FAQ's
Frequently asked questions.
Q. Does the machine come with everything you need including sponges.
A. Yes. There is enough in the box to cover your first 3-4 months of nutrient requirements, together with sponges for your first planting. You will need more sponges when your first growth is finished or planted out and more nutrients after 3 months. These can be purchased on this website.
Q. What can I grow in the machine?
A. Absolutely anything, providing the root is not too large to go through the sponge. If this is the case, the sponge can be sliced and the root tucked into the sliced part.
Q. What if the plant will be larger than the machine?
A. You can start a tree in this machine. It is perfect for germinating seeds and getting the plant underway to a height of 40cm. After that, it either needs to be transplanted into compost or the pump needs to be un-clipped from the machine and a fish tank bubbler added. The lights can then be raised as high as you wish.
Q. Do I have to switch the lights on or off?
A. No, the machine has a chip inside to do this for you on an automatic timer.
Q. How long will my order take to arrive?
A. We usually pack your order within 3 hours and it gets couriered to you for next day delivery but if the order arrives after 10am, it usually takes another day. If it contains nutrient bottles, it has to go via the Post Office and this takes a little longer.
Q. How expensive is it to run?
A. This is a 24W LED light system which is less than many single light bulbs. It should be around £50/year, less than what you would spend in a couple of months on supermarket herbs.
Q. What about cuttings?
A. If you are a fan of cuttings, this machine is for you. It is one of the easiest ways of growing on cuttings that we have ever seen and makes light works of getting them started and throwing out roots.
Q. Can I mix herb seeds with flowers?
A. No. The herbs grow quickly and strongly with all three colours of lights (red, white and blue) but flowers do not like the blue colour, hence the different settings on the machine.
Q. I do not have green fingers and kill every plant I touch. Should I stay away from this?
A. This machine is idiot-proof and providing you follow the simple instructions, you will be able to grow your very own indoor garden without any gardening knowledge.
Q. How long does a herb garden last?
A. We have one that is currently over a half a year old and still growing strongly.
Q. How much maintenance is an indoor garden?
A. Remarkably little. For the first 5 weeks, absolutely none. After 2-3 months it requires about 5-10 minutes a week and after that, the water will need topping up every 3-4 days and cleaning out every 3 weeks. This will take about 5 minutes.
Q. I could grow seeds on my kitchen window and the results would be the same?
A. No. We have heard these words regularly but this is not the case. Light levels in autumn and winter are insufficient to quickly germinate and grow seeds so having LED lights and nutrient-rich water in a warm environment accelerate the germination and growing speed. These machines have a success rate of germinating seeds of up to 100% without the worry of over- or under-watering. The lights give a full day of ‘sunshine’ every day, unlike our British weather, and most seeds will have germinated within 10 days, many in 5 days.