Customer Reviews

Hydrofarm EMSYST Emily's Garden System

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I chose this unit after reviewing all the options for trying out hydroponic gardening, and now 30 days after receiving it and 29 days after starting seeds, I'm very pleased with the results. I've posted a picture so you can see how nicely everything is growing. Everything you need but a plant light and seeds is in the kit, and I started out with just 3 fluorescent bulbs and a southeast window, and salad garden seeds left over from last year's outdoor garden. The manufacturer makes commercial hydroponic systems, so I figured they would do a simple home system right, and they did. I'm thinking of buying a second one next winter, as this unit only takes up half the length of my plant light.

What's not to like? The air pump does not fit its recess well, and I had to tape it in and pad it to keep in place without buzzing. They don't tell you whether to set the pump on "high" or "low"; low, I figured, and it seems to work fine. The system is all plastic, and one of the pots already had a minor chip in it when I got it. Finally, the instructions are awfully sketchy (just a single sheet) for a beginner, though they were enough for me, an experienced outdoor gardener who had already researched the subject on the internet.

This system is great. I bought it in the middle of January and it is currently mid April and I have zucchini about a week or so from harvesting. It is so nice to be harvesting in the northeast as others are just starting to plant.

I have the following things growing in my Emily's garden: strawberries, squash, zucchini, bell pepers, cucumber, and watermelon. I know it is pushing this system beyond what it is designed for as the reservoir is only about 2 gallons and if the watermelon ever get big they can go through that in a day. I have huge leaves (and I mean close to a foot wide) on the zucchini and squash and I'm putting in about 1/2 gallon of nutrient solution a day.

I have pictures of the garden at www.mysimplehomegarden.com showing Emily's Garden in action and I also have blogged so people can see the history of how I got from an empty basement to a vegatable garden in my basement.

Emily's Garden is a terrific small kit for those wanting to grow plants indoors. It's a passive wick system. Very simple to set up and maintain. Perfect size for herbs and vegetables. After harvest, you can replace the wick material with felt from your local fabric store. Much more cost-effective than the stuff from a hydroponic shop. The air pump and hollow "air stones" or tubes can also be found at your local pet supply store, if you need to replace them.

I have started a small garden in the hydrofarm. It was easy to set up. The pump is a little noisy so you don't want it in a bedroom. I so far have harvested salad greens. Now I'm working on trying to grow swiss chard, tomatoes, and green beans. It is a fun hobby. I am doing better with this then when I grow plants from seeds in dirt.

Emily's Garden is a complete system with easy to follow instructions. It is priced right and works well. The only problem I have ever had was with the aerator vibrating and making some noise, but other than that, I have no complaints.

Not sure what all the fuss is about in the other reviews, but this box really couldn't be simpler to setup. I didn't even need to read the instructions because the setup was just common sense. I've been growing various types of lettuce, spinach, arugula, swiss chard, and basil in my Emily's Garden, and it has all grown huge with no problems at all. I've been using the 1 part flora nova "grow" fertilizer to keep it really simple. All I do is change out the water every 2 weeks. Couldn't be simpler.

The Emily's Garden is a simple and relatively complete Deep Water Culture, hydroponic system. It's easy to set up and to maintain. Though the system comes with a pH test kit, it doesn't include the pH UP or pH Down that will be needed to make the adjustment, so be certain to order that as well. I was hoping for a low maintenance set-up, but am learning that water (nutrient solution) needs to be added almost daily as the plants grow larger. The only other change I would suggest is that you go ahead and buy an air-stone. The supplied bubbler tubes are less than satisfactory. A 4" air-stone won't cost more than $3.00 and makes for a significant improvement.

I bought one of these for a closet grow, for larger plants I suggest buying a 50 gallon fish tank pump and connecting two large airstones. The ones that come with it barely put out any bubbles. Other than that I have had great success!

Well, where to start... We will do negative and positive on this one.

Negative.
1. Instructions are not clear on how to place starter cubes. I emailed the manufacturer and got no response. Finally got an answer after going to a local hydro store.
2. The drain/water level plug leaks.. Woke up one morning and there was hug puddle on my desk dripping onto my carpet. I just put silicone on it today.
3. The lid is dripping condensate which can not be fixed.
4. The pots are to tall like some one else mentioned. I had to buy some rope and make wicks..
5. The pump is loud. I insulated it like some one else but still not that quite. Ended up buying a tetra pump from a pet store. Much quieter.

Positives.
1. Amazon had free shipping(doesn't make the product any better.)
2. Cheap(for junk)

This is more like a science project than a grow system.

Pros:
Small
Moderately priced

Cons:
Air tube is too short (in the picture they have given, the air pump is at water level. The air pump is NEVER below the water, but they don't give you enough tube to deal with it)
Air stones are too small
Clips for air stones aren't aligned properly
The drainage and water level valve LEAKS!!!!
Extremely loud


I'm in the process of rigging it up so I can use larger air stones and a larger pump. I am also going to the hardware store to buy a new seal and probably some sort of caulking (you're looking at damn near what the system costs). I will update this review after all that is completed.

There are systems out there that I would recommend over this to family and friends. I can't say it's good for a novice grower because I don't know that a novice could fix all the manufactures mistakes. Maybe I just got a bad system. Don't risk it. Look elsewhere.