I spent $799 on the award-winning indoor garden that enables anyone to have a green thumb. Here’s why it was worth it for my family.

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Moms, I know you get it. The day of the week rolls around when it’s time to get the dreaded groceries. Your kids are begging for the sugary snacks filled with artificial flavors that’s staring at them on the shelf, meanwhile, you’re just trying to find enough groceries to last you and your family for at least a week. You check out and leave just to realize you spent tons of money on food that will either 1) go bad in a week or 2) your kids begged you to buy but then are too picky to even consume. Simply put, grocery runs are expensive, tiring, and overrated — but what else is there to do? 

I thought the same, but then I was scrolling on my Instagram flooded with momfluencers, and one was preaching indoor gardening is the way to go, specifically, Rise Gardens is the way to go for feeding her family. Just because I’m nosy I clicked the link and found myself staring at a beautiful array of produce in someone’s living room that put my weak lettuce and broccoli from my local grocery store to shame

Listen, I’m green-thumb-impaired, so the thought of growing a garden to sustain my family’s weekly eating was overwhelming, let alone felt out of reach. And then I saw the price: $799. At first, I thought this was way too expensive, especially for a new lifestyle my kids might not even like. But, as I got to thinking, I thought $799 was essentially a month’s worth of grocery runs for a family of four. Also, it comes with an app that essentially does the gardening for you (sign me up!). I bit the bullet and bought the indoor garden even with no gardening experience. I was hesitant and skeptical, but it paid off. Here is why spending $799 on Rise Gardens was worth it for my family. 

Save money on groceries

When I thought of gardening, my mind always jumped to the expenses it racked up from the seeds to the tools to even the foundation, but Rise Gardens is a multi-faceted product that makes gardening easy — and cost-effective. 

My grocery bill was averaging about $200-300 a week. I quickly learned that indoor gardening, especially with Rise’s hydroponic (water-based) system creates a more sustainable lifestyle, and saves me money. I prioritize a healthy diet, but grocery runs make this hard with the produce always going bad within a week. Now, I have produce at my disposal that is long-lasting, plentiful, and most importantly not filled with harmful pesticides and other chemicals.

The app tells you exactly what you’re growing so you’re never going into it like a deer in headlights. My personal favorite meals from the Rise Garden is using the butter crunch lettuce to make a hearty salad that even my kids love. I also use the basil to create a never-ending supply of fresh pesto in my fridge. This new system is a win-win for me because I’m no longer wasting produce that wasn’t fresh to begin with and if I do go to the grocery store, I’m making well-intentioned purchases. 

All Organic

Organic is a staple in my house. I’m one of those moms who believe an organic lifestyle pays off for both my kids and me. Though of course I cave and buy them a treat or two every once in a while. I have always wanted to grow my own garden to achieve organic eating habits, but didn’t have the knowledge. Did I really think the Rise Garden was going to do the work for me? No,  but I’m so glad I was wrong. 

The app comes with smart nutrient dosing, weekly task reminders, and a plant catalog. You know what you grow, allowing for an organic, mindful lifestyle. Whereas, at the grocery store, I had zero clue where my produce was coming from and if it was actually fresh. Having organic ingredients at my fingertips helps me cook creatively and eat more greens, so overall has improved my health. It’s a worthwhile investment!

Enough to feed my family

Feeding a family of four is no easy feat. So I was truly skeptical that the Rise Garden would be able to fulfill us. However, I learned about its modular system and how you can grow along with it. 

Since I’m a gardening newbie, I opted for the single-level Rise, which can grow up to 36 veggies, fruits, and leafy greens. I quickly found out that I’m now a total indoor gardening lover and that I’ll be leveling up my system.

The Rise Garden can go up to three levels and grow up to 108 plants. Think about all the endless meals you can make. With its high capacity and variety, it allows you to experiment with your green thumb and find what greens and herbs work best for you. You also never have a shortage of produce. It’s fulfilling and gives the foundation for endless meals, especially because the Rise grows produce even during the winter. 

From tomatoes, pepperoncinis, and eggplant to a wide variety of herbs and salad greens, I’m becoming a gourmet chef without any manual labor. I don’t even have to lift a finger. 

Family fun 

At first, I was worried my kids wouldn’t like it. They would rather play on their tablets than help mom with a garden, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by their enjoyment. It has become a fun activity for my kids and I. My toddler loves to help with cooking and planting in the garden. It has helped her expand her palette, which fellow moms know is hard to do with a picky child. I feel like mom of the year by educating my kids about eating healthy and having a source of entertainment away from the screen. I get to bond with my kids over gardening while creating a sustainable lifestyle. The mindful practices I’m teaching them and the memories we are making are priceless. 

Works fast

Downtime is a rare occurrence as a mom, so when I just realized I bought an indoor gardening system, immediate panic set in. Initial thoughts were: “It’s going to take so long” or “I’m not going to have the time to take care of it.” After setting it up and dappling with it for a few days, it was like Rise said, “We’ll take it from here.” 

The hydroponic system with the 9-gallon watering tank can be intimidating at first, but the setup was surprisingly easy. Since it’s a self-watering system, I don’t have to worry about making time to tend to it throughout the day. The LED panels are aesthetic-looking (win!) and as someone who dreads the darkness of winter, the lights are awesome for my mood. The watering system and LED lights had plants growing after only a few days and it only took up to 30 days to get a full crop. 

It was definitely some trial and error at first, but once you get the hang of it, the process is so easy. It’s been so rewarding to grow food that we can eat. I used to not be able to keep a plant alive, now I have 36 that are feeding me. 

Bottom Line

Moms, the grocery store runs are overrated. I never thought I would see the day I would be going to my living room for fresh lettuce instead of the grocery store, but I’m so happy I can do that. With no green-thumb experience, I was hesitant at first, especially at the price of $799, but as someone who values sustainable living and fueling my kids for a healthy future, it’s priceless. 

Rise does all the work for me with its self-watering system and weekly reminders to add Ph, educates my kids and me through the app, and provides my family with a nutritious array of greens, vegetables, and fruits. Rise Gardens is for moms who are looking to ditch wasteful grocery runs for a more mindful, long-lasting method. I’m so glad I fell victim to the influencer ad — no shame!