When thinking about getting a new hydroponic system, many things that come to mind… floor space, # of pods, and aesthetics are a few of the things. Depending on where it is going in your home, looks may be very important. It is to me. And in my opinion, the Gardyn is one of the most beautiful hydroponic systems out there.
But, as I browse through the Facebook posts about the Gardyn, or get questions on my social media or YouTube videos I realize there are quite a few misconceptions about growing in a Gardyn. I’m going to say something a bit controversial…. whether you have an AeroGarden, LetPot, Lettuce Grow, Tower Garden or similar… if you can grow in one hydroponics system, you can grow in another. Many of them are slightly different in look and function, but also the same when it comes down to it. Some of the manufacturers will suggest different methods for growing. But, really… if you are used to growing in hydro, you already know what to do!
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So… let’s get into it. There are now 2 models of Gardyn available – Gardyn Home 4 and Gardyn Studio 2. While some users have reported issues with some of the older models v1 and v2, Gardyn has continued to make improvements in hardware. They have also increased the warranty period to 3 years. Also, their customer service is fantastic. They are very responsive and usually jump right on any issues.
Here are some answers to common questions about growing in the Gardyn.
#1 No! You Do Not Have to Subscribe to the Membership
Think about it… there are tons of hydroponic units on the market so there’s lots of competition. But, they all work similarly… you plant seeds, add water and nutrients, check the water level, set the light timer, and watch your plants grow.
Tying the unit into a monthly fee, otherwise it does not work, would likely hurt business. Yes, the membership comes with some perks such as credits to receive monthly pods and more features in the app. But, you can have a fully functional Gardyn without it! See the below chart in #2 for the differences.
#2 Yes! You Can Still Use the App Without the Membership
Just like you do not need the membership to grow, you do not need to subscribe to the paid membership to use the app. You still get a fully functional app that lets you control the watering and lighting schedule, get tips and more. There are just a few Kelby functions that will be limited. You won’t get push notifications for things like water refills. However, you can just get into the habit of checking the tank every couple of days which you should be doing anyway. 🙂
#3 No! You Do Not Have to Use Their Seed Pods
This goes for any hydroponics unit – not just the Gardyn. Gardyn offers seed pods to make it easy for new growers to get started and plant pods right away. In fact, your Gardyn will come with enough pods to fill your unit. They offer them for convenience and for those that want to start growing quickly. And, of course, enticing you to buy more brings more revenue to their business. However, you can use your own seeds along with your own growing medium. Or, you can do a mix. If you do opt to get the membership, you get 10 credits per month to use towards pods. You can only bank 30 at one time, so be sure to use them before they expire.
If you opt to use your own seeds, just be sure to grow something well suited for indoor growing. Micro dwarf tomatoes, peppers, greens, parthenocarpic cucumbers.
Need help figuring out what to grow? Come on over to Aerogarden, Kratky, and Gardening Fanatics.
#4 No! You Do Not Have to Use Rockwool
When you get your Gardyn you will notice that the pods use the rockwool growing medium. It certainly works, but it’s not my favorite. So, if you decide to plant your own seeds, you can switch it up. Rockwool is very algae prone. And some people have a sensitivity to it. If you are one of those people, wear gloves while handling it. Some of them also break apart very easily. I prefer Root Riot, Rapid Rooter, or VPS OrganiPlug seed starter plugs. I get whichever is the best price at the time of purchase. These fit perfectly in the Gardyn yCups. I also use them in Lettuce Grow, iHarvest, and Tower Garden.
#5 Yes! You Can Reuse the yCups (In Some Cases)
Hold on to your yCups if you can and reuse them. I think the older ones hold up better than the newer ones. They changed the material they are made of, so some of them break easily. But, if you have the strong ones, you can definitely reuse them. If you find that you need new ones to plant your own seeds, Gardyn does sell seedless yCube, but they are $1.99 each. If you are lucky enough to have a 3d printer, you can find STL files for them on several of the 3d print sites, or you can buy them from 3d print sellers on Etsy.
#6 No! You Do Not Have to Use Gardyn Nutrients
Again, this is one of those things that goes for any hydroponics unit. Your Gardyn will come with one bottle of Gardyn nutrients. You can buy more on the site. However, if you already have a favorite hydroponic nutrient, or you want to find something more reasonable, you certainly can use it. For example… some of us have multiple hydroponics units from different brands and use the same nutrients in all of them. Everyone has their favorite. Some even use AeroGarden nutrients in their Gardyns. The only reason I do not recommend that is because you have to use a lot. A Gardyn Home holds 5 gallon of water. You would have to add 11ml per gallon of AeroGarden nutrients. At that rate, they will go fast. A great alternative is MaxiGro or MaxiBloom. MaxiGro is great for all leafy greens and herbs. MaxiBloom is best for fruiting plants. If you want to stick to only one, get the MaxiBloom. It can be used for everything.
#7 Yes! You Can Grow Fruiting Plants
There is sometimes a misconception about hydroponics in general that you can only grow herbs and lettuce. This is so not true! And some think that you cannot grow fruiting plants in a Gardyn. Well, you can! You can grow peppers, parthenocarpic cucumbers, micro dwarf tomatoes, bush beans, peas, strawberries, and more in a Gardyn. They even sell a small variety of squash. Just keep up with your nutrients and root trimming. And some plants may require a bit of pruning. It depends on what you are growing.
#8 Yes! You Can Use a Gardyn Without Connecting it to Wi-Fi
But in this case you will not be able to connect it to the app. However, it will run fine on the default watering and pump schedule just like other hydroponic units that don’t have WiFi.
#9 No! You Do Not Have to Refresh Your Water Every Month.
Although they suggest it, you do not have to change out your water as often as it says. In my experience I have found that some plants do not like being bothered that much. And the Gardyn FAQ actually says if you use Hydroboost to keep your tank clean you can skip the monthly deep cleaning. There are also some good alternatives to Hydroboost including PHLO, which is said to be unbranded Hydroboost. And Root Balance which is a newer product that I have not tried personally.
#10 Yes! If Using an Adapter You Can Drop in AeroGarden Pods.
By default, Gardyns use their own yPods, yCups and rockwool as the medium. However, thanks to the technology of 3d printing and folks with great design skills, you can use the same pods across multiple systems. I have now 3d printed several adapters for just about all of my larger systems, including Gardyn. If you do not own a 3d printer, you can purchase adapters from many Etsy shops. This allows me to easily move plants from my AeroGardens or similar systems to my Gardyns.
#11 Yes! You Can Use Tap Water.
There is a misconception that you have to use filtered or distilled water. Unless you have horrible tap water, it is safe to use. In fact, the previous Gardyn nutrients, Veg+Bloom was actually marked as being for hard water.
Thats it for now. I feel like I had a couple more tips to share, but they have slipped my mind, so I may edit this post or do a follow up. If you have any questions, please post below.
Happy Growing!
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