AeroGarden Bounty Basic

I have purchased a few different types of Hydroponic Gardens. The AeroGardens are not cheaply made and seem to work better than other brands like the mister type. I have purchased 5 of these for myself and gifts and everyone loves how easy and fun they are to use.

I have several Harvests & I have wanted a Bounty for a long time. I finally got it. I'm so excited. It is up & running & just waiting for me to decide what to grow in it first. It set up quickly & I really like the new info screen. It has the time, the water level, what garden choice, how many days planted & how many until feed time. No more having to scroll through the options to remember what my settings were if the power goes out. The base has a great gardening tips button, which I haven't even checked it all out yet. The 24" head/light arm can be removed if & when I would need to. It will be great to see all of the basic info without having to lift the deck to check water. The screen is very clear & the entire base is sleek & looks very rich. Can't wait to put some new pods in. It doesn't take up much more room than my Harvest so it is nicely tucked in among some of my small plants where they will be able to benefit from the LED lighting. I've been very pleased with my previous AG's & I'm sure this will be just as good. They just keeping getting better. Thank You AeroGarden for creating such great units that are affordable & so well thought out, so we can garden year round. Updates to follow as crops grow & produce. 11-25-19 I have had some time to adjust to the new 2019 Bounty & I like it so much I just bought another. They are whisper quiet, the info screen gives me all of the pertinent info needed for water level, days planted, when to feed as well as little grow tips & time. The larger tank & deck are great & Im sure my Incredible Edibles are going to love the room to grow. I also get some extra fun because it gives me room to create little scenes to go along with the plant life. I have created a seascape on both AG's. since I have numerous other plants sitting around the units sharing the light this becomes a full Aquatic picture. A couple of sunken ships, some sea life, a diver & it becomes a live scene because the plants are all real & edible so it will constantly change. It is such a pleasure to grow some of my own food & create some art at the same time. If you have ever been undecided about getting a Bounty then get one, you will not be disappointed. It is so versatile. I can small crops or now with the taller light ability I will be able to put in some cucumbers, snap peas, larger peppers & even a few bushes that will go into my yard in the spring to produce berries for the birds. Great unit AG pic #1 original Bounty #2 Bounty 1 with Edibles -all the plant life here is edible #3 the 2nd Bounty- the Diver had Lavender & Mint. 2020 12-20-20 Its been over a yr now & I still love my Bounty's. I have 4 now & have grown tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, cukes, edible flowers, herbs/spices, flowers & several other veggies. Many went out into my small outside garden & then I started more. I have preserved herbs/spices & many of the peppers. I have a good collection of seeds from all that I have grown & have used them for new crops as the current ones are rotated to outside or the freezer. I havent bought any of these items in a store for a yr now & its fantastic. Also with the issues with covid I am not concerned of where my produce & some of my veggies come from because they are grown in my kitchen. I have 4 Bountys now, 4 Harvests, 2 360-s & an AG3. It handles all that I need plus extras for my neighbor friend. If you can only get 1 or 2 gardens get at least the Bounty Basic. It will handle almost anything you put in it. Its as easy as it gets to set up & take care of & you will always have something to eat or pretty to look at right at your fingers.

The AeroGarden has quickly become one of my favorite purchases. It arrived well-packaged, was simple to set up, and the directions were so clear that I had it running in under 10 minutes. The pre-filled seed pods sprouted beautifully, and I’ve been using this system for over two years without any issues. I even purchased a second one because I love it that much. Pros ✅ Arrived well-packaged with no damage ✅ Extremely easy to set up and operate ✅ Clear, straightforward directions ✅ Pre-filled seed pods sprouted successfully ✅ Durable — still working perfectly after two years ✅ Convenient enough that I purchased a second unit Cons ❌ None so far — I’ve had a flawless experience Final Thoughts This garden is a fantastic investment for anyone who enjoys growing fresh herbs or plants indoors. It’s easy, reliable, and has continued to work perfectly for me for years. I can confidently say it’s one of my best and most worthwhile purchases.

I've been watching hydroponic technology advance with baited breath. I remember when these where 500$ and super sketchy. I was still skeptical buying this garden because of the price. Now its got its own knock off for 60$ Is this worth 179? If you have the extra cash for the major structural differences, user friendly pod kits, and directions hail yes. This garden means the end to food deserts across the country. Whether you can afford the nice one like this or the off brand. Every home should have a hydroponic garden in the next 5 years. Its user friendly- You follow the directions, pop the pods in, follow the prompts. Its small- As you can see, it fits on the end of my dining table. Takes up a cubic foot of space. Why buy only one when you obviously have space for two?? Its good for your mental health. Its good feng shui? Kinda random but yeah, running water and bringing nature indoors. Its a palpable difference in your home. You can grow anything you want in it, just don't overcrowd it though, as you can see in mine and the other reviews the most successful gardens you only use a few pods at a time, that just gives value to the pod kits. one kit will last 2 "seasons" I will say to pay attention to your pods. My pepper pods didn't come with seeds. However thats not a drawback, seed packets cost a dollar at the store. Buy yourself a couple of seed vaults for 30 bucks... and some anything kits, you wont need to shop for vegetables for years. Its really that good. Welcome to the hydroponic agricultural revolution in the year 2024. Lets get these put on snap and wic.

Nice to have the lamp heights for taller plants. Trellis included and I also bought an extra set to support my cherry tomatoes and pepper plants. Garden set up was easy and after two weeks everything up and growing well. Attractive looking and affordable. I am going to purchase another identical one. Would be a very nice gift to give or receive especially for a senior that can no longer garden outside.

I have purchased 4 aerogarden basic gardens. I gave one away at Christmas as a gift and she just loves it. I have grown 4 different types of leaf lettuce and cherry tomatoes. I have lots of tomatoes with many that are still green and harvests have been good. My cherry tomatoe plant is five and a half months old and is still producing yellow flowers and tomatoes. I grew a lot of leaf lettuce and am going to set up my garden to grow romaine lettuce, basil and tyme. Love these little gardens and plan to try strawberries and hopefully fairytale eggplant. All and all would highly recommend. RRontario,canada

This is my 2nd Aerogarden. The 1st is a Harvest (6 pods) that was gifted to me a year ago. After careful consideration I bought an alternative brand with 12 pods that should have been comparable to the bounty but with more pods. It was a nightmare and made me realize the importance of certain key features most retailers won’t be upfront with… and why Aerogarden was worth the investment. Before purchasing a hydroponic system, try to find out some less known info… - Are the parts easily replaceable * Bad models will have the wires directly soldered into the unit (e.g. pump and/or light cannot be replaced). Why is this important? If you cannot replace parts that tend to break more often (pump and/or light) then you’ll have to replace the ENTIRE unit!!! If you have a part that malfunctions, the seller won’t be able to easily send a replacement part. Oftentimes you’ll be required to pay for shipping the entire unit back & pay for shipping repaires or replacement. If the pump/light breaks, you’ll be stuck with a water bucket that can’t do much for you. Now think of all the money you wasted, the environmental impact it has since it isn’t sustainable, etc. YIKES! * Good models (like Aerogarden)… each part is separate & replaceable. Pump has an issue… you can have it replaced if it’s under guarantee or buy a new one. What a cost saver! - Noise level of the pump * Bad models can easily be around 50 db. If you are sensitive to noise it can be disturbing (e.g. I had my unit in the living room and I still heard it in the bedroom. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… are much quieter. When the pump is working you might hear a soft hum and some water dripping. If your water level gets low, you’ll hear more the water. You can use this to your advantage since sometimes the water indicator can become unreliable/defective if roots go and hide there (yes, it’s a common prob but easily fixable when you clean the unit). - How easy is it to disassemble & clean? Hopefully you want healthy plants as well as to reuse the unit. Roots, algae, mold, etc. can get into a bunch of places. * Bad models are a nightmare to clean. ** Pump: Is it easily removable? Is it screwed in? Can you easily open the plastic parts without breaking plastic &/or your nails? ** Area under tray: Can it be easily detached? In a bad model you can have small columns that distribute the water to the pods whereby they are not made to be opened/cleaned. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… The entire top surface area is a detachable tray. You can remove roots (yes, they love to get in there), algae, etc. It does take a bit of time and patience but at least you can clean it Tip: clean with double strength vinegar (10%) to easily get stains out. - Water level/spills * Bad models have high tops whereby there can be approx. 1 inch side. The water must NOT pass that height otherwise it’s leaking everywhere. The “max” water indicator is almost at that outer 1 inch line. One prob is that if you want to move your unit (add water, clean, etc.) as soon as the water moves a little it starts leaking from the side connection. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… The side of the water tank goes all the way up to the top and only at the very top it comes off. The max water level is about 1 inch below the openable top. This makes it much easier to move a unit to clean, add water, etc. - Location of electronics * Bad models have connections INSIDE &/or right under permitting water to enter. Water plus circuit boards & loose wires = dangerous, fire hazard, electrocution risk & more! Apart from it going against common sense/safety… it is also difficult to discover from images. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… the only electrical thing that is in the water tank is the water pump whereby the connection is outside the water tank onto the base unit. ——————- I won’t go into basic details of reminders, tips, etc. as many people review those. Why did I choose a “basic”? vs other more expensive models It depends what kind of needs you have… I tend to use empty pods to grow varieties that aren’t commonly available (e.g. redventure celery, cresson du Bresil, Turkish Orange Eggplant, Bonsai Tomatoes, and so much more!). I check on my plants every few days or daily. So, knowing I need to add water & when to add food is basically (pun intended) all I require. Something important to take into consideration: How many plants can you grow in a healthy manner vs actual pods. There is no clear-cut answer since it depends the types of plants you grow. * Just herbs - Yes, in a 9 pod you can grow 9 plants. However, you will still have to cut/trim often… not only the leaves but the roots as well. ** Can certain herbs grow longer than suggested lifespans? Yes… for example Thai Basil (which I actually used from Aerogarden) can live a year or more. The main stem will thicken and start to look more like bark. The taste of the leaves will also change. You’ll wind up with a plant that looks a bit like a small Bonsai. * Plants that grow less than 1 foot, need less roots, don’t make large fruits, etc. (e.g. lettuce, swiss chard, dwarf kale) - Although technically you could do 9/9 pods, if the plants seem to struggle go down to a ratio of 2/3… so 6/9 pods. * Plants that grow fruits, need more roots, etc. (e.g. dwarf tomatoes, self-pollenating cucumbers, etc.) You will need at the very least a bounty model since the light can go up to two feet. You can try a 1/2 ratio (4/9 pods) however you will need to do a regular maintenance of pruning the leaves & roots. The plants will require more roots and various people recommend for more productive plants to reduce the ratio to 1/3 (3/9 pods). So, if you want a bounty thinking you’ll grow 9 healthy tomato plants you’ll be quite disappointed… especially if you plant indeterminate queen beef tomatoes. No, I did not try but neither should you (or are having a good laugh because you know why it’s a no-no). I bought the Bounty already knowing these types of constraints. What do I do in mine? I prefer a combo plant technique. Some are leafy (e.g. red celery, dwarf kale), some are fruity (e.g. dwarf tomato, Turkish Orange Eggplant), and some are small medicinal (e.g. cresson du bresil). I use a max of 5/9 of the pods. I place larger/fruit pods at the extremities to permit them to expand outside of the bounty surface area. I also check on them every few days/daily to maintain roots/leaves & hand pollinate when necessary. Yes, I have the time and patience to do this. Now ask yourself if you do and be honest. If not and you want tomatoes/peppers/etc. that are fruit plants, go down to 3 pods max for the bounty model. Is the expense worth it? That’s more of an answer that depends upon the individual. - Someone that is willing to create something from scratch, that doesn’t need reminders, etc. It could be considered quite expensive… but you’ll have to invest more time, energy, upkeep, etc. - Someone that wants to save money and buy something similar but a bit less expensive… don’t! You might wind up not being able to use the unit for long, parts won’t be replaceable, etc. - Someone that wants it to be less of a strain on the wallet… look into paying in payments. Amazon offered me to do so & that’s what made it possible for me to get. - If you’re the type that wants fruit plants but don’t have much time to take care of them… you should stick to 3 plants per bounty. It’s up to you to ask yourself if it’s worth that much to grow only a bit of fruit… especially if the varieties you like can be bought at the supermarket. If the pants you want to grow are rare and difficult to obtain at the super market then it might be worth it. I also would like to point out a few things to consider buying: - Grow tent: It will help create a more stable environment, reflect back the light so the plants benefit even more and for those that don’t like the “bright light” it can be a way to eliminate that challenge. There are also blackout covers for smaller models. - Supplement: Even with regular feeds, plants (especially fruit) might need an extra boost. Leaves could start yellowing, having poor development, etc. Oftentimes a magnesium/calcium plant supplement can be beneficial. - Small fan: It helps plants’ stems to become stronger & pollination - look into getting pods that don’t have seeds so you can put whatever you’d like in them. Coco coir is a medium that is more sustainable. ————————- One issue I do not like with bounty is that the expandable light does not have a mechanism to keep it from going back down. When fully extended the light refuses to stay up. _________________ Lastly, research… take the time to read reviews, tricks, problems, etc. Then be honest with yourself in the quantity you’ll want to have produced (e.g. do you really want to eat an herb often if it produces a lot, you want a lot of fruits but won’t be able to grow many, how difficult/easy is it to obtain at the grocery store, etc.). Only then will you be able to make an informed choice in an investment piece.

This grows amazing plants and is an excellent way to start them. It is very easy to follow and clean. Be VERY patient with things such as mint and thyme. Tomato plants will practically be producing tomatoes before they even sprout. Consistently. I bought a second one because it was so successful. UPDATE: My original purchase has become the permanent home for my tomato plant which just turned three years old. It has produced CONSTANTLY for the last three years. I have to cut it back every month or so. The tomatoes are becoming more and more delicious, and a little larger as time goes on. Every visitor goes home with tomatoes, as I can’t keep up. This was a great purchase!

This was my first hydroponic garden purchase. It was very easy to set up, and after just 5 days I could see sprouts on my basil and tomatoes. The light is quite bright, so you wouldnt want it in your bedroom. Im running mine from 530 pm until 930 am. I have covered the holes Im not using (tea lights or golf balls work perfectly) to prevent light from hitting the water. Highly recommend!