By anonymous
Pod (aka sponges)
Submitted on Sat, 2009/02/28 - 9:22am
Park Seeds sells some pods - Refill Sponges for the Original 60-cell Planting Block. Does anyone know if these will work in the AG? I hate to think of paying for more seed pods! Especially pods that I don't want/will use.
Thanks!
TLC
Sat, 2009/02/28 - 12:26pm
#2
Hey, TLC, welcome!!!
I use the Park Starts and their refill sponges all the time, for the AG6 / AG3 shape pods. For slower plants (ornamentals, or just time management), I've sometimes started plants in the Park Starts block, then transferred my pick of the seedlings into an Aerogarden Mini (the predecessor of the AG3). The block + sponges (they come 108 per $10 bag) make a cheap, flexible system for starting plants for indoors or outdoors.
Those sponges are a bit narrower than the long-narrow pod baskets. The width is OK, though.
I've just ordered the 40-cell biodome refill sponges to try in my AG7 baskets, and could tell you more when they arrive in a week or so. Apparently Park has been inundated with orders this year - a lot more people starting gardens from seed due to the economy. So they're back-ordered a bit.
I'll try to post pictures of both products with their respective baskets when they arrive. But I've been using the Park Start sponges for my AG minis since... June'08? They work great.
Sat, 2009/02/28 - 1:15pm
#3
Well, the 40-cell sponge picture has to wait, but I can show you the Park Starts refill sponges now.
The AG6 models use the same shape pod baskets as the AG3's. This topic on one of my ornamental AG projects, shows using the Park Starts block and AG mini together. Since coleus grow so slowly, and I wanted to pick which pattern to put in the mini, I let them grow next to the mini while I enjoyed the previous garden for three weeks, then moved the ones I wanted into the Aerogarden.
FWIW, I started two pods of romaine at the same time in the same mini. The first is pictured above. The second pod used the latest Aerogrow peat sponge in an AG7 basket in an AG mini. The growth is almost identical between the two pods - same height, though two different varieties of romaine lettuce.
Sat, 2009/02/28 - 8:51pm
#4
P.S. FWIW, I just plugged some coleus cuttings into my Aerogarden Pro100. For that, I did use the AG7 Master Gardener break-apart baskets and cheap Park Starts narrow cylinders. Just chopped the ends off to shorten them, then stuck a bit of the bottom along the side of the basket to keep the sponge from rattling around. Good enough, since they won't be in the AG long. (These particular cuttings will go outside eventually, so they'll transplant to potting mix when they have roots.)
Sun, 2009/03/01 - 2:18am
#5
Peat and Gisette:
Thanks for the welcome and conformations that the park sponges will work! All pods planted less than two weeks ago (herbs) have sprouted and look good. I'll keep you posted!
Sat, 2009/03/21 - 10:16pm
#6
Sorry for the delay - my Park Seed 40-cell planting block replacement sponges got back-ordered, but they finally arrived.
They are definitely too big. 
But - I simply cut the bottom off and used that to plant my latest AG pepper. Not sure what I'm going to do with the top halves. But lopped, they're a way better fit than the narrow Park Starts sponges for the 7-pod baskets, and certainly cheaper than the AG sponges.
Sun, 2009/03/29 - 8:32pm
#7
FWIW, the first seeds I started in a 40-cell sponge, failed. It seems most likely that there was something wrong with my pro100 water - I cleaned the whole system today, with bleach (plants in a bowl of water). But also, I think I should have trimmed the sides of the sponge instead of ramming it in. It compacts, yes, but it's tougher for the seedling to fight its way through the compacted stuff.
Knock on wood, it should be a while before I have anything else to start in the 7-podders, to give this a second try.
Mon, 2009/03/30 - 8:21am
#8
Thanks for the info Gisette. This is the sort of thing that's good to know. How do they compare to aerofalls?
Mon, 2009/03/30 - 11:20am
#9
Sorry, Judith, can't tell that from one failed pod.
Mon, 2009/03/30 - 3:14pm
#10
I mean size wise & cost?
Hello TLC and welcome.
The Park refill sponges will work fine in your AeroGarden, they will also work out much cheaper than the AG sponges/peat pods.