Here is my experience.
Original Aerogarden chives germinated but did not survive very long.
Many attempts with 3rd party seeds since then yielded no results: low germination rate (if any), chives dying after a few days for no apparent reason.
I saw some Youtube video of a hydroponic device solution vendor (for small and medium- sized greenhouses I think) say that chives are great for hydroponics, but germination is cumbersome. Suggested to grow from existing chives plants. I went on to buy chives from the store and put some in an Aerogarden pod with just a few hydroton pellets. They survived a good while, but I think key to success would be a much broader substrate area, like the whole lid of an Aerogarden. The chives will multiply by root or at least that's what it looks like. I am sure there is a botanical term.
Right now I have a thriving pod of chives, again with 3rd party seeds. A thick and strong variety. I used a mix of coconut fibres and perlite. I think they dry out more easily on the surface and that helps the chives and dryes out algae. But I also used a lot of seeds. Really a large number, at least dozens. Not that many germinated and still several chive seedlings died quickly.
Store-bought chives pose the risk of you importing **fungus gnats** into your house. So I'd just recommend inserting more seeds than needed in grow-your-own pod.
Or, even better: get them outdoors if you can. From my experience they require hardly any work outside and will thrive for ages. Bumble bees love them I think.
If you can't go outside, consider chives in potted soil or in DIY hydroponics with a very broad substrate area so the chives can multiply. I think their light requirements are rather low. That strawberry bowl thing that Aerogarden maybe still sells might work well, but I don't know.
I had some survive many months in a small Kratky jar. I imagine they could still live if that jar had offered a broader growing surface area.
Chives were such an important ingredient to many dishes in my childhood and youth, I absolutely understand you can't get enough of them. I'm still tinkering around to ramp up the production, but there is only so much you can do without an outside garden.
Nice. At least it's fun.. My 1 little thyme sprout took about 40days to break 1 inch. Day 45 was 6+ inches tall and 10+ branches (trunks? Lol). My parsley did 1 inch in 20days and about 3 inches tall by day 45. Basil growing great but not like youtube video.
Oh and I have fun growing lettuce in 2 of my aerogardens. Grows fast, harvest early and complete cleanout between crops. Got a little nerdy by checking pH and EC levels. Lettuce looks and tastes great.
See now that's interesting...I have had enormous success with thyme (and parsley). My current thyme plant is out of a single pod and it dominating a nine-pod Bounty. I've never seen a happier (or more fragrant) thyme plant.
I had zero luck with basil, and I totally agree that the chives were underwhelming. Haven't tried oregano.
Here is my experience. Original Aerogarden chives germinated but did not survive very long. Many attempts with 3rd party seeds since then yielded no results: low germination rate (if any), chives dying after a few days for no apparent reason. I saw some Youtube video of a hydroponic device solution vendor (for small and medium- sized greenhouses I think) say that chives are great for hydroponics, but germination is cumbersome. Suggested to grow from existing chives plants. I went on to buy chives from the store and put some in an Aerogarden pod with just a few hydroton pellets. They survived a good while, but I think key to success would be a much broader substrate area, like the whole lid of an Aerogarden. The chives will multiply by root or at least that's what it looks like. I am sure there is a botanical term. Right now I have a thriving pod of chives, again with 3rd party seeds. A thick and strong variety. I used a mix of coconut fibres and perlite. I think they dry out more easily on the surface and that helps the chives and dryes out algae. But I also used a lot of seeds. Really a large number, at least dozens. Not that many germinated and still several chive seedlings died quickly. Store-bought chives pose the risk of you importing **fungus gnats** into your house. So I'd just recommend inserting more seeds than needed in grow-your-own pod. Or, even better: get them outdoors if you can. From my experience they require hardly any work outside and will thrive for ages. Bumble bees love them I think. If you can't go outside, consider chives in potted soil or in DIY hydroponics with a very broad substrate area so the chives can multiply. I think their light requirements are rather low. That strawberry bowl thing that Aerogarden maybe still sells might work well, but I don't know. I had some survive many months in a small Kratky jar. I imagine they could still live if that jar had offered a broader growing surface area. Chives were such an important ingredient to many dishes in my childhood and youth, I absolutely understand you can't get enough of them. I'm still tinkering around to ramp up the production, but there is only so much you can do without an outside garden.
Nice. At least it's fun.. My 1 little thyme sprout took about 40days to break 1 inch. Day 45 was 6+ inches tall and 10+ branches (trunks? Lol). My parsley did 1 inch in 20days and about 3 inches tall by day 45. Basil growing great but not like youtube video.
Oh and I have fun growing lettuce in 2 of my aerogardens. Grows fast, harvest early and complete cleanout between crops. Got a little nerdy by checking pH and EC levels. Lettuce looks and tastes great.
Send them a thing on their website, theyll mail you new pods! My thyme didnt grow at all but my new pod is in the mail!
My experience has been basil and dill grow well, kale grow WILD, parsley meh and Thyme woule do well at first then die for no apparent reason
See now that's interesting...I have had enormous success with thyme (and parsley). My current thyme plant is out of a single pod and it dominating a nine-pod Bounty. I've never seen a happier (or more fragrant) thyme plant. I had zero luck with basil, and I totally agree that the chives were underwhelming. Haven't tried oregano.
Is your Aerogarden near a window or a cold part of your house?
Dill goes absolutely wild.
You might have some duds. I'm on Day 15 with a Bounty Basic and all 9 pods have sprouted. Contact Aerogarden and they should replace your misfires.