Smart AUK Indoor Herb Garden: a Revolution? -

Q: How long does it take for herbs to grow in AUK?

Depending on the herb, you’ll see sprouts in 5–10 days and mature herbs ready to harvest in 3–5 weeks .

“When IKEA couldn’t, Marius made it himself” – Auk.com

Is the Smart AUK Indoor Herb Garden: a Revolution? With self-watering tech, grow lights, and no soil mess, it claims to grow fresh herbs year-round—even in small kitchens. But does it actually deliver on taste, growth speed, and convenience? Let’s find out!

The Auk indoor garden system (including Auk 1 and Auk Mini) is a Scandinavian-designed, indoor smart herb garden using an open hydroponic system.

The system automatically controls light, water, and nutrients to let you grow herbs and certain vegetables indoors with minimal effort. It was conceived in Norway to provide a beautiful and foolproof way to cultivate organic herbs at home even in low sunlight environment.

Who is the Mind Behind AUK Indoor Herb Garden?

The AUK indoor herb garden was founded on May 21 by Norwegian entrepreneur Marius Aabel.

After trying multiple indoor herb systems (including IKEA‘s), Marius found them either overly complex or ineffective. Frustrated, he decided to design a system that would cater to his needs without the inefficiencies of other indoor gardening products.

He got his team together and designed a sleek, automatic, easy-to-use indoor herb garden setup that reliably delivers fresh herbs year-round with minimal effort.

The initial prototype went through several iterations from wall-mounted units to drawer systems before the final design was released in mid-2021.

AUK was developed in Norway with an emphasis on sustainable materials and was produced in Europe to reduce the carbon footprint. The packing of the AUK indoor herb garden is entirely plastic-free and recyclable.

AUK became a national sensation and quickly expanded across Europe and beyond.

Related reads:

Is the Smart AUK Indoor Herb Garden: a revolution? Truly?

Is it really effective? Let’s analyze and find out:

1. Who Is It For?

Auk is best for:

Urban dwellers with little or no outdoor space.
People who want fresh herbs year-round, pesticide-free, in the comfort of their homes.
People with limited gardening experience.
Those who want low-maintenance, self-sustaining systems with minimal oversight.

2. Smart Automation and Hydroponic Accuracy

“It’s a brand new hydroponic design” – Auk.com

Credit: The video was taken from Auk.com

As per the Auk website, the creators state that the AUK indoor herb garden setup uses sensors, smart nutrient chips, and full-spectrum LEDs to make an adaptive system of hydration regulation, lighting, and nutrients based on plant growth phases.

Its open hydroponic system allows planting of seeds, cuttings, or pre-potted herbs, with automated control once the setup is complete.

This means that the AUK indoor herb garden is like having a mini smart gardener at your home. According to the brand’s official website, it uses three main things to grow herbs without much effort from your side:

Sensors: These keep track of your plant’s needs in real time, like how much water, light, or nutrients it’s getting.
Smart Nutrient Chips – These chips slowly release the right nutrients as your herb grows, depending on its current growth phase (like seedling, growing, or ready-to-harvest stage).
Full-Spectrum LEDs – These are special lights that mimic natural sunlight, so that your plant gets enough “sun” even indoors or during cloudy days.

Now here’s the cool part – it’s an open hydroponic system, which means instead of growing in soil, your herbs grow in water mixed with nutrients. And you don’t have to stick to just seeds – you can grow your herbs from cuttings or even from herbs you bought in pots from a store.

Once you have everything set up, it runs on autopilot. The system adjusts the water, light, and nutrients on its own.

So, whether you’re a beginner or someone with a busy lifestyle, this setup basically grows your herbs for you smarter, faster, and cleaner than traditional soil-based methods.

3. Ease of Setup and Maintenance

Reviews frequently describe the system as a true “set it and forget it”. Once filled with water and nutrients, capsules require minimal intervention, based on plant growth phases.

As I explained above, it’s an open hydroponic system that allows planting of seeds, cuttings, or pre-potted herbs, with automated control once setup is complete.

Credit: The image was taken from Auk.com

AUK has won design awards and is made sustainably in Europe using FSC-certified wood and plastic-free packaging. It has a minimal and sophisticated design, which is a standout feature in modern kitchens.

It delivers up to 5x faster growth than traditional indoor gardening and uses up to 90% less water.

This means that the AUK indoor herb garden isn’t just smart, it’s stylish and eco-friendly as well.

It’s built sustainably, using FSC-certified wood (which means the wood is responsibly sourced without harming forests), and comes in plastic-free packaging, thereby making it a great option if you’re trying to grow herbs at home while trying to live responsibly.

It’s a minimal and clean design that fits beautifully in any interior, whether it’s a vintage or modern kitchen. So it doesn’t just grow herbs, it also adds a sleek touch to your space.

But, look aside, AUK is also a powerful tool to have at home. It helps herbs grow up to 5 times faster – as claimed by the creators themselves. They say that it grows herbs 5 times faster than traditional methods and uses up to 90% less water, thanks to its efficient hydroponic system.

Also worth noting is that AUK has won several internal design awards, which shows how much thought has gone into both how it works and how it looks.

Related reads:

4. What You Can Grow In AUK Indoor Garden System

AUK is best suited for small and fast growing annual herbs and greens, such as:

Basil
Cilantro
Mint
Parsley
Oregano
Thyme
Also dwarf version of vegetables like peppers or tomatoes.

This system is not ideal for large plants or perennials unless seasonal cycles are stimulated. This means that plants that live for multiple years (perennials) and tend to grow large in size, require periods of dormancy or specific environmental conditions that allow it to thrive in the long term.

If a system provides constant warm temperature, ample light, and nutrients all year-round (no “seasonal cycle” in such a case), then it essentially prevents dormancy.

Without dormancy, such plants will struggle and get exhausted by continuously trying to grow and produce, eventually depleting their resources and becoming weakened.

A big problem with a lack of dormancy and exhaustion is that stressed plants with depleted energy reserves are more vulnerable to pests and diseases.

Some perennials, on the other hand, require a cold period (vernalization) to bloom, flower, and produce. Without this, they’ll fail to flower or produce a reduced harvest.

In such cases, simulating seasonal cycles indoors becomes necessary for such plants to grow.

Coming back to AUK, besides the above-mentioned herbs and plants, you can also grow store-bought potted herbs by transplanting them into AUK (with care for initial shock recovery).

Cons of AUK Indoor Gardening System

Yep. Like any product, the AUK indoor herb garden system has a few downsides to consider, especially for beginners or gardeners who are budget-conscious buyers.

Let’s look at some of the downsides to this revolutionary smart indoor gardening system:

1. High Price Point

AUK, at the moment, is a premium product, and its cost is quite steep. It’s often costlier than simpler indoor gardening setups.

This is, of course, discouraging for those who want to buy the AUK indoor herb garden system but lack the financial means. So, this may not be ideal for first-time herb growers or people who are starting their plant journey with a low budget.

2. Limited Availability

It’s mostly available in selected regions like Europe, and though there is international shipping available to India or Southeast Asia, etc., the shipping charges are expensive or unavailable.

3. Dependence on Proprietary Parts

The system uses smart nutrient chips, which are often AUK-specific. Replacements for these may be hard to source or will be expensive if not locally available.

4. Limited Space & Lack of Design Customization

The minimal design is definitely a plus (it’s what got my attention while researching it, that and the autopilot settings), but it may limit flexibility. Like you might not be able to grow larger plants or customize pot sizes freely. Therefore, it is not ideal for large, fruiting plants unless dwarf varieties are an option.

7. Higher Power Usage & Too Bright for Some

Since the entire AUK indoor herb garden requires the use of full-spectrum LED grow lights as well as electricity to power up the entire smart garden setup, the AUK indoor herb garden will have higher power usage requirements if used constantly and may be too bright for shared living spaces.

6. Tech Learning Curve

It’s designed to be user-friendly, but since it’s fully automated and is sensor-based, some people unfamiliar with this type of smart hydroponic system might feel overwhelmed at first. Though this isn’t that big a con, and can be overcome with time and experience.

Here is What Customers Who Bought the AUK System had to say:

greenerideal.com: described AUK as “foolproof”, a great option for beginners despite occasional slower germination with certain seeds like arugula or basil.

thegradgeteer.com : praised the design and usability, though suggested improvements like longer connected lamp poles and inclusion of seed labels for tracking sowed crops.

Conclusion

The AUK Smart Indoor Herb Garden is a sleek, high-tech solution for anyone looking to grow fresh herbs effortlessly at home. With its hydroponic system, automated lighting, and self-watering features, it takes the guesswork out of indoor gardening. While it’s a premium option, the ease of use, flexibility to grow various herbs, and consistent results make it a worthwhile investment for modern kitchens and plant lovers alike.

So while the AUK indoor herb garden offers cutting-edge tech and features, it’s better suited to people who are serious about indoor gardening despite the steep price, international delivery charges, and the possibility of AUK-specific part replacements.

Related reads:

Reference

Auk.com – Official Website
“AUK Self-Sustaining Indoor Garden Review” by UNWomenmag.com
“A Green Revolution indoors, Auk Eco’s Journey to Sustainable Living” by Enviromic.net

FAQ

Q1. When was the AUK Smart Herb Garden launched?

The AUK Smart Indoor Herb Garden was developed by a Norwegian startup and launched via Kickstarter in 2020, with the product becoming widely available in 2021. It quickly gained attention for its tech-first approach to hydroponic herb gardening.

Is the AUK Smart Garden worth the price?

That depends on your needs. If you want a set-it-and-forget-it herb garden that uses advanced sensors, LED grow lights, and automatic watering, the AUK is one of the most high-performing systems available. However, it’s priced higher than most basic herb planters.

Can I grow any type of herb in the AUK?

Yes. You can grow a wide range of herbs like basil, mint, coriander, thyme, oregano, chives, and even lettuce or chili. The system uses nutrient-rich water and light cycles that mimic natural sunlight for faster, healthier growth.

Is the AUK system hydroponic or soil-based?

It is fully hydroponic, meaning it grows herbs in water enriched with nutrients—no soil, no mess.

How long does it take for herbs to grow in AUK?

Depending on the herb, you’ll see sprouts in 5–10 days and mature herbs ready to harvest in 3–5 weeks.

Can I reuse the seed pods or grow my own seeds in AUK?

Yes, the system is flexible. While you can buy pre-seeded pods, it also supports DIY seed planting with compatible sponges and baskets, making it more cost-effective long-term.

Smart AUK Indoor Herb Garden: a Revolution?

Who is the Mind Behind AUK Indoor Herb Garden?