The Best Hydroponic Gardens Mean Never Killing Another Plant Again

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Hydroponic gardening may sound fancy and complicated, but it’s actually its simplicity that makes it so popular with at-home gardeners. Unlike the traditional style of gardening which you’re probably more familiar with, hydroponics grows plants in water rather than soil. It may not be obvious why this small change makes such a big difference, but it does. This is especially true for anyone wanting a faster, easier and more space-efficient way to grow plants at home.

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Do you have a history of killing plants that were supposed to be easy to maintain? We’re not here to judge. Read on to discover why the best hydroponic gardens may be the answer indoor gardening solution you’ve been searching for.

Why Choose a Hydroponic Garden System?

Think back to high school biology and you’ll remember that plants need four key ingredients to grow: sunlight, oxygen, water and nutrients. Notice there is no mention of potting soil. This means, as long as your plants are getting all four ingredients, they will grow. Hydroponic gardens offer several noticeable benefits over their soil-dependent counterparts. These include:

• Faster Growth – The best hydroponic gardens can actually help plants grow faster than they would in a soil-based environment. Many of the hydroponic gardens we’ve included claim growth rates that can be five times faster than plants growing in soil.

• Less Mess – By removing soil from the setup, there is less opportunity to create a mess when you are setting up your hydroponic garden. However, it’s worth noting that mess can still come in the form of spilled water.

• All Seasons – Because most hydroponic gardens supply artificial light and nutrient-filled water to the plants, seasonal changes don’t affect their growth. This means it is possible to grow plants throughout the entire year, unlike plants that are dependent on natural sunlight or natural nutrients from the soil.

• All Weather – Most hydroponic gardens aren’t dependent on natural sunlight and aren’t affected by inclement weather, either. This independence means your plants will continue to grow no matter the weather outside.

• Growing Freedom – As self-contained environments, hydroponic gardens can generally be kept in almost any room in your home. This makes them a great way to bring a splash of green to your kitchen, bedroom or living room.

• Soil-Borne Diseases – An additional benefit to removing soil from the equation is removing the chance of your plants picking up any soil-borne disease.

Scroll down to discover our top 10 picks for the best hydroponic gardens available online. We’ve included a number of standard gardens as well as a couple of curveballs. No matter what device you end up choosing, you’ll be enjoying delicious home-grown herbs, veg or fruit in no time.

1. AeroGarden Harvest Indoor Garden

With its included seed kit, sleek design and 11,000+ 5-star ratings, this AeroGarden Harvest Indoor Garden is hard to beat. It includes everything you need to grow fresh herbs and veggies all year round, including a full-spectrum LED grow lighting system and a user-friendly control panel that gives reminders when it’s time to add water or plant food. The device is available in three colors, sage, white and black, and sits just over 17 inches tall, compact enough for life on most shelves or countertops. Furthermore, the garden comes supplied with a six-pod seed kit, which includes Genovese basil, curly parsley, dill and thyme, along with a three-ounce bottle of natural plant nutrients.

Buy: AeroGarden Harvest Indoor Garden $149.95

2. XXXFLOWER Plant Terrarium

It may not feature fancy lights or be the most productive choice when it comes to your crop yield, but that doesn’t stop the XXXFLOWER Plant Terrarium from being a worthwhile home addition. Simply assemble the wooden frame, put the three bulb-shaped vases in place, then add water and your choice of plants to grow. Thanks to the clear glass you can see every part of your plants, from leaf to root, making this setup particularly worthy of home display. Additionally, this terrarium is ideal for growing a range of different plant types, including both water plants and ferns.

Buy: XXXFLOWER Plant Terrarium $16.98 (orig. $19.99) 15% OFF

3. LYKOCLEAN Hydroponics Growing System

For under $90, the LYKOCLEAN Hydroponics Growing System gives you a fun and easy way to grow herbs, vegetables and fruits in the comfort of your own home. The compact garden features an adjustable, full-spectrum 36-watt grow light and a 3.5-liter water tank to ensure your plants always have exactly what they need. Inside the system, you’ll find 12 pods, each capable of housing an individual plant. For further ease, the system lighting works on a 24-hour timer and can run for up to 15 days from a single fill of the water tank. All in all, this is a budget-friendly way to produce your own produce.

Buy: LYKOCLEAN Hydroponics Growing System $65.00 (orig. $78.99) 18% OFF

4. Moistenland Hydroponics Growing System

With its 12-pot capacity and full-spectrum, 22-watt LED lighting arrangement, this Moistenland Hydroponics Growing System is a great choice for newbies wanting to grow fruits and vegetables at home. The system is surprisingly hands-off as the built-in, automatic timer rotates through 18 hours on and six hours off. The four-liter capacity is also large enough to hold a whole month’s supply of water. An air and water circulation system ensures the plants are evenly supplied with all the key growing elements. Furthermore, the system features two lighting modes, one for leafy veg and another for flowering plants.

Buy: Moistenland Hydroponics Growing System $67.65 (orig. $85.59) 21% OFF

5. iDOO Hydroponics Growing System

If you’re looking for an indoor garden to fit in with your existing home decor, there may be a iDOO Hydroponics Growing System to suit. You can choose from either white, black or red. The popular system isn’t just pleasing aesthetically, either. Users can choose between a vegetable mode and a fruit & flower mode. The system also includes full-spectrum, 23-watt LED lights which are made up of red, blue and white lights which simulate natural light from the sun. Handily, this well-reviewed system can also be used as a germination kit for housing young plants before it’s time to transport them to pots or an outdoor garden.

Buy: iDOO Hydroponics Growing System $81.99

6. AeroGarden Harvest Elite Indoor Garden

Thanks to the advanced, user-friendly LCD control panel, it’s possible to tailor the lighting settings on this AeroGarden Harvest Elite Indoor Garden to suit the needs of the specific plants you’re trying to grow. When optimized, this can result in plants growing up to five times faster than when they are planted in traditional soil. The garden has space for six plants to grow to a maximum of 12 inches tall. This makes it ideal for herbs and smaller fruit and veg. To get you started, the garden comes with a six-pack of herbs, including Genovese basil, Thai basil and mint. The popular device also comes backed by over 3,500 five-star ratings and includes a built-in vacation mode, which is particularly handy if you’re often away from home.

Buy: AeroGarden Harvest Elite Indoor Garden $150.12 (orig. $179.95) 17% OFF

7. Hydrofarm Root Spa System

Unlike most options on our list, the Hydrofarm RS5GAL8SYS Root Spa System houses plants in individual buckets rather than a complete centralized garden. This is because it’s designed for growing larger plants. Each eight-inch bucket in the setup has a five-gallon capacity and includes an internal basket for adding a soilless medium, such as GROW!T Clay Pebbles. Each bucket is joined to the central air pump via tubing to oxygenate the nutrient solution. In addition, this system is available in a one, four or eight-bucket setup.

Buy: Hydrofarm Root Spa System $59.49

8. Click & Grow Indoor Herb Garden Kit

If you have nothing against soil and don’t mind using it in the process of growing your own herbs, the Click & Grow Indoor Herb Garden Kit is a great alternative to hydroponic gardening. Alongside the smart soil, which gets placed into each of the nine plant pods, you’ll find professional grow lights and a self-watering system to ensure your plants have everything they need to grow. It’s also available in three color options and comes supplied with mini tomatoes, basil and green lettuce pods to get you started.

Buy: Click & Grow Indoor Herb Garden Kit $160.45 (orig. $239.95) 33% OFF

9. AeroGarden Bounty Elite Indoor Garden

The AeroGarden Bounty Elite Indoor Garden is an advanced device that can be controlled remotely through Wi-Fi and Amazon Alexa connectivity. And if wireless connectivity isn’t your thing, it’s still easy to adjust the garden’s settings thanks to the high-resolution control panel. It provides access to over 140 useful tips, a step-by-step guide to setting a garden up for the first time, key garden functions and the manual controls for lighting. The garden includes enough space for growing up to nine plants at a time and also features an adjustable arm that maxes out at 24 inches high. In addition, the comprehensive kit comes with a nine-seed packet made up of parsley, Italian Parsley, thyme, chives, dill and several other herbs.

Buy: AeroGarden Bounty Elite Indoor Garden $349.95 (orig. $399.95) 13% OFF

10. Gardyn Home 1.0 Indoor Vertical Garden

If space really is at a premium in your home, it may be a smarter idea to go vertical with the Gardyn Home 1.0 Indoor Vertical Garden. Previously named one of Time Magazine’s best inventions, this 60-inch tall system is capable of growing up to 30 individual plants at one time, and only takes up two square feet of floor space in the process. As you would expect, the design includes full-spectrum LEDs to simulate sunlight. However, unlike many of its competitors, it makes 24/7 monitoring easy with the embedded cameras and sensors, letting you see and assess temperature, humidity, water levels and general growth whenever you want. In addition, the unique garden comes supplied with 30 plants, including leafy greens, herbs, strawberries, peppers, to get you growing right away.

Buy: Gardyn Home 1.0 Indoor Vertical Garden $699.00

Buy: Gardyn Home 1.0 Indoor Vertical Garden $699.00

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