Good germination kits are hard to come by these days, especially ones that do not end up faulty right off the bat or ruin the plants you so carefully nurtured and waited for to grow. It is an experience in itself to be able to grow your own seeds from scratch indoors.
For some, it is a hobby while for others, it is a way to plant varieties that are difficult to find. Here is a list of my favorite 5 germination kits that every indoor gardening beginner should consider starting with or if you just like using seed starter kits to begin your growing process for a specific plant, herb, or sprout.
I have personally used these kits listed and highly recommend them especially for beginners. Some of these germination kits come with grow lights and can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot. Thank goodness though, that all of these complete germination kits you can find on Amazon.com reasonably priced. For each kit I will link directly to it.
AeroGarden Bounty-Elite With Gourmet-Herb Seed Pod-Kit, Platinum
The first thing you notice about the AeroGarden Seed Pod Kit is that it has a smart look with a platinum stainless steel finish. This kit allows gardening all year round with varying types of plants.
It allows up to 9 plants to be grown at a time and makes good use of hydroponics (growing plants without the use of soil but using mineral nutrient solutions instead).
It is equipped with a full spectrum 45-Watt LED lighting system tuned to ensure that photosynthesis is maximized. It features a touch screen panel that informs you of all the necessary tasks you need to do for instance adding water or patented nutrients.
I love the fact that the AeroGarden kit comes with a 9-Pod Gourmet-Herb Seed Kit containing a variety of seeds. You can visit the AeroGarden website for more information.
Pros
• Elegant look provides peace of mind and improves appeal.
• Potential to grow 9 plants provides an increase in maximum number compared to other kits.
• Lighting system ensuring photosynthesis leads to efficient growth and rich harvests.
• Touch screen panel improves time efficiency ensuring plant growth is not detrimentally affected.
• The variety of seeds provided with the kit give direction to a first-time user.
Cons
• Due to the use of hydroponics, water borne diseases can spread quickly.
• Potential malfunction of lighting system can lead to the plant being damaged.
• The user always has to consciously ensure control panel is not damaged.
Current Price & Amazon Rating
AeroGarden-Bounty with Gourmet-Herb Seed-Pod Kit
The AeroGarden Herb Seed Pot Kit is pretty similar to the Platinum version with pretty much the main difference being the finish of the actual planter base. The finish of this one is black plastic while the Platinum version is made out of stainless steel.
This kit allows you to grow plants all year round with a soil free indoor gardening system 5 times faster than soil.It is equipped with a 45-Watt LED lighting system resulting in high performance of the kit in ensuring the growth of the plant.
The kit includes an interactive touch screen control panel giving you directions to follow and providing timely tips and help. It is also a 9-pod garden and has a 24-inch extendable lamp arm for bigger yields and to grow more variety.
The kit is inclusive of a 9-Pod Gourmet-Herb Seed Kit as well providing a variety of seeds to the user including Basils, Parsleys and so on.
Pros
• Plants can grow all year round much faster than soil.
• Lighting system ensures plant gets sufficient nutrients from photosynthesis.
• 9-pod garden allows maximum plants to be grown.
• An inclusive seed kit useful for first time users.
• Touch screen control panel providing directions hence simplifying tasks.
Cons
• There is potential for the control panel to be damaged which may ruin the yield.
• Lighting system can potentially malfunction if kit is not carefully used.
• Initial usage might be difficult for a layman.
Current Price & Amazon Rating
Click & Grow Smart-Garden 3-Indoor Gardening-Kit, White
The Click & Grow Smart Garden is a germination kit for those people who are starting out on their germination journey. From my experience it’s as beginner friendly as it gets. It is easy to install and can be easily maintained. You simply have to follow the steps given on the manual. It allows gardening all year long without having to worry about weather conditions and what not.
The kit provides the user with an amazing selection of pre-seeded plant capsules: the user can choose from up to 40 fresh herbs and fruits. This kit is also equipped with smart soil technology: the soil uses nano tech growth medium that improves efficiency while maintaining quality.
The Click & Grow Kit is sold with a 100% replacement warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee.
Pros
• Warranty is provided so user can purchase without worrying.
• Relatively more affordable compared to other germination kits including those mentioned above.
• Smart soil technology providing maximum efficiency for plant growth.
• Easily installed and maintained without much hassle.
• Pre-seeded plant capsules provided which are perfect for first timers.
Cons
• Not as heavily equipped compared to other germination kits.
• Although it uses smart soil technology, hydroponics provides faster growth.
• Not satisfying for experienced individuals wanting better and more impressive features.
Current Price & Amazon Rating
Herb-Garden Planter by Planter-Pro’s- Complete Herb-Garden Kit
The Planter Pro Herb Garden Planter is for individuals who want a more hands on kind of kit. It provides a complete herb garden set stocked with mini planters as well as seeds, compressed nutrient rich soil and much more!
The planters are handmade in the US from rot and insect resistant high quality 3/4″ thick cedar wood. The planters are also hand-painted with coastal turquoise paint to reduce color change after a year.
The user is provided with a choice of 6 different seed herbs to use, each being certified, Non-GMO, and germination tested. One of the main features of this kit is Wondersoil, which is a soilless growing medium made from low salts and premium coco coir. It is also relatively light weight.
Pros
• Perfect gift material for cooks who love to use fresh ingredients.
• Relatively cheap compared to other, more modern kits.
• Wondersoil promotes a stronger root system, and a more efficient germination process.
• Provides all the tools ensuring the user does not have to buy anything extra.
• Planters being rot and insect resistant ensure safety of the plant.
Cons
• Does not have any of the features modern kits have that make them more efficient.
• This kit will require a lot more manual work compared to others.
• The planters run the risk of breaking (cannot be repaired).
Current Price & Amazon Rating
Sustainable Seed-Company-Windowsill Herb-Garden Kit
The Sustainable Seed Company Windowsill Garden Kit is for those individuals who are more concerned with the beauty and look of the set rather than the mechanics or how many features it provides.
The set comes with pre-labelled pots and everything one would need. The kit includes full sized seed packets of various seeds such as Cilantro, Parsley etc. All seeds are Non-GMO (non-genetically modified).
This specific set also includes a 28-page full color growing guide filled with illustrations, FAQs and all the directions one would need. Instructions for setting up are provided at the bottom of the box.
This Windowsill garden kit is also equipped with 10 coconut coir pots, 10 coconut coir soil disks 2 pre-molded raised trays for optimal water drainage. Refill kits are also provided.
Pros
• It is the cheapest of all the kits in the list.
• It includes an extensive guide so all issues can be resolved.
• Seeds are Non-GMO so health risks are avoided.
• The kit is relatively basic so anyone can use it without much hassle.
• Full sized packets of various seeds are provided through which a beginner may learn.
Cons
• Being a basic windowsill herb garden, it can easily be broken.
• Does not include any of the features of modern kits.
• Involves a lot more manual work compared to modern kits.
Current Price & Amazon Rating
Learn How to Grow Seeds Indoors – Tips on Seed Germination
Conclusion
All in all, each kit provides its own set of features, pros and cons. Ultimately, it is up to you as the user to decide which kit best suits your needs and which will make you the happiest.
After all, the goal is not just to grow plants but also to enjoy the experience, learn from it and be able to use the ingredients one spent so much time nurturing.