The 5 Best Indoor Garden Systems: Our Buying Guide
Gardening can be a fun and rewarding hobby; however, tending a traditional garden involves a lot of time and energy. Most people don’t have the energy or resources needed to succeed at gardening — and most lack sufficient space necessary to try. Hydroponics technology has long been expensive and space intensive but advancements in this tech has made it easier for anyone to grow a garden indoors.
Indoor garden systems are a cost effective solution to this problem. While there are limitations to what you can grow inside, you’ll find a large variety of vegetables, fruits and herbs that flourish under the right conditions.
There are many different indoor gardening systems available, and it can be overwhelming to find the best one for your needs.
These are some of the best indoor garden systems anyone can buy.
What is the best indoor grow system?
Here is a quick run-down of the best indoor gardens based on their features.
- The best indoor gardening kit: Gardyn Home Kit 2.0. Best overall, it’s easy to use and efficient but also a tad pricey.
- Best smart indoor garden: Personal Rise Garden. The most technologically inclined indoor garden. It offers app or voice control.
- Best self-watering indoor garden: Smart Garden 9. This option has great ease of use while offering more of a traditional garden experience.
Gardyn Home Kit 2.0
For those home gardeners who are a little short on space, the Gardyn Home Kit 2.0 is an efficient option that’s easy to use. It only requires two square feet of space but you can grow thirty plants.
Aside from the thirty starter plants, you get plant food and growing accessories. The Gardyn Home Kit 2.0 even features access to a mobile app to help you manage your garden. Additionally, you can buy a membership that gets you ten free plants per month and 24/7 support from Kelby, the AI assistant.
Pros
- The system only requires two square feet of space.
- You get everything you need to grow thirty plants at a time.
- AI plant monitoring makes the system easy to use.
- The system includes a 60-day return policy and one-year warranty.
Cons
- The membership plan gives you a lot of perks but it’s expensive.
- This AI-powered system requires some tech knowledge.
Rise Personal Garden
This hydroponic garden system allows for eight plants to grow at once. The Personal Rise Garden is WiFi-enabled and app-controlled, leaving all of the growing up to technology. The app lets you know when to add water and nutrients, and allows you to track growth progress and manage the system’s lights.
If you have trouble telling when plants are ready for harvest, the app will tell you that as well.
For even more ease of operating, the Personal Rise Garden is also compatible with Amazon Alexa, allowing you to use voice controls.
Pros
- If you want to be able to use technology to your gardening advantage, this might be a product to try.
- You can purchase additional upgrades to expand the garden’s capacity to 12 plants.
Cons
- The advanced technology might take away the fun of gardening for some people.
- If you aren’t tech-savvy, you may find the product takes some getting used to
Click & Grow Smart Garden 9
The Smart Garden 9 is a good option for those who want an almost completely hands-off growing experience. The Smart Garden 9 comes with smart soil pods (already containing the seeds and their nutrients) that you can place in the system upon purchase — no soaking or breaking up required.
After setup, the garden only requires you to fill the water tank about once a month.
This system is self-watering and doesn’t need you to add plant food.
Pros
- The system requires less maintenance.
- Reusable plastic cups contain the roots, making for easy transfers.
- Each seedpod comes with a detailed growing guide to inform you about each stage of growth.
Cons
- The system doesn’t have indicator lights to monitor water levels, so it may be more difficult to remember when to water unless you download the companion app.
Aerogarden Harvest
The Aerogarden Harvest grows six plants at once using a hydroponic system. No dirt is involved with this indoor garden, so you can avoid worrying about making a mess when potting or transferring plants.
You won’t have many responsibilities as a gardener with this indoor garden system. Seeds come in ready-to-use pods that you place into the product. You’ll just need to monitor the indicator lights to know when your garden needs water or plant food.
Pros
- More than 70 plant varieties to choose from, including custom seed kits.
- Fast growth.
- Adjustable LED lights allow for 12 inches of plant growth.
- Fairly detailed FAQ section with links to blog posts containing more information.
Cons
- Plant roots grow into the water tank and become tangled. If you want to transfer plants from the Aerogarden to a regular pot, you’ll have to cut the roots.
- The water pump may create some noise as the water flows through it.
Lettuce Grow Farmstand
The Farmstand is a large garden system capable of outdoor or indoor use. It’s hydroponic, self-waters and self-fertilizes. This system comes in five sizes, starting from a 12-plant capacity and going up to a 36-plant capacity.
This unit is comparable to a 40 sq. ft. garden plot. The Farmstand takes up only a 2 feet by 2 feet area and uses a fraction of the water that a traditional garden requires. There are more than 50 plant varieties available each season, totaling over 200 plants to choose from yearly.
People who want something more comparable to a traditional garden might find this product the best investment.
Pros
- Plants come pre-sprouted, meaning you don’t have to wait for seeds to germinate and grow.
- Ability to level up your Farmstand, expanding the capacity.
- The product is made of recycled plastic that would’ve ended up in the ocean.
Cons
- This product is pricey, especially with the purchase of larger models.
- Indoor growing requires the additional purchase of the company’s Grow Rings.
Conclusion
Some of the best indoor garden systems, like the Gadryn Home Kit 2.0 and Rise Personal Garden, have made growing produce easier than traditional methods. Purchase any of the items on this list to expand your gardening skills.
Growing your own food is a rewarding experience, no matter how you choose to do so.
