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There’s little that I find more satisfying than harvesting (and eating!) herbs, leafy greens, or veggies that I’ve spent weeks or even months growing myself from seed. Since I purchased my Click & Grow Smart Garden 3, this process has never been more rewarding.
But I soon found myself wondering if it was possible to go outside of Click and Grow’s recommended ‘plant pods’ to grow my own seeds, which would ultimately be a much cheaper and more flexible option.
It is possible to grow your own seeds easily within a Click & Grow Smart Garden system using the company’s ‘Grow Anything’ Smart Soil pods. These seedless pods provide the perfect growing environment in which to simply insert your own seeds purchased from your local garden center.
But, there are a few things to consider before planting your own seeds into your Click & Grow. In this article, I’ll explore growing your own seeds in the ‘Grow Anything’ pods, as well as their limitations and some potential alternative options – let’s get stuck in!
Growing your own seeds in a Click & Grow
Growing your own seeds in a Click & Grow is easy, but there are a few things you should consider before planting.
Choosing the right seeds
The first, and most important consideration, is choosing the right seeds. Click & Grow Smart Gardens are wonderful hydroponics systems, but they do have limitations that may prove sun-optimal for some types of plants.
Plant size and root structure
When choosing your own seeds to plant in your Click & Grow, whether you are using your own DIY pods or the official Grow Anything pods, you should consider carefully the plant you want to grow. Click & Grow is a great system for growing herbs, leafy greens, and some fruiting plants like chillis and strawberries.
However, they are not a suitable system for growing root vegetables like carrots, onions, or potatoes which grow deep into the soil with larger root or bulb structures.
It is possible to grow root vegetables within a hydroponics system, with the right setup, however. You can check out my article at the link above.
Fruiting vs. non-fruiting plants
Click & Grow offers two types of Grow Anything pods: one generic and one that is “optimized for fruiting plants.” The key difference is the latter contains more nutrients to support the growth of fruiting plants that have longer growth cycles like chilies, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and cucumbers.
If you choose to grow your own fruiting plants I would recommend transplanting them into soil beds. The Click & Grow system is not designed to support larger plants like this.
Transplanting from Click & Grow to soil-beds
The only time I would advise growing larger plants like eggplants, peppers or cauliflower, etc. is if you are using the Click & Grow system as a germination station before transplanting your seedlings into soil beds. The Click & Grow Smart Garden system will not support larger plants like this, so transplanting is necessary.
Is it cheaper to use ‘Grow Anything’ plant pods from Click & Grow?
In short, no. It is not cheaper to use the Grow Anything pods from Click & Grow vs. the company’s pre-filled seed pods. My research indicates that the cost is (more-or-less) completely the same. Here’s a table with some examples.
If anything, the Grow Anything pods are slightly more expensive, even if you use your own seeds!
| Pre-filled Seed Pods (based on 10 pods) | Grow Anything Pods |
|---|---|
| $3.21 per pod | $3.61 per pod |
What you should take away from this is that, while you can plant your own seeds into the Grow Anything pods, it may not be cheaper to do so. If you think planting your own seeds will save you money you may want to think again.
What will save you money though is creating your own DIY seed pods, as an alternative to purchasing the Smart Soil pods from Click & Grow. This can be achieved using a combination of perlite and vermiculite.
I’ve written an article exploring this as well, you can find it here: Can you put Regular Soil in a Click & Grow Smart Garden?
Planting your own seeds in your Click & Grow
Growing your own seeds in a Click & Grow system couldn’t be easier. If you are using the Grow Anything pods, all you need to do is place your seeds inside the center of the Smart Soil pod. Next, simply place the pods into the designated plant cup.
The number of seeds to plant within each pod depends on the plants you are trying to grow. I’ve written a whole article on the optimal number of seeds to plant in each grow medium, which could help.
Conclusion: Is it worth growing your own seeds in a Click & Grow?
So, given everything we’ve learned in this article is it really worth growing your own seeds in a Click & Grow Smart Garden?
My sense is no, it isn’t.
While it’s entirely possible to grow your own seeds in a Click & Grow using the Grow Anything pods, there isn’t any cost saving for doing so. Click & Grow offers 99% of the seeds you will lever need through their pre-filled seed pods anyway. And they grow just as well as any seeds you buy yourself.
The only time I would envisage this being worth it is by also creating your own DIY seed pods. Which is a possibility and helps save money on pods. Otherwise, you might as well just buy the seed pods from Click & Grow.
