Are Aerogardens Safe?

An AeroGarden is a modernized hydroponics system that uses hydroponic principles to bring fresh vegetables and herbs to your kitchen countertop. Hydroponics is a proven method of growing plants, usually edible plants, without the need for soil. The nutrients are supplied to the plants directly in the water. But how safe is an AeroGarden and are there any health concerns with growing edible plants in them? 

AeroGardens are made with robust, durable, and food-safe plastics. AeroGardens do not contain BPA or phthalates. The manufacturers chose this type of plastic consciously based on its performance, durability, and safety characteristics for its specific use as a hydroponic garden.

Consider if there was a way to grow plants without dirt, sunlight, or pesticides. What if this new technology could help the environment by producing no emissions and using 90% less water than conventional farming methods? The AeroGarden is a revolutionary indoor gardening system and here’s a bunch of great reasons why.

Aerogarden Hydroponics

AeroGardens are used to safely grow edible plants indoors. The system works by combining aeroponics and hydroponics principles and includes a digital management system to help you manage the growing cycle of the plants and when to add water and nutrients to the system.

The method of growing in the AeroGarden also means that there is no need for the use of any harmful chemicals such as pesticides. The fact that the plants are grown indoors provides an environment where the plants are protected from any pests that would normally attack the growing plants.

The only potential hazard that the AeroGarden may pose is that the unit runs off electricity, and with the addition of water to the equation, there is the potential for electric shock or fire should the unit not be used according to the instructions.

Growing Edible Plants in an Aerogarden?

The AeroGardens are manufactured for the purpose of growing edible plants in the units. This means that it is safe to grow edible plants in these systems. As long as the instructions are followed, the plants should grow strong and healthy and provide you with fresh herbs or vegetables right on your kitchen countertop!

The AeroGarden can be used to grow herbs such as basil, chives, lavender, and dill. It can also be used to grow salad greens such as leaf lettuce, swiss chard, and spinach. It can also be used to grow plants and vegetables that produce fruit, such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, marrows, strawberries, and jalapeños.

Learn about the lifespan of plants frequently grown in an AeroGarden in my article, How Long Do Plants Last In an AeroGarden? Common Plant Lifespans

If you’re interested in growing food at home but your counter space is too small check out the Tower Garden vertical aeroponic system. I use the Tower Garden to table growing system to grow 20+ plants in the corner of my home office. It supplies all the salad greens, herbs and stir fry vegetables my family needs. I’ve also used it to grow pounds of strawberries, tomatoes and cucumbers on my balcony in the summer time.

How Do Aerogardens Work?

The principles behind the Aero garden are bases on sound hydroponics and aeroponics techniques and methods that are used in other larger-scale systems to great success.

The manufacturers of the Aerogardens have modernized, miniaturized and combined a hydroponics and aeroponics system with digital management. They have basically innovated and produced a hydroponic system in the form of a kitchen appliance that looks stylish and can be located on your kitchen countertop.

The Aerogarden unit can actually be located anywhere in your home since it has its own light source for the plants. The unit is stylish enough to even be a centerpiece in your living room or entrance hallway!

Aerogarden Lighting

The AeroGarden comes with its own built-in proprietary grow light system that can be adjusted to the type of plants that you are growing and the stage of growth that the plants are in.

The LED lighting system is designed to mimic natural sunshine and give the plants the optimal light spectrums that they need for growth and fruit production.

Growing Method In An Aerogarden

The roots of the plants in the AeroGarden grow in air and water, which provides a good balance of nutrients and oxygen to the root systems of the plants.

AeroGardens use no chemicals or pesticides whatsoever, so they are a great alternative for those who are worried about their safety or the environmental impact of traditional gardening methods. 

Plus, because they produce food organically without any harmful substances being used, AeroGardens are also an excellent way to help people with food allergies or sensitivity to pesticides.

The AeroGarden offers several benefits with their system.

• It is easy to use. You don’t need to have specialist gardening knowledge to grow the plants to maturity and harvest.
• It’s fast. Because the plants are grown in water and air, they grow much faster than if they were planted in soil.
• Pest-free growing. Because the plants are grown indoors in a controlled environment, there is no need to use herbicides or pesticides
• Convenience. Digital management takes the guesswork out of growing the plants, and having the plants in your home makes them easily accessible.

Aerogarden Digital Management

AeroGarden control panels are straightforward to use. Different models have different features, but the basics are simple. It reminds you when to add nutrients and water and gives precise instructions on how much of each needs to be added.

This means that you do not need to be an expert gardener to successfully grow edible plants right on your countertop. The digital management system will prompt you what to add to the system at the right time to maximize the health and growth of your plants.

How Are Aerogardens Beneficial?

AeroGardens are useful in certain circumstances and locations and offer anyone the ability to grow their own food in their own home.

Some situations where an AeroGarden would be useful include the following.

• No garden space. If you live in an apartment or in a place where you have limited outdoor space, an AeroGarden is a good alternative method to use to grow edible food indoors.
• Inclement weather. If the weather conditions where you live have a sort period where you can grow vegetables or herbs, then the AeroGarden can help you to extend your growing season to be pretty much all year round.
• Limited time for gardening. If you have limited time to spend in the garden, the AeroGarden will minimize the time you need to spend tending to your plants.

You can even use your AeroGarden to start seedlings off in a safe indoor environment and then plant them out in the outdoor garden once the weather has improved and the seedlings are strong enough for the outdoors.

The AeroGardens come in various sized units, which allows you to get one that matches your growing needs and the space you have available to house the grow unit.

The Disadvantages Of Aerogardens

There are some disadvantages that are associated with the AeroGarden, which may be points that would put some people off from using the system.

• Seed pods. The seed pods are essentially containers that come with seeds in them for placing in the system for growing. These pods must be purchased from the supplier as opposed to sourcing your own seeds. You can buy additional grow sponges to grow your own seeds, but the grow sponges are also supplied by one supplier.
• They can be noisy. AeroGardens use aerator pumps to oxygenate the water. These pumps and the associated bubbling sounds can be quite loud.
• Electricity is required. Electricity is required to power the unit, so if you live off-grid, this type of grow system may not be suitable for your purposes. Also, if you have frequent power interruptions, the grow-cycle of the plants could be interrupted or affected with no lighting or aeration of the water.
• Access covers. When the plants get big and are reaching maturity, they have the potential to cover some of the access covers that are used to replenish the water and nutrients.

There are not many disadvantages to this type of indoor growing system, and for many people, the convenience of having the unit accessible in their home on the kitchen countertop is the major attraction of the unit.

Conclusion

The AeroGarden is a modern innovation that brings the hydroponic growing method indoors in a compact, attractive unit that would not look out of place in any home. The convenience that it offers for indoor growing makes it possible for anyone to grow their own fresh, healthy food in the comfort of their own home.

The integrated management system and the comprehensive instructions that come with the unit makes it easy for anyone to use, even if you know nothing about growing vegetables. The digital management system will let you know when to water and feed your plants. For some units, there is even an app available that will allow you to get notifications from the management system n your phone.

The unit is safe to use to grow edible plants since this is the main purpose that the units are manufactured for. The components are selected to be food-safe which prevents any contamination of your plants from this source.

If the convenience of modern technology appeals to you and you don’t have space for an outside garden, or even if you simply want a method for starting your seeds indoors before planting them outdoors, then the AeroGarden is a product you should give some consideration to.