The AeroGarden is an original portable garden which includes everything needed to grow herbs, flowers, and vegetables all year indoors with ease. No pesticides are needed and it requires no soil or green thumb. The AeroGarden leverages cutting edge aeroponic technology to grow plants in air and water. It includes grow lights, pods, a microprocessor, and more. Plants can even be transplanted outdoors after growing!
See an example of plant growth in this video, and three AeroGardens we recommend at the bottom of this post:
There are many thousands of varieties of plants to choose from to grow in California. Because there are so many climates in California, not all plants grow in each location. For example, microclimates in San Francisco may be cool or foggy while areas in Central California may be sunny and warm. Here are the best ways to choose plants to grow in California:
1. Drive around and see what people in your neighborhood are growing. Do the plants look healthy? Choose plants that grow well.
2. Go to local garden centers. Most plants they sell should be those that will grow nearby. Garden center staff may reveal plants that will grow well.
Here are the steps to create a seed starting rack for your home. Creating this seed starting system doesn’t require much effort at all.
Purchase a wire rack. You can get this at a kitchen store, restaurant supply store, Costco, or another store. Ensure it has casters so it can roll. Ensure the shelves are adjustable.
Buy fluorescent tube grow lights or shop lights, with one warm and one cool bulb.
Hang shop lights from the rack shelves. Use the chains they come with.
Get a seed starter kit from any local home improvement store. Or just get a tray and punch holes in the bottom.
Use a soiless mixture for these seeds as new seedlings like a light and airy mix. Pre moisten the mixture in a bag before using it.
Don’t plant your seeds too deep. Just plant them about 1/2 centimeter deep, pressing into the mix.
Put a layer of sphagnum moss on top of your mix to prevent the seeds from dying overnight from damping off.
Optional: put a plastic dome on top of your seed tray so it acts as a greenhouse to give seeds a moist environment to sprout. Remove this dome once the seeds sprout.
Note that seedlings need 10-12 hours of light per day. You can use a timer so no there is no need to worry when the lights will come on. Keep the light close to your seedlings.
You can move the lights as close as possible as the seedlings grow.
Don’t forget to water the mix so it does not dry out at any time.
Once seedlings have grown 3 sets of new leaves it is time to be fed.
You can water with a soluble fertilizer at 1/2 strength so the plants feed themselves.
When looking for privacy plants, shrubs, and trees to create an outdoor privacy screen, there are a number of great options. Although it is possible to buy a garden fence for outdoor privacy, living things are relaxing and fun to look at. Outdoor privacy screens block out noise, give privacy, and look pleasant. Here are a number of plants, shrubs, and trees we recommend, all listed and priced here.
Stephanandra ‘Crispa’ - Shade, prevents erosion on hills, grows in zones 3-8
Taxus Margarita - Part shade or full sun, 4 to 6 ft height/width, grows in zones 3-7
Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ - Part shade, beautiful big blooms, grows to height of 4 feet tall, grows in zones 4-9
Rhododendron P.J.M. - Part shade or full sun, beautiful foliage, 5-6 feet tall, grows in zones 4-8
x Cupressocyparis leylandii - Sun or light shade, fast growing, dense, can trim to be 10-30 feet tall, grows in zones 6-9
Caryopteris ‘Longwood Blue’ - Sun or part shade, great as a hedge, about 2 feet tall, grows in zones 5-9
Cryptomeria ‘Radicans’ - Part shade or full sun, drought resistant and fast grower, can grow 10-40 feet in height depending on your trimming, grows in zones 5-8
Pinus ‘Thunderhead’ - Sun, easy to grow, 5-6 feet in height, zones 5-9
Thuja ‘Green Giant’ - Part shade to sun, easy to grow and fragrant, trim to be anywhere between 10-30 feet tall, grows in zones 5-8
