Miracle Gro Twelve All-In-One Indoor Growing System
What if you could grow fresh, healthy greens and herbs right inside of your home? That’s exactly what MiracleGro’s Twelve indoor growing systems evolution offers.
We’re not talking about putting tiny pots of plants in your kitchen window. We’re talking about a serious indoor garden that uses hydroponics to grow some of your favorite plants.
The concept of an aerogarden isn’t a new one, but MiracleGro is improving on the idea by offering the ability to grow larger plants.
Grow Your Own Food Indoors with Simple One Kit
MiracleGro Twelve allows you to grow your favorite herbs and leafy greens all year long. It’s a complete indoor growing kit that offers advanced features and a beautiful design. One system allows you to grow up to four plants. Purchase multiple systems to enjoy a complete indoor home garden.
The system’s sturdy steel frame is designed for durability and stands 28” tall. The 16.5” x 16.5” footprint allows you to grow bigger plants, and the contemporary design of the system allows it to blend into your home’s décor. It can easily sit next to the armchair in your living room as an end table.
The system can also be controlled via an app, which allows you to make adjustments from anywhere in the room. The app will connect to the system via Bluetooth wireless technology (more on the app’s functions soon).
The Miracle Grow system uses hydroponics to feed plants and keep them growing strong.
Water will circulate through the system to provide the plants with continual nutrients and moisture.
Here’s how it works:
- Add your seed starter kit or young transplants according to the instructions.
- The specially designed lighting provides your plants with just the right amount of light to help them grow and thrive. Just tap the top of the shade (or use the app) to adjust the brightness of the light.
- Feed your plants nutrients once per month, and enjoy fresh greens and herbs all year long.
The system has advanced features that help you stay on top of your plant’s care, such as:
- Water-level sensor: Alerts you when the reservoir is low on water, so you don’t have to check it every day.
- Reservoir: Holds up to two gallons of water which feed your plants nutrients and keep them healthy.
- Recirculating pump: Delivers a continuous supply of water and nutrients to your plant for optimal growth.
Because this system has grow lights and a pump, you may be wondering how much you’ll have to spend in energy costs each month to keep your garden growing.
According to Miracle-Gro, their Twelve system uses between 60-65 watts of power.
If you use the system every day for 30 days, you’ll consume about 28.8 kWh per month, which equates to roughly $3.75 per month to run the system. Of course, your cost may be higher or lower depending on your location and your individual use.
But $3.75 is the cost of about one organic bunch of kale or Swiss chard. If you buy at least one bunch of greens per week, you’re saving quite a bit of money, and you’re getting greens that are fresher than what you’ll find in any supermarket.
What Can You Do with the MiracleGro Twelve App?
The MiracleGro Twelve app allows you to control various functions with the Twelve system, such as:
- Changing your lighting mode
- Setting your growing schedule
- Monitoring your water level
- Managing your calendar
The app allows you to control all of this right through your smartphone. It’s like having a hands-free garden in your home.
What Can You Grow?
The Twelve growing system allows you to grow up to four plants at a time. But what exactly can you grow?
Here are some ideas:
- Kale
- Arugula
- Mustard greens
- Leaf lettuce
- Swiss chard
- Bok choy
- Thyme
- Parsley
- Basil
- Mint
- Cilantro
- Oregano
- Sage
- Dill
Keep in mind that these are just some ideas. We’ve seen people grow strawberries and flowers, including lavender, in this grow system.
You can buy packets of plant nutrients directly from MiracleGro, so you always have food on hand for your plants.
But here’s the thing: you’ll have to buy your own seeds or transplants. MiracleGro does not include any seeds in their kit, but you can buy:
- Seed starting kit: Just press your seeds directly into the spongy, peat-based plugs to start growing.
- Transplanting kit: Allows you to start growing from plants that have already been started, such as a Bonnie Plant that you can find at home improvement stores.
The growing possibilities are virtually endless with this system, and it allows you to have fresh greens and herbs in your home no matter the season.
The Benefits of the MiracleGro Twelve Indoor Growing System
Why grow your own food when you can just buy it in the store? There are many benefits to using the MiracleGro Twelve system.
Anyone Can Garden
One of the main benefits of the Twelve system is that it makes gardening accessible to everyone. Whether you live in an apartment, condo or a home with little-to-no yard space, you can grow your own food with this system.
What if you don’t have a green thumb? No problem. The Twelve’s smart design takes the guesswork out of gardening. Just add nutrients once per month, add water when needed and turn on the grow lights. Because this is a hydroponics system, you don’t have to worry about amending soil or dealing with pests.
It’s an easy, stress-free way to garden. You can even get your kids on board to help you tend to the plants. It will give them – and you – a newfound appreciation for where their food comes from.
Fresh Food; More Nutrients
Freshly-picked food is the most nutrient-rich. The clock starts ticking the moment a plant is picked. Each day, more of its nutrients degrade until it finally spoils.
The greens and herbs that you buy in the grocery store have to travel from the farm to the store, which can take several days depending on where it’s coming from. And then the food sits on the store’s shelves until someone buys it. By the time it gets into your cart, those greens and herbs may be a week old.
Studies show that plants can lose 15-55% of their vitamin C within a week. In general, most plants lose 30% of their nutrients three days after harvest.
Growing your own food and eating it within hours of picking it means that you get the most nutrients possible from your greens and herbs.
Grows All Year Round
Forget having to keep track of growing seasons and regions. Twelve allows you to grow your favorite greens and herbs all year round.
Whether it’s July or December, you can enjoy fresh lettuce, basil, arugula and other healthy greens.
Add Flavor to Your Food
Growing your own greens and herbs gives you the opportunity to add new flavors to your meals. Add fresh basil to your homemade marinara sauce and fresh pasta. Chop up some fresh cilantro for your homemade salsa, or top your morning eggs with some fresh dill.
The flavor possibilities are endless, and you can enjoy the most robust taste possible because all of your herbs and greens will be freshly picked.
Grow Foods That Are Not Easily Available
Maybe you live in an area where it’s hard to get your hands on certain herbs or greens. The Twelve system allows you to grow these foods regardless of where you are in the world. And because you can grow from seed (you can buy your own seeds), you can grow (virtually) anything you want.
Maybe strawberries are hard to come by in the grocery store or the ones you find are either spoiled or devoid of flavor. Grow your own. Some users have successfully grown their own strawberries with this system, and they have this sweet berry on hand all year round.