Evaluating Sprouts' Growth: Are your plants ready for plant food?

What "ready for plant food" means depends on your sprouts' growth, and how much plant food is in your Gardyn.

When germinating on your Gardyn, Kelby will tell you precisely when your plants are ready for a sprout dose of plant food with a task in the app. Because a sprout dose is half the strength of a full dose of plant food, plants only need to have growth (sprouts) above the rockwool to be ready for a sprout dose of plant food. The same applies to yCubes you're germinating off your Gardyn - if they have growth above the rockwool, they can be added to a Gardyn with a sprout dose of plant food in it.

When your Gardyn has a full dose of plant food in it, meaning you've already refreshed the tank once since adding the sprout dose of food, plants must be slightly more developed to withstand the higher dose. A plant only needs to meet 1 of the following 3 signs to be ready for a full dose of plant food.

These are the second set of leaves to grow after the first leaves, which are called cotyledons. While cotyledons may not resemble the mature plant's leaf shape or color, true leaves do.

• Tip: If you're unsure what your plant looks like when mature, check out its page in the Plant Book!

Learn more about differentiating cotyledons from true leaves here.

Kale cotyledons (left) and later with true leaves (right)

Roots this length are mature enough to handle the added nutrients, while less developed roots can be too shocked to efficiently absorb them.

Half-inch roots growing out from the bottom of a Chives yCube

The first leaves run out of nutrients as germination comes to a close, which can lead to yellowing or withering.

Yellowing cotyledons after a true leaf has grown

Any plant that shows just 1 of these 3 signs can be added to a Gardyn with a full dose of plant food in it.

Questions? Reach us at support@mygardyn.com, or chat with us! We're here to help.