My Gardyn
Five Month Review. Is it still worth it?
(Photos by Rowen)
It has now officially been five months since I purchased my Gardyn brand hydroponic unit. And the first question I am always asked is “Was it worth the money?”
And the answer is a very loud YES!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, MY unit. I would have ten if I had the space and money.
To me, it was reasonably priced at 799.99, because it literally walks you through the growing process. If you have little to no gardening experience, or previously had a “black thumb” for growing, this is ideal for you. Because, unless you let it run out of water or nutrients, it’s almost failure proof.
The Gardyn system has an additional app service that will all but hold your hand through the growing process. It tells you when you trim the roots, when to clean the tank, when to add food, and anything else you need to do.
The app will provide EVERYTHING that you need to know to have a bountiful garden. No matter what your skill level.
If you are already a decent gardener, then the app is not as beneficial, and not even necessary. I used it the first month just to get the hang of the unit, but after that it was unnecessary.
The unit shown in the photo is now significantly cheaper, because they just recently launched a “New and Improved unit.”
But at almost 800.00… how could it possibly be worth it?
That’s what everyone wants to know. And its a reasonable question.
The biggest benefits is that my entire household is eating more fresh produce.
When you don’t have to worry about a whole head, or bag, of lettuce spoiling, everyone is more inclined to use it. There is significantly less produce waste, because you only pick what you need. So no more dead produce in the crisper drawer.
Every sandwich, wrap, and taco in my household now contains fresh produce and or herbs.
*Did you know that a spoonful of cream cheese mixed with herbs makes an amazing mayo substitute for sandwiches, without the inevitable mushy bread.
My children are eager to add fresh produce to everything now, because they have helped with the unit, and watched everything grow.
PS: When you grow your own lettuce, each variety will actually taste DIFFERENT. I grow approximately 5–10 varieties at a time because each of my family members like a different kind.
So what can you grow in this unit? Everything except root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, beets, etc.
I have grown, or am currently growing, the following:
~All of my kitchen herbs like oregano, basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, lavender etc. (I had to buy a dehydrator for all the excess herbs.)
~Micro greens like wheat grass, red amaranth, and various sprouts
~Strawberries, peas, tomatoes, mini bell peppers, jalapenos, lettuce of multiple varieties, cucumbers, cuca-melons, chives, bok choi, banana peppers, chamomile, mint, mustard greens, kale, snapdragons, marigolds, petunias, daisies and probably more that I can’t think of.
If you break it down by the numbers, no it hasn’t paid for its self financially Yet. But over time, not having to buy micro-green powder, cooking herbs, and the produce that I can grow, has made a HUGE dent in our food budget.
And even though food costs have gone way up, my grocery bill has dropped dramatically.
But benefits aren’t always financial.
My family is eating healthier. My autistic son, who previously had an aversion to vegetables, will eat the ones we have grown.
My daughter and I have always been fans of salads, my husband and son were not. But having a variety of lettuce and fresh produce has changed that. Everyone eats at least one salad a day.
Maybe those salads are loaded with bacon, ranch, and cheese, but the nutrition from the produce is still there hiding under the junk, so I’m still calling it a win as a parent.
If you are considering purchasing the unit, don’t let the YouTube videos of the deep clean intimidate you. I watched several and almost didn’t buy it, because the cleanup looked laborious.
It’s not, if you do a minimum of maintenance. ( And I do the very minimum as I am a super busy mom of three)
~When you trim your roots, wipe out the cups, and tubes where that plant sits. If you see algae in the tubes, use a bottle brush or sponge to clean it.
~Keep the pods covered, except where the plant emerges. This prevents excess algae growth.
~Add food grade peroxide to the tank, to prevent algae build up in the tank.
~ Keep up on your tank refreshes.
~Keep potted/dirt growing plants away from your hydroponic unit to prevent pest infestation.
The bottom line is that I love my unit, and will purchase a second. I have yet to decide if I am getting the newer one, or sticking with the model that I currently have. But I love having the ability to consistently grow food, even though my local weather is less than accommodating.
And with today’s economy and the current state of my country, having the ability to grow my food, even though I live in the city, is a reassurance. Knowing that even when store shelves are empty, I can still feed my family is giving me peace of mind.
Happy Growing My Friends!!
Feed Your Illness, or Feed Your Health | by Rowen Quinn | ILLUMINATION | Sep, 2021 | Medium
Gardyn referral code: rfstephanie72795 will get you a discount of 125.00–200.00 (depending on the unit purchased)
Disclosure: I “technically” I get a free subscription with every referral code redeemed. However, I don’t use their subscription/seeds/app, free or otherwise. I used the round of seeds that came with the unit, but otherwise use my own seeds and pods which are available on amazon. I GET NOTHING TO ENDORSE THIS PRODUCT. I JUST LOVE MY GARDYN 😊
Rowen is a mother, Wife, Domestic Violence Victims Advocate, community volunteer, and nature lover. Most of her time is spent with her family or volunteering in her community. Rowen has a degree in Psychology, with a concentration in Family Counseling and Minoring in criminal justice. Writing has been her passion since high school, and she enjoys using it to help others.