|
Yes, that was my reaction. The old system employs an air stone, like that found in fish tanks, to aerate the nutrient solution and move it around in the bowl of the AeroGarden. When I asked why you had to assemble the baskets, I was told they are easier to clean that way. However, they neglect to start out by telling the prospective customer that there are two systems to the AeroGarden.
The long foam seed pods reside in a long seed basket. It costs forty bucks. Stay as far away from it as you can get.AeroGrow has a fantastic product in the AeroGarden, but they should make the difference between the two seed pods absolutely clear right up front. And, they should dump that Master Gardener Kit. The AeroGardens are a superb example of concept and design. There has been so many positive things said about these marvels that there is nothing much that I can add.Having said that, let me comment on one aspect that I have never seen addressed, AeroGrow's advertising. The newer system employs a pump to continually bathe the seed pods in nutrient solution. It consists of nutrient tablets, flimsy split apart long baskets, seed pod labels and long foam pods into which you can place your own seeds.
I thought I was ordering the Salad Greens kit for my short pod AeroGarden and by not paying strict attention to what I was doing, I ordered the Salad Greens kit for the long pod AeroGarden because they have the same name.My one real complaint about AeroGrow is that they put out something called The Master Gardener Kit. But the Master Gardener Guide that comes with it is what really causes the confusion. It robs them of a lot of their credibility. Whomever put this Guide together was obviously only slightly familiar with the AeroGarden line. This system employs a short foam seed pod in a short seed basket. It illustrates all models of the AeroGarden being used with this kit, which is not true.
They pour out volumes of information and instructions and that is good. . You cannot interchange the long seed pods for the 3 and 6 pod AeroGardens with the short seed pods for 7 pod AeroGardens.Another thing which should be corrected is the fact that they give the same name to the two different size seed kits. This system is employed with the 3 pod AeroGardens. The two forms of seed pod are imcompatible.
If you get lucky with your machine, great. However, after replacing several parts, it still did not work. I have tried to get a refund from the company, but they claim that I basically have a new Aerogarden (WHICH DOESN'T WORK). This worked initially for the herb garden, but then I tried the cherry tomato seed kit and barely any tomatoes grew. If you get unlucky, you're out $100+ with no vegetables to munch on. Aerogrow shipped me a new pump, but that didn't work, either. Then, the pump stopped working. They also sent me a new base because the green light wasn't coming at all.
We are just now to the point that the basil isn't growing. At that point, we cut everything back but the basil. Looking forward to the next kit. I bought this and the herb seed kit for my husband for Christmas. The herbs were ready within a month and we had steady herbs for 4-5 months.
There is no excuse to include a lousy pump like this. My fish tank pump is over 10-year old and is still going strong. VERY disappointed. The pump is the heart of this design. If the heart fails after just three months, how good is this gadget.
What anyone else would of, took the damned thing apart and shoved it in the cupboard with intentions to one day check if there was a warranty.There it sat for a good 6 months. But I called anyways and the guy was super friendly, asked for my address and within not even a week I had a new pump and my garden is back in action.SOOO. So I absolutely LOVE this little thing. Aerogarden is as simple as this.Turn it on, and check the water levels every now and then.Why it almost got 4 stars. I had no receipt, box, NADA. That day my life felt over. So what did I do.
I went to my car and called.Why they got their 5 stars. BUT, the owner gave me Aerogardens contact info.
It just stopped. No, they didn't.
I was born with a brown thumb, and this little gadget makes that brown thumb turn green in the blink of an eye. One day while shopping at the grocery store I started day dreaming about the dang thing, that day I drove down to my local hydroponics store and asked if they repaired them or sold pumps.
Aerogarden gets 5 stars from me for being awesome, having great customer service and letting me grow organic goods no problem. Everything was going so wonderfully until about 4 months into it, the pump started getting loud (not unbearable but noticeably) and one day.
My green thumb, gone.
|
