If you’ve been a fan of AeroGarden, you may have heard the unfortunate news that the company has recently gone out of business. This has left many wondering how to continue using their AeroGarden systems without access to official supplies, particularly the sponges that are so essential for growing plants in an AeroGarden. The good news is that even though AeroGarden sponges may become hard to find, knock-off alternatives can keep your garden growing.
In this article, I’ll compare the results of using the authentic AeroGarden sponges with a knock-off brand. So if you’re worried that your AeroGarden might become useless without access to official sponges, don’t fret—I’ve got you covered!
In this article, I’ll also provide some alternatives to AeroGarden nutrients, as well as some other indoor hydroponic systems you may want to consider.
AeroGarden Alternative Knock Off Sponges Experiment
Awhile back, long before AeroGarden went out of business, I experimented with some AeroGarden knock off sponges. I share the results of that experiment in the video below, as well as in the photos in this point.
Initially I was a bit worried about using AeroGarden alternative sponges. Here’s why.
AeroGarden Knock Off Accessories Aren’t Always a Good Option
Unfortunately, sometimes there’s a reason why something is cheaper. At least according to some, the AeroGarden knock off sponges (Amazon) that I purchased are a major flop.
I first learned about this cheaper alternative for AeroGarden sponges from a video by the YouTube channel, AeroGarden Experiments. Unfortunately, someone in the comment section of that video stated that he had used these knock off sponges, and that they didn’t work. He left that comment multiple times and was extremely passionate about his experience.
According to him, the problem wasn’t germination. The problem was that while these knock off AeroGarden sponges worked fine for germination, the roots couldn’t grow through the sponges, and because of that, the plants died.
The sad thing is, by the time I read his comments, I had already ordered these AeroGarden sponge alternatives. And I didn’t order just a few. I ordered a package of 100 sponges.
Follow Instructions
There were some instructions on the AeroGarden knock off sponges Amazon listing that weren’t on the package. The listing said to soak the sponges for three to five minutes before using.
Now, I had no idea if the person who said these sponges didn’t work followed those instructions. But before using the sponges, I made a point to soak them for a full five minutes.
The Results of Using the Cheaper Alternative for AeroGarden Sponges
Here are the results of using the cheaper alternative for AeroGarden Sponges.
Day 7
First, you can see that the actual growth of the bok choy is pretty much the same on each side. If anything, the side with the knock off sponges is a bit better.
But remember, based on the comments from the person with the back experience with the AeroGarden knock off sponges, I’m more concerned with root health than I am with initial germination.
So now let’s take a look at the roots. First, we’ll look at the root development on the authentic AeroGarden sponges. Out of the three AeroGarden sponges, roots were growing through the sponges on two of the sponges. However, at this point, there weren’t a lot of roots growing through.
Now let’s take a look at the root growth on the AeroGarden knock off sponges.
At this point, there were NO roots growing through on the knock off sponges. But bear in mind that there was some, but not much root action on the authentic AeroGarden sponges.
At this point it’s too early to say that the knock off sponges aren’t working.
Day 8
Just a day later, you can see that there is substantial growth happening on both sides. Now let’s take a look at the roots.
First, we’ll take a look at the root growth on the authentic AeroGarden sponges.
You can see that there is quite a bit of roots poking through the AeroGarden sponges.
Now let’s take a look at the root growth on the AeroGarden knock off sponges.
The roots are also growing through the knock off sponges as well.
As a side note let me say that at this point, I decided to thin out the bok choy. You can technically grow more than one baby bok choy in each AeroGarden sponge. However, in my experience, the bok choy grows bigger and is healthier if there is only one baby bok choy growing in each sponge.
There are two ways to remove the extra plants growing in an AeroGarden sponge. You can cut the sponge in half and gently remove one of the plants. This allows you to grow the extra plants if desired.
However, in this case, especially since I wanted to test the sponges for root growth, I didn’t want to do anything that would alter the sponges. So, I decided to use scissors to cut out extra plants.
Note that you want to remove the less healthy plants and leave the strongest plants intact. In addition to using scissors, you can also gently tug the plants you want to remove. However, when doing so, you risk disturbing the roots of the plant you want to keep. So, removing extra plants with scissors is my preferred method.
Day 14
Here we are at day 14 of growing baby bok choy in an AeroGarden. You can see that at this point, substantial growth has occurred. But let’s take a look at the roots and see if the roots of the plants growing in the AeroGarden knock off sponges are doing as well.
First, we’ll look at the roots of the baby bok choy growing in authentic AeroGarden sponges.
Look at that nice long root!
Next, let’s take a look at the roots growing in the AeroGarden knock off sponges.
The roots on the knock off sponges are also growing great!
Day 21
Here we are, just three weeks after planting baby bok choy in the AeroGakrden.
Look how beautiful the bok choy has grown in such a short time!
The interesting thing is, if anything, the baby bok choy that is growing in the AeroGarden knock off sponges is actually doing a bit better than the bok choy growing in the authentic AeroGarden sponges.
Now, let’s take a look at the root growth on each side. First, we’ll check the roots of the bok choy growing in the authentic AeroGarden sponges.
Now, let’s take a look at the roots of the bok choy growing in the AeroGarden knock off sponges.
Did the AeroGarden Knock Off Sponges Work?
While it’s definitely sad to see AeroGarden go, there’s no need to worry about keeping your AeroGarden in use. As I’ve shown, knock-off sponges (Amazon) work just as well as the originals. So, if you’re one of the many who still love using your AeroGarden, rest assured that you can continue growing fresh herbs and veggies without disruption.
Alternatives for AeroGarden Sponges
Now that AeroGarden products are no longer available, you’ll need to look for other options. Fortunately, there are plenty of off-brand sponges (Amazon) that work just as effectively. When choosing alternatives, the main thing to focus on is fit. The good news is, since AeroGardens have been so popular throughout the years, many of the other indoor hydroponic brands have made sponges that fit the AeroGarden just fine.
Here are a few to consider (all available on Amazon):
- Park Seed Biodome Sponges (this is my personal favorite). Be sure to get the 60 cell block size
- Everecoo Sponges
- Generic AeroGarden Compatible Sponges
AeroGarden Nutrient Alternatives
Now that AeroGarden has gone out of business, you might find it difficult to get their liquid plant food. Fortunately, there are alternatives that work just as well. One option I’ve had great success with is MaxiGro (Amazon) and MaxiBloom (Amazon). While the prices for these products have increased recently, they’re still more affordable than the original AeroGarden nutrients.
MaxiGro is perfect for leafy greens like bok choy, lettuce, and Swiss chard, while MaxiBloom is great for fruiting plants such as tomatoes and peppers.
Keep in mind that both MaxiGro and MaxiBloom (both linked to on Amazon) come in powder form and need to be mixed before adding them to your AeroGarden. The easiest method I’ve found is to put the powder into a small bottle with some water and shake it until fully dissolved. This creates a concentrated solution, so be sure to dilute it with additional water according to the package instructions before using it.
Indoor Hydroponic Garden AeroGarden Alternatives
Finally, I want to address the issue of indoor hydroponic systems made by companies other than AeroGarden. Before I share these alternatives, I want to be upfront about the fact that I’ve been such a big fan of AeroGarden that I have a couple dozen AeroGardens. As such, I haven’t experimented with other hydroponic gardening systems. However, I have done a lot of research into alternatives. Here are the ones that show the most promise. Note that all of the links below go to Amazon.
Keep Growing with Confidence
At the end of the day, while it’s very sad that AeroGarden has gone out of business, indoor hydroponic gardening isn’t going anywhere. Those of us who love AeroGarden just need to adapt to using alternative hydroponic gardening products that AeroGarden innovation made possible.
Related Article
If you enjoyed this article, you’re sure to also enjoy my article on AeroGarden Microgreens Growing Medium Alternatives and Using Handy Pantry Microgreens Growing Mats in an AeroGarden. I wrote both of those articles when I had no clue that AeroGarden would go out of business. They are cheaper alternatives to the name-brand AeroGarden microgreens felt, so even if you can get the felt, you may want to try the cheaper alternatives.
💬 I’d love to hear from you!
Have you tried this yourself? Have a question or tip to share? Leave a comment below — your experience or question could help someone else, too!