Indoor hydroponics garden: Grow plants and herbs inside

Bring the green inside with herbs, flowers and plants in a hydroponics system.

Indoor hydroponics gardens

by Caitlin Casey |
Updated on

If you're looking to extend into indoor gardening or just want an easy way to grow herbs, an indoor hydroponics garden could be your next green adventure. We've put together our favourite indoor hydroponics systems for your best indoor houseplants that have found their way into hydroponics gardens, thriving in this soil-less environment.

Definitely a modern trend, hydroponics systems use only water, light, and oxygen to grow those greens - meaning the need for any messy soil is taken out. This innovative approach has led to the rise of easy to care for houseplants that require minimal maintenance. With hydroponics, even the most novice gardener can cultivate a lush indoor garden without the usual challenges associated with traditional soil-based gardening.

Best indoor hydroponics garden at a glance

• Best easy-to-use hydroponics garden: Acqua Smart Garden One Hydroponic Growing System - View on Not on the High Street
• Best hydroponics system for the garden: Acqua Garden Growing System – View on Not on the Highstreet
• Best tech indoor hydroponics garden: AeroGarden 903134-1100 – View on Amazon UK

Indoor hydroponic gardens have now become a more popular alternative in the gardening world. Indoor hydroponic gardens are a method of growing plants without the use of soil. Instead, plants are cultivated in a nutrient-rich water solution, allowing them to absorb essential minerals and vitamins directly from the water. With hydroponics, plants receive a balanced diet, leading to healthier and more consistent growth. It's a sustainable and efficient way to garden, especially in areas with poor soil quality or limited space - perfect for taking care of your best bathroom plants or kitchen greenery.

Hydroponic gardens offer a range of plants, from air-purifying varieties to those that can boost mood and reduce stress, the best plants for wellbeing can be integrated into these systems to benefit your environment. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at the best indoor hydroponics garden for effortless indoor gardening.

Best indoor hydroponics gardens

Best easy-to-use hydroponics garden (Editor's Pick)

best-hydroponics-system-acqua-gardenNot On The High Street

From Not on the High Street, we recommend this self-watering Acqua Smart Garden, which allows you to grow your own fresh produce wherever you live and whatever your lifestyle may be. After all, nothing beats the flavour of homegrown herbs. Simply set it up, add seeds, and this system does the rest.

Pros

  • Supplied with plant food and complimentary seeds
  • Easy to use
  • Different LED grow light settings

Cons

  • Could be too small for some
Dimensions: 11.5 x 26.5 cm
Number of pods: 2

Best Wi-Fi-enabled hydroponics garden system

iDOO hydroponicsAmazon
Price: £99.99

This sophisticated solution is a high-end option that offers the useful functionality of being able to control the unit wirelessly, thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi and companion app. There are two planting modes; one for veggies, and one for fruit plants and flowers. The three-level height adjustment allows you to set the grow light in the perfect position. The water circulation system aerates and has a handy alert setting if the water level is getting low.

Customer Review: "I love this thing! I have two berry plants growing already! I can also see others starting to sprout."

Pros

  • Wi-Fi-enabled
  • Adjustable height
  • Two planting modes
  • Auto-circulation system

Cons

  • Plastic will crack when mishandled
Dimensions: 35 x 30.7 x 22.5 cm
Number of pods: 12

Best aesthetic hydroponics garden system

Botaneo Indoor Garden 2 Slot Herb & Plant Holder, WhiteJohn Lewis
Price: £99
https://redirect.viglink.com?key=889d793cd9e1caf60df785cd2125b6cc&prodOvrd=PCR&opt=false&u=UExNFEQDHEwTThIfFAAKW1EWEhlbWg5LW0Eddw1CAlZdVklyQF8MSX4EQwcECBt4HQJFV0UMCltSQRglRAxPUVcDGmpKEBBcCBwqDwJZXxZLUFlHBwFcHEUYLnMnFV9LC0AUXwoDUREcUUwpRFcFCF5bGBMWVxxBUAdSBlwVdQ1ZXlwXFxQXVAUIClpDSQ9ZW1kWAFdVH2YHWgUVUUsWXl5SFw1WCxwUTAtfXkkRVkwaUVQDCQcHWwdQCQ%3D%3D&x=v1

This Botaneo hydroponic garden is lightweight, cute and will fit on any windowsill or kitchen shelf. Beginners can get their hands on this one because it has two slots, easing you into the hydroponic lifestyle.
All the packaging is eco-designed and comes with parsley and chives ready to pop into your system. Holding two to three weeks of water, this is very hands-free, and you can watch your herbs grow in no time.

Pros

  • Recyclable
  • Seeds included
  • Long-term water holder

Cons

  • Keep connected to a power source at all times
  • Smaller amount of pods
Dimensions: H36 x W20 x D18cm
Number of pods: 2

Best hydroponic garden system tent

Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tents - Black & GreenThe Range

If you'd rather get hands-on with your hydroponic garden and have space to use, this Mylar tent is big and encourages full growth with the integrated dense lighting system. With an interior of reflective material, your plants can make the most of this grow tent. Just zip up and pop the light on for full growth potential.

Pros

  • Large tent for bigger hydroponic grows
  • Tear-proof and water-resistant
  • heavy-duty metal zippers
  • Ventilation windows

Cons

  • Not for a windowsill
Dimensions: W120 x H150 x D60 cm
Number of pods: Manually add your plants

Best hydroponics system for the garden

best-hydroponics-system-acqua-garden-verticalNot On The High Street

Amazing, innovative and perfect for a modern garden, we present this vertical hydroponic system from Acqua Garden. Not only is it fully automated. But it's self-watering and equipped to grow an abundance of fresh, nutritious produce. This set comes with everything you need to start growing, including a rechargeable battery and charger. Grow up to 72 plants at once!

Pros

  • Innovative design
  • Comes with lots of essential accessories
  • Fully automated and self-watering

Cons

  • Set-up is tricky and needs to be done thoroughly
Dimensions: H150 x W45 x D45 cm
Number of pods: 72

Best hydroponics garden system to suit interior

Trouva Hydroponic Plant GrowerTrouva

Hydroponic gardens don't have to be an eyesore in your home. Trouva has this hydroponic grower that will suit any modern interior. All you need to do is pop the growers into pots of water and you can watch your plants develop in no time. The white ridged pots are modern and are made out of recycled plastic. There's no extra light included in this set, so you may need to invest in one if you're looking for maximum growth potential.

Pros

  • Recycled plastic
  • Look natural, clean and pretty

Cons

  • Various sizes
Dimensions: Various handmade sizes
Number of pods: 1

Best tech indoor hydroponics garden

AeroGarden 903134-1100 Bounty Elite-Stainless Indoor Garden, SteelAmazon

Rrp: £259.99

Price: £245.90
Alternative retailers
Wayfair$342.84View offer
Walmart$348.38View offer
Macy's$495.95View offer

Technology fans, this one is for you. This AeroGarden Elite indoor garden has a touch screen to control the system and guides you through the setup process, controlling everything from the water chamber to lighting and colours. This helps to keep full control of your garden as it grows.

Customer Review: "This has exceeded my expectations. I am an avid vegetable gardener. I live in So. Cal. The drought and water shortage make it hard to grow herbs year round because, after tomato season, I shut down my garden and cover it with fall leaves. This will allow me to grow herbs year round without any water waste!!! I’m actually considering buying another one to try a few tomatoes inside next year. I love getting up every morning and checking out what the screen is saying. It checks in with tips and such. So much fun! Highly recommend."

Pros

  • Touchscreen controls and guide
  • Three colour controls
  • LED lights

Cons

  • AeroGarden pod kits are sold separately
Dimensions: 40.64 x 15.24 x 20.32 cm
Number of pods: 9

Best wooden hydroponics garden

Make it simple and easy with these three vases to help guide you into the hydroponic lifestyle. Held up on a wooden support, these bulb vases look sweet and will suit nicely in a kitchen or on a windowsill. They're more aesthetically pleasing than other hydroponic systems and help to ease you into indoor gardening with hydroponics.
This doesn't have a light source included, so is better for more simple hydroponic growing.

Customer Review: "What a brilliant device. Lovely wooden feature, easy to assemble, with large glass bulbs. Currently growing oak trees in them. It is brilliant! Worth the money!!"

Pros

  • Easy emptying and refills
  • Modern aesthetic design

Cons

  • Glass can break easily
Dimensions: H14cm x W24cm x D10cm
Number of pods: 3

Best extra large hydroponics system with trellis

eSuperegrow Hydroponics Growing System 7L with TrellisAmazon
Price: £109.99

Up your growing game with this seven-litre hydroponic system, with a trellis included. This is made for those serious gardeners out there looking for a challenge. If you've worked with hydroponic gardening for a few years, you may want to up your game into this larger style.
Still as simple as other hydroponic systems. Just pop in fertilizer and water, and the hydroponic garden will work its own magic. You can grow larger plants and foods like tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and more.

Customer Review: "So glad this indoor garden came up in my Amazon search!! Was looking for something that I could grow taller vegetables in. It is very sturdy, and seems to be of good quality - I have several indoor gardens (Aerogarden FarmPlus, iDoo) that are higher tech but are limited in height. It's an easy setup as well. Couldn't find replacement grow sponges for it but ordered Grodan Rockwool cubes that will work perfectly. So far, so good with this product - looking forward to my cucumbers, beans & peas!! Highly recommend!!"

Pros

  • Extra trellis included
  • Large water circulation
  • Water pump with sensor
  • 7l large tank
  • Smart reminders

Cons

  • Replacement sponges not included
Dimensions: 50.8 x 17.78 x 19.94 cm
Number of pods: 1

FAQs

What is an indoor hydroponics system?

First things first, we should know what we're getting into before we start planting with these systems inside.

Indoor hydroponics systems remove the need for any messy soil simply because all they use is the power of water and light. You'll need special solutions to make up an effective environment for your plants to grow in the water.

Usually, hydroponics systems made for home use will come with multiple pods for you to pop your seed into, as well as nutrients, an integrated light as well as automatic features to support your garden. With all this included, it makes growing super easy. When used by manufacturers, this same idea is applied, just used with hundreds of plants at one time.

Sometimes, these systems are also known as smart gardens because of the use of technology to help those gardens grow.

What do I need to grow an indoor hydroponics garden?

Indoor hydroponics systems made for homes can come in large and small sizes. So, if you're new to the scene, you might want to invest in a system with fewer plant pots so you can get off to an easy start.

As mentioned above, many hydroponics systems come with everything included. What you'll need to successfully grow in hydroponics systems are containers for your plants, seeds, nutrients or solution, water and a light source.

Make sure you double-check what's included in your system so you don't miss anything out.

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Caitlin Casey is a Senior Writer for Modern Gardens, heat, Closer, and Grazia. She covers shopping, women’s lifestyle, popular culture as well as all things trending.

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