AeroGarden

Since we’re not fortunate enough to own acreage (yet), we need another way to maintain a constant supply of herbs, peppers, and other produce in our home. And after trying unsuccessfully to keep potted plants alive in our dry climate (both inside and outside), we found the AeroGarden. This hydroponics growing system lets us grow up to 6 plants at a time and automates the watering and light cycles so that our garden thrives even when we’re jet setting.

The handy pods come pre-seeded with crops like Genovese Basil, Curly Parsley, Dill, Thyme, Thai Basil and Mint, Jalapeños, and more—but you can also buy empty pods and insert any seed of your choice. Everything grows in water—not soil, so there’s no mess and no need to swap out depleted dirt. The control panel tells you when to add water, reminds you when to add plant food (included), automatically turns lights on and off, giving you a full indoor herb garden all year long.