#grow light

I got a new pothos plant, and it's got two new leaves coming in, and I'm such a proud plant parent.

Put in some new grow lights for the very chaotic plant table!!

Here she is in her full glory:

So, at this point we had multiple types of lettuce, Swiss Chard, Tatsoi, Tomatoes, Thyme, Basil, Cilantro, Arugula and Mustard. It provided enough greens to have salad as a main course for dinner for three nights a week! Being indoors and soilless there were no pesticides used at any point. I would cut the leaves off as I made dinner, doesn’t get any fresher!

What is a Gardyn?

Gardyn is a fully automated, all in one, hydroponic gardening unit.

It starts with the base. The bottom of the unit is a tank which holds up to 6 gallons of water.

This does mean the unit is pretty heavy when it’s full, but if you’re strong or have two people it’s not too bad to move. When you receive it it is empty, so the initial set up is not too bad. Some people online do make rolling carts for them that are very nice if you struggle to move that much weight! It is a neutral color so it goes pretty nicely anywhere. I actually think it makes a nice decorative piece, especially when it is full! It also has enough space on top, maybe not if your unit is totally full, for your other seedlings/propagations!

After the base we have the lid. This is made of wood, so it looks pretty nice.

Underneath is where the pump and the drains for each tower is located. It has a small opening for refills, which I do about once or twice a week depending on how hot it is.

The columns screw into the lids. These were one of the worst parts of set up honestly. They have a rubber tube holding them together so I do recommend grabbing someone to help, maybe it was just me! Each section unscrews individually for cleaning and it holds and total of 32 plants if you use each space!

There is a bar across the back to provide support, which does have a wall mount. If you have kids or curious pets I would recommend mounting it to the wall.

In front of the columns are the lights. There are one on each side and they are labeled which side is which. This is one of the tougher things to set up with this unit.

It is incredibly bright. It does not bother me at all, I have grow lights everywhere, but it might be an issue if it’s near a place you relax.

The lights do have camera built into them. These sync with the app, where the AI can help diagnose issues and provide a time lapse of growth. This made me a bit nervous at first but the are stationary and if up against the wall that is all it will see. More on all of that below!

Here is what she looks like know. As someone with heavy depression it is nice how automatic she is. Lot of the greens survived until they bolted and we let them die naturally. If you have compost it would make a great addition. Even with little to no maintenance for a few weeks she is still blooming!

Pros

Fresh, organic produce ready at a moments notice

The ability to grow flowers as well/instead of you prefer

Soilless, which helps prevent a lot of pests

Helps freshen air indoors

Built in lights means it can go anywhere

Cons

Deep cleans recommended every six months can be intense

Plants are still susceptible to a few pests, specifically spider mites

The light is very bright

Sometimes the App just does not do what you want it to

The initial price is pretty high

Accessories from Gardyn can be expensive and come with so few

Now, the most controversial thing about this unit is the App/membership. I will start by saying, you can 100% not use the membership at all. You can purchase any accessories outside of it and find pretty much anything outside of their store that you would need if you can get creative.

The app and and internet connection however is required. This is how the unit syncs to the time and you set the light/watering schedule. So without both an internet connection and working smart phone this isn’t really a good option

Despite the fact you do not need a membership, I do love and recommend it. Currently the membership is $40 pre month. This gives you a lot more options in the app, but you also get credits which allow for up to 10 seed cubes with free shipping every month. That basically pays for it alone!

All in all, if you can afford it and are looking for something like this, I can recommend this enough. This post is not sponsored, but as a member I do have a discount code which will get you $125 off the unit if you’re buying anyway!

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