*Seeds not included MASTER GARDENER English Plant & Grow Your Own Seeds* GUIDE Quick, Plug & Grow TM Planting with Your Own Seeds
CONT Introduction Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Additional Supplies Needed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Designing Your Garden Plant Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Plant Height . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nutrients . .
ENTS Tending Your Garden Remove Domes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Add Water and Raise Lamp Hood (Light[s]) . . . . . . Thin Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pollinate Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Prune Plants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction 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.
Additional Supplies Needed In addition to what is included in your Master Gardener Kit, there are a few additional items you will need. An Iron An AeroGarden A Permanent Marker 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.
Designing Your Garden SELECTING PLANTS The following guidelines will help you plant and grow a thriving indoor garden. Take the time to plan your Garden and you’ll reap the rewards of healthy plants and bountiful harvests. 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.
P lant Height (Continued) 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.
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.
Building a Grow Pod 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. P repare Pod Labels Here are a few preliminary steps that will help the Grow Pod building process go smoothly.
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.
Attach Pod Labels The Pod Label reminds you of planting date and what you planted, and also promotes germination and inhibits algae growth. Be sure to fill out and apply Pod Labels. IMPORTANT! If you are planting SEEDS in your Grow Pods… Attach Pod Labels AFTER Grow Pods are assembled and seeds are in place. If you are planting CUTTINGS in your Grow Pods… Snap Split-Apart Baskets together and attach Pod Labels BEFORE planting cuttings.
P lace Stem Cuttings Using stem cuttings is a common method for propagating many plant varieties, but it does require a bit of care on your part. A number of vegetables and shrubs root very easily, but stem cuttings from tree species can be difficult to root. We have found that some difficult species may be stimulated to root by treating them with root-promoting compounds.
Quick Start Guides available at: www.aerogardensupport.com • Moisten Grow Sponge and insert cutting 1/3 to 1/2 of its length into Grow Sponge. • Carefully push Grow Sponge (with cutting in place) through Pod Label and into Split-Apart Basket. • Insert assembled Grow Pod into Grow Surface Opening (see page 13 for instructions). • Repeat above steps with each cutting and Grow Pod.
Planting Your Garden Planting a custom Grow Pod is the same as planting a Seed Pod from any AeroGarden Seed Kit. We recommend recording the planting date and number of seeds planted in a notebook or on a model-specific Gardener’s Log (located at www.aerogardensupport.com). This will be a great reference when planting future Gardens. P lant Grow Pods • Insert Grow Pods into Grow Surface Openings.
Feeding Your Garden Each Master Gardener Kit comes with two different types of nutrient tablets to meet the needs of a variety of plant types. The amount of nutrients in your Garden increases with tablet size. Each tablet also contains ingredients that will keep the water in your AeroGarden at a pH level that is ideal for aeroponically grown plants. C hoose a Nutrient Regime Most gardens will need a combination of small and large nutrient tablets.
N utrient Feeding Schedule Options The table below shows a suggested feeding schedule based on plant type. Use it as a starting point for selecting a nutrient regime. Keeping a watchful eye on plants will be the best way to learn the ideal nutrient regime. For cuttings, do not use nutrients until you see roots extended from Grow Sponges. Once roots are seen, start with Set Up regime, then use the appropriate plant type regime.
Add Nutrient(s) Every 2 weeks you will need to add one (1) nutrient tablet (3-Pod AeroGardens) or two (2) nutrient tablets (6- or 7-Pod AeroGardens) to the Bowl. For instructions, see “Add Nutrients” (Feed Garden - Basic Feeding) in the Control Panel Features section of your Quick Start Guide. S igns of Stress Overnourished If tips of leaves are brown, your plant is probably getting too many nutrients.
Tending Your Garden A little bit of care for your Garden will ensure rapid growth and healthy plants. This section provides some general guidelines to follow as your Garden grows. Remove Domes • Shortly after planting Seeds in your garden (4 days to 2 weeks), tiny plants will appear through the hole in each Grow Pod Label. When this occurs, remove Domes from each Grow Pod and save for your next Garden. Do not remove Label. • Only remove Domes from Grow Pods with emerging plants.
Water and Add Raise Lamp Hood (Light[s]) As your Garden grows, it’s important to keep water in the Bowl of your AeroGarden, and 1-2” (2.5-5cm) of space between the top of plants and the light(s). For instructions, see “Add Water Using a Spouted Container” and “Raise Lamp Hood (Light[s])” sections in your model’s Quick Start Guide. Quick Start Guides available at: www.aerogardensupport.com Thin Plants Herbs, lettuces, and plants that grow in bunches (such as chives) do not require thinning.
P ollinate Plants The table below shows some common plant types and recommended methods for hand pollination. For plants not listed below, you may need to do some additional pollination research – the internet and seed suppliers are good sources of information.
P rune Plants Your Garden may need pruning to keep plants at about the same height and to control growth. Use garden shears or scissors to prune. Here are some general guidelines on pruning various plant types. Fruiting Plants with Upright Main Stem (First prune) (such as dwarf tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant) Early pruning of this plant helps strengthen the main stem and encourages plant to branch out. A strong plant with many branches will be able to bear the weight of much fruit without tipping over.
P rune Plants (Continued) Fruiting Plants (Ongoing) (Continued) Controlling Spreading Use scissors to cut branches that hang outside the edge of Lamp Hood. Make cut so branch is no more than 3” beyond outer edge of Lamp Hood. Herbs with Upright Main Stem – Sometimes an early pruning of plants such as basil, will encourage plants to branch out, rather than grow straight up. For plants that will benefit from this, you should… • Follow main stem up from base of plant past 3 sets of leaves.
Quick Start Guides available at: www.aerogardensupport.com All Non-Fruiting Plants – If you see flower buds or flowers on a plant that is being grown for its leaves, not its fruit or flowers, remove them. Cut flowering stem just above a set of leaves, no more than 1/3 of the way down stem. This will extend the life and productivity of the plant. Flowers – To keep flowering plants (such as petunias) full of blossoms, remove old flowers, a process known as “deadheading”.
Keep Your Garden Healthy Keeping a watchful eye on your Garden is not only a joy, but also a smart way to make sure your plants stay healthy. As plants grow, you may see some dead or brown leaves around base of plants. This is perfectly normal. • Remove these leaves with scissors or pinch off with fingers. • Remove dead blossoms from plants by pinching off with fingers. S upport Plants Fruiting plants may produce so much fruit that plants begin to tip over or break.
HELPFUL HINT: The best way to figure out where to place tie is to gently push on main stem with your fingers, testing for strength and ability to support the plant. Typically, your tie will be no more than 2” above the base of plant. How To Support Fruiting Plants • Loop a tie around main stem at a point where it: a) is strong enough not to bend or break when tie is secured, and b) stands upright when tie is pulled toward Lamp Arm. • Tightly loop one end of tie around Lamp Arm.
S upport Plants (Continued) Support for Full-Size Fruiting Plants If you are growing full-size, fruiting plants using an AeroGarden Deluxe, PRO200, 6 Elite+, or a 7-Pod model outfitted with a Deluxe Upgrade Kit, we recommend using the AeroGrow Trellis System* to support your plants. Trellis Systems and additional Trellis Coils can be ordered at www.aerogardensupport.com. * Trellis Brackets must be attached to the Lamp Hood in order to use Trellis System.
Harvesting Your Garden If you grow culinary plants, it is important to continually harvest to keep plants healthy and productive. Here are some general guidelines for harvesting plants grown in an AeroGarden. • Do not remove more than a third of leaves or stems from any one plant at a time. • Harvest just before using for best flavor. • Remove ripe fruit. • As you harvest, try to keep plants at about the same height so they all receive enough light. • After harvesting, lower light(s), if necessary.
Harvest Your Garden Bunching Herbs (such as chives and parsley) • Harvest herbs that grow in a bunch by cutting an entire stem – just a stem, not the entire plant! • Select the oldest stems, found near outer edges of plant. (These stems are generally wider than younger ones and leaves may have some yellow around the edges.) • Cut near the base of stem. Also, remember to remove stems that shade other plants in your garden.
Troubleshooting Appendix What do I do when a Grow Bulb burns out? Replacement bulbs can be ordered from your retailer or at www.aerogardensupport.com. What should I do if my Grow Bulb(s) aren’t working? Make sure Grow Bulb(s) are firmly inserted in Lamp Hood. Also check that Garden is plugged into a working electrical outlet and Lamp Cord is plugged into Lamp Hood. What if I want to move my Garden to another location? Go right ahead! Keep in mind that each AeroGarden model has different features.
Troubleshooting (Continued) My Garden doesn’t look healthy. What can I do? If you are concerned about the health of your Garden, please go through the following… • Keep light(s) as close to plants as possible, without leaves touching Grow Bulb(s). • Replace Grow Bulb(s) every 6 months (see Quick Start Guide for model-specific instructions). • Continually remove dead leaves and flowers. • Don’t use softened or well water. • Continually prune, pollinate and harvest plants.
Troubleshooting Help and Quick Start Guides available at: www.aerogardensupport.com growing in Bowl. Choose a material that will tolerate moisture such as aluminum foil or a plastic milk jug lid. What if one of the plants in my AeroGarden is much taller than the others? Despite all your planning, you may find a plant in your garden that is growing faster than the others. Try pruning the plant to keep size in check and keep Lamp Hood at lowest setting possible without burning plants.
AeroGrow International, Inc. Quick Start Guides available at: www.aerogardensupport.com 507314-0000 AA 8/28/08 U.S. Patents Pending © 2007-2008 AeroGrow International, Inc.
