AeroGarden Vacation Mode is a wonderful feature of many AeroGarden models that can be a lifesaver for both your garden and your peace of mind while away from home.
I’m going to tell you all about it and show you how it works.
What is AeroGarden Vacation Mode?
AeroGarden gardens are designed to be easy-to-use hydroponic systems to grow a variety of plants from herbs to vegetables to flowers.
One of the features that sets AeroGarden apart from many other countertop hydroponic gardening systems is its Vacation Mode.
AeroGarden Vacation Mode is a setting that allows you to keep your plants alive while you’re away from home by lowering the risk of the garden running dry.
When you activate Vacation Mode, the AeroGarden system adjusts the amount of time the light is on which essentially slows down the growth of your plants. Less light = less plant growth = less water consumed.
I’ll give you a sense of how much the light cycle differs under Vacation Mode for my AeroGarden. When I enable Vacation Mode on my Bounty, the time the light is on each day drops from 14hr, 30 mins down to 8hrs. Pretty significant!
Why Does Less Light Mean Less Water?
Why do plants drink less with less light? Well, let’s geek out for a second.
First, light drives photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use water and carbon dioxide to produce glucose (food) and oxygen.
When there is less light, the rate of photosynthesis decreases, which means that the plant will require less water to produce the same amount of food. Therefore, reducing light intensity can help to reduce the plant’s water consumption.
Second, when there is less light, the plant’s stomata, the small openings on the leaves that allow for gas exchange, will close partially or completely to reduce water loss through transpiration.
Transpiration is the process by which water vapor escapes from the leaves into the surrounding air. When stomata close, transpiration decreases. This means the plant will require less water to maintain its internal water balance.
Therefore, reducing light intensity can help to reduce the plant’s transpiration rate, and consequently its water consumption.
Which AeroGarden Models Have Vacation Mode
As of this publication date, AeroGarden offers the Vacation Mode feature on AeroGarden Harvest Elite, Bounty, and Farm models.
How to Activate Vacation Mode
To activate AeroGarden Vacation Mode on some AeroGarden models, such as the Bounty, simply press the Vacation Mode button on the front of your AeroGarden system. You’ll be able to tell you are in Vacation Mode when the blue icon illuminates.
On the Harvest Elite you can do this by tapping the Leaf to get into the menu. Go to “Plant Select”, and use the arrows to scroll down to Vacation Mode. Tap the menu button to activate.
On the Farm models, you access Vacation Mode through the LED panel under “More Options” in the top right-hand corner.
Use the AeroGarden Mobile App to Set Vacation Mode
You can also use the AeroGarden mobile app. Do this under Garden Settings which you get to by pushing the three menu bars in the upper right-hand corner of the home screen.
When you’re ready to return to normal growing mode, simply press the Vacation Mode button again on your unit or click “Disable Vacation Mode” in your mobile app.
What If Your Model Doesn’t Have a Vacation Mode Setting?
If your garden doesn’t have a built-in Vacation Mode setting, you can still technically minimize water consumption by manually lowering the light settings.
Simply go into the mobile app and lower the amount of time the LED light is active. I do this for my AeroGarden Harvest which doesn’t have a Vacation Mode.
Other Tips for Keeping Your Garden Alive While You’re Away
Your garden’s water usage will largely depend on the type of plants you’re growing, their size, and their point in the lifecycle.
For example, plants in the flowering stage will use more water and nutrients than a plant early in their lifecycle.
Therefore, if you are really worried about running out of water, you can trim back flowers to minimize your plant’s water needs.
Sometimes I’ll pull the biggest water drinker if I have one really large plant in the garden that consumes the most water. I’d rather sacrifice one plant to save the others.
You can also cut back roots in your garden. Plants will naturally grow roots first if they’ve been pruned rather than focus energy on new leaf or flower growth.
In my experience, this seems to help slow water intake. I’ve heard others mention this, as well.
Finally, I like to ensure my garden has a fresh supply of nutrients. Any time you fill up your reservoir, you want to top off nutrients.
But, this can be especially important if you may be gone for a while and want to ensure your plants have good nutrients available in your absence.
I’ll leave you with one last tip: On the Bounty models, you can fill the reservoir just past the “do not fill” indicator in the tank to give you a little extra water volume!
In conclusion, AeroGarden Vacation Mode is a valuable feature for anyone who wants to grow plants hydroponically without worrying about their plants dying from a lack of water while they’re away. It’s easy to use and can provide peace of mind when traveling!
Ready to learn about other types of hydroponic systems beyond the AeroGarden? Head over to our article on the Kratky Method which is the simplest DIY hydroponics setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AeroGarden Vacation Mode?
AeroGarden Vacation Mode is a setting that allows you to keep your plants alive while you’re away from home by lowering the risk of the garden running dry.
How do I put AeroGarden in Vacation Mode?
Use the AeroGarden mobile app, or find the setting on the control panel of your AeroGarden unit.
Can I leave AeroGarden for 2 weeks?
Yes! If you have small plants, or have Vacation Mode enabled, you can go two weeks or longer without adding water.
Does AeroGarden Elite have Vacation Mode?
Yes! To activate Vacation Mode, tap the Leaf to get into the menu. Go to “Plant Select”, and use the arrows to scroll down to Vacation Mode. Tap the menu button to activate.
How long can AeroGarden go without water?
If you have small plants, or have Vacation Mode enabled, you can go two weeks or longer without adding water. Larger plants will consume water more quickly.
