Frequently Asked Questions

Purchasing

Yes! Bundling a membership with your Gardyn is a great way to save, and you can finance any of our membership options with Affirm. The longer the plan term, the more you save! We currently offer monthly, 1-year, and 2-year memberships.

Our Starter Kits are pre-packaged and come with a diverse assortment of plants designed to offer you a positive and well-rounded gardening experience at the beginning of your Gardyn journey. These Starter Sets are not customizable.

You can learn more about the Starter Sets available to you when you order your Gardyn device!

How do I use a gift card to make my purchase?

You may enter your gift card information in one of two places during checkout. You do not need to enter it both places to have it apply.

The first place is on your Cart Summary page. If you click “Have a gift card?” you may enter the gift card number in the box that appears, then click “Apply”.

The other place is on the payment information screen of your checkout process. Within the payment method details section, click the plus sign next to where it says “Have a gift card?”. Enter the gift card number in the box that appears, then click “Apply”.

How do I redeem a coupon or referral code?

To apply a coupon or referral code on the Gardyn website:

  • First add the item(s) to your cart

  • Then click the shopping bag icon in the top right corner of the page.

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  • This will bring up your cart on the right side of the screen.

  • You can enter your code in the Promo Code field under the subtotal and click Apply to the right of the Promo Code field. The discount will then be applied.

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  • Alternatively, you can click View Cart to see the contents of your cart in more detail. Applying a code works the same way on this page: enter your code in the Promo Code field and click Apply.

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Can I use multiple gift cards, promo codes, or referral codes on one order?

Only one gift card, coupon, or referral code may be used per order.

How can I change promo codes?

If a promo code has already been applied, by yourself or automatically, you can remove it by clicking [Remove] next to the promo code. This will remove the promo code and let you enter a new code.  

If you’re a member, you can use your monthly credit balance to order plants for free! Orders in excess of members’ credit balance will be charged at a discounted rate of $1.99 per yCube plus flat-rate shipping (versus $4.99 per yCube plus a flat rate shipping fee of $9.99 for non-members).

Gardyn Home members receive 10 credits monthly and Gardyn Studio members receive 5 credits monthly (based on the anniversary date of your membership) and can roll over unused credits up to 30 banked credits for Gardyn Home, and 16 for Gardyn Studio.

Members can take advantage of free shipping on one order per month for any credits available in your account. Free shipping does not apply to additional items ordered beyond your balance, and a shipping charge of $9.99 will apply for every 10 items ordered. You may place more than one order each month, but free shipping will only apply to one order per month in an effort to reduce carbon emissions.

We are proud to partner with Affirm to provide financing over 6, 12, or 24 months. 0% APR is available. See this page for more details next to the Affirm logo.

Specially designed to germinate yCubes, grow Microgreens, and start Baby Greens with ease, the Gardyn Sprout Nursery boosts germination speed and success so you can enjoy more harvests sooner. It’s ideal for starting new plants when you already have plant food in your Gardyn, as plant food hinders germination. The Nursery fits perfectly on your Gardyn’s lid to soak in the ambient warmth and light from your device, and lets you continually start new plants to rotate into your Gardyn as you phase out others for continuous harvests.

If you’re growing Microgreens or Baby Greens, their support plates are uniquely designed to sit in the Nursery. For members, the Microgreens germination policy only applies if you grow them following all recommendations, including using the Nursery.

Additionally, we recommend germinating yCubes and growing Microgreens/Baby Greens in separate Gardyn Sprout Nurseries.

You can order plant food in the app and on the website. One packet of plant food lasts approximately 3-6 months, so you may only add one packet to your cart per order.

In the app, members can order one 8-oz package of plant food with 6 of their monthly credits, or at a 50% discounted rate of $11.94. Non-members pay $19.99 per packet.

Both members and non-members pay $19.99 per packet when shopping on the website here.

Our website is always up to date with our current promotions. You can also sign up to receive email messages from us so you never miss a deal. Members get exclusive access to special sales and promotions throughout the year!
Accessories are available for purchase in the Shop on the app, and here.

Absolutely, you can gift either or both Gardyn devices and memberships to others!

For devices, when checking out, simply enter your friend’s address as the shipping address. When your friend receives their Gardyn, they’ll be able to create an account from the Gardyn App and activate their membership to keep receiving plants.

After your purchase, you’ll receive an order confirmation email containing an Order ID. Save this number! You’ll need to share the Order ID with your friend so they can activate their pre-paid membership in the Gardyn app.

Membership

We’ve designed our memberships to help you get the most out of your Gardyn experience while enjoying unique and exclusive benefits. With all that membership offers, you’ll be able to grow with confidence, no matter your experience level. To see what membership currently includes, click here! We’re always expanding our list of member perks.

If you purchased a membership along with your device, your pre-paid membership starts on your schedule!

You can redeem your pre-paid membership in the app 24 hours after receiving your Order Confirmation email, which contains the order ID number you’ll need in the app to get started. Your membership doesn’t activate until your Gardyn connects to WiFi for the first time, so you don’t have to worry about losing any time you’ve paid for if you choose to redeem it before you’ve set up your Gardyn.

If you created your Gardyn account without redeeming your pre-paid membership and already have your Gardyn connected to WiFi, you can redeem and activate it one step using these easy steps.

Gardyn currently offers three types of membership plans: monthly, 1-year, or 2-year. The longer the plan, the more you save! See the next question for details.

You may choose to purchase a 1-year or 2-year membership either on our website when you’re purchasing a device, or directly in your Gardyn app following your device purchase. The monthly membership is only available in the app following a device purchase.

Membership pricing varies by Gardyn device:

Gardyn Home Membership

  • Monthly: $39 / Month
  • One Year: $408 Total (Save $60)
  • Two Year: $686 (Save $250)

Gardyn Studio Membership

  • Monthly: $25 / Month
  • One Year: $249 Total (Save $51)
  • Two Year: $449 Total (Save $151)

Every Gardyn membership comes with Kelby™, your personal, AI Gardyning assistant. Kelby leverages your Gardyn’s advanced sensors and cameras to keep tabs on your plants 24/7, coaching you on their care from Day 1 so you can grow with confidence and enjoy the full Gardyn experience.

Kelby will send you messages and alerts that typically fall into a few main categories:

  • Just-in-time plant coaching, such as when to add plant food, how to pollinate flowers, and when and how to harvest each of your plants.
  • Device care, including water level alerts, reminders on when to do a simple clean of your water tank, and notifications if anything looks unusual.
  • Membership and special promotions, including when you’ve gained monthly credits, sales codes, plant portfolio releases and rotations, and notices about expiring memberships.
  • Inspiration! Whether it’s a new blog post, recipe ideas, or fun plant facts, Kelby has a message for every type of Gardyner!

You can learn more about Kelby here.

Yes, but you will have limited controls and functionality, with or without the app. Without membership, you can still connect your Gardyn to the Gardyn app, adjust its automatic lighting and watering schedules, and read its temperature, humidity, and water level to help maintain your Gardyn. Non-members can also purchase plant yCubes through the app at the rate of $4.99 per credit, plus shipping.

Membership comes with many perks, including expanded controls of your Gardyn through the app, personalized plant coaching from Kelby, free monthly plant credits, access to special promotions and member-only plants, and more! Click here to discover our current list of membership benefits – we’re always adding more!

Yes! After setting up your Gardyn in the app, you can opt into a 30-day free trial of our monthly membership. You’ll get free plant yCube credits and immediate access to all membership perks.

At the end of the 30 days, your membership will auto-renew for $39 per month (Gardyn Home membership) or $25 per month (Gardyn Studio membership). If you wish to cancel your auto-renewal, you can at any time in the app.

To access all member perks for each Gardyn, yes, you may only apply each membership to one Gardyn device.

Shipping

Unfortunately, at this time we only ship throughout the US, including Hawaii and Alaska. We are in the early stages of logistics for international shipping. Stay tuned!

The Gardyn devices for free in the contiguous United States as well as Hawaii and Alaska.

Members can take advantage of free shipping on one order per month (based on the anniversary date of your membership) for any credits available in your account. Free shipping does not apply to additional items ordered beyond your balance, and a shipping charge of $9.99 will apply for every 10 items ordered. You may place more than one order each month, but free shipping will only apply to one order per month in an effort to reduce carbon emissions.

Without membership, there is a flat rate shipping fee of $9.99 for yCube orders.

The Gardyn Home device will only be sent to valid street addresses; there is no delivery to P.O. Boxes or APO/FPO addresses. We are able to ship yCube and plant orders to P.O. boxes. If the carrier cannot deliver the package and returns it to Gardyn, any additional cost for subsequent shipping attempts will be at the customer’s expense.

Once your order has shipped and the courier has scanned the label, you will automatically receive a confirmation email with tracking information. If you would like to inquire about your Gardyn order prior to shipping, please reach out to our Customer Support team at [email protected]. If you purchase multiple items at once, remember that some items may arrive before others.

Shipping times depend on your location. Most shipments in the contiguous United States arrive in less than 5 business days but may take longer for some regions and delays due to weather conditions or other carrier delays. If you ordered multiple items, like accessories, some may arrive sooner than the others. If you have any questions about your order, please chat here with our Customer Success team.

If FedEx is the carrier, you can use FedEx Delivery Manager (FDM) to request delivery services, such as:

  • Schedule the delivery (available for residential addresses served by FedEx Express and FedEx Home Delivery)
  • Put your package on vacation hold
  • Hold your package at a FedEx location for pick up
  • Change the delivery address

If a delivery option isn’t available in FDM, this may be because of the status of the package. For example, if the shipment is already out for delivery, then the package isn’t available for a delivery appointment set up.

If you need to change your package’s delivery address, you may either do so through your FDM account, or by contacting us as [email protected].

The Gardyn Studio comes in one box, measuring 38in x 14in x 13in.

The Gardyn Home comes in one box, measuring 47in x 15in x 17in.

Absolutely, you can gift either or both Gardyn devices and memberships to others!

For devices, when checking out, simply enter your friend’s address as the shipping address. When your friend receives their Gardyn, they’ll be able to create an account from the Gardyn App and activate their membership to keep receiving plants.

After your purchase, you’ll receive an order confirmation email containing an Order ID. Save this number! You’ll need to share the Order ID with your friend so they can activate their pre-paid membership in the Gardyn app.

Yes. Gardyn Home and Gardyn Studio have a 60-day window to try out and return your Gardyn for a refund. Refurbished devices are final sale. See our Return Policy for more details.

Installation

The Gardyn Home and Gardyn Studio were both specifically designed to grow large quantities of food in a very small footprint. We recommend our most compact design, Gardyn Studio, for smaller spaces – it is only 1.4 square feet!

  • Gardyn Home Dimensions: 24″ W x 12″ D x 64″ H
  • Gardyn Studio Dimensions (Recommended for smaller spaces): 17″ W x 12″ D x 54″ H

If you’re in a studio apartment, make sure you’re comfortable with having the Gardyn’s lights on at full intensity (Boost mode) for 14 hours daily to ensure the healthiest and fastest plant growth. You can easily adjust the light schedule in the app to suit your household rhythms by following our guide here.

Every Gardyn devices comes with everything you need to get growing.

Every Gardyn Home and Studio purchase includes:

  • Full-spectrum LED grow lights with attached cameras (2 with Gardyn Home, and 1 with Gardyn Studio)
  • Columns (3 with Gardyn Home, and 2 with Gardyn Studio)
  • Water tank with lid, which contains the irrigation hose system, water pump, and sensors (5 Gallons with Gardyn Home, 4 Gallons with Gardyn Studio)
  • yPods to hold your plants in the columns (30 with Gardyn Home, 16 with Gardyn Studio)
  • Free yCubes so you can start growing immediately (30 with Gardyn Home, 16 with Gardyn Studio)
  • Plant food with a 1-teaspoon scoop
  • 1 power supply and power cord
  • User Manual to help you assemble your device, plus a Quick Start Guide with our tips for getting started

The Gardyn is specifically designed for indoor growing and as such should never be placed outdoors. Even covered patios and screened porches experience too many temperature and humidity fluctuations to ensure healthy plants.

The Gardyn can grow anywhere in your home as long as there is a power outlet and access to your WiFi network. Ideally, the room you place your Gardyn in will have temperatures in the 65-75°F range and humidity levels in the 50-75% range. Thanks to the two full-spectrum LED grow lights, you don’t need to worry about finding a sunny spot! Some people even choose to grow their Gardyn in a closet, pantry, or basement. We recommend placing your Gardyn against a wall so you can secure the wall safety straps, and avoid looking at the lights directly, as they can be bright!

To operate the Gardyn, you need:

  • Access to a 110V power outlet
  • An indoor space to house your Gardyn (the Gardyn is not designed or intended for outdoor use)
  • Requires a 2.4 GHz* 802.11n wireless network to connect the Gardyn to your WiFi so you can pair it with your phone. This gives you full control of your Gardyn and access to its full functionality at your fingertips.
    • The Gardyn App requires a phone, tablet, or smart device with operating systems iOS 12.0 or Android 4.1 and up. The app is free to download.
    • The Gardyn can operate without WiFi, but its functionality and your ability to control it will be limited.
    • *The Gardyn is not compatible with 5GHz

No. All you need is access to water clean enough to drink, and in fact, tap water is the best option! The Gardyn comes with a 5-gallon water tank which you will fill about once a week with fresh tap water. If you’re a member, Kelby will remind you when your tank’s water level is getting low.

Every Gardyn comes with two wall safety straps so you can easily fasten it to the wall using the appropriate hardware for your wall type. The Gardyn is designed to balance even when full of heavy plants, but we recommend securing it to the wall as an additional safety precaution, particularly if you have young children or pets.

Gardyn Device Use & Care

We strive to build the Gardyn (and its packaging) with sustainable materials whenever possible, and we are continually testing our materials to make improvements.

Gardyn Columns, yPods, Pod Caps, & Water Tank

The Gardyn’s columns, yPods, Pod Caps, and water tank are not made of PVC but made using food-grade, FDA-compliant, ABS plastic, commonly used in medical-grade equipment and children’s toys.

Gardyn Lid Top

The Gardyn 4.0 & 3.0 lid top is made from Hevia wood, also known as rubberwood, a type of hardwood tree in the maple family. The Gardyn 2.0 lid top is made from bamboo wood.

yCubes: Casing, Rockwool, & Seeds

Garydyn yCubes are made up of three parts: the casing, rockwool, and seeds.

Casing

We are transitioning all of our yCubes’ casing from a corn-based plastic to a more sustainable, tapioca-based casing. Both casings are compostable in industrial composters. You’ll notice a slight visual difference between the two casings, but it will not affect your yCubes’ growth.

Rockwool

The interior of yCubes is made up of rockwool, a natural, rock-based growing medium. Rockwool holds water well and does not dry out when stored for prolonged periods of time, while also retaining its structure when wet, even after many months on your Gardyn!

Rockwool is composed of natural mineral elements melted into fibers and woven together. They are not compostable, but remember, neither are rocks!

Rockwool does not contribute harmful chemicals to the environment, and you can add rockwool from retired yCubes directly to the ground without worrying about negative environmental consequences. Reused rockwool can be especially helpful to increase water retention in gardens or flower pots that otherwise quickly go dry.

Inhaling rockwool fibers is only dangerous when you are handling and manipulating rockwool in large quantities. This danger does not apply when handling yCubes. We recommend preventing your pets from drinking water out of germination trays containing yCubes so they do not accidentally ingest any fibers. The Gardyn Sprout Nursery has a built-in cover and tray to block access to its water.

Seeds

We include 2-6 seeds in each yCube to maximize your chances of germination. The number of seeds varies depending on seed size. Gardyn’s seeds are non-GMO and organically sourced whenever possible, but don’t worry, the resulting plants you grow will still be pesticide and herbicide-free! We also offer seedless yCubes for you to grow your own varieties!

Packaging

Gardyn device packaging features all-recycled materials and just 1 box to reduce the amount of materials used. All cardboard used in every Gardyn shipment also comes from 100% recycled content and 95% post-consumer waste.

Every Gardyn device comes with cameras (2 on Gardyn Home, and 1 on Gardyn Studio) which helps both you and Kelby monitor your Gardyn. The cameras take photos of your Gardyn every half hour to populate the Live View in your Gardyn app.

Over time, your Gardyn will produce time-lapse photos so you can watch your plants’ growth and share it with others. Members enjoy the added benefit of editing and saving these videos!

If you’re a Gardyn member, Kelby will use the images from the cameras to evaluate your Gardyn and its plants. These images help drive Kelby’s personalized recommendations and alerts to optimize your plants’ growth and device health!

The cameras are stationary and you cannot adjust their angles. You can find more details about our privacy policy here.

You can disable the cameras, and you are free to do so at any time. Just remember: no cameras means no help from Kelby!

In your Gardyn app, tap the three-line menu at the top-left of the home screen, then select “Settings”. When the cameras are on, the toggle next to “Gardyn Cameras” will appear green. If you toggle the cameras off, it will appear grey.

Every new Gardyn purchase comes with a two-year warranty, so any damage that may happen during shipping or normal wear and tear is covered under your warranty and we will send you replacement parts at no cost to you.

For 3.0 Gardyn Home kits purchased before 4/24/2024, Gardyn warrants the components and all original parts of the Gardyn Home, other than yCubes™, against defects in workmanship and materials for 12 months from the date of original delivery.

If you purchased a 3.0 before 4/24/2024, or if you purchased a previous generation, we want ALL our customers to know we care and are here to help. If you ever have a problem or need assistance, in warranty or not, our customer service team is here for you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.  Simply reach out to Customer Support and send photos to [email protected] if you happen to have a broken part so we can confirm the part that needs to be replaced and record this for quality assurance. 

If you’re outside of your warranty, you may purchase replacement parts here. If pricing for a particular item is not currently listed, you can contact Gardyn Support for details at [email protected]. We’ll get you Gardyning again in no time!

Yes! The Gardyn has the best quality grow lighting available for hydroponic systems. The Gardyn uses full-spectrum 60W LED grow lights to mimic natural sunlight across the entire PAR range (the visible light range), without added infrared and ultraviolet rays that can be harmful.

Our LED bulbs have an expected lifespan of 50,000 hours, which equates to over 5 years of continuous use. Our recommended light schedule of 16 hours/day would yield an 8.5-year lifespan.

Gardyn also warrants the components and all original parts of the Gardyn, other than yCubes, against defects in workmanship and materials for a period of 24 months from the date of original delivery. Please review the full Warranty Policy here. 

Following Kelby’s recommended light schedule, the Gardyn is estimated to use 26-68kWh per month depending on the device model. Gardyners have reported only paying a few dollars more per month on their usual bill due to minimal usage increases (electricity supply rates vary based on your utility provider). Some Gardyners even save on their electric bill because they end up using the Gardyn’s lights to light their home instead of other light fixtures!

Yes, you can easily adjust both in the app. Choose the time of day your lights turn on and at what intensity to balance your plants’ needs with your household rhythms. Kelby recommends 14-16 hours of light on Boost mode (100% intensity) daily for the healthiest and fastest growth. Click here to learn more about adjusting your light schedule!

Yes! Members can enjoy time away from their Gardyn for up to 2 weeks without worrying about a thing by turning on Vacation Mode in the app. This research-backed mode lets Kelby control your Gardyn on a unique, reduced light and water schedule to effectively press pause on your plants’ growth and conserve energy while you’re away so you won’t miss your window to pollinate or harvest! Learn more about how to prepare your Gardyn for Vacation Mode and how to enable it in the app here.

Your Gardyn requires power to function, but it will keep running without WiFi on your last saved light and water schedules. Without WiFi, you’ll also have limited functionality and your Gardyn will lose connection with your app.

If your power goes out, the most important thing is to water your plants by hand if you suspect your power will not return within a day or two (how long your plants can go without automatic watering depends on their age).

Once your power and/or WiFi come back on, your Gardyn will automatically reconnect to your remembered WiFi network. For more details or to get help getting your Gardyn to turn back on or reconnect to WiFi, start here.

We recommend refreshing your tank monthly to give your plants a healthy growing environment with a consistent balance of nutrients. It’s a simple process that only takes about 10 minutes.

With regular HydroBoost use right from the start, you can also decrease the need for (and potentially eliminate) whole-device cleanings later in your Gardyn’s life by keeping the inside of your Gardyn clean (while boosting plant health, among other benefits!).

Yes! Tap water is in fact the best water source to use in your Gardyn. The only type of water we don’t recommend using in your Gardyn is softened water treated with a water softener. Please note, this is different from naturally soft water. Click here to learn more.

The Gardyn Home’s water tank holds up to 5 gallons of water, and Gardyn Studio’s holds 4 gallons. After you’ve added plant food for the first time, we recommend topping off weekly with water and dissolved plant food to maintain a consistent balance of nutrients for healthy, happy plants.

No! We designed the Gardyn system to be as simple as possible. Our plant food plus our plant-based water treatment solution, HydroBoost, are specially formulated so you don’t have to worry about pH.

Simply follow our plant food usage guidelines, top off your tank weekly along with HydroBoost, and refresh it monthly for a clean and healthy Gardyn, inside and out.

If you’re curious about pH and want more of a deep dive on water quality, click here to keep reading!

Plants & Growing Tips

All plants available in the Gardyn portfolio have gone through a rigorous testing and validation process to ensure Gardyners will have a positive growing experience. We only bring you the most delicious, nutritious, and beautiful harvests, and we’re always adding new varieties to the portfolio!

If you’re interested in growing a variety outside of our portfolio, try our seedless yCubes, available in the app’s yCube Shop! Designed for the experimental Gardyner, you can pop in your own seeds and watch them grow. For tips on picking your own varieties, click here!

You can find the full list of our plant varieties, including greens, herbs, fruits, vegetables, and flowers, on our website and in the Plant Book in your Gardyn app. We are constantly adding new varieties and routinely update the list as new plants become available.

Yes! We are always expanding our plant portfolio, and members get access to the widest variety and most unique plants we offer.

All the seeds we use at Gardyn are perfect for organic growing; organic produce can still be produced from uncertified organic seeds. Gardyn’s seeds are untreated, non-GMO, and organically sourced from small USA farms whenever possible. We also offer seedless yCubes for you to grow your own varieties.

All plants available in the Gardyn portfolio have gone through a rigorous testing and validation process to ensure Gardyners will have a positive growing experience.

Our Plant Health & Nutrition Team thoroughly tests each variety we offer to bring you the most flavorful and high-quality plants!

You can read about their research here.

You can order plants directly through your Gardyn app. From the 3-line menu in the top left of your app’s home screen, select the Shop to explore all of our plants, including Microgreens and Baby Greens.

If you’re a member, you can use your monthly credit balance to order plants for free! Orders in excess of members’ credit balance will be charged at a discounted rate of $1.99 per yCube plus flat-rate shipping (versus $4.99 per yCube plus a flat rate shipping fee of $9.99 for non-members).

Members can take advantage of free shipping on one order per month (based on the anniversary date of your membership) for any credits available in your account. Free shipping does not apply to additional items ordered beyond your balance, and a shipping charge of $9.99 will apply for every 10 items ordered. You may place more than one order each month, but free shipping will only apply to one order per month in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. Without membership, there is a flat rate shipping fee of $9.99 for yCube orders.

Plant growth and germination times depend on the species of the plant. Lettuces, for example, can sprout in a matter of days, and will typically reach full size in about 3-4 weeks. Cherry Tomatoes, on the other hand, can take 60 days to start forming flowers and begin bearing fruit. You can learn more about growth rates and germination speed for each species we offer in the Plant Book, found in your Gardyn app.

The environment around and inside your Gardyn also factors into how fast your plants grow. Externally, ensure the room your Gardyn is in maintains temperature and humidity levels in our recommended ranges. Internally, keeping your Gardyn columns and water tank clean with regular tank refreshes and weekly HydroBoost additions is the best, lowest-maintenance way to ensure healthy plant roots.

Yes! If your yCube(s) do not germinate after 28 days, please reach out to our Customer Success team.

For details on this policy, click here.

The beauty of Gardyn-grown produce is that you know your plants’ origin. Since your Gardyn plants are all pesticide- and herbicide-free and grown in your home, you can feel comfortable snacking on plants directly from the Gardyn without washing them first! Bonus: there’s no grit or soil or wash off!

Our growing medium of choice that makes up the interior of yCubes is rockwool, a natural, rock-based material. Rockwool holds water well and does not dry out when stored for prolonged periods of time, while also retaining its structure when wet, even after many months on your Gardyn!

Rockwool is composed of natural mineral elements melted into fibers and woven together. They are not compostable, but remember, neither are rocks!

Rockwool does not contribute harmful chemicals to the environment, and you can add rockwool from retired yCubes directly to the ground without worrying about negative environmental consequences. Reused rockwool can be especially helpful to increase water retention in gardens or flower pots that otherwise quickly go dry.

Inhaling rockwool fibers is only dangerous when you are handling and manipulating rockwool in large quantities. This danger does not apply when handling yCubes. We recommend preventing your pets from drinking water out of germination trays containing yCubes so they do not accidentally ingest any fibers. The Gardyn Sprout Nursery has a built-in cover and tray to block access to its water.

In the first 30 days when your plants are young, they won’t drink much water. When you have mature plants, and especially fruiting plants, which drink a lot, you’ll need to add water with dissolved plant food at least once per week. We call these weekly additions "topping off your tank."

Kelby will remind members if their water tank starts to run low, but it’s best to keep your tank at least 50% full at all times. This gives your plants the most balanced nutrients for healthy growth, and it ensures your tank never runs too low for the pump to reach.

Gardyn plant food is mineral-based to give plants access to the nutrients they need in a way that helps keep your device clean. The ingredients listed are also found in natural soil, including:

  • Nitrogen: 8% (includes 1% Ammoniacal Nitrogen and 7% Nitrate Nitrogen)
  • Available Phosphate: 5%
  • Soluble Potash: 13%
  • Calcium: 7%
  • Magnesium: 2.5%
  • Water Soluble Magnesium: 2.5%
  • Sulfur: 4.5%
  • Iron: 0.2%
  • Manganese: 0.03%
  • Molybdenum as 0.001%

We do not recommend using organic plant food in your Gardyn (or in any hydroponic system). Mineral plant food provides the same nutrients as organic plant food, but without generating excess waste that will clog your pump. Since there is no soil present in a hydroponic setup, mineral plant food is always preferred because it is cleaner and will prevent biofilm from developing in your tank and columns. Your plants will still be organic, so no worries! You can learn more about what our plant food is made of here.

Option 1: Compost it

Simply remove the plant and rockwool from the yCube’s casing, and add them to your home compost pile. The yCubes’ corn- or tapioca-based casing can be composted in industrial composters – check with your town or local waste management system to see if this is an option near you.

Option 2: Transplant it outside

Many Gardyners like to start plants in their Gardyn before transplanting them outdoors, especially in the warmer months. This is also an excellent redirection when dealing with pests, so you can give your plants another chance in nature, which often remedies indoor pest problems naturally.

Get our tips for transplanting yCubes outside here!

As your plants grow and mature, you’ll enjoy harvesting them many times. All plants, however, come to a natural end to their life cycle. The specific timing greatly depends on the plant variety. All lettuces and herbs, for example, eventually bolt, which is when the plant starts growing flowers and going to seed instead of growing more leaves.

To help enjoy continuous harvests for all of your plants, we recommend germinating new yCubes in the Gardyn Sprout Nursery while you’re harvesting their mature counterparts so that as one plant reaches the end of its life cycle, you have another ready to take its place.

Yes! If you’re looking to experiment, we recommend choosing plants that are determinate (meaning they stop growing in size at a set point) and, if you’re looking at fruiting plants, ones with smaller fruit. We offer seedless yCubes so you can experiment with ease.

Some Gardyn plants should not be eaten by pets, including but not limited to Cherry Tomato and Pepper leaves. If you have a curious pet and are concerned about them snacking on your Gardyn, we recommend reviewing the ASPCA Toxic and Non-toxic Plants List, and placing any plants with potential negative effects at the top of your Gardyn. You can also purchase a pet or baby gate to block off your Gardyn from unwanted attention.

We recommend preventing your pets from drinking water out of germination trays containing yCubes so they do not ingest any fibers from the rockwool (keeping the lid on your Gardyn Nursery helps with this).

The Gardyn boasts the highest quality, full-spectrum LED grow lights available in a commercial hydroponic system. Kelby cannot offer guidance on growing cannabis. Growing cannabis isn’t legal everywhere, so check your local and state laws first.

Pest issues are less common in indoor gardening, but they can happen from time to time. Gardyn sends plant yCubes that are composed of inorganic material and seeds to eliminate the possibility of outside contamination.

However, pests can still find their way inside through outside doors or windows, or from being carried in on soil-based houseplants or pets. We offer many resources and expert plant support should you ever run into any pest issues. Plus, members can rest easy knowing they’ve always got enough credits banked should they need to replace any plants.

Gardyn App

The Gardyn app is free to download.

While you don’t have to download the app, it is the only way you can connect Kelby, your smart Gardyning assistant, with your device. The app also lets you control your device, from activating Kelby Assist so Kelby can adjust your light and water schedules based on your plants’ growth, to switching into Vacation Mode, logging your tank refreshes, checking on your plants through Live View, and more. Plus, the app is the easiest way to shop for new plants and find answers to your questions in the Help Center.

The Gardyn App requires a phone, tablet, or smart device with operating systems iOS 12.0 or Android 5.0 and up.

The Gardyn App makes it possible for you to control your Gardyn’s automatic lighting and water scheduling remotely. If you are a Gardyn member, you will also receive notifications from Kelby, the Gardyn Smart Assistant. You can view photos of your plants growing, as well as your Gardyn’s current temperature, humidity, water level, watering schedule and light intensity.

Kelby sends you messages through your app and to the email address linked with your Gardyn account. App messages arrive just like text messages from a friend, filled with helpful tips, alerts, and personalized guidance. You can choose if you’d like Kelby to send messages to either or both your phone and email by adjusting your settings in the app.

Kelby sends you messages and alerts that typically fall into a few main categories:

  • Just-in-time plant coaching, such as when to add plant food, how to pollinate flowers, and when and how to harvest each of your plants.
  • Device care, including water level alerts, reminders on when to do a simple clean of your water tank, and notifications if anything looks unusual.
  • Membership and special promotions, including when you’ve gained monthly credits, sales codes, plant portfolio releases and rotations, and notices about membership renewals.
  • Inspiration! Whether it’s a new blog post, recipe ideas, or fun plant facts, Kelby has a message for every type of Gardyner!

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