This year I’ve resolved to grow my own culinary herbs. After years of buying those tiny (plastic) packages of (expensive) bundled herbs at the grocery store, it’s time. Enter: technology. There are now a host of grow-it-yourself systems on the market that suit even the most cramped and light-less kitchens. Many of the kits are hydroponic, come with an efficient LED grow light, connect to your smart phone, or use NASA-like smart soil. Here are our 10 favorites.
Above: The Umbra Giardino Indoor Herb Garden Set isn’t necessarily “high tech” but it is insofar as its watering and drainage system. It’s designed to fit windowsills and countertops and has a Smart Drain System to prevent water from pooling at the bottom. You water from the top through the garden’s perforated roof, which directs water to drip down into growing herbs; $40 at Amazon.
Above: For UK readers, Ikea’s Krydda/Växer Grow Kit is a hydroponic kit that comes with growing trays, shelves, and LED lights; £64.50 at Ikea UK. For more on the kit, see our post New from Ikea: A Hydroponic Countertop Garden Kit.
Above: The Opcom Farm Hydroponic Growing System with an O2 light is an easy-to-operate hydroponic grow system with an adjustable LED light. The “auto” mode of the system manages light and water cycles efficiently; $199.99 through Google Express.
Above: For a more robust herb growing operation, the Danby Herb Grower with 16-Watt LED BloomBoss Lighting is the size of a mini fridge that includes a grow light, fan-assisted air circulation, wire shelves, and a digital timer for light cycles; $399 at The Home Depot.
Above: The Classic Veritable Garden is powered by an LED light and self-irrigates for up to three weeks (good for the itinerant gardener); $200 through Goop.
Above: The AeroGarden Harvest Elite WiFi with a Gourmet Herbs Seeds Pod Kit is soil-free and works with high-performance LED lights for optimal growing (white light for rapid growth, blue for larger yields, and red for more flowers and fruit). The interactive LCD display guides you through the growing process via your own smart device. It’s $89.96 at Sur la Table.
Above: The Hydrofarm Hydroponic Grow Light is designed for germinating seeds and then, as plants grow, the upper bar and light extends to keep three to six inches away from the plant canopy. It’s $59.99 at Ace Hardware.
Above: The Click & Grown Smart Garden 3 Indoor Gardening Kit comes with pre-seeded cartridges that drop into the basin and grow by way of “smart soil” (a nano-tech growth medium that accelerates plant growth) and an LED grow light. It’s available in white, black, and beige for $99.95 on Amazon. For a larger kit, the Click & Grow Smart Garden 9 is $200 at Urban Outfitters. For more on the system, see our post Click and Grow: A Miniature Herb Garden for a Kitchen Countertop.
Above: Better for balconies than countertops, the Grow Smart Vegetable Planter is an automated self-watering planter that connects to your phone for info on what to plant, when, and how to care for your plants for “fresh produce with little effort.” A single planter is $99 directly through Grow.
Above: The Goodful Harvest Slim Countertop Garden & Gourmet Herbs Seed Kit is another model from AeroGarden but a little more simplified than the model featured previously. It’s counter-size and comes with an energy-efficient LED grow light that automatically turns on and off; the system also reminds you when to water and add plant food. The garden kit comes in black, white, and sage for $189.99 each at Macy’s.
Above: The Plant Grow LED Light Kit Indoor Herb Garden comes with a smart timer, a cool white light optimized for growing; $38.21 on Amazon.
Browse our newly updated 10 Easy Pieces archives. For other grow kits, tech-free included, see our posts: