Urban gardening is flourishing with new hydroponics systems and indoor garden kits
A smart garden makes use of technology, including apps, growing systems – such as hydroponics or smart irrigation setups – and LEDs that mimic the sun to help monitor, automate and enhance the growing of plants.
An indoor smart garden allows you to grow fresh produce all year round in your own home. Forget the messiness of soil as many indoor smart gardens rely on hydroponics. Here, plants grow in pods that contain water-based, nutrient-rich solutions. In the case of aeroponics, the water and nutrients circulate vertically using air.
Smart indoor gardens allow you to control the lighting schedule, spectrum and intensity via a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-connected app. Others give you greater control over the release of nutrients and water. Gardens with built-in sensors and cameras even allow you to check in on your plants remotely.
Here are some of the best indoor smart gardens to consider.
Click and Grow Smart Garden
The Click and Grow Smart Garden 9 PRO is an affordable, compact way to grow herbs, salad greens, or flowers with minimal effort. It holds nine seed pods, and you can extend its 13-watt LED light arm to increase the grow height up to 58.9 cm. To make gardening even easier, the 9 PRO automatically waters your plants, and its 3.7-litre tank will last two to three weeks, on average.
Instead of using a classic hydroponic system, the Click and Grow Smart Gardens use Capillary Precision Irrigation, which helps control moisture in the soil by doling out water and nutrients at intervals that are best for the plants. An automated timer controls the lights, which you can preset to go on and off to match periods of sunlight. The lighting schedule is also adjustable in the mobile application.
The Click and Grow Smart Garden 3 is designed to accommodate the growth of three small plants, and comes with three basil seed and soil capsules, whereas the 9 PRO version grows up to nine plants. All you have to do is insert the plant pods into their dedicated slots, add water into the reservoir, and plug in your smart garden. Click and Grow Smart Garden offers a stunning array of more than 75 plant pods for you to choose from – mint and chives to kale and chili peppers.
LeGrow Smart Indoor Planter
You don’t necessarily need a bunch of high-tech gadgets to enjoy a smart garden in your home, and the LeGrow Smart Indoor Planter is proof of that. Its design and function are simple and focus on basic gardening fundamentals.
The LeGrow Smart Indoor Planter comprises 10 stackable cubes to allow you to display your plants in unique ways at home. All that you need to do is add water to the water-holding base trays and stack the cubes. As one of the most affordable smart gardens you can get, LeGrow Smart Indoor Planter is the way to go if you’re on a budget. Its simplicity makes the LeGrow Smart Indoor Planter an ideal option for children who would like to give gardening a go.
It even comes with free assorted plants so you don’t need to search for plants that would fit the pots. Some plant choices are mint, parsley, rosemary and lemon balm – all beautiful and a perfect addition to your house decor.
Veritable Indoor Smart Garden
Veritable Indoor Smart Garden allows you to grow four plants at once. It takes up minimal space but delivers a quality growing experience. The LEDs are designed to imitate the natural rising and setting of the sun, which means you don’t have to bother with shutting them off every night. It’s equipped with an automatic irrigation system that keeps your plants watered for three to four weeks at a time. A visual alarm will alert you when the reservoir needs to be refilled.
The light poles that come with Veritable Indoor Smart Garden are adjustable to suit a variety of different plants. All you have to do is plug in the unit, fill the water reservoir, and insert the plant trays. After three to four weeks, simply proceed with harvesting and repeat with another type of plant. You can grow more plants with Veritable Indoor Smart Garden.
Hydroponic Mini Garden LED from Easi Grow
The Hydroponic Mini Garden LED from Easi Grow is perfect for busy people who also want to get into gardening. For a very reasonable price, you can grow your own herbs, vegetables and fruits in your home. This gardening set does not involve any soil. The tank is also fully enclosed, preventing mosquito breeding.
This set includes two soil-free gardening pots with high-grade organic medium for plants, a nutrient solution tank (which can store up to two weeks of water), and a control system (with a built-in water level LED sensor that notifies you when the tank is low in water).
Aerospring Indoor Garden Sets
Aerospring Indoor Garden Sets specialise in aeroponics, a branch of hydroponics where you grow plants without the use of soil or any other medium. The garden sets are designed vertically so water and nutrients can be supplied automatically through a mist spray.
Aerospring Indoor Garden Sets can be quite pricey. However, you can consider it as an investment since you can simultaneously plant 27 plants in its 12 hexagonal column sections in a 1 square metre area. It is made of high-quality, UV-stabilised plastic so it will last for years even if you place it on your balcony.
Indoor plants can reduce tension in people because they remind us of the outdoors, nature and a slower pace of life. Indoor gardening releases your stress and calms your emotions. Growing your own herbs and vegetables is also an easy way to save money and stay active! No chemical pesticides, no food contamination. It’s clean and healthy.
Some plants can naturally remove pollutants in the air such as formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, and carbon monoxide. These plants purify indoor air so you can breathe clean fresh air.
It’s time to put your green thumb to work and reap a bountiful harvest!
Learn how to grow your own mushrooms at ‘Trash to Treasure’
If you are inclined towards attending a guided course, consider exploring ‘Trash to Treasure’, one of the offerings in our portfolio of Lifelong Learning courses with the National Silver Academy.
This engaging workshop delves into the fascinating world of mushrooms and their crucial role as decomposers in our ecosystem. Moreover, you will discover innovative ways to transform everyday household waste into biodegradable materials suitable for your gardening pots or mushroom grow kits.
Find out more here.
