AeroGarden 100304 Sprout LED Indoor Garden
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
When using this AeroGarden electrical furnishing, basic precautions should always be followed, including the following:
Read all instructions before using this AeroGarden furnishing.
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
- To reduce the risk of electric shock, the AeroGarden has a specific plug. Do not change the plug in any way.
DANGER – to reduce the risk of electric shock: - Always unplug the AeroGarden from the electrical outlet before cleaning or changing the LED light panel, and before changing the power supply cord.
WARNING – to reduce the risk of burns, fire, electric shock, or injury to persons: - Unplug the AeroGarden from the outlet before putting on or taking off parts.
- Close supervision is necessary when an AeroGarden is used by or near children, the elderly, or disabled persons. Children should not play with the appliance.
- Use the AeroGarden only for its intended use as described in the instructions. Do not use attachments not recommended by the manufacturer.
- Never operate the AeroGarden if it has a damaged cord or plug, if it is not working properly, if it has been dropped and damaged, or if it has been dropped in water. If any of these conditions occur/ exist, contact customerservice@aerogrow.com.
- Keep the cord away from heated surfaces.
- Never operate furnishing with air openings blocked. Keep air openings free of lint, hair, and the like.
- Never drop or insert any object into any electrical openings.
- Do not use outdoors. For indoor use only.
- Do not operate where aerosol (spray) products are being used or where oxygen is being administered.
- Do not touch moving parts or hot parts such as pumps, lights, reflective surfaces, and the like.
- To disconnect, remove the plug from the outlet.
- Do not place or submerge the base, cord, plug, or Light Hood in water or other liquids to clean it.
- Do not allow water to contact hot Grow Lights.
- Use only approved and supplied parts and accessories. Use only AeroGarden Grow Lights with this AeroGarden model. Use of any other kind of accessory is not recommended. Replacement parts can be ordered from www.aerogarden.info
- Do not use AeroGarden for anything other than its intended purpose.
- This product is intended for household and residential use only. This product is not approved for commercial applications.
- If the supply cord is damaged, it must be replaced by the manufacturer, its service agent, or a similarly qualified technician to avoid a hazard.
- Electrical wiring must be in accordance with local regulations.
- This appliance is not intended for use by persons (including children) with reduced physical, sensory, or mental capabilities, or a lack of experience and knowledge, unless they have been given supervision or instruction concerning use of the appliance by a person responsible for their safety.
- Children should be supervised to ensure they do not play with the appliance.
- Rated Maximum ambient temperature 25°C.
- This product must be installed by an eligible electrician.
- Place the AeroGarden on a level surface.
- When the LED lights are on, do not touch the LED lights or the light hood.
- Do not touch the LED lights or the Light Hood with wet hands or a wet cloth unless the appliance is unplugged from the outlet.
- The lighting is a Class II device.
- If the external flexible cable or cord of this luminaire is damaged, it shall be exclusively replaced by the manufacturer or his service agent, or a similar qualified person, to avoid a hazard.
- Unplug or switch off all appliances before carrying out maintenance.
- This appliance should not be submerged in water..
- This appliance can be used by children aged 8 years and above and persons with reduced physical, sensory, or mental capabilities or lack of experience and knowledge, if they have been given supervision or instruction concerning the use of the appliance in a safe way and understand the hazards involved.
INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE
Order supplies at www.aerogarden.info
EASY & SIMPLE STEPS
TO GET YOUR AEROGARDEN UP AND GROWING
- Adjust Light Hood
The Light Hood should be set to the lowest position before planting a new Seed Pod Kit. (A)
- Plug in Power Supply Cord & AeroGarden
- Select the correct Power Supply Cord and plug it into the AeroGarden Power Cord as shown.
- Insert the selected Power Supply Cord into the outlet.
CAUTION: DO NOT plug the Power Supply Cord into the outlet before attaching it to the AeroGarden Power Cord.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Your garden is ready to grow. It is that easy!
For more details on planting, growing, and harvesting your AeroGarden, please turn the page.e
HOW TO RAISE AND LOWER THE LIGHT HOOD
To raise and lower the Light Hood, wrap one hand around the bottom of the Light Post just above the Grow Deck. Grasp the upper part of the Light Post with your other hand and push up to raise the Light Hood or push down to lower the Light Hood. The Light Post will move up or down a notch with a little pressure.
When planting a new Seed Pod Kit, the Light Hood should be set to the lowest possible position.
PLACE YOUR GARDEN…
- On a sturdy, water-tolerant surface
- Under a space that allows 41cm clearance for the full height of the raised Light Hood
- Near a standard electrical outlet, per local regulations
- In an 18°-26°C environment (optimal)
- Away from the the reach of children or pets
- Away from direct sources of heat (e.g., stove, furnace vents) or cold (e.g., window drafts, A/C vents)
- AeroGardens do not need additional light or a sunny window. Too much direct sunlight can overheat your plants.
NEXT: PLANTING YOUR GARDEN
Record the planting date on a calendar or in a notebook.
- Add Water
- Add water to the Bowl to the “Fill To Here” line on the View Window.
- Use room temperature tap water or bottled distilled water.
- Do not use well water, which can upset the nutrient balance, or softened water, which contains levels of sodium often harmful to plants.
- Add Seed Pods
- Insert Seed Pods into openings in the Grow Deck.
- Seed Pod Labels often identify plant height to assist with placement. Look for the height noted on the Labels.
- Plants grow best and look best if medium or tall plants are in the back opening, and short plants are in the front opening (see diagram).
- Seed Pod Kits for Tomatoes and Peppers often include both Seed Pods and Plant Spacers. Plant Spacers allow your Tomato/Pepper plants ample room to grow.
- Do not remove Labels from Seed Pods. The labels identify the plant type and plant height, show the germination time, and inhibit algae growth.
- Add Grow Domes
- Place a Grow Dome over each Seed Pod.
- Grow Domes rest on Seed Pods and may not ‘snap’ into place. Grow Domes don’t need to cover any Plant Spacers in your AeroGarden.
- Leave Grow Domes on the Seed Pods until plants have sprouted and their leaves nearly touch the Domes.
- Once removed, Grow Domes may be reused/recycled.
- Add Nutrients
- Nutrient instructions are printed on the packaging, as well as in the Seed Pod Kit Instructions booklet. Read and follow the instructions carefully!
- Use only the recommended amount of Liquid Nutrient.
- Add nutrient directly into the Bowl when first planting your Seed Pod Kit, and when the ‘Add Nutrient’ reminder activates (every 2 weeks).
- Do not overfeed! More isn’t better. Too many nutrients may be harmful to your plants.
- Always top off the water level when adding Liquid Nutrients. For best results, top off the water level in your garden regularly.
Read and follow the Seed Pod Kit Instructions booklet carefully!
- Plug In Cord
- DO NOT plug the Power Supply Cord into the outlet before attaching it to the AeroGarden.
- Plug in your AeroGarden. Aerator will produce air bubbles in the water bowl.
- LED Grow Lights will illuminate. Lower the Light Hood to its lowest position to give the Seed Pods optimum light.
CONGRATULATIONS!
You’re on your way to a beautiful garden.
CONTROL PANEL SETTINGS
Add Nutrients
When the ‘Add Nutrient’ light comes on (every 2 weeks), add Liquid Nutrients into the Bowl per directions on the nutrient packaging, and top up the water level to “Fill To Here.” Press and hold the ‘Light’ button for 2 seconds to turn off the blinking reminder light and reset the nutrient timer. The ‘Add Nutrient’ reminder is the small red light on the base, just above this control panel.
Light On/Off
Use to occasionally override the built-in light timer. Once pressed, LED lights will stay on/off until the next time the built-in light timer is set to go on/off. This will not affect the timing of your light cycle, and occasional use of this feature will not harm your plants.
When planting a new Seed Pod Kit, press and hold the ‘Light’ button for 10 seconds to reset all timers. The Grow Light will turn off, then back on to confirm that the garden has been reset. Your Grow Lights will come on at this time each day, and the Nutrient timer will activate every 14 days.
HOW TO PERSONALIZE YOUR LIGHT TIMER (Optional)
When you plug in your AeroGarden for the first time, the Grow Light will come on and will continue to come on at the same time every day. If you are satisfied with the light time, you do not need to make any changes. If you would like to change the time of day when the light comes on, simply unplug/replug the power cord at the time of day you want the Grow Light to come on.
Your Grow Light will now come on at this time each day, will stay on for 16 hours, and will shut off automatically.
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT LIGHTS
Your AeroGarden Sprout LED has a built-in timer for the Grow Light that automatically provides your plants with “sunlight” (16 hours a day). As long as your plants get this amount of light, it does not matter what time the lights are off. Many people find it most convenient to have the light go on in the morning and off at night, to match their own personal wake and sleep schedule.
GARDENING TIPS FOR MAXIMUM HARVESTS
PLANTING
- Many Seed Pods are labeled for height. Gardens grow and look their best when tall plants are placed in back openings, and short plants in front openings. If plants are all the same size, like Salad Greens, they can be planted anywhere.
- Do not remove Labels from Seed Pods. The labels identify the plant type and plant height, show the germination time, and inhibit algae growth.
- Grow Domes help regulate moisture and temperature for optimal germination. Leave them on until plants are nearly touching the domes.
- Seed Pod Kits for large plants like Tomatoes and Peppers often receive fewer Seed Pods to compensate for the large plant size.
GERMINATION
- Some seeds germinate in less than 24 hours. Some take 24 days or more. Most labels give an estimate of how long your seeds will take to germinate, but many factors impact germination.
- As a rule of thumb, if you are comfortable, so are your plants. However, plants are impacted by temperature. Cold-weather plants like Salad Greens germinate better in cooler temperatures. Heat lovers like Tomatoes and Peppers will germinate faster in warmer temperatures (above 21°C). But don’t sweat it! While some may take a bit more time, your seeds will germinate.
- If you are growing your seeds, plant 5-6 seeds per pod and check the seed packet for information regarding temperature and days to germination.
PRUNING
- Prune your plants, don’t raise your lights! You will achieve more compact, beautiful growth and bigger harvests if you prune to keep the lights closer to all plants in your garden.
- Fast-growing plants (like Basil) make gardeners want to raise the lights too soon. Resist! Pruning the plants just above a new leaf set (Diagram A) and leaving the lights down low will ensure that slow-growing and low-growing plants get all the light they need to flourish.
- Prune often to maintain a healthy garden, but never take more than 1/3 of each plant at a time.
- Plants compete for light. Left untended, more aggressive growers can block enough light to suppress the growth of their slower-growing neighbors, which eventually can die off due to a lack of light. Spreading leaves must be trimmed (Diagram B) to make sure that all plants get enough light to thrive and produce big yields.
- Not pruning is the number one gardening mistake made by new AeroGardeners! Prune early and prune often — and enjoy your first small harvests! There will be plenty more to come.
- Finally, pruning = harvesting. Each time you prune, you get to enjoy fresh-picked herbs in a salad, soup, on pizza, or a sandwich. And a full, bushy garden looks much better than one spindly, giant plant surrounded by straggly, light-starved neighbors. Pruning also releases a wonderful scent. So prune!
WATER
- Plants grown in the AeroGarden are designed to thrive with most municipal tap water. If your water is especially hard, improved results can be seen with distilled water or reverse osmosis water, but this is not needed in most cases.
- Do not use well water or softened water. Most well water contains a high amount of dissolved solids that upset the balance of our nutrients, and softened water adds sodium. This can result in plants suddenly browning or just not growing well.
- For best results, keep the water level near the “Fill to Here” line.
- The aerator creates air bubbles in the water and runs only when the Grow Light is on.
LIGHTS
- Plants love light! Always keep your Grow Lights as close to your plants as possible. Plants should be 3-5 cm below the Lights.
- Always check to see if you can prune plants instead of raising Grow Lights. After pruning, lower your lights back down if possible.
- You do not need to replace your LED lights unless individual diodes start to fail. Diodes have a 3-5 year life span.
NUTRIENTS
- Typically, your plants will need nutrients every 2 weeks.
- Follow the instructions for feeding amounts printed on the Liquid Nutrient packaging. Add nutrients directly into the water bowl.
- More isn’t better. Resist the temptation to add “just a little extra.” Too many nutrients can hurt your plants.
- Nutrient requirements for Tomatoes and Peppers may change as plants grow. Please refer to the Liquid Nutrient packaging for specific details.
- For best results, try a “Rinse and Refill” once a month when it’s time to add nutrients. Simply empty all water from the bowl, add fresh water and nutrients, and reset the nutrient timer. This balances the nutrients, delivering an instant ‘pick up’ to plants. Ada d Nutrient reminder blinks every 2 weeks.
POLLINATING
Because most people don’t have bees in their home, you will need to start pollinating your fruiting plants (tomatoes, peppers, etc.) once they begin to flower (approximately 4-6 weeks after planting).
To pollinate, use one or more of the following methods:
- Place an open hand inside the plant branches and gently move your hand back and forth to shake the plant and spread the pollen.
- Place a fan near your plants, and the moving air will pollinate your plants.
- Touch the main stem of the plants with an electric toothbrush and allow the vibration to spread the pollen.
HARVESTING
- Many first-time growers are hesitant to harvest. Don’t be! Most gardens will produce more, for a longer period, with frequent harvests. You almost can’t begin to harvest (prune) early enough.
- AeroGardens work best with a harvesting method called “cut and come again.” Simply put, you enjoy frequent small harvests and then watch as the plants rapidly regrow, ready for harvest again and again.
- Enjoy smaller harvests for the first month or two until plants mature and larger harvests are available.
- Harvest often to maintain a healthy garden, but never take more than 1/3 of each plant at a time.
- For Salad Greens, cut the top 2 inches off the entire garden, or harvest large leaves individually by cutting off at the base of the plant.
CAUTION – You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved in this manual could void your authority to operate this equipment.
User Maintenance
Any servicing is to be performed by an authorized service representative. Use original packaging for storage when the appliance is not used. Disconnect power before servicing or replacing lights. Use only the AeroGarden LED Light panel replacement.
DO NOT SUBMERGE. HOUSEHOLD USE ONLY
Do not immerse the cord in water or other liquids, and unplug the cord from the outlet when not in use.
To reduce the risk of electric shock, this furnishing has a polarized plug (one blade is wider than the other). This plug will fit in a polarized outlet only one way. If the plug does not fit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician to install the proper outlet. Do not change the plug in any way.
CAUTION! DO NOT PLUG POWER SUPPLY CORD INTO OUTLET BEFORE ATTACHING TO AEROGARDEN POWER CORD. (see step 2 in set-up)
Environment-Friendly Disposal
You can help protect the environment! Please remember to respect the local regulations: hand in the non-working electrical equipment to an appropriate waste disposal centre. The packaging material is recyclable. Dispose of the packaging in an environmentally friendly manner and make it available for the recyclable material collection service.
LIMITED WARRANTY
WHAT IS COVERED
This warranty covers any defects in materials or workmanship, with the exceptions stated below.
HOW LONG DOES COVERAGE LAST
This warranty runs for one (1) year on this AeroGarden and LED Grow Lights, from the date of original purchase, for the original purchaser/user.
WHAT IS NOT COVERED
The warranty shall not apply to problems arising from: normal wear; failure to adhere to enclosed operating instructions; serial numbered products if the serial number has been removed or defaced; products subject to negligence, accident, improper use, maintenance or storage; products damaged by circumstances beyond AeroGrow International Inc.’s control; loss or damage to removable parts; or products modified (including, but not limited to, modifications through the use of unauthorized parts or attachments) or repaired by anyone other than AeroGrow International, Inc., or its designee. This warranty excludes all incidental or consequential damages.
WHAT AEROGROW WILL DO
AeroGrow International, Inc., at its option, will repair any defects in materials or workmanship or will replace these products with ones of similar features and price. AeroGrow International, Inc.’s sole obligation and your exclusive remedy under this warranty shall be limited to such repair or replacement.
TO RETURN THIS PRODUCT
If you have questions or concerns regarding your AeroGarden, please contact Customer Service at customerservice@aerogrow.com. Please do not return any product without contacting AeroGrow for return authorization. Unauthorized returns, as well as C.O.D. shipments, will be refused.
Due to continuing improvements, the actual product may differ slightly from the product described herein.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our customer service representatives at customerservice@aerogrow.com
NEED SUPPLIES? Visit our website: www.aerogarden.info
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