Setting up the Kitchenforest: the start guide for your indoor herb garden
Eight steps to fresh herbs. As simple as it gets.
Something unclear? Write to hey@upgreens.team. We are happy to help.
Before you start
About ten minutes, and no tools.
In the box: Kitchenforest, pot divider, coconut substrate, seed kit with Basilico Genovese and parsley, pre-portioned plant nutrient for about six months, USB-C cable and power adapter.
The space: 49 cm long, 14.5 cm narrow, 48 cm high. A power outlet within reach. A window is not needed.
Step 1 of 8
Set up the base
Place the base on a level surface.
Not directly above a radiator, and not in the draft of an air conditioner. Both dry the herbs out before they grow tall.
The base is the water tank. A level spot keeps the water level even.
Step 2 of 8
Route the cable and insert the water level indicator
Feed the cable through the cutout in the base from below.
Insert the water level indicator into the round opening next to it. From the outside, it shows you later when water is low.
Remember which side the water level indicator sits on. The power goes in on that same side in step 8.
Step 3 of 8
Insert the rods
Put both rods into the holders and push them down as far as they go.
Step 4 of 8
Fill in the substrate
If you want to grow two varieties in one pot, insert the pot divider first.
Fill the coconut substrate into the three pots, up to the edge that is faintly visible inside the pot.
Press the substrate down with your flat hand until it sits firm. It settles a little as you do.
Add a thin layer on top at the end, without pressing it down again.
The loose layer on top is the bed for the seeds. They go on it in step 6.
Step 5 of 8
Attach the light bar
Push the light bar onto the rods. The plug belongs above the cable.
Keep the distance to the plants at about 12 cm.
The distance applies from sowing on. As the herbs grow, the bar moves up.
Step 6 of 8
Sow the seeds
One seed packet per pot, no more. Whether the seeds are scattered on top or pressed in lightly is written in the legend on the packet.
With the pot divider: half a packet per side. Each side is half the size of the pot, so it only takes half the amount.
Then scatter one sachet of Manto protective finish over them.
More seeds do not bring more herbs. The roots take the space from each other, and less stands there in the end.
Step 7 of 8
Fill in water and plant nutrient
Fill water into the tank until the water level indicator reads "max.".
Add one portion of Vita plant nutrient. Vita is the plant nutrient for the start, Gusto comes later. One nutrient packet every 10 days.
The box holds 5 Vita plant nutrient sachets and 10 Gusto plant nutrient sachets.
Step 8 of 8
Plug in and start the light
Plug in on the side of the water level indicator. The light does not come on yet.
To start the 18 hour cycle, hold the button next to the cable for 3 seconds.
Do this in the morning. The light bar remembers the time and runs with your day from then on.
The first weeks
The first harvest is usually ready after about five weeks.
Between 20 and 26 °C it grows fastest. Cooler takes longer, and that is not a fault.
Water
Top up every 8 to 9 days, or as soon as the water level indicator reads "min.". Fill it back up to "max.".
That is how long one filling lasts, depending on how mature the plants are. Young plants need less than grown ones, so the tank lasts longer at the start.
Plant nutrient
One portion every 10 days. The plant nutrient is pre-portioned, there is nothing to measure.
Vita first, then Gusto.
At the recommended rate, the pack lasts about six months.
Operating the light
Switch on: hold the button next to the cable for 3 seconds. That starts the 18 hour cycle.
Warm light: 3 seconds on the second button, for the evening for example. After 2 hours the bar switches back. The clock keeps running, so your daily rhythm does not shift.
Start over: after a power cut and after every move, the light is off. Hold the button next to the cable for 3 seconds again. The 18 hour cycle then starts from the beginning.
Frequently asked questions
When can I harvest for the first time?
For most herbs after about five weeks. Below 20 °C and above 26 °C it takes longer.
Oregano takes its time and is ready for a proper harvest after 8 to 12 weeks.
How often do I have to top up the water?
Every 8 to 9 days, that is how long one filling lasts. At the start, while the herbs are still very young, the tank can also last two weeks. Simply rely on the water level indicator: when it reads "min.", fill it back up to "max.".
And add plant nutrient every 10 days.
What do I do before I go on vacation?
Fill the tank up to "max." beforehand and add one portion of plant nutrient. In its 10-day rhythm the Kitchenforest holds up without you.
If it takes longer, the leaves droop and the herbs grow weak. With water and plant nutrient once you are back, they stand in full strength again after a few days.
Does it need a spot by the window?
No. The light bar takes over daylight completely. The Kitchenforest also grows in a kitchen without a window.
Which other herbs can I grow?
Everything that grows in soil: mint, coriander, thyme, oregano, dill. The Upgreens seed kits are 100% GMO free. Our range keeps growing.
For your full freedom, we built the Kitchenforest so that you can also buy herbs at the supermarket and put them in. For that, fill the Kitchenforest pot with substrate until the opening slots are completely covered. Then place your supermarket herbs on top.
What are the pot dividers for?
A divider turns one pot into two beds. That puts two varieties in one pot and up to six in the whole Kitchenforest.
Insert the divider before the substrate goes in. Then only half a seed packet per side, since each side is half the area.
Do I need an app?
No. Plant, water in, plug in, light on.
What do I do if nothing germinates?
Write to hey@upgreens.team with your order number and the variety that is not growing. Attach your photos: of the setup, of the sowing and of the ongoing care (water and plant nutrient as per the manual). The more complete the documentation, the faster it goes. And if it stays that way: you have a 90-day money-back guarantee from delivery.
Can I sow again after the harvest?
New substrate in, new seeds in, off you go. After one growth cycle the old substrate is full of roots and compacted, and fresh seeds need loose material.
