AeroGarden Bounty Basic, Black

I absolutely love this garden. The garden is easy to operate and clearly allows for thriving plants. I will say that not all of the pre-seeded pods that came with the garden have sprouted. So far only one pre-seeded pod has sprouted the others appear to be duds. The abundant lettuce on the left side of this photo was from seeds that I entered into an empty growth sponge. The Romain lettuce on the right is one of two pre-seeded pods that I purchased and is the only one that has sprouted. The other that also has not sprouted are the chives. What I do really like about this garden is the adjustable height of the light. It also monitors how much water you have so that you can stay on top of that. And it also does a countdown for when you need to enter more nutrients into the water. It gives you lots of different settings depending on what you're growing. I'm growing lettuce and had a setting for lettuce garden! I have outdoor elevated beds and my lettuce is kept getting decimated by rats. So I moved them indoors and they are thriving thanks to this hydroponic garden.

The AeroGarden has quickly become one of my favorite purchases. It arrived well-packaged, was simple to set up, and the directions were so clear that I had it running in under 10 minutes. The pre-filled seed pods sprouted beautifully, and I’ve been using this system for over two years without any issues. I even purchased a second one because I love it that much. Pros ✅ Arrived well-packaged with no damage ✅ Extremely easy to set up and operate ✅ Clear, straightforward directions ✅ Pre-filled seed pods sprouted successfully ✅ Durable — still working perfectly after two years ✅ Convenient enough that I purchased a second unit Cons ❌ None so far — I’ve had a flawless experience Final Thoughts This garden is a fantastic investment for anyone who enjoys growing fresh herbs or plants indoors. It’s easy, reliable, and has continued to work perfectly for me for years. I can confidently say it’s one of my best and most worthwhile purchases.

I am loving this hydroponics system. I bought 3 of these, but only used one of the systems for the included lettuces. I bought the Grow Everything kits, so I can use my own seeds and grow what I want in the other two. So I planted lettuce in the one - out of 1 box of lettuces, 3 have not grown, or had mold. I took them out of that one hydroponic and put them in another where I had space to see if it would grow. One did eventually push through what looked like mold, apparently it was not mold. The other 2 - one has that mold looking stuff, and the other one has not sprouted. I contacted the company, because it says they will honor it if there is a problem. They make you jump through hoops to get replacement, so to me, it wasn’t worth it. Going forward I will use my own seeds. The system itself is great. The other 2 hydroponics - I have herbs in one and tomatoes and jalapenos in the other. The results - #1 lettuce, all are full and thriving, but one is very tiny still because it was a replacement, so it is behind. The second one - the herbs, everything up except one cilantro (i planted 2, one germinated, the other didn’t. And chives, they take a long time. So it includes thyme, cilantro, basil, parsley, and dill. Still waiting on the second cilantro and the rosemary. The third, the tomatoes are thriving, i have had to raise the light up a bit. The jalapenos have not yet germinated. I also planted 2 basil in that one, and they are doing great. The pictures are at 3 weeks old.

Quality is so good I bought another one. Setup was easy and fit perfectly in the corner countertop section.

I love this! I’m so excited to be able to grow indoors and not rely on the outside weather. Half of my pods did not sprout, but I sprinkled a few basil seeds on them and it grew nicely. I love how it tells me when to add water and fertile. Very user-friendly . I’ve added a black mesh laundry bag to keep my cat out. I’m looking forward to trying other things.

I have several Harvests & I have wanted a Bounty for a long time. I finally got it. I'm so excited. It is up & running & just waiting for me to decide what to grow in it first. It set up quickly & I really like the new info screen. It has the time, the water level, what garden choice, how many days planted & how many until feed time. No more having to scroll through the options to remember what my settings were if the power goes out. The base has a great gardening tips button, which I haven't even checked it all out yet. The 24" head/light arm can be removed if & when I would need to. It will be great to see all of the basic info without having to lift the deck to check water. The screen is very clear & the entire base is sleek & looks very rich. Can't wait to put some new pods in. It doesn't take up much more room than my Harvest so it is nicely tucked in among some of my small plants where they will be able to benefit from the LED lighting. I've been very pleased with my previous AG's & I'm sure this will be just as good. They just keeping getting better. Thank You AeroGarden for creating such great units that are affordable & so well thought out, so we can garden year round. Updates to follow as crops grow & produce. 11-25-19 I have had some time to adjust to the new 2019 Bounty & I like it so much I just bought another. They are whisper quiet, the info screen gives me all of the pertinent info needed for water level, days planted, when to feed as well as little grow tips & time. The larger tank & deck are great & Im sure my Incredible Edibles are going to love the room to grow. I also get some extra fun because it gives me room to create little scenes to go along with the plant life. I have created a seascape on both AG's. since I have numerous other plants sitting around the units sharing the light this becomes a full Aquatic picture. A couple of sunken ships, some sea life, a diver & it becomes a live scene because the plants are all real & edible so it will constantly change. It is such a pleasure to grow some of my own food & create some art at the same time. If you have ever been undecided about getting a Bounty then get one, you will not be disappointed. It is so versatile. I can small crops or now with the taller light ability I will be able to put in some cucumbers, snap peas, larger peppers & even a few bushes that will go into my yard in the spring to produce berries for the birds. Great unit AG pic #1 original Bounty #2 Bounty 1 with Edibles -all the plant life here is edible #3 the 2nd Bounty- the Diver had Lavender & Mint. 2020 12-20-20 Its been over a yr now & I still love my Bounty's. I have 4 now & have grown tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, cukes, edible flowers, herbs/spices, flowers & several other veggies. Many went out into my small outside garden & then I started more. I have preserved herbs/spices & many of the peppers. I have a good collection of seeds from all that I have grown & have used them for new crops as the current ones are rotated to outside or the freezer. I havent bought any of these items in a store for a yr now & its fantastic. Also with the issues with covid I am not concerned of where my produce & some of my veggies come from because they are grown in my kitchen. I have 4 Bountys now, 4 Harvests, 2 360-s & an AG3. It handles all that I need plus extras for my neighbor friend. If you can only get 1 or 2 gardens get at least the Bounty Basic. It will handle almost anything you put in it. Its as easy as it gets to set up & take care of & you will always have something to eat or pretty to look at right at your fingers.

I really like this hydroponic system. It was very easy to set up and use. I keep it in my office so I can monitor it since I’m in there every day. You do need to check it occasionally because it gives you messages on the screen. The next one I purchase—because come on, obviously I’m going to need a second one for tomatoes and peppers—I’ll probably look for a model with an app. The lack of an app isn’t inconvenient with this one; I just think I’d prefer having one. The size and appearance are great. Mine sits on a 12" × 24" table in my office, with the plant food, extra pods, and seeds in a basket beside it. It really doesn’t take up much room. The water system is also very quiet. I usually have music playing while I work, but when the office is silent, all I hear is a tiny trickle of water. It doesn’t bother me at all. Honestly, it’s rather pleasant. It isn’t heavy until you put water in it. It takes quite a bit of water to fill, but…it’s a hydroponic system. It uses water. Duh. I’ve had it for about three weeks and haven’t needed to refill it yet. I have added plant food once, and I expect a water change and another feeding will be coming up soon. The telescoping light is easy to use, very bright, and adjusts easily. My plants aren’t tall enough yet to need it extended, although judging by the behavior of my spearmint, I suspect that problem is coming. I also really like the automatic light timer. Mine is set from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. I’m usually already working when it clicks on at 8, and the sound is barely noticeable. My only real complaint is the included seeds. My basil did nothing. My dill did nothing. My chives did nothing. The mint produced one microscopic sprout and apparently decided its contractual obligations had been fulfilled. None of the other included pods produced anything either. I finally purchased different hydroponic pods and replanted them using seeds I already owned. Within days, they started sprouting. I also planted my own spearmint and peppermint, which are thriving. The spearmint in particular has gone completely feral and will probably own the house by Christmas. Neighbor1: “Is there still a house back there?” Neighbor 2: “Not sure, but it smells great.” The lack of germination from the seeds didn't bother me enough to take a star away. Just be aware, the seeds provided may not sprout at all. Machine: 5 stars. My seeds: 5 stars. Included seeds: Epic Fail. Great system overall. I absolutely recommend it—I’d just recommend keeping your own seeds and pods handy in case the included seeds decide that germination is more of a suggestion than a requirement.

I’ve wanted an aero garden for a while now but just could never justify the price. This version went on mega sale and while still very pricey, it was too good of a deal to pass up. I really like having plants and I thought having fresh herbs around would entice me to cook more. Here’s the thing: when it comes to plants I’m terrible. I have literally apologized to a plant I’m about to buy because I know it’s time in this earth is short. I am become death, the destroyer of plant worlds. Now with the aero garden I CANT GET THESE THINGS TO STOP GROWING!!! It hasn’t even been a full 2 months and I’m running out of coworkers to give herbs to. I’m harvesting a couple times a week. The dill they give you in the starter pack must be some kind of mutant because I’ll hack it down in the morning and by the time I get home it’s touching the 24in high light again. I had to do a massive harvest today because some of the taller plants were shading the shorter ones so much they weren’t getting enough light. I’ve got a huge pile of herbs and there’s no way I can use them all before they go bad. I’ve never used dill before this in my life, now it goes in everything: chicken? Toss in some dill. Ramen? Needs dill. Mac and cheese? Dill. Cookies? What? No ewww.... but it’s getting some anyway because I have an enormous pile of it in the fridge. It’s also saved the lives of some of my other plants. I put them in front of the unit and the light is powerful enough to give them a good dose as well so they’re thriving. And now I’m desperately trying to google how to care for all these things because I’ve never had plants live long enough to need actual care. This thing is awesome. I just hope you like dill.

I have purchased 4 aerogarden basic gardens. I gave one away at Christmas as a gift and she just loves it. I have grown 4 different types of leaf lettuce and cherry tomatoes. I have lots of tomatoes with many that are still green and harvests have been good. My cherry tomatoe plant is five and a half months old and is still producing yellow flowers and tomatoes. I grew a lot of leaf lettuce and am going to set up my garden to grow romaine lettuce, basil and tyme. Love these little gardens and plan to try strawberries and hopefully fairytale eggplant. All and all would highly recommend. RRontario,canada

Nice to have the lamp heights for taller plants. Trellis included and I also bought an extra set to support my cherry tomatoes and pepper plants. Garden set up was easy and after two weeks everything up and growing well. Attractive looking and affordable. I am going to purchase another identical one. Would be a very nice gift to give or receive especially for a senior that can no longer garden outside.

LOVE this aerogarden. I originally purchased this one a few weeks back. It however sprung a leak but amazon was really nice and they sent me a replacement. The new replacement works perfectly!!!. Thanks Amazon :). The new display on this model is very helpful. Tells you if your reseviour is full. Tells u how many days Ur garden has been in operation. Tells you days till next feeding. Tells you tips for your aerogarden by pressing the tips button. So many cool features!!!. The lights are on a timer so once you've selected which garden your growing, the aerogarden takes care of the rest!! Highly recommend this to anyone!!! Worth every dollar :) and with the world wide situation going on, what better then to grow your favourite herbs or vegetables or even flowers in it!!. The grow anything seed pod kit they sell allows u to even grow your favourite anything!! You just provide your own seeds. The grow anything kit provides the rest!. Or buy any of the aerogarden pre seeded kits. The choice is yours! Thanks amazon. Definitely going to be buying another aerogarden!!!!

This is my 2nd Aerogarden. The 1st is a Harvest (6 pods) that was gifted to me a year ago. After careful consideration I bought an alternative brand with 12 pods that should have been comparable to the bounty but with more pods. It was a nightmare and made me realize the importance of certain key features most retailers won’t be upfront with… and why Aerogarden was worth the investment. Before purchasing a hydroponic system, try to find out some less known info… - Are the parts easily replaceable * Bad models will have the wires directly soldered into the unit (e.g. pump and/or light cannot be replaced). Why is this important? If you cannot replace parts that tend to break more often (pump and/or light) then you’ll have to replace the ENTIRE unit!!! If you have a part that malfunctions, the seller won’t be able to easily send a replacement part. Oftentimes you’ll be required to pay for shipping the entire unit back & pay for shipping repaires or replacement. If the pump/light breaks, you’ll be stuck with a water bucket that can’t do much for you. Now think of all the money you wasted, the environmental impact it has since it isn’t sustainable, etc. YIKES! * Good models (like Aerogarden)… each part is separate & replaceable. Pump has an issue… you can have it replaced if it’s under guarantee or buy a new one. What a cost saver! - Noise level of the pump * Bad models can easily be around 50 db. If you are sensitive to noise it can be disturbing (e.g. I had my unit in the living room and I still heard it in the bedroom. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… are much quieter. When the pump is working you might hear a soft hum and some water dripping. If your water level gets low, you’ll hear more the water. You can use this to your advantage since sometimes the water indicator can become unreliable/defective if roots go and hide there (yes, it’s a common prob but easily fixable when you clean the unit). - How easy is it to disassemble & clean? Hopefully you want healthy plants as well as to reuse the unit. Roots, algae, mold, etc. can get into a bunch of places. * Bad models are a nightmare to clean. ** Pump: Is it easily removable? Is it screwed in? Can you easily open the plastic parts without breaking plastic &/or your nails? ** Area under tray: Can it be easily detached? In a bad model you can have small columns that distribute the water to the pods whereby they are not made to be opened/cleaned. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… The entire top surface area is a detachable tray. You can remove roots (yes, they love to get in there), algae, etc. It does take a bit of time and patience but at least you can clean it Tip: clean with double strength vinegar (10%) to easily get stains out. - Water level/spills * Bad models have high tops whereby there can be approx. 1 inch side. The water must NOT pass that height otherwise it’s leaking everywhere. The “max” water indicator is almost at that outer 1 inch line. One prob is that if you want to move your unit (add water, clean, etc.) as soon as the water moves a little it starts leaking from the side connection. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… The side of the water tank goes all the way up to the top and only at the very top it comes off. The max water level is about 1 inch below the openable top. This makes it much easier to move a unit to clean, add water, etc. - Location of electronics * Bad models have connections INSIDE &/or right under permitting water to enter. Water plus circuit boards & loose wires = dangerous, fire hazard, electrocution risk & more! Apart from it going against common sense/safety… it is also difficult to discover from images. * Good models (like Aerogarden)… the only electrical thing that is in the water tank is the water pump whereby the connection is outside the water tank onto the base unit. ——————- I won’t go into basic details of reminders, tips, etc. as many people review those. Why did I choose a “basic”? vs other more expensive models It depends what kind of needs you have… I tend to use empty pods to grow varieties that aren’t commonly available (e.g. redventure celery, cresson du Bresil, Turkish Orange Eggplant, Bonsai Tomatoes, and so much more!). I check on my plants every few days or daily. So, knowing I need to add water & when to add food is basically (pun intended) all I require. Something important to take into consideration: How many plants can you grow in a healthy manner vs actual pods. There is no clear-cut answer since it depends the types of plants you grow. * Just herbs - Yes, in a 9 pod you can grow 9 plants. However, you will still have to cut/trim often… not only the leaves but the roots as well. ** Can certain herbs grow longer than suggested lifespans? Yes… for example Thai Basil (which I actually used from Aerogarden) can live a year or more. The main stem will thicken and start to look more like bark. The taste of the leaves will also change. You’ll wind up with a plant that looks a bit like a small Bonsai. * Plants that grow less than 1 foot, need less roots, don’t make large fruits, etc. (e.g. lettuce, swiss chard, dwarf kale) - Although technically you could do 9/9 pods, if the plants seem to struggle go down to a ratio of 2/3… so 6/9 pods. * Plants that grow fruits, need more roots, etc. (e.g. dwarf tomatoes, self-pollenating cucumbers, etc.) You will need at the very least a bounty model since the light can go up to two feet. You can try a 1/2 ratio (4/9 pods) however you will need to do a regular maintenance of pruning the leaves & roots. The plants will require more roots and various people recommend for more productive plants to reduce the ratio to 1/3 (3/9 pods). So, if you want a bounty thinking you’ll grow 9 healthy tomato plants you’ll be quite disappointed… especially if you plant indeterminate queen beef tomatoes. No, I did not try but neither should you (or are having a good laugh because you know why it’s a no-no). I bought the Bounty already knowing these types of constraints. What do I do in mine? I prefer a combo plant technique. Some are leafy (e.g. red celery, dwarf kale), some are fruity (e.g. dwarf tomato, Turkish Orange Eggplant), and some are small medicinal (e.g. cresson du bresil). I use a max of 5/9 of the pods. I place larger/fruit pods at the extremities to permit them to expand outside of the bounty surface area. I also check on them every few days/daily to maintain roots/leaves & hand pollinate when necessary. Yes, I have the time and patience to do this. Now ask yourself if you do and be honest. If not and you want tomatoes/peppers/etc. that are fruit plants, go down to 3 pods max for the bounty model. Is the expense worth it? That’s more of an answer that depends upon the individual. - Someone that is willing to create something from scratch, that doesn’t need reminders, etc. It could be considered quite expensive… but you’ll have to invest more time, energy, upkeep, etc. - Someone that wants to save money and buy something similar but a bit less expensive… don’t! You might wind up not being able to use the unit for long, parts won’t be replaceable, etc. - Someone that wants it to be less of a strain on the wallet… look into paying in payments. Amazon offered me to do so & that’s what made it possible for me to get. - If you’re the type that wants fruit plants but don’t have much time to take care of them… you should stick to 3 plants per bounty. It’s up to you to ask yourself if it’s worth that much to grow only a bit of fruit… especially if the varieties you like can be bought at the supermarket. If the pants you want to grow are rare and difficult to obtain at the super market then it might be worth it. I also would like to point out a few things to consider buying: - Grow tent: It will help create a more stable environment, reflect back the light so the plants benefit even more and for those that don’t like the “bright light” it can be a way to eliminate that challenge. There are also blackout covers for smaller models. - Supplement: Even with regular feeds, plants (especially fruit) might need an extra boost. Leaves could start yellowing, having poor development, etc. Oftentimes a magnesium/calcium plant supplement can be beneficial. - Small fan: It helps plants’ stems to become stronger & pollination - look into getting pods that don’t have seeds so you can put whatever you’d like in them. Coco coir is a medium that is more sustainable. ————————- One issue I do not like with bounty is that the expandable light does not have a mechanism to keep it from going back down. When fully extended the light refuses to stay up. _________________ Lastly, research… take the time to read reviews, tricks, problems, etc. Then be honest with yourself in the quantity you’ll want to have produced (e.g. do you really want to eat an herb often if it produces a lot, you want a lot of fruits but won’t be able to grow many, how difficult/easy is it to obtain at the grocery store, etc.). Only then will you be able to make an informed choice in an investment piece.

This grows amazing plants and is an excellent way to start them. It is very easy to follow and clean. Be VERY patient with things such as mint and thyme. Tomato plants will practically be producing tomatoes before they even sprout. Consistently. I bought a second one because it was so successful. UPDATE: My original purchase has become the permanent home for my tomato plant which just turned three years old. It has produced CONSTANTLY for the last three years. I have to cut it back every month or so. The tomatoes are becoming more and more delicious, and a little larger as time goes on. Every visitor goes home with tomatoes, as I can’t keep up. This was a great purchase!