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Solving Problems with AeroGardens or Other Hydroponic Grow Systems

2/6/2020

3 Comments

 
Petunias and Basil in AeroGarden
A couple of years ago my daughter gave me an AeroGarden for my birthday. My plants grew like a charm. First, I grew peppers and then I grew tomatoes and I even grew herbs.


Then . . . I moved.

When I set the AeroGarden up again it just didn't grow very well. I thought I had damaged it during the move. I changed the water and scrubbed out the basin. I replaced the air stone. I checked that the pump was working. The lights looked fine, but my plants still weren't growing as they should. 

I planted new seeds in new pods.

My seeds didn't germinate well and when they did, the plant growth was stunted. Many of the leaves developed brown margins.

I was puzzled, until I visited the AeroGarden site.

According to the site, my well water might be the culprit. Apparently hard water can prevent germination and cause both stunted growth and browning leaves.

Once again, I emptied the basin and scrubbed it clean. This time I filled it with filtered water. Within days my seeds germinated and showed signs of vigorous new growth.


Petunias in AeroGarden
I am growing petunias and lemon basil in it now. I can't say for sure how long ago I planted the petunias as I forgot to reset the 'days planted' counter. I know that I planted them after Christmas. That means they can't have been growing longer than 40 days or so.

I am so excited to have solved the problem and to have petunias blooming inside as the snow falls outside!

If you are having issues with your AeroGarden, or similar hydroponics unit, try using filtered water instead of your well water. It solved my problems. I hope it solves yours too.
3 Comments
Michael link
9/17/2021 12:17:38 am

Great Article! Thank you for sharing this very informative post, and looking forward to the latest one.

Reply
Michelle link
9/17/2021 01:40:52 am

Great Article! Thank you for sharing this very informative post, and looking forward to the latest one.

Reply
Mia Evans link
1/17/2023 01:39:32 am

I never took into account the fact that the well water might have an effect on the plants and cause issues with their growth at times. In that case, I have to ask a hydroponic shop that I will find here in Melbourne regarding my source of water, since we also have a well. I just wanted to have those kinds of plants inside my home to make it easier for me to maintain them despite my busy schedule.

Reply



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  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables