Click & Grow Smart Garden: 10 Care Tips & Tricks
By Linus T.
Updated Jun 2023
The Click and Grow Smart Garden is known for making gardening effortless and hassle-free, but that doesn't mean theres nothing you can actively do to really take your garden to the next level. Here's 10 tips and tricks to help you get started.
On our list
Tip #1: Take Note Of Harvest cycles
Tip #2: Take Note of "Lasts Up To" Dates
Tip #3: Pest Prevention And Management
Tip #4: Thin Your Plant
Tip #5: Prune Your Herbs & Deadhead Your Flowers
Tip #6: Pollinate Your Plants
Tip #7: Prevent Mould From Growing
Tip #8: Monitor Your Room temperature
Tip #9: Repot Your Plants
Tip #10: Clean Your Smart Garden Regularly
Tip #1: Take Note Of Harvest cycles
It's important to harvest your edible plants at the appropriate time in order to fully enjoy their optimum taste and nutritional value. By deadheading flowers and removing plant debris, your plants will last longer, grow better and yield more in the long run. Check out the Click and Grow application for videos and guides on how to best harvest various edibles!
Tip #2: Take Note of "Lasts Up To" Dates
The 'lasts up to date' is essentially the maximum amount of time a plant pod will produce or yield flowers from the time it was planted. This date can be used to determine the harvest date of edibles and can be found on the application and on the packaging.
Tip #3: Pest Prevention And Management
The Click and Grow Plant Pods do not contain fungicides or pesticides, which on one hand makes your food 100% safe and organic, but on the other hand makes your plants vulnerable to pest attacks. To ward off unwanted bugs, consider growing some plants that contain aromatic oils known to repel harmful insects such as lavender, french marigold, peppermint and catnip.
In the case you do encounter some bugs, here are some tips for how to manage the infestation:
1. If a colony has not formed, remove the insects immediately and leave the plants to grow.
2. If a colony has formed, remove the whole plant and clean all cavities thoroughly with antiseptic solution, vodka, vinegar or other disinfecting products.
3. Steer clear of insecticides as most chemicals (even organic ones) are not meant for indoor use or for use on edibles.
Tip #4: Thin Your Plant
All Click and Grow Plant Pods contain multiple seeds to ensure germination. This brings about the risk of overcrowded plant pods which may result in a nutrient shortage. Thinning is gardening jargon for removing sprouts that are growing too close together, providing the remaining seedling more space, light and nutrients to properly thrive. Its super easy and super worth it as it will ultimately bring you the best results.
Thinning should be done once the first seedlings sprout. Keep the strongest seedling and gently pull the other unwanted seedlings out of the soil then simply pat down the disrupted soil. Only some of the Click and Grow Plant Pods require thinning, this includes mini tomatos, all varieties of chili peppers, red sweet peppers, yellow sweet peppers and cocksomb which should be thinned to one seedling per pod. In the case of wild strawberries, you may allow up to two seedlings per pod.
Tip #5: Prune Your Herbs & Deadhead Your Flowers
Pruning your plants can extend the lifespan of your plant greatly and should be done to most of your herbs. Once your herbs have at least 2-3 pairs of real leaves, cut the stem with sharp scissors right above the node (the place where leaves come out). From every cut, 2 new shoots will appear allowing for bushier growth. Don't get too scissor happy and leave at least 1-2 pairs of real leaves on the plant or else it might die.
In the case of decorative plants, flowers are sure to wither in time. Deadheading means to remove dead flowers and leaves from plants to promote the formation of new flower buds, this is especially the case for petunia and pansies.
Tip #6: Pollinate Your Plants
It's important to gently shake your plant or use a paintbrush to move pollen from one blossom to the next. This imitates the work of bees and the effect of the wind which helps pollinate plants like Tomatoes, Strawberries and Chilli Peppers bear more fruit.
Tip #7: Prevent Mould From Growing
The lack of fungicides coupled with the nutrients, water and optimal pH level of the plant pods make it a perfect breeding ground for mould and algae to grow. Although this specific type of mould and algae is non-toxic, its a pretty ugly sight so we have some tips to help you avoid it.
1. Don't overwater your plants, the float should stay in the middle of the tank. If your plant pods are too wet, remove the pods from the garden and air dry for 1-2 days before placing them back in.
2. Don't remove the white U-shaped lids that come with your Smart Garden. These lids cover the soil surface from light to prevent algae and mould from thriving.
3. Add a layer of cinnamon powder which acts as a natural repellent.
Tip #8: Monitor Your Room temperature
Some Click and Grow Plant Pods require a precise temperature range for successful germination. The recommended average room temperature suitable for all plant pods is 22°C. Here is a list of plants that are heat sensitive and should be grown in a 18°C to 24°C environment.
Edible greens: Green Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce, Green Sorrel, Bloody Sorrel, Arugula, Red Kale, Leaf Mustard, Pak Choi, Red Pak Choi
Decorative plants: Moss Rose, Busy Lizzie, Cornflower, Black Pansy
Fruiting plants: Dwarf Pea
On the other hand, most herbs and fruiting plants such as peppers, chilies and tomatoes benefit from warmer temperatures which promote faster germination and growth. If you're unsure about your plant pods, specific temperature ranges can be found in the plant catalog and on the Click and Grow mobile application.
Tip #9: Repot Your Plants
You can transplant your plant pods to a bigger pot to extend the life of your plant and free up room in your smart garden to grow new plants. If you wish to repot your plants, it's important to do so before they wilt. Once repotted, the plants will require consistent watering and daily care as per regular potted plants in order to continue thriving.
Tip #10: How To Clean Your Smart Garden
It's important to clean your smart garden prior to inserting a new plant pod. Simply dump out the water in the unit and rinse the water reservoir with warm water and a bit of detergent. Dry thoroughly with a paper towel before inserting new pods and you're good to go!.
You're All Set
That's all the tips we have for you today, frankly if you nail these tricks you'll have absolutely no problems conquering your Click and Grow. They say if you want to be happy for a day, get drunk, but if you want to be happy for life, be a gardener. We hope that these simple tips and tricks will you step up your gardening skills and help bring you one closer towards a lifetime's worth of happiness.
To see the full collection for Click and Grow, you can visit the link here.
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