West Kent 5 Pod Smart Garden Mini

I have spoken before about not being the most green fingered plant lover and as winter creeps I would love an easy way to keep some summer colour in the house. The West Kent 5 Pod Smart Garden Mini is a neat little indoor garden setup that makes growing herbs, vegetables and even flowers feel idiot proof. For about £50 you get a compact system that fits nicely on a kitchen windowsill or small table thanks to its dinky stature (22cm (L) x 14cm (W) x 13cm (H); lights extend to 42cm). It comes with five growing pods, a tank that can hold 1.5 litres of water, 10W LED lights that can do full spectrum lighting, and automatic settings to run light and water on timers.

One thing I really like is how plug in and play it is, it is so easy to under or over water indoor plants but West Kent does it all for you. You simply fill the tank, pop in the seedlings, switch it on and let the machine do the rest. The water level indicator helps avoid over or under watering. The light arm stretches to about 42 cm so plants get room to grow before it becomes awkward. The two-timer options suit whether you are growing leafy greens or flowering plants (16 hrs on/8 hours off for herbs and vegetables or 12 hrs on/12 hours off for flowers.

In everyday use it performs well. Seedlings sprout quickly under the lights, and fuss is minimal. It is very helpful for those of us without much outdoor space or in winter months when light is scarce. There are no messy bags of soil, and cleaning up is simple and the starter nutrient pack includes all the food you need for healthy plants.
On the less good side, space is limited. Once the herbs or plants grow larger the pods could feel cramped, especially for bigger leafy vegetables. Also, the light arm only extends so far so taller plants may lean or need pruning. And although the LEDs are effective from above, they might not fully reach lower leaves in bushier growth. However, this hasn’t been designed to replace your allotments, it’s just perfect for some friendly little plants to brighten up the place in the simplest way possible all year round. RRP £49.95

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