My herbs were getting too big for my aerogarden so I transplanted them. Keep in mind that when you transplant them into the soil, they will experience shock and look very droopy. Pro tip: I used skewers in the pots I put my herbs in to make them stand on their own. They will stop being droopy after awhile.
Trim your AeroGarden's plants
If the plants would normally grow too tall for the AeroGarden, you can 'train' the plants to grow out instead of up by cutting the top of the plant off, above the 5th stem. This will encourage the plant to grow and fill out sideways rather than up.
Cutting Back and Pinching Plants
Cutting back is the process of removing one-half or more of the plant to reduce the size of overgrown plants. Some plant species respond well to being cut back by producing abundant new growth, but others do not.
The best time to make the move from an AeroGarden seed starting system to soil is when the seedling grows its first set of true leaves.
If your large indoor plant has many leaves, the best way to combat this is by pruning. Removing damaged parts of the plant and trimming excess growth is vital to maintaining healthy houseplants. Some large houseplants are ideal for propagating. This means you can grow smaller plants for no extra cost!
Some growers recommend starting to root prune your hydroponic plants once there is some decent root development. At this early stage, it's as simple as snipping apical roots that are dominating the root mass, to shorten them up to around the same length as adjacent roots.
Flower varieties typically grow for 4-5 months and can last much longer depending on tending and care. Lettuces & Greens typically grow for about 4 months. Herbs typically grow for about 3-4 months and can last 6 months or more.
Keep pruning the new growth off the top about every two weeks, making sure to remove the growing tip. After the plant determines that growing upward is not an option, it will send out new branches lower down on the stem.
Dealing with Naturally Leggy Plants
Fixing this issue requires just a few steps. You can cut the stem down to the height you prefer and replant it. Just make sure to give the stem a few days, or even a week, to scab over before you put it back into the soil with its lower stature.
First, an explanation, which was grounded in the reality we faced last fall. Despite creating the tabletop hydroponic gardening category 20 years ago, the market had been challenging these past few years. And that's why we made the tough decision to wind down the business.
However, cons may involve higher initial setup costs, the need for technical expertise, and a reliance on artificial lighting and climate control. Also, many argue that hydroponically grown produce may lack certain flavors or nutrients compared to soil-grown crops.
Large plants, such as fruit trees (e.g., apple, pear, and citrus trees) and large shrubs (e.g., blueberries and raspberries), are generally unsuitable for hydroponic systems due to their size and long growth cycles.
Perhaps the largest drawback for Hydroponics is the excessive amount of energy it requires for indoor operations (like vertical farming).
What if you don't want your plant to get bigger? If you'd prefer to keep your plant small, you can carefully trim some of its roots then put it back in its current pot. Make sure you also trim some of the growth above the soil. A smaller root system can only sustain a smaller plant.
The issue with adult plants is that they have been growing in a solely hydroponic environment. Their root structure is different from soil grown plants. Because of this, they need time to adjust to that new growing medium. Put them in a pot of soil and keep that soil very wet for at least a week.
We suggest you keep the dome (transparent cap) on until you see the sprouts almost reaching it - just like shown in the picture below.
The light can stay on during the evening hours, or you can have it be turned off. When you set up your AeroGarden with a programmable menu, the garden will maintain a light and pump cycle that is optimal for the type of plant you have growing.