Holiday Gift Guide: LED Kitchen Garden!

 I have a windowless kitchen. I really wish I had more light and if I had a way to change it, I would. I have a few plants around my sink because I miss looking out my window and seeing green. It helps, but my thumb isn't very green and my plants are starving for the "right" light. A few years ago, I ordered a hydroponic garden because it really solved my problems. I realized soon after, it came with it's own set of problems.

First, I was limited with my seed choices and each time I replanted, I had to order special pods. The main problem had to be the roots. Hydroponic gardens do not use soil. Instead, water is circulated over the roots. When the roots invaded my pump, it was a mess and I eventually grew tired of taking it apart to clean the pump. A few weeks ago, I found a product that really caught my eye. Sonnylight LED Kitchen Garden does everything except water my plants and I can live with that! When I saw it on the website, it looked nice. It looked so much nicer in person! First thing we noticed were the beautiful lights! There are so many!

Here's the technical details:

Dimensions of Counter-Top Unit 14 inches deep X 23 inches wide

Nursery Tray-Standard 10" x 20" tray included

Power Supply Voltage-110V or 240V a/c 50~60 Hertz

Voltage at Hood-12V D/C

Power Consumption-15 watts

Other Power Source-12 volt DC car battery, optional cable adapter available

Number of LEDs-144 8mm LEDs

LED Colors: 5 colors - Purple, Blue, Green, Orange/Red, Red and White

Light Source-144 8mm LEDs w/optimized light wavelengths for rapid plant growth

Software Controlled-Yes, selectable Time of Day, Sunrise-Sunset, 5 plant types. 3 grow phases or auto grow selection

Light Source Life-Approximately 75,000 hours or 15 years

% Light Source Utilized-Greater than 95%

Cost to Operate: Approximately $10.40 annually

Maintenance Required-None…just water your plants, dust off the assembly

Shipping: Packaging Cardboard package, protective cotton bags and recycled pulp for layered gardening

Number of Plants: 1 to 72 plants at anytime dependent on tray type

Transplantable Plants-Plants can be transplanted

Seed Offered-Heirloom & Organic only

Is It Organic? Customer’s choice to utilize organic soil, fertilizer & seeds

Toxic Materials-None

Recyclable-All elements can be recycled

While I haven't had mine long enough to really grow anything, I can say it is very easy to set up and use. After opening the box, I noticed the contents were packed with care inside soft cotton bags. It was a nice touch! The light is beautiful and the unit is sleek. The tray is large enough for medium pots or plant gardens and I am thinking about starting a herb garden soon. The light is easily raised and lowered and it's easy to clean. It's well made and I don't have to buy certain seed or plants to have a garden. It cost very little to operate and I don't think I will be replacing pumps or costly lights. While the unit would seem costly to some, you'll save money over time because operating and maintenance costs are so low. As long as I can keep my plants watered, my garden will be beautiful! I will keep you posted on my little garden. Look for more posts soon!

Disclosure: I was sent a unit in order to complete this review. No monetary compensation received.