A blog by Jorge Garcia.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Aero Garden: Because You Asked


It's been about three months since I started my Aero Garden and I guess the word to describe it is:
LOPSIDED.
As you can see the Parsley is just barely growing while the Dill has disappeared completely.
On top of that the two herbs that are flourishing are the two herbs that sprout up like weeds all over my garden, Basil and Mint. And they are totally overcrowding Thyme the one herb I'm really rooting for because I can't seem to grow it in the ground, ever.

I already bought another herb pack which I'll probably start in January. But if that one doesn't yield an impressive bunch of herbs, I think the next stop for the Aero Garden will be the Salvation Army.

51 comments:

Jules said...

How about you do a drawing for your Aero Garden. I know I would be up for putting my name in a hat for the chance of winning that sucker! Though shipping might be a bummer...

Eugen Caitaz said...

:)

Unknown said...

Try putting it somewhere away from a window so it won't get additional light. I have one of those and I had no problem growing the mixed greens. :) I haven't tried the herbs yet.

Erin said...

Maybe you are simply the victim of thyme travel! ;)

Alison said...

Jorge, Parsley is a biennial, which means it grows slowly the first year, then dies back, and the second year grows back much bigger. I don't know about the dill. I think you need to put the parsley outside.

Andrea said...

hallo Jorge,
you added this post at 6.17AM.....
you wake up early in the morning!!!!
have a nice day!
a big hallo from Italy

Tynett said...

speaking of Kickball, I thought you'd find this interestng, this organization called Flashes of Hope actuallys sponsors Kickball Tournament to raise $ for kids with cancer. The money goes to have photos taken children in the hospital with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses because often times their families are so focused on their grief and worry, that they don't think about the memories they aren't documenting on the good days. Check them out... http://www.flashesofhope.org/

ReNaTo UêGa said...

An Amazon Forest in your home! LOL

Hugs Jorgeman!!!

James Hernandez said...

Jorge,

I had to garden when I was younger and hated every minute of it. My family had three acres and that was a heck of a lot of work. Now I wish we had aero gardens back in the day.

arabelle marie said...

Better start using that basil and mint.

You can donate it to me if it doesn't turn out well.

I always thought it was weird to buy herbs at the grocery store when it seemed so simple to grow them. Yet, I keep buying them.

I do hope your new herb pack turns out better.

maija said...

Thyme is a pain to grow. I gave up on it a few years ago. It's too slow-growing and delicate at the seedling stage. I buy a nice little shub of it from a guy at the farmers' market.

The parsley might still work. It takes a while to reach critcal mass.

Are those little cardboard tops blocking some of the light maybe?

groovymom said...

Good Golly - those on the left seem to be growing more than that tiny dish should allow! I'm quite impressed!!

When you get ready to start your next batch of the hard to grow herbs (if not using the aero garden) I bet it would help to mix in some of that compost you've been making, and put a good layer of it under your plantings. I always add banana peel, coffee grounds and egg shells when I'm mixing compost.

We love to watch your garden grow!!
GOOD LUCK!

Tricia said...

Oh, I've had much better luck with mine except for now because I have hard water which is softened with salt which is not a good growing medium so I have to buy water and then what's the point, right? So, I keep it in my kitchen and dust it every now and then.

Anyhoo, they have fabulous customer service. Call them and they will do good things for you. But, they probably won't send you distilled water.

Stacey B said...

Ahhhh, poor Aero Garden. I wonder if the light is different on one side coming from the window? I can't seem to get cilantro to grow myself!

MissBeaHaven said...

Jorge, don't give up. See if there is help out there for folks that have black thumbs and what a green one. I know that you can do it. And if it just doesn't work how about a lottery drawing from us that follow your blog. Or you could come upo with fair idea. Also there is a group on yahoo called Freecyclee at yahoo groups that you could give it away to I am a member here in Missouri. Your fan and loyal blog reader. Or it could go to the first comment of today. Lacie

Goof said...

Can you pick and choose which herbs go in the aero garden? Maybe just focus on the ones you have a hard time with while the mint and basil can grow outside like you already can do?

((((((HUGS)))))))

Paul Spooner said...

Lets hope the cops don't drive by and mistake in for another kind of herb!

Checkie said...

I'm rooting for the thyme to fight back and make it. The basil and mint are just being bullies, man.

Eugen Caitaz said...

Jorge I write a little about Hawaii!! Please look here;)
http://dispatchesfromtheme.blogspot.com/2009/11/destination-point.html

It's really your house?

Aloha Jon said...

Jorde. the Aero Garden just doesn't work. I had one and i tossed it.

Aloha Jon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
julian said...

'Basil Garden' - that's what I decided the aerogarden's real identity is. For some reason it does seem to grow basil much better than most other things - and I think that's why there's a basil varieties pack.

Judy in Indiana said...

I have a friend who has great luck with herbs in her aero garden. We live in Indiana and have little sunlight in winter. Maybe yours are so happy they have no need to peek their heads out for fresh air?

Melissa said...

I have one, and the plants never grew well in it. I'm glad we got it from a yard sale for 20 bucks.

intergalactic said...

Thyme the one herb I'm really "rooting" for.

:)

...i

JimPel said...

Hey Jorge,

My Mint went out of control in my garden this year. I had to cut back more the 2/3 of the plant for the winter here this year. Something like Mint is worth putting into a separate pot all together.

Thyme you need to grow in a bright sunny window separate from every things else. I've always had success with it outdoors. Most of the time I just leave it alone.

Maureen said...

Jorge, you might want to do a bit a research into which herbs are most appropriate for your "aero" garden. Sounds like some garden challenged desk jockey with the Aero Garden manufacturer didn't bother to research what would grown best in the garden before including those seeds with it. I wouldn't waste my time or money on those seed packs that come with windowsill garden products.

Instead, go to a garden store and ask the clerk there for guidance before you plant your next crop. With right seeds your Aero Garden might surprise you.

Unknown said...

You can get packs (master Garen Kits) for the aerogarden that allow you to put your own seeds in. Use one of these kits and plant the seeds for the herbs you want.

http://www.amazon.com/AeroGarden-Master-Gardener-Deluxe-3-Season/dp/B000PYF0SI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1258494544&sr=8-1

yellowdoggranny said...

did you switch them around? rotate them..

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry Jorge - this has nothing to do with this post on your BLOG. But I was just so happy that this local news article was NOT about you!

http://tiny.cc/ot9oT

Take care!
ally

Bethany James Leigh Shady said...

no, jenea, that is not our house. the address that you write jorge at are the studio offices. his fanmail then gets delivered to him at work.

our house is constantly traveling through time, so you'd never be able to spot it even if you did have the address.

Jessie Rayot said...

Ooo..I'm so sorry your herbs are so sad. But thank you for the review, I was thinking about getting one of those because I live in an apt, and have no yard to grow a garden in. Let us know if it works better the second time around.

Jessie Rayot said...

Beth, you are too funny!

Jennifer said...

Mint grows like crazy. We have some too and I when I was reading it said to keep it by itself otherwise it will kill all the other plants.

As far as blogs go I have a wordpress one and it is a lot more high tech and customizable than blogger.com. For example it has this feature where you have can moderate comments, you approve it the first time and then after that the person can post without a problem. Then it also has a feature where it sends spam comments to a spam folder. I like it. It has a lot more cool stuff too, that's just one feature.

I looked at your blog too Bethany and you seem really cool. Thanks for posting!

Anonymous said...

LOL, I love your answer, Bethany! Enjoy your time there. I miss Hawaii tremendously! My in-laws will be pastoring a church out there in the next few weeks, unfortunately we won't be able to return there for quite a while longer. Please take time to sniff a plumeria, a white ginger, and a tuberrose for me. I'm growing plumeria in pots in the house now--only a few blossoms from a dwarf tree but no fragrance. I'm hoping the other unknown kind of plumeria will have blossoms this next year.

Elizabeth - Elizabeth-Michelle.com said...

I'm so sorry you're not having luck! I don't think it was anything that I did, but my AeroGarden sprouted more of all the herbs than I knew what to do with. The comment about moving it away from the window may be onto something. I don't think they require anything in addition to what they get from the light.

Anonymous said...

Funny, my herb pack in my aerogarden did the same thing and I thought it was because my two year old son kept pulling the little plastic domes off while the seeds were sprouting. Now I feel bad for yelling at the little guy.

Dr Mum said...

My favourite is Peppermint Aero

Nene said...

Hi Jorge,

thanks for posting this.
I think i´ll keep buying my herbs in the grocery store.

You saved me some money ; )

Irishcoda said...

your garden may be a little lopsided but I'm happy to see it's *growing*. The only thing I can grow is weeds. :(

ROFLMAOPIMP, I just read Erin's comment--thyme travel!!!

jennY said...

there never is enough Thyme...

the garden does look great though! :)

Kacie said...

I tried growing a bunch of things this summer - cilantro failed miserably, as did thyme. I found that the plants I bought as seedlings did much better than the ones I bought as seeds.

Eugen Caitaz said...

Jorge is true, what write Beth!? :)

cathescomicz said...

I'd miss the smell of dirt and "worm hunting". When we plant inside- our kittens have the thyme, of seven or so, of their lives. Now I'm hungry for mango salad..thanks.

Jack_LOST said...

What genre this film?

micki said...

Hi there! You might want to check nutrient/water levels. Are the plants in question getting enough of these? Sometimes with kits like these there is a lopsided-ness because the plants aren't having enough access to nutrients/water.
Just a thought.

Anonymous said...

Hi! It's my first time posting here but I try to check in every once in awhile. Ok the key to thyme is to not water it too much. It likes to be dry. Trust me I got tons and tons this year. I kept forgetting to water it and it thrived. I did a bit of research and it loves drier soil.

Capcom said...

Thanks SO much for posting a follow-up to your Aerogargen consumer test! I've been wondering how it worked for you as I've been thinking of buying the small version. I'd like to try the greens for fresh salads thru the winter, as herbs I can do outside for the most part.

Thanks again for the update. :-)

Anonymous said...

i have an aerogarden and i learned (the hard way) that you really have to prune the heck out of the basil and mint, and KEEP pruning them. as it looks right now i'd say the tiny plants aren't getting enough light. (the lamp is supposed to be closer to them.)

aaaaaaaand you probably already know that. but the basil went BOOM and it's hard to keep up with once it gets going.

Katherine said...

I just discovered your blog yesterday and read the whole thing already and I have to say, I love you even more now than I did on Lost! Especially the garden segments. My husband is a budding gardener and its nice to get gardening tips/experiences from someone who is not martha stewart and makes you want to quit because you will NEVER be that perfect!!

Wendy said...

If you're still thinking of donating the Aero Grow to Salvation Army, donate it this was to North Dakota where we only get enough light in summer to start Basil and Rosemary! I'll even pay for shipping and more if you'd like!