Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I enjoy watching the plants grow from seed and it is good to get a jump start on spring. My tomato seed grew quickly into nice plants. We now have them in the garden. I also plan to grow lettuce and herbs under the lights to use next winter.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I am able to grow things that I cannot find for sale in my area. I can grow 4 plants instead of having to buy 6 in a flat.I can grow plants that require a longer growing season than Northern New England traditionally allows us. Plus I can actually watch things grow in March when it seems that winter will never go away!!!!

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

The system for keeping the plants watered is excellent. It is easy to fill and maintains a constant level of moisture without overwatering. I would definitely recommend this to a friend.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

In the past I have always had to fill any sunny windowsill with pots, but with this propagator I am able to put it in a rather dark corner and know that the plants are getting enough light. I had no great problems putting it together even though I'm not a handywoman. And it is such a thrill to see the wavery little shoots emerging. I would have appreciated a little more growing information in the instructions.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I bought one of these last year and used it to start herb, flower, and vegetable seeds before the growing season. I wanted more space, so this year I bought another one, and now I also grow greens and herbs year-round. I also start tender bulbs with this kit. The water tray has sufficient capacity that I can go away for up to a week and everything is sufficiently watered. I have the plugs on a timer, so I easily control the amount of light the plants get. This product is outstanding.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I bought this light kit after purchasing lights from other sources and I have to say that this kit wins hands down. The dome on the top really projects the light towards the plants, the ability to move the light is great and the dirt that came with this kit is of much better quality than a typical grow medium. I recommend this product!

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Had great success last year. Bought another kit for this year. Now have three. Very easy to set up and to store for use the next season. Never have used supplies from your catalog that were less than very satisfactory. You're stuck with me as a customer.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I live in the Rockies and getting a head start on the growing process has always been difficult, so after reading the reviews, I decided to give this growing set-up a try. I bought another starter kit (w/o lights) and rotate the seedlings under the lights every 12 hours. I've had 47/48 seedlings come up, they appear healthy, and those transplanted to the larger cowpots are doing well.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I was skeptical that this unit would be adequate and worth it. However, I was pleasantly surprised upon seting it up. I live in a small condo (with a small, 'raw food equipped/set-up' kitchen) in a big city, and I need a way to grow microgreens, herbs, lettuces and other vegetables--full time indoors, as well as to start seeds/plants indoors to later transplant outdoors on a deck in earth boxes. This unit is perfect for this situation and is small enough that you can even have 2 of these units if you have enough counter space (but not enough space for the book shelf style model). If you're a raw foodist and your stove is ... well ... gone or covered, you can use that space for this unit, atop the stove or on a cart--although I eventually ended up giving away all of my dining room furniture to completely clear the room and allow more space for trays and lights, essentially creating a mini 'vertical farm'--the future of urban farming in my opinion. I'm also glad I got the kit version, as the water-lip tray and platform is a must and a lifesaver. Note: standard 10X20-inch black grow trays with drainage holes fit perfectly inside this system. It was a little slow to set up (just be very careful with the chains and the hood, and treat them gently). This is the only reason I am not giving the product 5 stars--I feel the ball-and-chain and hood could be of slightly better quality or of a different type of construction. The 2 bags of potting soil and the cow pots are also nice to have. I run this unit on a timer from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. while I'm at work, and then I give my greens a 'rest' for the other 12 hours of the day. Respirate. That's an ideal schedule, in my opinion, so that the light isn't so bright in your dining room or living room when you're home, especially if it's adjacent to your bedroom or you live in a loft. It's a small unit but really lights up (with flourescence) a small space. I have noticed a huge difference in the quickness and quality of growth using this system and the lights. Nothing looks leggy or weak. I wholeheartedly recommend the Garden Starter Kit. [...]

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

even though i live in a tiny NYC apartment, i wanted to have fresh lettuce, herbs, etc on hand. i also want to kick off tomato plants that i grow elsewhere. after scouring the market, i bought this and, while expensive for what it is, it is a good product. changes i would like to see:

1. better construction - i agree that it is somewhat flimsy, but not as bad as other reviews make it out to be. kind of expected it to be a little more rock solid for the price.
2. better light design - the cord coming out of the side does tip the light hood off balance, which is a little annoying. also the connector on the other side of the lamp doesn't stay in that well, so one light turns off periodically.
3. two tray option - having one huge seedling tray has upsides if that is all you do, but it would be nice to have an option to get two smaller tray so that you could have other things in pots growing next to seedlings without stacking them on the wet mat.

those points aside thought, the product works as advertised and i would buy it again.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Compact and convenient seed starter, and it doesn't take up much space to store when not in use.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

We use this as a seed starter...with great results, to date!

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

The Grow light and frame were easy to assemble and are lightweight but sturdy. The tray and water mat had no instructions, so I had to go online to figure out how to use it. I was concerned about water & electricity in close proximity. Within an hour of setup the water had saturated the mat and was licking up the into the pots. I just planted my seeds, so don't know how successful I will be. I thought it was a good value. Everything provided except seeds to get your starts going.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Easy to use
Jumpstart to my vege/herb garden.
Used other lights from home store-this much brighter!

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I moved some plants that were performing poorly in the window to the Garden Starter Kit and have noticed a lot of improvement. The only thing that disappoints me about this product is the power switch. When activating I noticed it sounded as if it were shorting out so I now use a power strip to turn it off and on. Other than that I am enjoying the purchase. [...]

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Less than an hour to set up. Ordered a second one immediately. Unfortunately a ballast fritzed out the second day of use[...].

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

The inset nuts were positioned incorrectly so that the supplied scews would not reach. Had to acquire longer screws from the hardware store in order to get the thing together. The screws that fasten the feet in place are not countersunk. Result -- the unit will not sit without wobbling. Seriously overpriced and lacking in QC.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I've only had mine for a couple of weeks. To soon to really plant anything, but my little rose bushes love it and my catnip seeds are up and looking great. I did find it a little hard to put together.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I do not regret buying this because my window sill grown seedlings were much to leggy and weak and never did well when transplanted outside. The surface must be level so water is alway in contact with wicking mat. I also cannot use my seedling heating mat with this product. I've decided to use the mat for the seedlings and once they've popped, move them to the grow light self watering tray. Otherwise, I do like this product!

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

From flower starts to veggie starts all are happy, healthy and strong.I bought the kit so the starting mix and cow pots rounded out out an ideal situation for them.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Poo Pots and/or organic starting mix grew an abundance of algae, slime molds, and even mushrooms! Maybe I should have sterilized them before planting?

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Horrible to assemble. Unconscionably over priced. Too cumbersome to box up and return. Containers too large for starting seeds--have to go to local garden center to get seed starting kits. Most disappointed.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Simple to use. Speeds up my gardening.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

light has sturdy, good design. I like it's portability.

cowpots are great for seed starting.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Great for getting all your seedlings off to a good start. It's small enough to fit in the space I have.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

An attractive way to start seeds indoors. An excellent way to display living plants year-round.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

This product is very nice. It is perfect for me because of its size. I am a novice gardener and just needed something small to start with.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

This was my first time starting my garden from seed. I am amazed at how easy it is and how quickly this Garden Starter Kit helped me get started. It took a little bit to assemble, but the instructions were clear and now I can't imagine gardening without it.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I bought this for my daughter who is just beginning to garden using seeds started inside ...she loves it! She has started 8 flats of seeds using a rotating method and she is ready to plant her first garden in her new home. The assembly directions were easily read and the plant stand with light is perfect. I think I will order one for myself!

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Just got it. Assembly was easy - good instructions and well engineered. I immediately planted lettuce because it is getting hot here in the Phoenix area and our garden lettuce is bolting. I am hoping to grow all my summer lettuce indoors. And I plan to start vegetables and flowers - will update this as time goes by.
It looks nice, too.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Could use instructions on using the capillary mat - I did figure it out after a bit. This unit was more expensive than one I had seen at a garden center, but, in my mind, worth the extra as it quite a bit more sturdy and attractive.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

My luck has not always been great when starting plants from seeds, but with this kit, EVERYTHING sprouted! The seedlings love the light, and I have more parsley, swiss chard, and fennel than I know what to do with. Setting up the light and getting the hood to hang level takes a little patience, but is not difficult. A great item, I'm sure I will buy more in future. Execllent for all houseplants, especially if your home doesn't get good or sufficient daylight.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Early days, but seeds are coming up and it fits on my kitchen counter. I used smaller pots to start and will take the best starts to transplant to larger pots. I have no complaints so far.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I have used this lighting system to start my tomatoes and my plants all look strong and healthy. It is very easy to use and I bought a timer separately so that I don't have to remember to turn lights on and off. The watering system works great and I only have to add water every few days. I have also grown lettuce and arugula under these lights and it grew fantastically well also. May seem like an expensive product but I'm sure it will pay for itself over time since I will never again have to buy salad greens from a store as I'll have my own fresh, organic supply growing indoors all year round!

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I tried to start flower seeds in a kit I purchased in the garden center of a discount store. The seeds sprouted, grew very thin, fell over and died. I have started flower seeds with the items provided in the starter kit, placed them under the light and the plants are beautiful, thickening up, getting the right amount of moisture automatically and i'm happy. I'll be able to plant plants and enjoy the beautiful blossoms before I would have if I just planted the seeds.
The only negative thing I can say about the grow light is that it is a little flimsy and the frame the lights are on slides about a bit. I have almost dumped the whole shebang a time or two just trying to turn the tray about. Other than that, I am enjoying the product.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I just put my starter kit together...the connector does not fit around the bar as instructed, there are no directions for the felt bottom/or capillary kit....I hope the seeds do well once planted.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I used this product to start seeds for my garden while there was still snow on the ground. Will have my plants ready when spring thaws arrive. After the initial investment, I think growing my plants from seeds will be cheaper than buying nursery started plants every year.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

This seed starting kit is great. I'd never grown vegetables from seeds before with much success, but this system works like a charm, and the automatic watering tray and mat make it very low maintenance (I put the light on a timer). If I have any complaint at all, it's that the largest cowpots that come with the kit are almost too big to be of use, and it would be nice to have some smaller ones to start things like individual lettuces in.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

This system was great to set up and I was excited to use. I did not notice though that the seed starting mix had to be thoroughly wet before use. I also did not know that green mold would grow after a week on the cowpots. It doesn't seem to affect the seedlings, but still, it's ugly. Also, the cowpots do NOT soak up the water from the capillary mat, not even after two weeks. I am keeping the reservoir full, but it makes no difference. My peat pots I put on it soak it up just fine, but the cowpots still need to be watered by hand. I recommend using peat pots if you get this kit, or else soak the cowpots in water before you start, just like the seed starting mix. Otherwise, I really like it, the seeds that have come in look like they are on steroids!! Can't wait to see how well they transplant!

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

easy to assemble, first time user will see how it works..hoping for a sucessful crop to transplant later in spring

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

A very easy and successful seed-starting season the first time I tried this product. The kit makes it all so easy, and the fixture should be good for many years to come.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

The light is great. What a difference it has made in my seedlings, which sprouted faster and are much stronger than ever before. The light is also a great small size for my limited propagation needs and looks very nice so I don't feel the need to hide it from company. Have not transplanted my peat plugs into larger pots so have no opinion yet on the soil or the grow pan with the capillary mat.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

The light hood and stand went up easily. The directions were easy to follow. The only addition would be to point out that when snapping in the light fixtures, you need to make sure there is a male and female end on each side. It shows it in the picture but not in the written directions. I had to unsnap and re-snap one of mine in, wasn't a big deal but better if I didn't have to.

The stand seems sturdy and fits perfectly on the counter.
The cow pots are bigger than I had thought which is great because that means we'll be able to start even more seeds.
We haven't started the seeds yet but I'm hopeful that the grow lights do what they are suppose to.
Even though we love it, it does seem a bit pricey.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Starting your favorite seedlings from scratch is foolproof with this kit . The self-watering container provides the right amount of moisture. The grow lights provide the right amount of sun. Put your lights on a timer and relax.Your plants will get off to a healthy happy start.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I used this kit to start heirloom tomato seeds. It has been very successful. Only downside is the mold that grew on the wicking mat.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I use this product to start seeds that are difficult to direct sow in the garden. It was easy to assemble and fits nicely on one end of my kitchen counter. I use a timer to control the light. The advert said that 24 3" pots were included, but in fact mine came with 4 six-packs. The cowpots are not necessarily level on the bottom so they don't wick water uniformly. With the single pots you can place a sponge or other adsorbent material underneath them to solve the problem, but with the six-packs, where one cell may not wick efficiently, this is not a satisfactory fix. Too early to tell what the germination rate will be, but for someone who is away from home a lot and would otherwise find it difficult to keep seedlings moist, this is a decent system, especially if you buy individual pots.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I have never had much luck starting seeds indoors but having planted seeds just 3 weeks ago I have amazingly sturdy seedlings thriving in my living room. The cow pots that come with the set are a great addition, the seedlings have roots that have grown into the pots and even come through in some cases. Now if we can just get past the last freeze (end of Feb where I live) I can get my garden started in early march - I can't wait for an amazing harvest this year! I LOVE the seed starter - it is by far my best gardening purchase ever.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

Why sell a "starter kit" with everything you need, then tell you that you should purchase a timer to go along with it. I bought this since I travel. I thought I could set it up to use for several days at a time per your site. Now I have to remember to run into the guest room to switch the light on an off PLUS teach my family to do so while I am gone so I can follow the recommended usage. lame

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

[$] for a couple of fluorescent bulbs in an adjustable stand is a lot to ask. I put something similar together with 4 2-ft bulbs and some light-weight chains for about $30 and have been using it for about 5 years now. Works great.

Comments about Garden Starter Kit:

I use this to start veges. They seem to come up quickly and and strong plants. Easy to use but a general instruction booklet would be helpful.