Can you grow herbs in Aerogarden?

Yes. Herbs are one of the best things to grow in your smart gardening system. They do not require much space and are also really easy to take care of. You can actually grow herbs even in the smallest Aerogarden model – Herbie. I would highly suggest that you get a mix of different herbs for your Aerogarden. That way you will be able to spice up your cooking and add so much fresh flavor to your every meal.

What are the benefits of growing herbs indoors?

The first great benefit is having fresh herbs every day that you can add to your cooking. Every great chef knows that fresh things taste much better. Depending on what kind of food you like, you can choose the right herbs for you to grow. Since they do not require much space to grow, you can fill every slot in your smart garden and in that way get the most of it.

Another great benefit is the fact that fresh herbs will have a great impact on your health. Did you know that saying: “ for every disease, there is a herb”? One of the most popular herbs on this planet is definitely Chamomile. There is no doubt in my mind that you have all heard of or tried a delicious cup of Chamomile tea.  It has been proven that Chamomile will help you to relax and also to feel better when you are sick or even just under a lot of pressure.

The last benefit that I would like to talk about is the nice scent of herbs. If you live in a big city, you certainly know that the air quality is far from what you would want it to be. While there is really no better air than there is out in the mountains, you can significantly improve the air quality in your room just by planting a few herb plants. Imagine having a nice aroma of either basil, chamomile, dill, mint, etc. in your house.

If you do not have an Aerogarden at home or are just in the process of buying one, I would still recommend that you grow some herbs indoors in a pot. Just make sure that you place the pot somewhere in the reach of sunlight. The best location overall will always be your window shelf.

How long do herbs take to be ready for harvest and how long do they last?

If you plant herbs indoors in your AeroGarden, you should be expecting to see the herbs germinate in just 1 or 2 weeks after you have planted them. It should take another 2 to 4 weeks before they are ready to be harvested and enjoyed. All together they should last at least 6 months or even more, but only if you take good care of them. Remember to add water regularly and also do not forget about liquid nutrients.

What kind of herbs can I grow indoors?

Basil

There are many different types of basil that you can buy already placed in the seed pods. One of the few is; Lemon basil, which will give you a nice citrus aroma and is good for cooking and even better to add to refreshing drinks on hot summer days.

One of the most popular kinds of basil is the Genovese basil because it will give your food a classic pesto flavor. If you like Italian food, then Genovese basil is the basil for you! You can also add it to other foods, not only to pasta.

Next, we have Holy basil, which is known to be the most assertive basil of them all. It will also grow tall and let you harvest it every day. And for the sweet tooths out there, there is Globe basil which will add a sweet anise flavor to your food or drinks. Some people even like to mix it with pastries or chocolate along with mint.

Mint

You can also easily grow mint indoors at any time of the year. Mint is great for refreshing drinks and some other cooking recipes. It also has a lot of health benefits which you will love. 

Parsley

Another great herb that is mostly being used in the kitchen by cooking. I remember how many times my mother and grandmother used parsley in a soup to make it taste better or at other foods for taste or either just as decoration.

Dill

Dill should help you with digestion problems. It is especially good for getting rid of loss of appetite, preventing flatulence, liver problems and any complaints regarding gallbladder. It may also be used to treat cough, bronchitis, menstrual cramps, genital ulcers, nerve pain, spasms, infections, hemorrhoids, sleep disorders and last but not least fever and cold.

In cooking, dill goes perfect with salmon and some other seafood. If you have ever had jarred pickles, you might have noticed that there was some dill inside to brighten up the taste a little. So if you want to store the excess amount of your pickles this year, make sure to add some dill in the jar.

Oregano

If you have ever made homemade pizza, you do know that it can not be done without cheese, tomato sauce and oregano. Plant some oregano indoors and start baking pizza on a weekly basis. You can also grow cherry tomatoes and use them for the tomato sauce, and to finish off add just a leaf or two of fresh basil. How delicious does that sound?

And many more

How to take care of Aerogarden herbs?

Herbs are the easiest to take care of. In most cases it is just going to be adding water and nutrients to your system. Just keep in mind to remove any rotten parts of your plants. If you fail to do so, the bacteria or parasite will spread to your other, healthy plants and destroy them all.

Keep in mind that harvesting your herbs regularly will increase their growth. For example; if you cut a leaf of basil of the plant, it will get replaced by 2 or 3 new ones. Herbs are also really easy to replant.
And do not forget to clean and sanitize your smart gardening system after every last harvest or replanting.

How to replant Indoor herbs?

First, take your herbs out of your Aerogarden. The best way to do this is by grabbing the grow basket and then pull it out. If you grab the herbs by their stem, they might break. Keep in mind that they really do bruise easily and require a tender touch in order to stay okay.

Next, get a flower pot, preferably one with a hole on the bottom. Fill it halfway up with potting soil (preferably pre-fertilized one) and then take your herb plant out of the grow basket and put it in the potting soil. Try to take out the plant without destroying the grow basket, so you can reuse it later on. And also keep in mind that you absolutely have to remove the grow basket from the plant before you replant it.

TIPS:

Keep all the indoor plants that you have in pots on a place that is reachable by sunlight. When you are growing plants in your Aerogarden, the lights on the top of the system will provide enough light and energy for your plants to grow, but if you went with regular flower pots or anything else that includes soil, keep in mind that light is almost as important as water for the plants’ successful growth.

Important!

Whenever you are using any type of Aerogarden you should clean it after every last harvest or replanting. So whenever you take plants out of your Aerogarden, it is time to clean it. You can clean all the plastic parts with wet wipes or just a wet towel or paper towel. The only exception will be the water bowl. This is where it gets really important that things are as clean as they can get. If you do not clean your water bowl, you definitely risk the spreading of bacteria and root pathogens. Not to mention some parasites.

So to clean the water bowl you should first empty the bowl and pour either white vinegar or chlorine bleach inside. Many people that I have talked to (including me) prefer white vinegar since it is a more nature-friendly option.

When your bowl is filled with white vinegar or chlorine bleach you should turn the pump on for 5 minutes. This will also clean your pump on the inside. Keep in mind that bacteria can also be found on the inside of your pump, and if you do not clean it as it is supposed to be cleaned, as soon as you turn your pump on again it will spray the bacteria all over your freshwater and straight into the new plants’ roots.

After your pump has been running for five minutes, it is time to stop it. This process has sanitized your entire Aerogarden and made it bacteria-free. Right now the system is still not ready for new planting! After your bowl is empty, it is time for water. Fill your water bowl up with water and turn the pump on again. The running time of your water pump should again be 5 minutes. This step is important because you want to clean out the remaining sanitizer. Whether you are using vinegar od chlorine bleach, it should be gone before you plant new seed pods into your system.

After your pump has yet again been running for five minutes, it is time to pour the water out and let your water bowl to dry. I would highly suggest that you leave the bowl for 24 hours to dry out before you plant anything new.

Bonus tip:

Whenever you are done with replanting or your last harvest, you should try to save the plastic parts of the seed pods. The grow sponges that are made out of peat moss will have to be thrown away, but you can reuse the plastic parts. If you save the grow basket and the grow domes of your seed pods, your next Aerogarden planting will be much cheaper. You will just have to buy grow sponges and new seeds.

You can compost the old plants because the grow sponges are 100% organic. In fact, they are even good for your compost, because they reduce the bad smell of it.

Conclusion:

Herbs can be grown indoors in your smart garden. In fact, they are one of the easiest plants to grow. They will not need much attention, as long as you make sure that they have enough water and liquid nutrients. I would recommend that you plant as many different herbs as you can indoors. This way you will be able to spice up your cooking a lot. Do not forget about mint and sweet basil for refreshing cold drinks in the hot summer days. If you want your herbs to grow big and strong, make sure to harvest them almost on a daily basis. Other than that the only thing to watch for is bacteria, rotten leaves or parasites. As soon as you find any of these 3 you should trim the damaged part of your herb away to prevent any further spreading.

After every last harvest or planting, you should clean and sanitize your Aerogarden to prevent the risk of root pathogens and the spreading of bacteria. All plants are living beings and will react negative to an unhealthy environment. Also, try to save the grow baskets and grow domes. This way you can reuse them over and over while buying just grow sponges and seeds. After all, plastic is bad for the environment, and since you are reading this I will assume that you want to go green.

Thank you for reading. If you have any questions or want to share your experience with growing herbs please feel free to comment on this article down below. Thank you for reading and have a nice day!