Growing With the Community - Featuring Gene Ferrer

Introducing our next Community Gardener, Gene Ferrer!

Currently growing:

varieties of lettuce, basil, parsley, arugula, chili pepper, strawberries and tomatoes.

Location: Canada

For how long have you been using a Smart Garden?

I bought my first two Smart Garden 3s in October 2017 so it’s been a year now. By now I have three Smart Garden 3s and one Smart Garden 9. I am also one of the home testers, testing new plants.

How did you first hear about Click & Grow? Moreover, how have Smart Gardens changed your life?

When I started planting edible plants like tomatoes and basil, I was disappointed because the squirrels would eat the tomato fruit before they would even ripen. They would also dig the soil near the roots of the plants.

I then decided to plant indoors for two reasons: to save the plants from the squirrels and to protect them from sub-zero Winter temperatures.

So, I started with tomatoes, picked up seeds from the store and planted them in pots. I never knew back then that there are two types: indeterminate and determinate. The ones I chose were apparently indeterminate and made everything frustrating.

After some online research on tomatoes that I can grow indoors, I came across Click and Grow’s mini tomatoes. I was only interested in the tomatoes, really. The Smart Garden concept, however, really caught my interest - not only for its compact size but also for the smart soil and water reservoir, making gardening practically effortless.

I need to mention the lights. Before I had Click and Grow’s smart gardens, I built a 3-foot wide wire shelf and used 3-foot T5HO horticultural lighting fixtures. With Click and Grow’s Smart Garden, however, there is no need to construct a garden because it’s an all-in-one product. Practical and portable. It’s really a smart idea. That’s why it’s called a Smart Garden, eh?

Plant care tips

After a year of owning smart gardens and with two Smart Garden 3 subscriptions, I would strongly suggest thinning fruit bearing plants to one plant per pod for optimal results.

How do you use your own grown food?

Having edible, home grown plants is both relaxing and convenient. While I enjoy the fun and excitement of watching them grow from seeds, they also provide fresh and organic ingredients for my everyday meals. I use the regular basil for pesto and Thai basil for Thai green curry chicken.

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