The Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 suits a small kitchen where you want fresh herbs within reach. It has three growing slots, a self-watering reservoir and a timed grow light. There is no pump or nutrient-mixing routine. Replacement pods are the main recurring expense, and three plants will only supply modest amounts for cooking.
Photo: Click & Grow
The GreenerPods take: a place on the kitchen counter
We would choose the SG3 for a small, separate kitchen. Its base is about 11.8 by 4.7 inches (30 by 12 cm), so it can fit along a narrow stretch of counter. Check the lamp height under cabinets and leave room for spreading basil. In a studio, the 16-hour light cycle deserves particular attention: a free shelf beside the bed may be a poor place to grow herbs.
The reservoir, three planting cups and lamp form one compact appliance. That looks neater than many basic container-and-lamp arrangements, and you avoid having to choose and fit the components yourself. Pots or a DIY garden give you more freedom over the setup and what you spend on refills. The SG3 is worth considering when you prefer to unpack a finished unit and start growing.
Our earlier experience with the Smart Garden 9
GreenerPods’ experience with Click & Grow goes back to a Smart Garden 9 ordered in December 2017. Our original two-month review was disappointed by the food output and intrusive lighting. The six-month follow-up was more positive about growing herbs and mustard greens, while still noting uneven results between crops.
That experience belongs to the nine-pod model. The SG3 has even less planting room, so we would approach it with small herb harvests in mind. It can keep a few fresh leaves close to the stove; substantial vegetable harvests need more space.
What the starter kit includes
The Smart Garden 3 costs $124.95. The starter kit contains the garden and LED lamp, two lamp extensions, three reusable plant cups, germination domes, a quick-start guide and three basil pods. You can start that first batch without buying seeds or plant food separately. For a mixed herb planting, you would need different pods.
The base is about 11.8 inches wide by 4.7 inches deep (30 by 12 cm). Overall height ranges from about 8.3–18.5 inches (21–47 cm), depending on the extensions fitted. Those heights include the appliance; the space available to plants is smaller. Measure beneath overhead cabinets and allow for leaves spreading beyond their cups. Click & Grow lists an 8 W light and consumption of 3.8 kWh per month. Include electricity in the budget, but pay particular attention to replacement pods.
Setup, watering and cleaning
The pre-seeded pods contain the growing medium and nutrients. Wicks draw water from the tank, so there is no circulating pump to hear and no separate fertilizer schedule for the standard pods. Insert them into the cups, add water and plug in the lamp. The app offers plant-care guidance; it does not turn this model into an app-controlled garden.
Begin with the lamp in its lowest position, without the extensions. The SG3 manual says to remove the germination domes after sprouting and add extensions when the plants approach the light; fitting both at the start is not the intended setup. When restarting with new plants, lower the lamp again.[10]
You still need to watch the water-level float and harvest or prune the growth. Refill when the float reaches the bottom, stopping when it is level with the top of the garden; do not overfill.[10] The Sill’s SG3 reviewer refilled roughly weekly, whereas CNET described intervals of two or three weeks. Treat the float as your guide rather than assuming a full tank buys a fixed number of unattended days.
If a pod stays dry, the manual says to check that its wick is making contact and is not clogged. Check the pod itself even when the tank contains water. Keep the cups and domes when a crop finishes; those parts are reusable.
Between crops, empty and rinse the reservoir with warm water and clean the reusable cups. Click & Grow permits a little detergent, followed by a thorough rinse. Its SG3 maintenance guidance allows only the fully detached tank, tank lid and cups in a dishwasher. Use a dishwasher cycle no hotter than 120°F (about 49°C), or wash these parts by hand. The lamp, domes, U-shaped lids and wicks must stay out; dishwasher damage is excluded from warranty coverage.[12]
Start with the included basil
Independent SG3 reviewers generally recommend it for small herb harvests. CNET praised its ease of use but found three slots limiting for vegetables. Home for the Harvest liked the design and beginner-friendly growing, while stressing the modest output. The Sill reported successful basil growth with little intervention.
Grow the included basil before buying a collection of different pods. That first batch lets you learn how quickly the water drops and how much you harvest. Plan on a few leaves for eggs, pasta or a sandwich. Large batches of pesto are a lot to ask of three small plants.
For the supplied basil, the manufacturer gives a 7–14-day sprouting window and a 5–12-week harvest window.[11] Its care guide suggests starting to trim around a month after planting. Pinch the growing tip to encourage branching instead of only picking individual leaves. Pruning also delays flowering, which can change the taste.[13]
In a Reddit discussion comparing the SG3 and SG9, one SG3 owner said the middle planting position became crowded as the plants grew. Another owner reported good early results with basil and chili peppers in a Click & Grow 3. Peppers are an option, but their size and time in the garden deserve consideration before you give them one of the three slots.
Three slots also mean choices about timing. A pepper occupying one position leaves only two for herbs. Restarting all three together is simple, but creates a wait for the next crop; staggering replacements preserves some mature growth, yet leaves seedlings sharing a lamp with taller plants. For a first grow, a same-age basil batch is the simpler compromise.
Allow for a long, bright lighting day
The lamp runs for 16 hours on and eight hours off, starting when you plug it in. A morning start keeps more of that cycle within your waking hours. The app cannot shorten the lighting day.
Both Home for the Harvest and The Sill flagged the lamp’s brightness. A kitchen counter away from where you sleep is a better location than a bedside table or a studio’s sleeping corner. Consider where you sit in the evening, too; the lamp will be on for much of the day.
Pros and cons at a glance
Pros
- The narrow base takes up little counter space, and the garden includes its own light.
- Passive watering and pre-fed pods avoid pumps and nutrient mixing.
- Three basil pods and reusable cups let beginners learn one crop first.
Cons
- Harvests are small. Plan for garnishes; choose more planting space for family salads.
- The bright lamp has a fixed cycle. Start it in the morning and keep it away from sleeping areas; the app cannot shorten its day.
- Replacement pods add up. Budget for refills and consider ordinary pots if low running costs are your priority.
Refill costs and alternatives
A replacement three-pack of basil pods costs $14.95. Keep the plastic cups and replace the seeded growing-medium inserts. Grow Anything pods let you supply your own seeds, but you still have to buy pods in Click & Grow’s format. Ordinary pots and loose seeds are worth comparing if you want to keep refill costs down.
Budget for each replacement batch. How often you need one depends on the crops and when you retire them. Four basil three-packs at that price would total $59.80, before any shipping, tax or discount. Buy around your planting plan: the manufacturer advises cool, dry, dark storage and an approximately one-year unopened shelf life.[11]
Buy the SG3 if you want a compact herb garden and enjoy tending a few plants. It is particularly useful when a suitable sunny windowsill is missing. For substantial salads or several crops at different stages, compare a larger garden. The nine-pod model has more room, though our earlier SG9 experience showed how much results can vary by crop. For grocery savings, compare ordinary pots and seeds before committing to proprietary refills.
Shop the Click & Grow Smart Garden 3 and use code GREENERPODS for 10% off.
Sources: Official specifications and starter kit · [10] SG3 manual · [11] Basil refill details · Home for the Harvest · The Sill · CNET · SG3 owner discussion: spacing · SG3 owner discussion: growing · [12] SG3 cleaning guidance · [13] Basil care.
