How do I know when to remove a plant from my Gardyn?

Another way to ask this is, how long will my plants last or produce?

There are several answers to this, with the most subjective being: you can take plants off your Gardyn any time you feel like it! That's one of the great plug-n-play aspects of Gardyn, meaning that you can move (or remove) any plant at any time without negatively impacting the rest of your plants.

If you're someone who wants to keep your plant as long as possible, rest assured that most Gardyn plants last several months if cared for properly. All plants, however, still have a natural end to their life cycle. Here's what to look for to understand if your plants are nearing the end of their growth:

Bolting means a plant is in its last growth stage where it prepares to flower so it can release seeds. Once a plant begins to bolt, you can't reverse it, but you can sometimes delay it. Early signs include elongated growth, meaning you might see your lettuce start to grow tall in the center on a long stem. Flower buds appearing is another sure sign of bolting.

Because a bolting plant is focusing all of its energy on flower and seed production, it actually changes the rest of the plant. Leaves can change texture, like becoming more tough, a little spiky, less colorful, and more dull than shiny. Bolting also impacts flavor, with leaves becoming more bitter, spicy, or overall stronger in flavor than usual.

You can try to delay bolting by clipping flower buds as soon as you see them, but remember, there's no reversing this, and your plant's life is naturally coming to an end. This is a great sign to remove the plant.

Gardyn fruiting plants are typically prolific producers, giving you many waves of fruit when given the care they need. Eventually, however, even the most productive pepper will eventually slow its flower and fruit production. When you go many weeks without seeing any new flowers grow, it's a sign your plant is naturally nearing the end of its life cycle.

Rotten roots are typically dark brown or black in color, slimy to the touch, and smelly. Checking your mature plants' roots every two weeks can help you catch and remove the start of root rot so that new roots can grow, but sometimes it sneaks up on you! (Regular HydroBoost use can also help reverse and prevent root rot.)

If you can smell something rotten in the room of your Gardyn, it is likely caused by a plant with extensive root rot hiding in your Gardyn. If you see a whole yPod of rotten roots, it is unlikely your plant will be able to recover, and it's best to remove this plant to avoid attracting pests and to keep the rotten roots from breaking down and getting stuck inside your columns.

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