FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I set-up my Garden Gizmo? 

A: Check out our quick set-up video here.

Q: Can I use any seeds in my Garden Gizmo?

A: You can use your favourite seeds or even try seedlings for an 'instant garden'. 

Q: How long do seeds take to germinate in my Garden Gizmo? How many seeds should I grow in each pod? When do I take the domes off?
A: Expect to see seedlings emerge between 3 - 14 days.  Sow 3 or 4 seeds per pod to allow for any that don't germinate. Ideally you will want 1 fully grown plant per pod so you may need to thin out / remove any extra seedlings. Remove the domes once the seedlings appear.

Note: Different seeds germinate at different times. Room temperature, water temperature and quantity of light can effect this. 

Q: Can I grow tomatoes in my Garden Gizmo? What varieties do you recommend?

A: Absolutely! Look for dwarf determinate (bush) varieties. You will need to prune your plants to keep them smaller. If you feel like experimenting with something a little more challenging you can try to bonsai a tomato plant like we did here. 

Q: Can I grow carrots or potatoes in my Garden Gizmo?

A: You can propagate carrot or potato seeds, but once spouted they will need to be removed as the grow box is not deep enough to grow carrots / potatoes to their full size.

Q: How often should I change the water in / add nutrients to my Garden Gizmo?

A: For optimal results it is recommended to change the water and nutrients every week. This is most important for mature plants. Use the old water on your indoor or outdoor plants rather than throwing it away.

Q: How much does a Garden Gizmo cost to run?

A: Approximately 10 cents per day on max (16hr) duration and max brightness.

Q: My seedlings are growing tall and thin and falling over. How do I fix this?

A: 'Legginess' in seedlings is almost always caused by insufficient light. Drop the light down as close to your seedlings as possible. Use the 16hr on duration setting and the brightest light setting.

Q: Why does my Garden Gizmo not have a pump?

A: We trialled a lot of systems and all the pumps were noisy, some leaked, didn't add oxygen, and barely moved the water - apart from what's directly around it. They can also be costly to run. This system works by having a gap between the water and the top of the grow box called the Kratky Hydroponics method. This supplies all the air the plants need.

Q: Can I use an air stone in my Garden Gizmo?

A: Yes. There is a flap that you can weave an air supply line into the bottom of the grow box through. 

Q: What is the difference between the Garden Gizmo's warm white light and other systems with pink / red lights?

A: Plants love light. Our light is full spectrum meaning it contains all the colours of the sun. The warm white colour is easier on the human eye. With 84 LEDs it is also one of the largest on the market for any hydro garden.

Q: I work away / am going on holiday. How long can I leave my plants unattended for?

A: The short answer is 2 weeks. The long answer is it depends on the size and quantity of plants. Do a heavy prune / harvest of any mature plants, dim the light and reduce the light timer duration to 8 hours on. Your plants should be OK for about 2 weeks. Plants will still grow, but more slowly, thus use less water.

Q: Why do you use a Coco/ Perlite Grow Medium and not rockwool/ leca balls/ or ready-formed peat pods?
A: Coco/perlite is the ideal grow medium for all plants. While other grow mediums are convenient for the supplier, we found them to be an inferior way to grow. They are expensive to re-fill, have a higher fail rate and don't allow for different planting methods. 
Q: My herbs are turning yellow. What should I do?

A: This is usually due to a lack of nutrients or light. 

Q: Some of my plants are small while others are growing big and strong. Why?

A: The larger plants could be blocking the light from reaching the smaller ones. Either prune back the larger plants or remove some plants and spread out the remaining ones.

Q: I have set-up my Garden Gizmo but the light is not working. What do I do?
A: We personally test every Garden Gizmo before it is sent. A common problem can be not having a proper connection between the power supply and the unit. 
  1. Please unplug the unit from the power source.
  2. Completely dismantle the unit.
  3. Re-assemble the unit and ensure that the base and the light both 'click' when attached to the silver light post. You can push down fairly hard to ensure a good connection. The white buttons at the rear of the light post should protrude.
  4. Plug the unit back into the power source and see if this has helped.