My Mom Loves This Compact Countertop Garden So Much That She’s Gifting It to Everyone

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m extremely picky about where I buy my produce. I know I’m partially responsible for the inevitable deterioration of forgotten bags of spinach in my fridge drawer, but, at the same time, I can usually tell the quality of my produce when I first buy it. And while I knew I wasn’t always buying the best options, they were often the only available choices at the time. Having to empty out my fruit and veggie drawers so often caused me to slow down how often I bought produce at all — especially if I knew I wouldn’t have time to cook it right away. However, everything changed the first time I tried an indoor hydroponic garden.

Being able to grow my own greens and vegetables at home has saved me so much money in the long run. Plus, there’s the added satisfaction of growing something practically on your own and sharing that homegrown food with friends and family. As much as I loved the first garden I tried, I was curious about a countertop option that could serve even smaller spaces. That led me to test out the AeroGarden Harvest 2.0, a compact garden model that does all the hard work for you.

The AeroGarden Harvest 2.0 is an all-in-one hydroponic gardening system that provides water, food, and light to anything you choose to plant. Available in four colors, it’s equipped with a 15-watt LED grow light, a nutrient reminder that’s controlled by a single button, an adjustable height for growth that reaches up to a foot, and a dark grow deck that helps to keep algae away. The Harvest 2.0 can grow up to six plants, and comes with four pod covers in case you don’t use the spaces available for any reason. That could mean you’re only planting a few items or the plants need to be spaced out for optimal growth. In addition to the pod spacers, the device comes with a power adapter, liquid plant food, a measuring cup, grow baskets, grow sponges, pod labels, and a gardening starter kit that includes a lettuce seed packet. 

AeroGarden’s Harvest family is the most popular of the bunch, and is made up of medium-sized countertop gardens in different shapes to best suit your home. The Harvest 2.0 is the newest model in the collection, and it even has the lowest price tag. Harvest gardens are able to grow flowers, herbs, cherry tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and other greens. The brand also offers custom seed kits so you can truly tailor your garden to your tastes. According to AeroGarden, “Most plants germinate within seven to 14 days, are ready for harvesting in four to six weeks, and will keep producing continuous harvests for up to six months and longer.”

Before I knew just how easy it was, I put off assembling my AeroGarden Harvest 2.0. However, I soon realized my stalling was for nothing because the brand makes it super easy to get the device up and running. I followed the instructions step-by-step, from putting together the tank and lights to filling it with water and food, and finally, adding in the Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce seeds and pods. I’m not someone who has a natural green thumb, so I appreciated AeroGarden sending me an easier vegetable to start with.

Within two days, the lettuce sprouts in nearly every pod had burst through the soil. And between the consistent sources of light and water, they grew more and more each day. While there’s no app or visible timer on the device, the lights can be set to turn on in 15-hour stretches that you can plan around your own desired schedule. For me, because indirect light was available all day, I chose to have the lights on overnight from mid-afternoon to early morning. That way, it functioned like a kitchen night light, too!

From planting to harvesting, the lettuce took roughly a month to grow. And honestly, I probably could have harvested it sooner, but I was curious to see how large it would become. The Harvest 2.0 produced beautiful curled lettuce that looked great and tasted delicious. In the end, I had more than enough to make a salad for myself and saved some to share with my mom and aunt, who loved it. My mom, who swears by her Lettuce Grow, liked it so much that she ordered one for her sister all the way in California as a gift! For my next order, I’m planning to grab cherry tomatoes, jalapeños, bok choy, and AeroGarden’s pizza herb kit.

• Compact design: The sleek, space-saving build of the AeroGarden Harvest 2.0 made it possible for me to place it on my kitchen counter in a spot where it wouldn’t disrupt the usual flow of the day. It was accessible enough for me to refill it and check the status as needed without cluttering up the counter.
• Speed of growth: Although the device grows food and flowers from seed, I was able to see the fruits of my “labor” sprout forth in two days. From there, the lettuce continued to grow larger each day until it was time to harvest.
• Less waste: Being able to constantly see the progress of my lettuce in the AeroGarden keeps me from allowing it to wilt. That means more fresh greens end up in a salad bowl or reusable container rather than soggy lettuce being tossed into the compost bin.

While it’s OK to wait until the device lets you know it’s time for a water or food refill, it’s recommended that you keep the tank topped off to ensure the best growth.

I would recommend the AeroGarden Harvest 2.0 to the following people:

• Anyone who wants to start their own indoor garden as quickly and effectively as possible.
• Anyone who lives in a small space and wants to grow their own lettuce, herbs, and small veggies.
• Anyone who is tired of letting their lettuce and other produce go bad in the refrigerator.

While AeroGarden products are offered at Walmart and Amazon, the Harvest 2.0 is currently available exclusively at AeroGarden for $89.95.

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