Changes: Did you know that?

Revision as of 03:35, 18 May 2010

Can grow lights be used beyong 6 months?

"They pull this same scam in the aquarium industry. Keep using them until they blow. The spectrum shift and power output changes are minimal." - Semert
"Ive had one of my aeros for almost two years i can start a batch in it and the one i got less than 2 months side by side no growing diff found at all. [...] i used a light meter on new and old came out the same" - winemaker [1]
"One of my grow bulbs just died a week ago and the other is still going strong. It's been over 10 months now and I didn't see any slowing down of growth in the tomatoes." - H2O [2]

Is the AeroGarden organic?

What most people really care about when they ask this question is “is my food free from chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides,” which the Aero Garden produce definitely is. The Aero Garden cannot, however, claim to be certified organic by the USDA because their current definition of organics does not include hydroponics nor does it include nutrients based on mineral salts. Interestingly, in Europe, the Aero Garden is considered organic. [3] [4]

How much electricity does an AeroGarden use?

The Aerogarden uses about the same amount of electricity as a 60 watt light bulb.
Power Usage with Light On: 52 to 53 watts
Power Usage with Light Off: 3 Watts

How to calculate the AeroGarden bill yourself…

What you need first is the cost in kWh from your electricity bill or from the companies website, in my instance it’s 22 p/kWh (pence per kilowatt hour)

Assumptions

The standard AG uses 53 watts when all the lights are on and the pump working.
It uses 3 watts when all the lights are off with no pump running.
We will use the AG for 18 hours with everything working and 6 hours with lights/pump off (the off period).

Calculation 1

53 watts x 18 hours/day x 365 days/year = 348210
348210 / 1000 (to get it into kWh) = 348.21 kWh
348.21 x 22 p/kWh (from your electricity bill) = £76.60 per year
£76.60 / 12 (months) = £6.38 per month

Calculation 2

3 watts x 6 hours/day x 365 days/year = 6570
6570 / 1000 (to get it into kWh) = 6.57 kWh
6.57 kWh x 22 p/kWh (from your electricity bill) = £1.44 per year
£1.44 / 12 (months) = 0.12p per month.

So, £6.38 + 0.12p = £6.50 per month for running one AeroGarden or approx. $12 per month?

Also remember your electricity company may have different deals/tariffs. You may get cheaper electricity over night say, which will alter the cost per kWh. - Peat [5]

Where can I buy seeds in Canada?

Seeds of Diversity Canadian Seed Catalogue Inventory
http://www.westcoastseeds.com
http://www.stokeseeds.com Has a Canadian site.
http://www.tomatogrowers.com
http://www.tmseeds.com/ They offer free shipping with code 92009 and it is good to Canada. I have bought some seeds at half the price or less than what I see in the stores for similar seeds if they are on sale and there were a few varieties that I cannot find at my local garden centers.[6]
http://www.saltspringseeds.com/

What do I do if the label detaches from the seed pod?

The labels are attached to the top of the Seed Pods basket with a tiny ring of glue. Occasionally the Grow Dome may grab the label and pull it off when the Grow Dome is removed.

The label is important for two reasons:

So you can identify your plant
To prevent light from entering the Seed Pod and causing algae to grow. While algae is not harmful to you or your plants, some people may find it unsightly.

To reattach your Seed Pod label, cut a slit through the label from the outside edge through to the “donut hole” in the middle, so that you can open the label up like a collar. Open the label up and carefully encircle your plants’ stems. The label will rest on top of the Seed Pod without glue and as the plants grow, the stems will eventually anchor the label in place.[7]

If your pod has not yet sprouted, page 11 of the Master Gardener kit offers the following suggestion:

Attach Pod Labels

Place Pod Label on top of Split-Apart Basket.
Iron for a total of 10 seconds as follows:
- 5 seconds with iron in one place.
- 5 seconds moving Grow Pod around outside edge of iron – to ensure Label is secure.[8]

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 *http://www.tmseeds.com/ They offer free shipping with code 92009 and it is good to Canada.  I have bought some seeds at half the price or less than what I see in the stores for similar seeds if they are on sale and there were a few varieties that I cannot find at my local garden centers.[http://www.aerogardengrowers.com/index.php/topic,2111.msg24244.html#msg24244]
 *http://www.saltspringseeds.com/
+==What do I do if the label detaches from the seed pod?==
+The labels are attached to the top of the Seed Pods basket with a tiny ring of glue. Occasionally the Grow Dome may grab the label and pull it off when the Grow Dome is removed.
+The label is important for two reasons:
+#So you can identify your plant
+#To prevent light from entering the Seed Pod and causing algae to grow. While algae is not harmful to you or your plants, some people may find it unsightly.
+To reattach your Seed Pod label, cut a slit through the label from the outside edge through to the “donut hole” in the middle, so that you can open the label up like a collar. Open the label up and carefully encircle your plants’ stems. The label will rest on top of the Seed Pod without glue and as the plants grow, the stems will eventually anchor the label in place.[http://www.aerogrow.com/community/index.php/your-plants-faq/62-other/135-lthe-label-came-off-my-seed-pod.html]
+If your pod has not yet sprouted, page 11 of the Master Gardener kit offers the following suggestion:
+Attach Pod Labels
+* Place Pod Label on top of Split-Apart Basket.
+* Iron for a total of 10 seconds as follows:
+**5 seconds with iron in one place.
+**5 seconds moving Grow Pod around outside edge of iron – to ensure Label is secure.[http://www.aerogrow.com/community/images/stories/file/English%20Guides/507314-0AA_MGGde_web_US.pdf]