By Peat
Strawberries Grown in the AeroGarden
Submitted on Fri, 2008/12/05 - 12:31pm
Last updated on Mon, 2008/12/08 - 4:17pm
This was an old experiment I did way back in June 2008, when I got my second AeroGarden.
I wanted to grow strawberries, from seed, in the AG. The project was a success, however, it takes a long, long time to grow strawberries... In the end I wanted to use this AG to grow cherry tomatoes, so, they were uprooted and planted into a grow container with peat.
They flourished, produced several small strawberries but some of the plants died off. I only have three healthy plants left now, I'm going to plant these into individual pots - filled with coco coir and hydroton clay pebbles. Let's see how they do using proper hydro grow media.
Fri, 2008/12/05 - 5:52pm
#2
Those are adorable, Peat! 
What size were the strawberries?
Fri, 2008/12/05 - 6:39pm
#3
If I remember my American money, the sizes ranged from a dime to 5 cents. Not very big, but it's only the first year of this crop; they should be a better size next year - more like the picture on the seed packet hopefully.
They also taste great. 
Mon, 2008/12/08 - 3:59pm
#4
The surviving strawberries have been planted into 6 inch pots. A layer of hydroton at the bottom, then planted in coco coir, with a final layer of hydroton on the top. They are getting spillover light from the AG, how good this is remains to be seen.
Mon, 2008/12/08 - 4:55pm
#5
They look lovely! What kind of light were they getting before?
Dumb question: when someone says "6 inch pot", is that a diameter? Height?
Mon, 2008/12/08 - 5:36pm
#6
It's the top diameter of the pot, the depth is just over 5½ inches.
They were getting window light before, it's not great now and they started to look poorly - I lost a few. I'm hoping that the AG light will be good enough, although you outriders did have problems...
Never mind, they look good at the moment.
Tue, 2008/12/09 - 6:05pm
#7
They're looking right nice. The 10" pots in my Autopots are 8.5". Go figger....
Mon, 2009/03/09 - 1:26pm
#8
Hey Peat
We are kindred spirits! You are growing everything I want to grow!
Can you answer a few questions for me? (I am a total newbie so please break it down for me like I'm a 4 year old 
)
1. What liquid nutrients do you buy & use to make your tomatoes grow so awesomely fast? (A link to buy exactly what you bought would be great)
2. Do you think I can grown cucumbers in my AG3 or is it too small?
2a. If My AG3 is too small which new bigger AG should I buy? Pro100, Pro200?
3. Do you start all your seeds in an AG then transplant to soil or that other stuff you use for your carrots & radishes? (I ordered strawberry, sweet peppers, chives, parsley, cilantro and mini tomatoes pot kits from www.buzzyseeds.com. They come with seeds, pots, soil & instructions and I was just going to plant the seeds in the soil but if you tell me otherwise I wont! I will start them in one of my AGs or at least the tomatoes & berries in the AG3. Please let me know what you think I should do.
3a. If I start the strawberries in the AG3 which nutrients do I use? Also for the cucumbers?
4. Rosemary? It seems to be a very fickle plant & when I search online for info the information is conflicting. 1 site says they like water, 1 site says keep them bone dry no matter id they look like they are dying. I dont know! Insight please!? i
4a. Should I get seeds or cuttings.
4b. Start em in AG or soil or something else?
I know I have alot of questions I know .. take your time 
Mon, 2009/03/09 - 3:59pm
#9
No problems with the questions jess, I'll answer as best I can.
1. General Hydroponics, FloraNova series, 3-part nutrients. I have a little guide which may help. Lots of retailers selling this, very popular and extremely good.
2. The AG3 may be too small, the cukes grow rather large - no harm in trying though.
2a. I would buy a bigger model i.e. Pro200, Deluxe, AG6. Although I was able to grow them in the Classic, they really could do with the extra light and hood that extends more.
3. Some I started in the AG (strawberries, tomatoes, cucumber and a large lettuce) and then transplanted to soil. Others I grew straight in the soil (radishes, carrots, rosemary, thyme). Any soil will do, I like coco-coir and messing around with alternatives - perlite/vermiculite. You can't grow subterranean crops in the AeroGarden, they will end up submersed in the water. I grew my seeds in the AG first as this unit makes a superb propagating device, the plants get a great start in life. You can start any of your seeds in the AG if you want, strawberry seeds however, are very slow in growing - don't expect a decent crop in the first year.
You could start some of the seeds in your pots/soil, perhaps start a few in the AG also? Either transplant the seedlings (once big enough) to soil afterwards, or keep them in the AG - so many choices. 
3a. The nutrients in number one can be used with everything. Have a read of my guide as it's not a simple as mixing and adding water, there are different stages of growth that require different nutrients. Once grasped though, it's pretty easy.
If I had a spare AG, I would go any buy some strawberry plants, and then do this. It took me 7 weeks growing from seed to get a decent plant - too long to wait.
For the cucumber, see here.
4. Rosemary does not need much care, just a little watering when the soil gets dry, this webpage will help.
4a. Get cuttings, seeds take forever.
4b. Soil will work perfectly well, I've not tried growing them in an AG so I'm unsure of the results - I know they can be grown though. Pretty much anything grown in the AeroGarden will grow much faster than soil, herbs are especially good.
I hope I have not missed anything, off for supper now - I will be back later.
Mon, 2009/03/09 - 4:31pm
#10
Rosemary can't be grown in an Aerogarden - it dislikes water.
FWIW, I'd never realized before that Peat used Flora Nova. Bruce and I use the regular Flora series from General Hydroponics (Flora Glow, Flora Micro, Flora Bloom).
Mon, 2009/03/09 - 6:01pm
#11
Mon, 2009/03/09 - 6:30pm
#12
wow! thank u so much! I will be digesting all of this for a while 
Thu, 2009/03/12 - 6:52pm
#13
Welcome, Jessi! I'm anxious to see how you do with your mini. I know Peat asked somewhere but do you know how much water it holds? The reason I ask is that it can be a pain to mix just a bowl full so I suggest mixing a gallon at a time and use the remainder to top off your mini. You'll find all sorts of mixtures here but they're very close to what Gen Hydro recommends and it's easier to use a measured eyedropper or syringe you can get at a drugstore (1tsp=5ml). Most of GH's mixtures are 1-2-3 but that's a little deceiving, you always add the Micro first, stir well, add the Gro, stir well then add the bloom last.
We measure our nutrient levels and PH and fiddle 'til it looks right but we're fanatics. A good nutrient meter is a little pricy but you can find a little tube and bottle PH kit for about $6 at a pet store, hardware store, pool store, etc. Everybody's water is different but when I used distilled water my PH was 5.0 which is very low, you want to stay around 6.0 or so. You may need a small bottle of PH up to get it right. If you go with the flora series, but a small bottle, a tiny bottle. I have a quart bottle and it'll last my 3 AGs and grow tent for years. I'll quit now, I'm sure your head is spinning about all this.
Thu, 2009/03/12 - 9:46pm
#14
I dont know how much the AG3 holds. The next time I refill one I will use a measuring cup so that we all know
My head is spinning about the liquid nuts so I am tabling that for now. My main thing is deciding on an extra light source for the new seeds I plante in soil. I just have to get to Home Depot and see whats what.
Thu, 2009/03/12 - 10:11pm
#15
My head is spinning about the liquid nuts so I am tabling that for now.
Good idea, after reading all the new posts I see you have quite a plate full right now and lighting is most important. Ain't it great being a fanatic? We started with one li'l Classic on a whim and added 2 Deluxes within two weeks and a grow tent three months later. It's great having you around!
Thu, 2009/03/12 - 11:45pm
#16
Aw Bruce! Thank you! That was so sweet.
I find myself just standing in front of my indoor garden, staring at the dirt looking for life in there. I think I skipped fanatic & went straight into crazy!
Fri, 2009/03/13 - 8:02am
#17
(and a grow tent three months later)
Would you please explain the grow tent? What is it, how are you using it? Thanks.
Fri, 2009/03/13 - 10:22am
#18
Something like an inhouse greenhouse. Climate control and minimize light loss to surrounding.
Bruce blog about it. http://aerogardenmastery.com/drupal/content/grow-tent-saga
Fri, 2009/03/13 - 5:07pm
#19
Thanks Stonecold and welcome to both of you! The grow tent is nice but I wish I'd bought a bigger one. 48" tall sounded like plenty of room but when you subtract space for your pots and lights there's very little more head space than a Deluxe has and the width is not enough, either. I'm about to update my blog about a major mishap today.
Wed, 2009/03/18 - 2:23pm
#20
As an interest has been sparked with the strawberries, this is what I have at the moment. Both these potted ones (the other not shown), were struck down by some small flies, they laid their eggs in my soil and the very small bugs nibbled away on the roots. Did not see them in the soil until it was nearly too late - sprayed with plant friendly insecticide and they came through.
Wed, 2009/03/18 - 2:54pm
#21
So you removed the plant from the soil and put it in the Grow Rocks? Is that its permanent home?
Wed, 2009/03/18 - 5:41pm
#22
The plant is in coco-coir with the rocks over the top, when the strawberries fruit, the rocks keep the berries away from the soil and stop them rotting.
This is it's permanent home, it's moved three times already - time to put roots down and settle in.
Wed, 2009/03/18 - 10:39pm
#23
Interesting! Wont you have to put plastic wrap over the rock? I thought I read somewhere that the rocks absorb moisture from anything that touches them...leaves, fruit?
Wed, 2009/03/18 - 11:36pm
#24
....You can't grow subterranean crops in the AeroGarden....
Hey, but whatabout radishes in one of these: prepara.com/power_plant.php? It looks as though the seeds could be positioned in the sponge to allow them to form a radish, and I think the level of water could be controlled to keep it just below the radish. Of course, you could only plant like three, but hey...technically it might be possible.
Thu, 2009/03/19 - 12:56am
#25
Hey, kitkat, welcome!
Yeah, actually, a small radish might work. You'd have to use a fat pod, though - the newer ones aren't wide enough. Kind of a waste of an AG, though - radishes grow in 25 days in potting mix.
Thu, 2009/03/19 - 8:47am
#26
Thanks gisette! It's nice to be here.
Actually, I was talking about the Prepara Power Plant Mini, rather than an AG, but I was just goofing anyway. 
Either way, you are right it would be a waste.
Thu, 2009/03/19 - 9:58am
#27
jessi - I've not had a problem with hydroton wicking moisture away from the leaves, I think gisette had problems with hers though.
kitkat - a warm welcome to you. I'm not sure about growing them in this unit, it works by spraying the plants (I think), plus, the sponge the radishes sit in look a little short on depth. You could always buy one and let us know. 
Thu, 2009/03/19 - 3:30pm
#28
Hi Kitkat,
Welcome! I actually have two of those mini's. Got them for $20 apiece in December. Quickly lost interest when I got my first ag. It works OK, but no timer, lights and it is LOUD! I thought I could put it in my office at work - sounded like a helicopter! Put some lettuce seeds in - didn't amount to much. I actually have a mini bell pepper growing now that is fruiting! Tiny, tiny reservoir for water.
Beth
Fri, 2009/03/20 - 12:15pm
#29
Thanks everyone! :)
Peat, no chance of getting any more units, not even cheap ones. Just got 2 AG's over Christmas "for the hubster". Anywho, hydro budget is depleated for now. Besides, we're both hooked on your mods, so we're kicking around the idea of an airstone, liquid nutes etc...
Beth11, good to know. I was tempted to get one of those, but I had a feeling that it would be too tiny for us.
Fri, 2009/03/20 - 12:59pm
#30
I hope your husband is enjoying his new toys, of course, you have nothing to do with them... 
The liquid nutes are cost effective and will last ages, and I mean ages. I started my three different Flora 1 Litre bottles in June '08, running two AG's and they are still nearly ¾ full.
Definitely worth a bubbler mod, thanks for taking the time to look in on the blogs, they've been an interesting diversion.
The seeds I used were these: http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/998/1.html
These Sarian F1 Hybrid seeds were selected because they were ideal for growing in containers.
As the strawberries grew runners in the AG, I pegged these down in small soil pots and grew more plants from these offshoots. Once the new plants had developed, I cut the umbilical cord from the original plant. I was able to produce quite a good crop using this cloning method.
The technical bit...
They were planted on 27th June 2008, I grew them for 7 weeks in the AeroGarden before moving them to soil. They were initially grown using the small AG nutrient tablet, from week 6 onwards they were fed my General Hydroponics nutrients: Flora Micro 6.3ml, Flora Grow 10.6ml, Flora Bloom 2.1mL. The pH was 7 and the EC was adjusted for 2.0
The AG made a great home for these strawberries, I have no doubt they would have produced an abundant crop if I had left them in. It was a shame I had to move them on.
Once my coco coir & hydroton arrives, I will remove the remaining strawberries from their container and get them going in individual pots...