When we lived in Westchester, New York on an acre of property, building an enclosed walk-in garden was one of the most exciting improvements we made to our home. And then we moved to cold Minnesota and I left our garden behind.
The Click and Grow smart garden is a good option for anyone without a yard, who lives in an apartment, condo, or other small space. Or anyone without a green thumb.
A couple of years ago, my husband surprised me with a Click and Grow Smart Garden, and it’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. I’m impressed with the selection of different plants Click and Grow offers but mostly, it’s just so easy.
Here is my official Click and Grow review after years of successfully growing plants, herbs, vegetables, and flowers.
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- What is the Click and Grow Smart Garden?
- What I love about the Click and Grow
- Which Click and Grow Garden Is right for you?
- Why is this the best time to buy an indoor garden?
- Benefits to owning a smart garden
- Which plants can you grow with the Click and Grow?
- Herbs
- Fruits & Vegetables
- Greens
- Flowers
- Grow Anything Plant Capsule
- Click and Grow Tips
- Pros and Cons of the Click and Grow
- Click and Grow vs AeroGarden: Which is Better?
- My Most Successful Click and Grow Plants
- My Least Successful Click and Grow Plants
- Is Click and Grow Worth it?
- Which of the Click and Grow Garden Kits is Right for You?
- Final Thoughts
What is the Click and Grow Smart Garden?
If indoor gardening systems make you think of the future, you’re not alone. I remember as a kid touring Epcot’s Living with the Land indoor farming pods. Or more recently watching a flash-ahead episode of The Affair when an adult Joanie tends to her indoor wall garden.
Welcome to the future. A smart garden system is now a reality for the everyday person.
If you know how to make a cup of coffee, you can grow a smart garden. The Click and Grow reminds me of the Keurig. Simply place a new pod (soil and seed included) into the recessed cavity in the smart garden, label the tab to identify your seedling, and pour some water into the water tank. Plug it in and within days, you will see your garden sprout.
It uses smart soil:
- to evenly distribute water to plants
- which has the perfect balance of pH-levels, water, oxygen, and nutrients
- no pesticides, fungicides or harmful substances
- plants grow 30 percent faster
What I love about the Click and Grow
Ease of use
- cheaper than buying herbs at a grocery store
- does not require everyday care
- LED grow light automatically goes on according to schedule
- self-watering garden
- uses smart soil that contains both the seed and nutrients
- you only need to monitor the water level indicator, prune your herbs and/or pick your fruits and veggies, and replenish with new seed pods when needed
- order pods on subscription to make sure you’re fully stocked
Minimalistic design
My Smart Garden looks great sitting on my countertop. Not only do the plants give my kitchen some extra color but the garden itself has a sleek and modern design.
Which Click and Grow Garden Is right for you?
The Smart Garden 3
This small garden grows up to 3 plants and includes three basil pods (my favorite herb to grow). It’s available in 3 colors: white, grey, or beige.
The Smart Garden 9
This is the garden I own. It includes 3 tomato plant pods, 3 basil plant pods, and 3 lettuce plant pods. It’s available in three colors: white, grey, or beige.
The Smart Garden 9 PRO
You can also opt for the Smart Garden 9 Pro which integrates with Click and Grow’s app to regulate the lights or change the schedule. It also lets you know when your plant has reached its “lasts up to” date and needs to be replaced with a new plant pod.
The Click and Grow 25
Available for pre-order, this smart garden resembles a traditional garden bed. As the name suggests, it holds up to 25 pods. It’s available in two finishes: white or dark.
The Smart Garden 27
This three-tiered indoor smart garden holds 27 pods and is perfect for a kitchen or sunroom. It comes with 9 basil plant pods, 9 lettuce plant pods, and 9 mini tomato plant pods. It’s available in white, grey, or beige.
The Wall Farm Indoor Vertical Garden
This indoor garden of my dreams (currently sold out) holds 51 pods!
Why is this the best time to buy an indoor garden?
Over the last few years, we’re spending more time at home. We’re redecorating our homes, working from home, and eating at home. I now cook most nights, either from meal kits like Purple Carrot or suggestions from cookbooks.
Benefits to owning a smart garden
1. Edible plants available year-round
The thing I love best about my smart garden is always having fresh herbs available within arm’s reach while cooking. My go-to herbs are dill (great with eggs), basil (pasta dishes), rosemary, and thyme (both great with homemade soups).
2. A ray of sunshine
On dark dreary days, walking into my kitchen (where I keep my smart garden) always brings a smile to my face. Not only is the LED light like a burst of sunshine but seeing actual life growing on the coldest days makes me happy.
3. No green thumb needed
If you’re notoriously known as a plant killer amongst your friends and family, your murderous streak will come to an end with the Click and Grow.
The only thing you need to remember to do is to occasionally replenish the water reservoir (generally every couple weeks) when it runs low. Other than that, it’s literally set it and forget it.
You can’t mess up these indoor plants.
Which plants can you grow with the Click and Grow?
With Click and Grow, you can grow over 75 varieties of plants.
Pods come in a 3-pack. Each pod contains the soil and seed needed to grow into a plant, expected to live from 5 months to an entire year.
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Most popular Click and Grow plant pods
- mini tomato
- wild strawberry
- lavender
- rosemary
- peppermint
- cilantro/coriander
Herbs
- apple mint
- basil
- catnip
- chives
- cilantro/coriander
- curly parsley
- cinnamon basil
- dill
- garden sage
- holy basil
- dwarf basil
- hyssop
- lavender
- lemon basil
- marjoram
- lemon balm
- mountain savory
- oregano
- peppermint
- plain parsley
- red basil
- Thai basil
- thyme rosemary
You can also purchase the following 9-pod mixes:
- Italian herb mix
- steak seasoning
- calming tea
Or you can purchase 54-pod packs:
- try everything mix
- must-have herb mix
- herb and salad mix
Use promo code MYPURSESTRINGS to save 10% when buying direct
Fruits & Vegetables
- chili pepper
- dwarf pea
- mini tomato
- Piri Piri chili pepper
- purple chili pepper
- red hot chili pepper
- red sweet pepper
- wild strawberry
- yellow chili pepper
- yellow mini tomato
- yellow sweet pepper
You can also purchase in bulk:
- chili pepper mix (9-pack)
- fruit and veggie mix (9-pack)
- try everything mix (54-pack)
Greens
- rainbow chard
- leaf radish
- Italian kale
- Oakleaf lettuce
- arugula
- bloody sorrel
- garden cress
- green chard
- green kale
- green lettuce
- green sorrel
- leaf mustard
- mibuna
- pak choi
- red chard
- red frill mustard
- red kale
- red lettuce
- red park choi
- romaine lettuce
- shungiku
- wasabi mustard
You can also purchase the following 9-packs:
- Asian cuisine mix
- salad greens mix
Or 54-packs:
- try everything mix
- dark greens mix
- sald greens mix
Flowers
- Calendula
- Dusty Miller
- Ornamental grass
- Lace Fern
- Black Pansy
- Blue Petunia
- Busy Lizzie
- Cockscomb
- Cornflower
- Lavender
- Moss Rose
- Painted Nettle
- Petunia
- Pink Petunia
- Polka Dot Flower
- Red Pansy
- Sweet Alyssum
- White Snapdragon
Get these muti-packs:
- vibrant flower mix (9-pack)
- vibrant flower mix (54-pack)
Grow Anything Plant Capsule
These refill capsule pods do not contain seeds. Rather, add your own seeds of any plant you want to grow. Called the experimental pack, I have not tried this yet.
Click and Grow Tips
After owning my Click and Grow for some time now, here are some tips:
- Check the water detector regularly
- If you like a certain plant, consider planting multiple pods of it in your garden. One pesto recipe wiped out my basil supply. I now have at least 3 basil plants growing at all times.
- Remove the included plastic dome when your plant begins sprouting.
- Consider transplanting your plants once fully grown. I have not done this but would have extended the lives of my plants.
- Mold or algae growth in the pod does not mean your plant is sick. You can remove it if you wish but it will not harm your plant.
- If you don’t want the LED light on all day long, set it to turn on at night. It needs to run for 16 hours on and 8 hours off to sustain plant growth.
- You can buy replacement pods on Amazon, however, there is a much better selection on the Click and Grow website. You’ll also save up to 50% by subscribing and you can save even further 10% by using this link.
- Plant what makes you happy. I like to always add some sort of flower as bookends in my smart garden.
Pros and Cons of the Click and Grow
Pros
- easy gardening
- no sunlight needed. Light turns on and off automatically.
- fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers can grow year round, despite your weather conditions
- add new flavors to your cooking with exotic herbs
- energy efficient
- for every garden, you buy, Click and Grow plants a tree.
Cons
- you cannot use your own soil or buy competitors’ pods
- you need some counter space or other designated place for your garden
- some plants are more successful than others but Click and Grow has a sprouting guaranteee, meaning if it doesn’t grow, they replace it.
Click and Grow vs AeroGarden: Which is Better?
My best friend has the AeroGarden. From what I’ve gathered, the AeroGarden requires much more maintenance than the Click and Grow.
The AeroGarden models:
- require you to add nutrients every two weeks to your plants.
- has a pump and filter, the latter. of which needs occasional replacing.
- recommend using AirStones for an oxygen boost.
- need regular cleanings using bleach or vinegar.
The Click and Grow:
- nutrients are packed in the soil. You do not need to add extra nutrients.
- to maintain the Click and Grow, just rinse it out occasionally with water (or if needed, detergent)
For those reasons alone, Click and Grow is the clear winner to me.
My Most Successful Click and Grow Plants
Easily, our favorite plant and most successful plant are the varieties of basil. I also love having dill and chive on hand.
My Least Successful Click and Grow Plants
I’m currently growing chili peppers. While the plant looks healthy and grew tall, we have yet to see any peppers grow. I also had little success with tomatoes, strawberries, and growing other fresh fruit.
Is Click and Grow Worth it?
The answer is 100 percent yes. It’s one of my favorite things and I have recommended this as a gift and bought it for others. Not only does it look fantastic and add a pop of color to your house, but this is also actually something that you can use and consume. I’m always happy to recommend any product that promotes healthy living.
I’ve tried both outdoor and indoor herb gardens before and while, it always starts off promising, within months, they die. Sometimes I overwater them and other times, they dry out because I don’t give them enough water. The Click and Grow makes growing an herb garden simple.
Also, while I do love an outdoor garden, unless you live in a perfect climate, it has a limited lifespan. I love that I can grow my own herbs and vegetables year-round, 365 days a year while living in the Midwest.
Another thing you don’t have to worry about with your indoor garden is putting competing plants next to one another. Each plant will grow regardless of who its neighbor may be.
Which of the Click and Grow Garden Kits is Right for You?
The Smart Garden 9 is the best option for my family. This allows me to grow several of my favorite plants at once.
Whichever model you choose, you’ll be growing your own plants, fresh vegetables, and leafy greens with minimal effort. If you’ve been afraid to grow your own fresh food at home, you can’t find an easier way than Click and Grow.
Plus, the different models all have the same sleek and modular design which adds a bit of style to any home.
Final Thoughts
Click and Grow is a great way to grow healthy plants in your home. You don’t even have to think. It makes sure your plants have all the essential nutrients and enough light to thrive and it’s much easier than any of the other hydroponic systems out there.
Plus, you can experiment with growing all different types of plants, including ones that may not be suitable to your particular outdoor soil or climate.
It’s worth mentioning too that Click and Grow has superb customer service and is worth contacting if you have any issues. They’ll try to make it right and even send you replacement pods if necessary.
The Click and Grow units use just 6 watts of energy and with that, you will not notice a change in your electricity bill.
If you’re an experienced gardener or a first time gardener, the Click and Grow is worth trying.
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Michelle Platt is a content creator and certified personal trainer. Proving it’s never too late to reinvent yourself, she’s a former attorney and teacher who loves to do the research so you don’t have to. She takes a deep dive into each topic and writes about her wellness journey here. She loves trying out new workouts, fitness tips, healthy foods, and products to share with you. This native New Yorker recently made the move to the suburbs of Minneapolis, where she lives with her husband, two kids, and two dogs.