AeroGarden MASTER GARDENER User Manual
*Seeds not included
Plant & Grow Your Own Seeds
*
MASTER
GARDENER
GUIDE
English
Quick, Plug & GrowTM Planting with Your Own Seeds
CONT
Introduction
Introduction ....................................3
Additional Supplies Needed .....................4
Designing Your Garden
Plant Type .......................................5
Plant Height.....................................5
Nutrients........................................6
Life Span ........................................6
Plant Habit & Layout.............................7
Building a Grow Pod
Number of Seeds................................8
Prepare Pod Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Place Seeds & Grow Sponge .....................9
Attach Pod Labels ..............................10
Place Stem Cuttings ............................11
Planting Your Garden
Plant Grow Pods................................13
Feeding Your Garden
Choose a Nutrient Regime......................14
Nutrient Feeding Schedule Options.............15
Add Nutrient(s).................................16
Signs of Stress..................................16
ENTS
Tending Your Garden
Remove Domes ................................17
Add Water and Raise Lamp Hood (Light[s]) ......18
Thin Plants .....................................18
Pollinate Plants.................................19
Prune Plants....................................20
Keep Your Garden Healthy ......................23
Support Plants .................................23
Harvesting Your Garden
Leafy Greens ...................................26
Bunching Herbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Branching Herbs ...............................27
Appendix
Troubleshooting ...............................28
Images of the AeroGarden Classic and
AeroGarden 3 are shown throughout this guide,
but instructions apply to all AeroGarden models.
You will occasionally need to reference
your Quick Start Guide when planting and
growing a Master Gardener Kit.
If you no longer have your model’s Quick Start
Guide, you can obtain the latest version at
www.aerogardensupport.com
In t r o d u c t I o n
Each Master Gardener Kit is designed for AeroGardeners
who want to plant their own seeds or root their own
cuttings. Each kit includes the supplies needed to plant
and grow one to three custom gardens.
While the AeroGarden provides the ideal environment
for growing plants, there are many decisions you need
to make that will impact the outcome of your garden.
This Guide will assist you in deciding what to plant, how
to plant and how to care for your plants once they are
growing. We recommend that you read the entire Guide
before starting your Garden.
NOTE: Planting an AeroGarden with your own seeds or cut-
tings is a bit of an experiment. We hope your efforts will
be successful and you enjoy the discovery process. To
get started, refer to “Designing Your Garden” for helpful
guidelines. Contact a garden center, hydroponic shop,
or university for answers to more in-depth questions.
Introduction
3
A
dditional Supplies Needed
In addition to what is included in your Master
Gardener Kit, there are a few additional items you
will need.
An AeroGarden
Seeds Plant Cuttings
Whether this is the first or fifth garden you are
planting in your AeroGarden, you will need to
reference your Quick Start Guide.
If you have planted a garden in your AeroGarden prior
to this one, please refer to “Replanting Your AeroGarden”
in the Quick Start Guide before you proceed.
If you no longer have your model’s Quick Start
Guide, you can obtain the latest version at
www.aerogardensupport.com
An Iron
A Permanent Marker
Introduction
4
de s I g n I n g Yo u r ga r d e n
SELECTING PLANTS
The following guidelines will help you plant and
grow a thriving indoor garden.
your Garden and you’ll reap the rewards of healthy
plants and bountiful harvests.
Take the time to plan
P
lant Type
While we encourage you to try growing a variety of
plant types in your AeroGarden, there are a few that
will not do well in an aeroponic system.
Subterranean plants, such as carrots,
beets, potatoes or peanuts should
not be planted in an AeroGarden.
In addition, plants that require
very dry conditions and have
very low water requirements,
such as cactus and succulents, will
not thrive in an AeroGarden.
lant Height
P
The maximum height of most
AeroGarden Lamp Hoods is 12”
from the Grow Surface
Deluxe, PRO
6 Elite
to select plants that will not
grow taller than this – or to
choose plants that can be
pruned to stay within this
height restriction, such as basil.
When choosing seeds, look for dwarf
or miniature varieties.
+
models).
200
and AeroGarden
(24” for
It is important
12”
Designing Your Garden
5
lant Height
(Cont inued)
P
If you decide to grow a
garden with a variety of
different plants, you will also
need to consider their relative
heights. Try to grow plants that
will be about the same height
as they mature. You may be
able to prune some plants in
your Garden to achieve this.
Using plants that grow at the
same rate lets you adjust the
Lamp Hood so plants all receive
the optimal amount of light.
Plant a garden with plants
that have similar growth
rates and heights, like Salad
Greens (shown) .
utrients
N
Choose plants that have similar nutrient requirements.
For example, mixing plants with fairly low requirements
(such as lettuces) with plants that have much higher
requirements (such as basil) is not recommended. There
are two (2) different types of nutrients to choose from in
a Master Gardener Kit, and more specific nutrient guidelines are provided in the “Feeding Your Garden” section
of this Guide.
ife Span
L
Try to choose plants that have similar life spans for your
Garden. For example, dwarf tomatoes and basil are a
great flavor combination, but would be hard to grow in
the same AeroGarden. Basil will be nearing the end of
its growth cycle just as dwarf tomatoes are starting to
ripen!
Designing Your Garden
6
P
lant Habit & Layout
Some plants are bushy, others feathery, some grow
straight, others branch out. As you plant your Garden,
think about shape and growth habits of plants. You may
want to put a feathery leafed plant in front where it
can be seen and use the back row for plants that grow
straight or bushy. Even after you’ve planted your Garden,
you can remove Grow Pods and rearrange them. (Just be
gentle with the roots!)
Horizontal Spreading
If you grow plants that have extensive branching or
will spread horizontally, you may want to leave some
Grow Surface Openings empty. Example: for 3-Pod
AeroGardens, plant only 1 Grow Pod for tomatoes and
peppers and leave the remaining 2 Grow Surface
Openings empty; for 6-Pod models, plant 3 Grow Pods
and leave 3 openings empty; and for 7-Pod models,
plant 3 Grow Pods and leave 4 openings empty. This will
give plants room to grow and assure they get the light
they need.
Be sure to cover unplanted
Grow Surface Openings to
inhibit algae growth. Our Plant
Spacers are a perfect fit and can
be re-used in any Garden. Plant
Spacer Kits include 6 spacers
and can be purchased at
www.aerogardensupport.com.
Or, choose a material that will stand up to moisture, such
as aluminum foil or a plastic milk jug cap.
Quick Start Guides available at:
www.aerogardensupport.com
Designing Your Garden
7
Bu I l d I n g a gr o w Po d
N
umber of Seeds
It is important to plant extra seeds to ensure success.
For larger seeds and fruiting plants, sow only a few extra
seeds. Increase number of seeds as seed size decreases
and for plants that grow in bunches, such as chives.
Typically, 6 seeds per Grow Pod works well.
repare Pod Labels
P
Here are a few preliminary steps that will help the Grow
Pod building process go smoothly.
• Preheat iron to a moderate temperature (between silk
and cotton settings on most irons, 300°- 400°F). Do not
use steam.
• Write the name of seeds or
plant cutting on Label(s)
with permanent marker.
Doing this before you
start planting prevents
accidental mislabeling of
Grow Pods.
• If you are re-using a
Split-Apart Basket, be sure
to scrape residue from
previous Label off the
surface. Remnant glue
will prevent new Label
from adhering.
Building a Grow Pod
8
P
lace Seeds & Grow Sponge
• Place seeds into Dibble
(hole located on end of
Grow Sponge).
• Insert Grow Sponge into
Split-Apart Basket.
• Make sure Grow Sponge
base rests in bottom of
Split-Apart Basket.
Building a Grow Pod
9
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