The best indoor garden kit

Freshly picked herbs from your yard add a much more spicy flavor than the processed herbs on the shelves of grocery stores. You can collect some pots, seeds, soil, fertilizers, grow lights and grow them yourself in some way to keep them all in a compact space. However, an easier way is to buy a complete indoor garden kit.

This guide will help you find the perfect indoor garden kit for you. It shows you what to look for when you are shopping, and finally a top pick, Homemade DIY herb garden kitIdeal for first-time indoor gardeners, without the need for transplantation.

If you haven’t grown anything before, the starter kit is for you. Good things include pots, trays, soil, seeds, everything you need. However, the pots included in many starter kits are so small that you may need larger pots as the plant matures.

Most indoor garden kits are for growing herbs, but some are big enough to grow salad greens, so it’s up to you to grow and eat. Some kits are designed to grow inedible, such as succulents and small flowers.

Lighting is one of the three important elements needed to grow plants indoors. If your indoor garden kit includes glow lights, you can put them anywhere. If you want to buy an indoor garden kit without lighting, you need a very sunny place or you need to buy the right kind of artificial lighting. Few plants grow properly without enough light.

This is the second most important factor in the success of indoor gardening. If there is too little water, the plants will shrink and die. Too much water can cause mold and rot. You can choose to water your indoor garden yourself, or you can buy a kit that automates the process and does it for you. If you do it yourself, check the size of the tank that came with the kit. The larger the tank, the less need to refill the garden kit.

Last but not least, plants need nutrients to thrive. Find a garden kit that contains the type and amount of fertilizer you need for your plant to grow the healthiest and greenest.

Most indoor garden kits come with seeds, but not all, so get a kit that includes the seeds you need. Those who are interested in the environment will want to make sure that the seeds are non-GMO and free of herbicides and pesticides.

Soil-based system Grow plants in the soil, like an outdoor garden.

Hydroponics system Do not use soil. They grow plants in a solution of water and nutrients. This method uses less water than soil-based systems because it only goes where water is needed and there are no water-wasting spills.

Aeroponic system Is an advanced type of hydroponics that sprays nutrient-rich mist on the exposed roots of a plant, rather than an underwater plant.

Aquaponics system Grow plants in beds made of gravel, clay and lava. In this closed-loop system, fish live in separate tanks where biological waste is collected. Bacteria turn waste into fertilizer and are absorbed by the roots of plants. The fish feed the plants, and the plants give back by cleaning the water that returns to the fish.

The more timers and sensors you have, the less guesswork you need and the more likely your garden will be successful. A convenient timer turns the lights on and off at the right time to ensure the right growth cycle. Sophisticated timers water the plants, detect when they need to be fed, and do so without adding too much or too little.

Small and simple indoor garden kits sell for under $ 50. Larger kits with more features cost $ 50 to $ 100 or so. The finest indoor smart garden with all the bells and whistles costs over $ 400.

A. If the kit comes with a glow light, the best place to put it is in or near the kitchen. That way, you will always know how your plant is doing.

A. Within some basic limits, yes. The small indoor space is suitable for small versions of vegetables such as baby carrots and cherry tomatoes. Also, do not try to grow plants that require pollination unless you plan to spend time outdoors in a microenvironment rich in pollen maters such as lavender and daisies.

Available at AeroGarden Harvest Kit: Amazon

Our view: Remove all guesswork from growth with this versatile full spectrum indoor garden kit.

What we like: This kit grows everything in nutrient-rich water. There, the plants mature faster than the soil and are not confused. Its six separate pods mean that you can grow six different plant and herb varieties at once. The glow light hood is ultra-thin and lifts 20 watts of white, red and blue LED lights up to 12 inches from the plant bed. An automatic timer turns the light on and off at the exact time required for growth. A simple backlit button reminds you when to add the water and patented liquid vegetable foods included in the kit.

What we hate: With these technologies, all that’s missing is the app.

iDOO Pod Indoor Herb Garden Kit: Available at Amazon

Our view: This attractively designed kit controls and simulates sunlight, so you can use it anywhere.

What we like: The kit features two smart glow modes, vegetables and fruits, and grows up to 12 plants per growth cycle. Quiet pumps and fans turn on and off automatically. LED lights are high performance and energy efficient. This kit grows plants faster than those that use soil.

What we hate: Seeds are not included.

Homegrown Deluxe DIY Herb Glow Kit: Available at Amazon

Our view: Featuring an attractive glossy ceramic pot, this absolutely reliable starter kit does not require transplantation and is ideal for first-time indoor gardeners.

What we like: This kit contains long-blooming coriander, basil, thyme and parsley. Zero transplantation means that seeds can be started and grown without replanting. Bamboo drip trays can spill or overflow. This kit contains peat moss, soil pellets and woody plant markers. The Quick Start Guide provides simple step-by-step instructions. This indoor garden kit comes with a Happy Plant Parent Guarantee, as indoor gardening should be fun too.

What we hate: With more technology, you have more control over your growth cycle.

David Allan Van is a writer for Best Reviews. BestReviews is a product review company with the sole mission of simplifying purchasing decisions and saving time and money.

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