Sanitizing Your 7-Pod AeroGarden at the End of Your Seed Kit

It is very important to sanitize the AeroGarden between Seed Kits, not only to flush out dead plant material, but also to flush nutrient residue from the Pump and Grow Surface channels and to kill any pathogens. Follow this procedure at the end of every Seed Kit, even if (especially if!) you are planning on storing your AeroGarden for awhile before planting your next Seed Kit. It is very important to flush the nutrient solution from the AeroGarden before storing it for any length of time to prevent the solution from drying into crystallized mineral deposits within the Pump and water channels. (If you have a 3- or 6-Pod AeroGarden, click here for sanitizing instructions.)

1) Unplug the AeroGarden.

2) Carefully remove the Bowl and Grow Surface from the Base and take them to a sink. (Whenever you lift the Bowl from the Base, be sure to lift it up before lifting it out so that you do not inadvertently bend the electrical contacts on the front of the Lamp Arm.) Set the Base and Lamp Hood aside. (Note: Never submerse the Base/Control Panel in water.)

3) Remove the Grow Surface from the Bowl and place on a counter near the sink (be prepared for dripping water).

4) Empty the contents of the Bowl into the sink. (Note: Don’t use this water on houseplants… the nutrient mixture may be too concentrated for them).

5) Remove the Seed Pods and plants from the Grow Surface:

Pull the Seed Pods out of the Grow Surface openings. You may need to cut away the roots from the bottom of the seed pods in order to be able to remove them from the Grow Surface. Throw away the Seed Pods and plant debris (plant growth and roots). The Seed Pods cannot be reused (unless you are using the Master Gardener Deluxe Kit, where you can sanitize the split-apart baskets. The Grow Sponges cannot be reused). If you compost, the plant debris can be composted.

6) Rinse and clean the Pump Stand and Pump Filter:

Use a soft scrub brush to clean tangled roots from the Pump Stand.
Remove the Pump Filter from the Pump Stand. Gently pull away any roots that may have become entangled with the Pump Filter. Holding the filter under running water generally works well to flush out debris.
Place the Pump Filter back into the Pump Stand.

7) Clean the Bowl and Grow Surface:
Use a soft cloth or sponge to thoroughly wipe the Bowl and Grow Surface. A mild soap may be used, but it is very important to rinse it thoroughly before proceeding to the next step.

8) Sanitize the AeroGarden:

• Fill the Bowl ¾ full with water.
  
• Add 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach.
  
• Replace the Grow Surface on the Bowl, place the Bowl on the Base and plug in the AeroGarden for 2 minutes. If you have an AeroGarden Classic or Deluxe, select Salad Greens on the Control Panel. If you have the AeroGarden Pro, set it on the Super Grow cycle (to do this, set it on Strawberries, and then press and hold the Select button until the LED light starts blinking, then release). On these settings the Pump is set to run continuously, which will assure that the water is flowing.
  
• Unplug the AeroGarden and empty the bleach water from the Bowl.
  
• Refill the Bowl with tap water and replace on the Base.
  
• Plug the AeroGarden back in and run with the clean water for another 2 minutes to flush the bleach water through the system.Unplug the AeroGarden and empty the rinse water from the Bowl.
• Repeat the entire rinse cycle again with fresh water to completely flush the bleach from the system. This is very important.
  
• Towel dry the Bowl and Grow Surface before putting them back together and setting them back on the Base.
  
• Your AeroGarden is now ready for replanting.
• Remember if your Grow Bulbs have been in use for 6 months or more, it is time to replace them.

If you plan on storing your garden before replanting and you have an AeroGarden with a backup battery, remove the backup battery from the underside of the Base. If you need to replace the backup battery, use any CR2032 3-volt lithium battery. (Newer AeroGardens no longer rely on batteries to retain memory).