Review: Click and Grow shines light on native plants
My Click and Grow makes growing from seed simple
If you are like me, gardening doesn’t end with the coming of winter.
In many ways, it’s just the beginning of a new season – the season of anticipation. It’s a long, drawn out time of flipping through gardening books, reading blogs and dreaming of what backyard landscaping ideas are in store for the coming season.
But what do we do in the meantime?
Click and Grow is offering a special “Harvest Season” promotion until October 4 on several of their best Gardens including the Smart Garden 3 and Smart Garden 9. Click on the above link for the special offer.
One solution many of us try is harvesting whatever light we can from windows in our homes and grow what we can. Often we are left with spindly little plants that end up falling over, being ignored and ending up in the composter.
There is a better solution – a simplified grow light system designed especially for people who either don’t have sufficient light to be successful, or have a green thumb that falls off once they move inside. Click and Grow takes all of the guess work out of growing from seed through the use of their innovative system that uses AI to ensure success. What makes Click and Grow perfect for woodland and native plant gardeners is that Click and Grow now provide an easy way to grow native wildflower seeds in their specialized units and pods through their “experimental pods.”
This image shows our Click and Grow with three different plants including a polka dot plant on the left, a black violet, and pink petunia. The violet and petunia are now growing in our window box and the polka dot plant was gifted to my daughter.
In fact, I am currently growing a favourite morning glory in one of our pods.
Introducing Click and Grow – The “smart garden” that turns even the worst winter gardener into a “master” gardener.
I have had a Smart Garden 3 for about two years
I have had one of these for about two years and can report incredible success without much guidance at my end. Click and Grow has become very popular since they introduced their first fully automated indoor gardens that make growing herbs, fruits, vegetables and flowers all year, as simple as adding water a couple times a month and pinching off the growth to keep your new plants from completely taking over your room. They are that good.
This image shows the black viola and pink petunia grown from our Click and Grow and later planted in one of our window boxes.
What makes these grow lights special?
They are very smart looking, clean and sophisticated. Because they look so good, they don’t have to be hidden away in the basement or a spare bedroom and are at home almost anywhere. They grow as your plants grow. Starting off small and compact, additional pieces are added to meet the size of your ever-growing plants.
But most important. They work and they work well. With little to no fuss.
How easy is it?
You order the pods filled with seeds of your choice and drop them into pockets in the main unit. Add water to the recommended depth, plug the unit in and the timer automatically provides the right amount of light to create the perfect growing condition. No need to turn the lights on and off, the unit takes care of that for you.
All that is required is to keep the water at acceptable levels and add small light extensions as your plants grow.
‘Okay that’s great,’ you may say, ‘but what can you grow.’
Growing native wildflowers could not be easier
Polka Dot plant grown from seed in our Click and Grow.
Well, what would you say if I said “native wildflowers and just about anything else you can think of.”
The native wildflowers would be grown in what Click and Grow call their Experimental pod. You supply the seed and they provide everything else. A word of warning, many wildflowers need stratification and/or a series of freeze and thaws before they will germinate. This too, would be your responsibility. A little research on the germination requirements of your favourite wildflowers and you are good to go.
Click and Grow takes the guess work out. If you go to their website, you can order whatever combination of herbs, plants and fruits you desire.
You can also order pods that are just waiting for you to insert the seeds you collected this fall including, of course, native wildflowers. Imagine, having a number of native plants ready to go into the ground at the first signs of spring.
What are you waiting for, you can start your planning now.
Why some plants need cold stratification for spring planting
Many native wildflowers require a cold stratification which protects them from germinating too early in spring or too late in the summer. It’s a natural protection process that keeps them dormant until the proper time for them to start sprouting. Most of the native wildflowers that need stratification are perennials with a hard coating that helps protect the outer shell from breaking and sprouting too early for the plants to survive.
Go to the link at the bottom of this post to learn how to cold stratify your wildflower seeds.
List of seeds requiring stratification
Milkweed
Lupine
Prairie Coneflower
Pincushion Flower
Wild Geranium
Rubeckia
Coneflower
Primrose
Before you start with the stratification and planting you will have to decide just how big a Smart Garden you want to go. There is the Smart Garden 3 (that’s the one I have), Smart Garden 9, and finally the impressive Smart Garden 27 made to grow enough fresh food to feed the entire family.
Some of the popular plant pods include Mini Tomato, Wild Strawberry, Lavender, Rosemary, Peppermint and Cilantro/ Coriander. But there are more. A Fruit and Veggie mix, Italian Herb mix, Calming Tea mix, Black Pansy mix, Blue Petunia, Catnip, Cornflower and Painted Nettle to name just a few.
I could go on and on about the soil in the pods. I could talk about having the perfect pH-level, how the soil was inspired by NASA technology and creates the perfect environment for your plants to thrive. I could say the soil and pod it sits in keeps water distributed so the plant roots have access to it at all times.
I could say the soil is made of natural, renewable materials, and contains no pesticides, fungicides, hormones or other harmful substances.
But all that really matters is that it works. Trust me. Mine will be up and running again very soon. I need more Cardinal flowers in my garden next year.
For more on growing your garden on a budget, go here.
If you are on the lookout for high quality, non-GMO seed for the Pacific North West consider West Coast Seeds. The company, based in Vancouver BC says that “part of our mission to help repair the world, we place a high priority on education and community outreach. Our intent is to encourage sustainable, organic growing practices through knowledge and support. We believe in the principles of eating locally produced food whenever possible, sharing gardening wisdom, and teaching people how to grow from seed.”
Key links for this blog post
This is a link that takes you to a website with an excellent article on how to cold stratify your wildflower seeds. How to Cold stratify your seeds.
The picture below is a link to the Click and Grow website.
Gardening on a budget links
Ten money-saving tips for the weekend gardener
DIY Bark Butter feeder for Woodpeckers
DIY reflection pond for photography
Click & Grow is ideal for Native Plants from seed
Remove your turf and save money
Hiring students to get your garden in shape
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