I’m a big fan of growing food in an AeroGarden. But I’m not a big fan of AeroGarden prices. I feel that the actual AeroGarden gardens are worth the price, because they have better features, and overall work better than the off brands.

One big way that I’m able to save money when it comes to growing food in an AeroGarden is to find alternatives for things such as the growing medium. In this article, I’ll give you three AeroGarden grow sponge alternatives that I personally recommend.

AeroGarden Grow Sponge Alternatives

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Pro Tip: Since availability of any of the AeroGarden sponge alternatives listed below may or may not be available at the time you need them, here are all of the AeroGarden compatible sponges available on Amazon.

Without further ado, here are the three AeroGarden grow sponge alternatives that I personally recommend.

#1: Bio Sponges from Park Seed

I’m mentioning this because since the Bio Dome sponges are made for a different purpose, they come in multiple sizes. So, if buying the Bio Dome sponges to use in an AeroGarden, be sure to buy the 60 cell size.

The 60-cell size bio dome sponges are a perfect fit for using in an AeroGarden, and have worked well for me. In fact, they’ve worked a bit better for me than the authentic AeroGarden sponges.

The only thing I didn’t like when I received them was that some of them were cut a bit crooked. This impacted just a few of them, and the imperfections weren’t enough to impact the usage of them. So, despite this little quirk, I still recommend them as a viable AeroGarden grow sponge alternative.

Note: Park Seed Bio Dome Sponges are manufactured in England.

#2: AeroGarden Sponge Alternatives from Urban Leaf

The next AeroGarden compatible sponge alternative I recommend is this one, from Urban Leaf (Amazon).

There are a couple of reasons why I recommend these sponges, as an alternative to AeroGarden sponges.

The first reason is that they’re less expensive than the genuine AeroGarden sponges.

The second reason is that they are made from organic coco coir, rather than from peat moss. The fact that they’re made from organic coco coir instead of peat moss means that they’re much more environmentally friendly than most of the other AeroGarden sponge options.

Note: The AeroGarden compatible sponges from Urban Leaf (available on Amazon) are made in the USA. In my book this is a great reason to purchase these sponges instead of some of the other alternatives.

#3: Growth Sponge from Vic VSEE

The Growth Sponge from Vic VSEE are the ultimate when it comes to AeroGarden knock off sponges. I say “ultimate” not because they are necessarily the best, but because from what I can see, they don’t even have a real name.

I first heard about these sponges from the YouTube channel, AeroGarden experiments. In the comments, someone stated that he had tried these sponges multiple times, and while seeds germinated, the roots weren’t able to grow through the sponges.

By the time I saw these comments, I had already purchased a pack of 100 of these sponges. My heart kind of sank, but since I had already purchased them, I decided to give them a try.

I share all about my experiment of using this particular AeroGarden grow sponge alternative in this article: Do AeroGarden Knock Off Sponges Work? So, if you want an in-depth view of my experience with these sponges, be sure to check out that article.

But the short version is that they worked fine for me. I soaked the sponges for a full five minutes before using them, which may have helped.

Note: Growth Sponge from Vic VSEE are made in China. I didn’t realize this until after I purchased them. I personally try to avoid buying products made in China, so don’t plan to buy these again. But if you don’t have a problem with that, then these AeroGarden alternative sponges may be a good option for you.

How to Make Your Own AeroGarden Pods

I personally haven’t made my own AeroGarden pods, and prefer to simply save money on buying them. But if you want to do AeroGarden cheap, then deciding to make your own AeroGarden pods may be a good way to go.

To make your own AeroGarden pods, cut foam or sponges to fit the grow basket. You’ll then need to drill a hole into the middle of the top part of the sponge to place the seed, as well as poke some holes throughout the body of the sponge. The holes that you poke throughout the sponge allow the roots to go through, which is important.

You can also make your own AeroGarden pods using rock wool. Rock wool is made for hydroponics, so it’s a better option for DIY AeroGarden sponges than foam is. However, Rock wool is typically sold in cubes, so you’ll need to do some cutting to make them work on an AeroGarden grow basket. I recommend using two rock wool cubes per grow basket. Cut one of the cubes in half and stuff them into the lower part of the grow basket. Then place the other whole cube on top. You may need to do some trimming to get everything to fit.

Here are some rock wool options available on Amazon.

Buying the Original AeroGarden Sponges

Although this article is all about alternative AeroGarden Sponges, there are also good reasons for buying genuine AeroGarden sponges.

The first reason is that they can be better quality than some of the AeroGarden sponge alternatives. In addition to that, AeroGarden sponges are manufactured in the USA. So, if you prefer to support U.S. businesses, then buying genuine AeroGarden sponges is a good way to go.

Related Articles

If you enjoyed this articles, you may also enjoy these other AeroGarden articles.

• Do AeroGarden Knock-Off Sponges Work?
• AeroGarden Microgreens Growing Medium Alternatives
• AeroGarden Vs. Growing Vegetables in Containers
• 5 Easy Ways to Save Money on an AeroGarden
• Using Handy Pantry Microgreens Growing Mats in an AeroGarden