Planning your Gardyn layout: light zones, heights and neighbors
Plan your Gardyn layout by light zone first, then by plant height, then by neighbor. Fruiting plants such as strawberries, tomatoes and peppers go in the center high-light zone, the medium zone around it suits plants like Muir lettuce, and the outer and lower slots are the low-light zone. Each plant’s Plant Book page in the Gardyn app lists its zone, so check it before you order or replant.
Key takeaways
- Every Gardyn has three light zones: high in the center, medium around it, and low at the outer and lower slots.
- The circles on a yCube label are an identification code that helps Kelby recognize the plant. Its light zone comes from the Plant Book.
- Give fruiting plants the center and leave a capped open slot beside the biggest plants for airflow.
- You can move any plant at any time without affecting the others.
- Once plant food is in the tank, start new yCubes in the Sprout Nursery as older plants decline, so a replacement is ready.
How do light zones work on a Gardyn?
A light zone is a group of slots that receive a similar amount of light: the center slots get the most, the slots around them a moderate amount, and the outer and lower slots the least. Placement matters because, as University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension notes, the intensity of light from a source decreases rapidly as the source gets farther away.
Placement also sets temperature: most fruiting crops prefer the warmer spots, while leafy greens and herbs prefer cooler ones. The Gardyn Plant Placement Guide: Understanding Light Zones shows the zone map for your model, and the All Plants Placement by Light Zone Guide lists where each variety goes.
The table below shows how the three zones break down and what Gardyn’s guidance places in each.
| Zone | Where it is | What goes there | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|
| High light | Center slots | Fruiting plants such as cherry tomatoes, peppers and strawberries, plus Sunflower and Mini Cauliflower | Give larger fruiting plants space so they do not block light from nearby plants |
| Medium light | Slots surrounding the center | Most lettuces and leafy greens, such as Muir lettuce and kale, plus peas and many flowers | In some greens, too much light adds stress and can lead to earlier bolting |
| Low light | Outer and lower slots | Herbs such as cilantro, mint, dill and thyme, plus arugula | Most herbs grow well in low to medium light |
If the ideal slot for a plant is taken, Gardyn’s guidance is to place it one light zone lower.
What do the dots and circles on yCubes mean?
The 4- or 5-circle code on a yCube label helps Kelby identify the plant, and its orientation does not matter when you place the yCube. During a design transition you may see the original colored dots or newer black and white dots; both work the same way, as the help center article What do the dots/circles/moons on my yCubes mean? explains. For the light zone, check the Plant Book.
Where should each yCube go?
Each yCube goes in the zone listed on its Plant Book page, which you find in the Gardyn app under Help, then Essentials. The help center article Gardyn App Plant Book: Find Variety, Light Zone, and Care Tips shows what each page includes.
Your Gardyn ships with a starter set chosen for strong first harvests. The starter set cannot be customized, and the Welcome Kit & Refresh Kit Placement Guide shows where each starter plant goes. After setup you can swap in any plants from the Gardyn app, and member credits (10 a month for Gardyn Home, 5 for Gardyn Studio) can cover them.
A simple planning order
- Fill the center high-light slots with the fruiting or tall plants you care about most.
- Place lettuces and leafy greens in the medium-light slots around them.
- Fill the outer and lower slots with herbs and other plants the Plant Book places in low light.
- Leave slots open around larger plants and cover each one with a Gardyn Cap.
- Plan for growth: choose spots that give each plant room to expand, and move plants later if they start to shade others.
How do you match light needs when reordering yCubes?
Today, check each plant’s Plant Book page before you add it to your order, then count your open slots in each zone, so you never order four fruiting plants for one free center slot. The All Plants Placement guide lists every variety by zone on one page, and members can ask placement questions in Ask Kelby.
Can strawberries, tomatoes and cucumbers grow together?
Yes, strawberries can grow alongside other plants, including tomatoes and cucumbers, as long as the tower has plant food in the tank and is out of Germination Mode. Strawberries do best in the center high-light zone but can also grow in a medium-light zone, so they can step out of the center to make room for a tomato. Do not grow strawberries next to unsprouted yCubes, because plant food prevents sprouting; start new yCubes in the Gardyn Sprout Nursery instead.
Cucumbers are the one exception to center placement: put vining cucumbers at the bottom of the middle column so the vine grows up into higher light as it matures, and give them a Gardyn Trellis. Bushy or top-heavy plants like tomatoes do well with a Plant Belt. With four or more fruiting plants, add HydroBoost up to every 3 days and keep the tank at least half full.
How many fruiting plants fit in a Gardyn Home?
The number of fruiting plants a Gardyn Home can carry is set by how many center high-light slots it has, because fruiting plants need that zone to flower and fruit. Count the high-light slots on your model’s zone map, plus medium-light slots for strawberries, and leave enough space that larger fruiting plants do not block light from their neighbors. Most fruiting plants need patience, hand pollination, pruning and extra support like the Plant Belt.
How do you keep tall plants like sunflowers from shading others?
Keep tall plants from shading neighbors by giving them a slot with open space beside them, harvesting nearby plants often, and pruning to control height. Pruning to control height is called topping. Sunflowers belong in the high light zone, are rated Intermediate and have a first harvest in 2 to 3 months, and the sunflower plant profile has more background.
As with any plant that grows large, choose a spot with room to expand, leave capped slots around it and support top-heavy growth with a Plant Belt. You can move or remove any plant at any time without affecting the others, so a plant that starts shading its neighbors can be shifted, and Gardyn’s guide to transplanting yCubes outdoors covers moving starts to a garden.
Managing mini cauliflower
Mini Cauliflower is rated Beginner with a first harvest in 1 to 2 months, and the All Plants guide lists it in the high light zone. Leave it space so it does not block light from smaller plants nearby.
How often should you prune so every plant gets light?
Harvest at least once a week and prune only where a plant is shading others, crowding airflow or blocking the lights. Most Gardyn plants do not need pruning, so check each plant’s Plant Book page first. When you harvest greens, take the largest outer leaves and leave at least 1/3 of the plant, which keeps taller plants from blocking light. Start small, since cuts cannot be undone, as the basil pruning guide shows.
Good airflow also helps prevent pests and lets light reach more of each plant; the help center article Maintaining Airflow for Healthy, Productive Plants covers it.
Should you plant several of the same crop?
Yes, growing several of the same crop works well, especially for greens you eat often, because you can take a small harvest from several plants each week. Lettuces typically reach full size in about 3 to 4 weeks. A Gardyn Home grows about a daily salad for four, and a Gardyn Studio about a daily salad for one or two. Keep repeat lettuces and leafy greens such as kale in the medium light zone, and harvest the largest outer leaves first so each plant keeps growing.
Can you grow fewer plants to lighten the load?
Yes, you can grow fewer plants, as long as you cover every empty slot with a Gardyn Cap to keep algae away. The Welcome Kit placement guide notes you can plant fewer yCubes, and Kelby checks for open slots during setup. Capped slots around larger plants also improve airflow. To work on a plant at a table, a ySleeve keeps the plant and its water in its yCube holder so you can carry it, trim or harvest with minimal drips, then return it to the column.
How do you place your own seeds by light zone?
Place your own seeds in Seedless yCubes using the closest Gardyn variety’s Plant Book zone as your guide. Follow the same plant-type guidelines: fruiting plants in high light, most leafy greens in medium light and most herbs in low to medium light. Choose long-day or day-neutral varieties, favor determinate (fixed-size) types and smaller-fruited varieties, and avoid root crops or plants with large, strong roots.
How do you plan two Gardyns side by side?
Plan each Gardyn from its own zone map, with fruiting plants in each tower’s center. Each tower has its own tank, so dose plant food for what that tower grows: 1/2 teaspoon per gallon is the standard dose, and 1 teaspoon per gallon is the blooming and fruiting dose. Each Gardyn needs its own membership, and one account can control both.
Which planning tools make yCube placement easier?
The Plant Book, the light zone guides and Kelby are the main planning tools today. The table below shows what each answers.
| Tool | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Plant Book (app, Help then Essentials) | A plant’s zone, days to maturity, thinning and care level |
| Light zone placement guides (help center) | Which slots are high, medium and low on your model |
| Welcome Kit placement guide | Where each starter plant goes |
| Kelby and Live View | What the cameras see on each plant, plus tasks such as when to feed, pollinate and harvest |
| Favorites in the Shop | A saved list of plants you want to reorder |
To track who planted what, keep a simple slot map on paper or in your phone’s notes, labeled by column and row, with the date you started each yCube. Kelby identifies plants from their circle code and sends tasks for each.
Your next step
Open the Plant Book, sketch your zones and pick your next plants. If you are still choosing a tower, compare the 30-plant Gardyn Home with the 16-plant Gardyn Studio, both floor-standing and both running Gardyn’s Hybriponic™ technology.
Frequently asked questions
Does placement matter when replacing a yCube?
Yes. Put each new plant in the zone its Plant Book page lists, even if that means moving an existing plant to free the right slot. Moving a plant does not affect the others. If the tank already has plant food, sprout the new yCube in the Sprout Nursery and move it to the tower once it shows true leaves, roots about 0.5 inches long or yellowing cotyledons.
Can I swap the plants in my starter kit?
The starter set that ships with each Gardyn cannot be customized, because it is chosen for strong first harvests. Once you are set up, you can replace any starter plant with varieties from the Gardyn app at any time. Members receive 10 monthly yCube credits for Gardyn Home or 5 for Gardyn Studio, and unused credits roll over while the membership is active.
Which light zone map is right for my Gardyn Home 4?
Use the map for your model in the Gardyn Plant Placement Guide in the help center, which explains how high, medium and low zones are laid out. If you are unsure which map applies to your device, Guided Help in the app or the Gardyn Customer Success team at support@mygardyn.com can help you confirm it.
Does growing one crop cause problems for the bottom plants?
All plants on a Gardyn draw water and plant food from the same tank, so lower slots differ mainly in light. If the outermost or lowest leaves of a plant yellow or shrivel, that usually means the plant could be harvested sooner. Keep up with weekly top-offs, HydroBoost and tank refreshes when Kelby sends the task.
What light schedule should I run for low-light lettuce and herbs?
One light schedule serves the whole tower, so run the recommended 14 to 16 Boost hours a day no matter which zones your plants are in. Position on the tower sets how much light each plant receives. Avoid 17 or more Boost hours, which stresses plants and can cause bitterness and early bolting, meaning a rush to flower and set seed.
How should I place flower seeds?
Sow flower seeds in Seedless yCubes and place them in the zone of the closest Gardyn flower. Sunflower and the Snapdragons are listed in the high light zone, while most others, such as Marigold and Petunia, are listed in medium light. Keep 1 sprout per yCube for large flowers and 3 for small flowers after thinning, and pick long-day or day-neutral varieties.