Here is the whole 5 step process for those of you that do not want to read the whole article.

1. Take out the old seed pods and clean your aerogarden
2. Cut the roots
3. Insert a new grow sponge
4. Insert your seeds into your reused seed pod
5. Install your new seed pods
   IMPORTANT: If you want to reuse your AeroGarden Seed pods, you will have to buy a new set of Grow sponges. You can find them on Amazon HERE

Can I reuse AeroGarden seed pod?

Yes. You can reuse your seed pod kit, but not entirely. The plastic and paper made parts are reusable, while the sponges are not. Also, make sure not to run out of liquid nutrients. You can replace the liquid with tablets if you please. If you attempt to reuse your seed pod kit, make sure to do it with caution. You can use scissors to trim the roots so that you will be able to remove them with the minimum amount of force.

Which parts of a seed pod can be reused?

Well, as I have said before, the reusable parts are: plastic grow baskets, plastic grow domes and the paper made labels. You will have to replace your grow sponges because they are made only for a one time use.

Reusable parts:

-Grow baskets; they are made to hold the whole thing together. Inside there is room for your grow sponge with the seeds implemented. I have tried making my own grow baskets, but to be honest I do think that the original ones are the best because they fit so well. You could possibly make your own that will be just as good if you own a 3D printer.

-Grow domes; they act like greenhouses for all your plants. You have to install them on top of your seed pods at the very beginning when you install the pods themselves. You will want to remove them when the plant will reach about halfway from the paper label to the top of the dome. After you take them off, it would be best for you to clean them and put them away for later reusing right away. Failing to do so can result in losing the domes.

-Paper labels; now this part can be tricky. If you decide to reuse the labels, you can not write on them, unless you will reuse them for the same plants or get creative and put ordinary paper labels over them. Also, make sure to remove them soon enough, otherwise the stems inside them will get too big and you will have to cut them off and eventually destroy them.

Non-reusable parts:

-Grow sponges; there is no way that you could preserve the sponges after you have already used them. The sponges are crucial for the plant’s growth because they act like a little storage unit that keeps nutrient mixed water that is food for your plant. The spongy structure of your Peat Moss sponge will also provide the optimal mixture of water and oxygen that your plant needs. Again as I said before, you can not reuse this part.

-Liquid nutrients; Eventually you will run out of them and have to buy new ones. When you are buying nutrients, you can pick between two different forms of them-liquid as the ones you get with an original seed pod kit and tablets.

What do you need to reuse a seed pod?

Nothing much. For the process just a pair of scissors to be exact. If you will be reusing the seed pods that you have previously used for a bigger plant you can also use gardening shears. They will come in handy when you are cutting the stem of your previous plant. The scissors will be used when you are cutting away the roots, or you can just do it the old fashioned way-with your hands.

Before planting new seeds you will have to get your hands on a new set of growing sponges. The old ones are probably already on your compost pile with the rest of the previous plant. I have tried before replacing the original Peat Moss sponges with a few other things but there is no doubt in my mind that the Peat Moss sponges are the far best for the job.

How do you reuse seed pods?

I tried reusing my seed pods because it is cheaper and much more nature-friendly than to buy new ones every single time. I took notes and have written it all down in a 5 step process that you can easily do.

STEP 1:  Take out the old seed pods and clean your aerogarden.

Before you take out your old plants with the pods still on I highly recommend that you cut all the branches off of your plant and later that you also cut the main stem. Make sure to leave about 2 inches of your main stem to make the next steps easier.

Take out your pods and keep in mind to do it slowly. There might be some roots sticking to others, in which case you will have to trim the roots as you are taking the pods out.

Before every planting, you should clean and sanitize your aerogarden to prevent root pathogens and spreading of bacteria. To clean your aerogarden you have to first dry it all out and then fill it with either water mixed with chlorine bleach or white vinegar. I would recommend using white vinegar because it is more nature-friendly. You have to then turn on your water pump and let it run for 5 minutes. After that empty your water container and repeat the process with just water and dry out your system again.

STEP 2: Cut the roots

After you have your seed pods out and trimmed, it is now time to remove them from the plastic grow baskets. To do this you will first have to take your scissors and cut as many roots as possible. This will help you get the root-filled sponge out. Hold your grow basket with two fingers on the sides and gently try to pull out your plant. If pulling will not work you can also try pushing it in a little and then pulling it out. If none of those options work, try to twist and wiggle it around a little bit. If you are still having problems, then try cutting more roots off. Remember to use as little force as possible.

STEP 3: Insert a new grow sponge

Take your empty grow basket and clean it first. You can just use water and paper towels when it comes to this. Make sure that there aren’t any roots or old sponge remains left. Take your new grow sponge and just gently push it down in the basket. Keep in mind that the wider part is always at the top.

STEP 4: Insert your seeds into your reused seed pod

If you are planting something bigger (for example tomatoes) then you should only put 3 seeds in a single pod. If you are planting something with smaller seeds, then the right amount of seeds per pod is about 6.

STEP 5: Install your new seed pods

Just like the last time you did this, you have to first put the seed pods inside the slots and push them in until you hear a click. Next, you place the paper labels and plastic domes on the top and voila! You are done. Remember to add water and nutrients and reset your AeroGarden.

DISCLOSURE:

You can definitely reuse your old seed pods, but you will have to get new grow sponges and more nutrients that can either be in liquid or tablet form. The reusable parts are; grow baskets, grow domes and paper labels if they have been removed soon enough from your previous sprout. You just need a pair of scissors to do the whole procedure and also replacement sponges. Take out your pods, clean and sanitize your garden, remove the old plants from the grow baskets by first cutting the stem and later cutting the roots. After that, you just install new sponges into the old baskets and put 3 seeds in if you are planting a bigger plant or 6 if you went with something smaller like basil.

I hope this article has helped you. If you have reused your seed pods, please let me know how it went in the comments. Have a nice day!