If you’re debating between the AeroGarden Harvest Vs. Harvest XL, this article is for you.
The AeroGarden Harvest is the most popular AeroGarden model, for good reason. It’s large enough to grow a wide variety of vegetables, and yet still reasonably priced. But there’s a big jump in both price and size between the Harvest and the AeroGarden Bounty.
AeroGarden created a good middle ground between the Harvest and the Bounty – the AeroGarden Harvest XL.
But is it better enough than the Harvest to make it worth the extra cost? In this article I’ll dive into the pros and cons of the AeroGarden Harvest vs. Harvest XL so you can make the best purchasing decision.
AeroGarden Harvest Vs. Harvest XL
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When it comes to comparing the Harvest vs. the AeroGarden Harvest XL there are a few primary things to consider. Here’s what we’ll look at in this article:
- Price (Check out the current prices on Amazon)
- Number of grow pods
- Overall Size
- Light strength
- Pros and Cons of the Harvest Vs. Harvest XL
Now let’s get into the particulars on each of the above items when it comes to the AeroGarden Harvest and Harvest XL.
Price Difference Between the AeroGarden Harvest and Harvest XL
The first thing to consider when it comes to comparing the AeroGarden Harvest and Harvest XL is price.
Pro tip: I often find the best AeroGarden prices on Amazon. Check out the current AeroGarden Harvest prices on Amazon:
It’s a bit difficult to nail down the price because even the prices on the AeroGarden website fluctuate, so take this pricing information with a grain of salt.
According to the current pricing on the AeroGarden website, the listed retail price of the Harvest is $164.95 and the retail price on the Harvest XL is $249.95. But here’s the deal. The retail price on the AeroGarden website itself is always marked through, and there is a lower price listed.
This is something to be aware of, because just because the retail price is marked out, doesn’t mean it’s on sale. This just makes you think it’s on sale. 🙂
Here are the current “sale” prices on the AeroGarden website:
- Aerogarden Harvest: $129.95
- Aerogarden Harvest XL: $199.95
If you look at the listed retail price on the AeroGarden website, the cost difference between the Harvest and Harvest XL is $85, but the true difference is generally around $70.
Go here to find the current AeroGarden prices on Amazon and Walmart.
Grow Pods in the Harvest Vs. Harvest XL
When it comes to the number of grow pods, both the Harvest and Harvest XL have 6 grow pods. The grow pods are also laid out the same way, meaning 2 in the back, two in the middle, and two in the front.
The biggest difference in the grow pods is that in the Harvest XL, the grow pods are spaced out a bit more than in the Harvest.
As you can see in the diagram above, from left to right, on both the top and bottom, the grow pods are approximately 8.25″ apart on the Harvest, and 9.5″ apart on the Harvest XL, providing approximately 1.25″ more growing space.
The two grow pods in the middle are 4.5″ apart on both the Harvest and Harvest XL.
On both the left and right sides, from top to bottom, the grow pods are approximately 4.5″ apart on the Harvest, and 5″ apart on the Harvest XL, giving .5″ more growing space on the Harvest XL.
Diagonally, from the top left to bottom right, is approximately 9″ in the Harvest, and 10.25″ in the Harvest XL. Of course, the same is true going from the bottom left to the top right.
Is the Extra Grow Pod Spacing in the Harvest XL Worth It?
The extra growing space on the Harvest Vs. the Harvest XL isn’t huge, but you do have a bit less space between grow pods on the Harvest compared to the Harvest XL.
What this means in practical terms is that you may be able to grow slightly more plants in the Harvest XL compared to the Harvest, or you may be able to grow slightly fuller plants in the Harvest XL.
As a practical example, I chose to grow 2 dwarf green bean plants in the Harvest, and 3 in the Harvest XL.
Grow Height in the AeroGarden Harvest vs. Harvest XL
Now let’s talk about the difference between the AeroGarden Harvest and Harvest XL when it comes to grow height.
The extra grow height is the primary reason that I decided to invest in the Harvest XL. Here are the specifics.
In the AeroGarden Harvest, the minimum light height is approximately 4.5″ and the maximum light height is 12.” In the Harvest XL, the minimum light height is 6.5″ and the maximum light height is 18.“
The extra 6″ of grow height in the Harvest XL makes a huge difference when it comes to growing taller plants. For instance, you can grow something like jalapeno peppers in both the Harvest and the Harvest XL, but in the Harvest, you have to prune much more aggressively to make it work.
Another example is that I can grow something like Swiss chard in both the Harvest and the Harvest XL, but the extra grow height on the Harvest XL makes it possible to grow larger leaves.
The bottom line is that except for plants that naturally have a grow height of 12″ or less, you have a better yield on the Harvest XL compared to the Harvest.
Light Size and Strength Between the Two Models
The next major difference between the AeroGarden Harvest and the Harvest XL is the size and strength of the lights. As you can see from the image above, the Harvest has a 20W LED grow light, and the Harvest XL has a 30W LED grow light.
The light on the Harvest XL is also approximately 2.25″ larger from side to side, and about .5″ bigger top to bottom.
Grow Basin Size Differences Between the Harvest and Harvest XL
In keeping with the larger size of the AeroGarden Harvest XL compared to the Harvest, it takes approximately 15 cups of water to fill the Harvest XL to the fill line, and around 10.5 cups water to fill the Harvest to the fill line.
The larger water capacity in the Harvest XL could mean that you don’t need to fill it quite as often, assuming you grow the same number of plants in both units.
In my opinion, the biggest advantage of the larger grow basin in the Harvest XL is that it gives more room for the roots to grow. I’ve found that when the basin gets too full of roots, the root and plant health suffer. With all AeroGardens, regardless of size, to keep roots healthy, I trim them about once a month, especially if they are starting to grow into the pump.
While I haven’t yet done extensive testing on this, it’s my assumption that the larger basin in the XL will help to keep the roots happy and the plants healthier.
Pros and Cons
Due to the extra growing size in terms of a bit more space between the grow pods on the AeroGarden Harvest Vs. the Harvest XL, the larger basin on the XL, and more importantly, the extra 6″ of grow height, overall if I had to buy only one AeroGarden unit, the AeroGarden Harvest XL (Amazon) would be a top contender.
The Harvest XL is just large enough to make it possible to grow a wider variety of vegetables, and yet small enough that it’s easy to handle. (In my AeroGarden Bounty review, I share that the size of the basin and the weight of it when filled with water is a bit hard for me to handle.) I don’t have any problem carrying the AeroGarden Harvest XL even when it’s filled with water.
The One Thing I Don’t Like About the AeroGarden Harvest XL
When I first read the specs on the Harvest vs. Harvest XL, the thing that stood out to me was the difference in maximum grow height. It didn’t occur to me that the minimum grow height would be more on the XL.
The disadvantage of the minimum grow height being higher on the Harvest XL compared to the Harvest is that plants may be a bit more leggy when grown in the Harvest XL than they are in the Harvest.
In the images above, you can see how much more bushy the green beans are that I’m growing in the Harvest (on the left) compared to the Harvest XL, on the right. I actually thinned out the green beans in the Harvest because they were almost too bushy, and I wanted to make sure there was adequate airflow.
Thankfully, there is a bit of a workaround that will help solve the problem of more leggy plants in the Harvest XL. IF you happen to have a spare AeroGarden Harvest sitting around, use it to start your plants and once they are at least a few inches tall, transfer them to the Harvest XL. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but isn’t too hard to do and worth it, if you want more bushy plants.
Which AeroGarden Should You Buy?
So the big question when it comes to the AeroGarden Harvest Vs. Harvest XL is, which one should you buy?
Honestly, I’m really happy with both, and if your budget allows, I definitely recommend having both.
I feel that the extra grow height in the Harvest XL opens up a lot of possibilities when it comes to what I grow in an AeroGarden.
And yet the Harvest is also a solid model, that works well for many different types of vegetables. With the Harvest, you may need to do more pruning since there is less room for your plants to grow in both height and width.
When it comes right down to it, your budget is the primary consideration. If you’re on a tight budget, the basic AeroGarden Harvest (Amazon) will serve you well. Perhaps in time you’ll upgrade to the Harvest XL (Amazon), and have the best of both worlds.
Related Articles
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out these related AeroGarden articles:
- AeroGarden Sprout Review | Apartment Gardening Made Easy
- AeroGarden Harvest Review | How it Compares to the Sprout
- AeroGarden Bounty Review | Is the Extra Cost Worth It?
- The Ultimate Guide to Growing Microgreens Using the AeroGarden Microgreens Kit
- AeroGarden Comparison | Choose the Best Indoor Garden for You!