an experienced dirt gardener, you'll definitely be able to grow strawberries in your AG. However they aren't the best thing to try as your first AG crop unless you have a LOT of patience! DcKpvN
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mike
The Pepper King
Posts: 3,661 
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Post by mike on Mar 13, 2022 17:06:33 GMT -5
Hi Dane,
Those Classic 7s were fun units. They had 2 drawbacks. The CFL lights were good for greens and herbs. I felt they were lacking adequate strength for fruiting plants. You could do it, but they weren't as effective as todays LED lights. The second drawback was the 12" height limitation. Most of the plants I ever wanted to grow are all over 12". That means pruning.
I too would recommend greens or herbs to start. Just be warned, these things are addictive. I know I've bought more than 30 gardens since 2012.
You may want to look for LED replacement lights for your garden. You'll need an adapter, but they are out there.
Welcome to the forum.
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Post by brainofdane on Mar 13, 2022 21:42:19 GMT -5
@shawn, you're right about the lights. There are 2 CFL lights, but if it just slows down the growth, I'm not in that much of a hurry. We are hoping for a decent outdoor garden this year, but if I can get this AeroGarden to be successful, I might be filling my shelves with them for year-round gardening!
So, I'm leaning towards a tomato kit. I don't think I could handle the disappointment of attempting Strawberries if they're difficult to get right. However, it sounds like I may need to look for some LED replacements for my lights if I can't get the tomatoes to fruit very well. Maybe I can put the AG in front of a south-facing window for a little boost from the sun? Is that a decent strategy?
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mike
The Pepper King
Posts: 3,661
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Post by mike on Mar 13, 2022 22:07:34 GMT -5
Supplemental lighting always helps.
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Post by lynnee on Mar 13, 2022 22:57:26 GMT -5
brainofdane, I've grown tomatoes under AG fluorescent lights. The CFLs are supposed to last for at least six months. The AG heirloom red and golden harvest tomatoes are easy to grow, and taste good! Tomatoes will take some 2-3 months to produce harvestable fruit.
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Sher
AGA Farmer
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Post by Sher on Mar 14, 2022 0:42:21 GMT -5
brainofdane, I think putting an Aerogarden in a south facing window would raise the water temperature and almost ensure root rot. (Based on my results with direct sunshine from an east facing window.)
I have had good luck providing supplemental lighting by placing a regular 100 watt equivalent led light bulb in a clip-on desk lamp close to a cherry tomato and aiming it directly at the plant.
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Post by brainofdane on Mar 15, 2022 17:23:02 GMT -5
Well, I did it. I went ahead and got the red heirloom tomatoes thanks to everyone's recommendations. Due to the shape of the bowl on this model, I had to push the two on either edge so that the bottom of the pod is bending a little bit, but I'm hoping that's not a problem.
I only put 5 pods in because two of the holes have some kind of cross bar that doesn't allow me to drop the pods all the way in. Am I right in thinking that 5 tomato plants might be a bit much for this small amount of space anyway? I'm sure I'll keep up with pruning, but 5 plants seems excessive.
I might start a "grow-along" thread if that's helpful at least for me to ask questions and show my updates.
Speaking of questions, what do people do for spacers if they forgot to buy some? Can I just cover the spare holes with cardboard or something?
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Post by lynnee on Mar 15, 2022 18:33:39 GMT -5
brainofdane , two pods of fruiting tomatoes are enough to fill any Aerogarden smaller than a Farm. The canopies take up a lot of space once the plants mature and flower. I usually start with at least three tomato pods in a Bounty, and transfer one or more to another AG if all of the pods produce healthy seedlings. Seedlings that are under 30 days old can be transferred easily. You can actually transfer pods at any time before the roots make it hard to pull the plants out of the holes. Yes, you can cover the deck holes with anything opaque--cardboard, milk bottle caps, tinfoil over an empty pod, painter's tape, post-its, etc. Check out the "Gardeners Retreat" section of the forum for information on having your own garden.  Obviously the AG seed pods used to be shaped differently from the ones we use now. This is from the "Classic 7" manual: 
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