Rise Garden 2: Deep Cleaning Guide
November 19 2024 7:37am • Est. Read Time: 3 MINWhy should I clean my Rise Garden 2?
Cleaning your Rise Garden 2 is an important step to maintain your plants’ health and keep your system running efficiently. Plants can leave behind dead leaves, roots, and other plant matter. Our nutrient mixes might slowly produce nutrient buildup that can coat the inside of your pump and slow it down over time. Make sure to follow our cleaning guidelines to keep your plants happy and healthy!
What tools do I need?
Cleaning vinegar is low-cost, leaves no residue, and is completely non-toxic to your plants. We do not recommend using soaps or other general cleaning products as they can leave behind residue or contain chemicals that can harm
your plants. Distilled white vinegar works fine, too.
Use a clean cloth or non-scratch sponge to scrub the surfaces of the garden. Hard-bristled brushes and other tools may leave fine scratches on plastic surfaces.
Clean a little whenever you harvest a plant.
To harvest the plant, cut at the base of the pod. Squeeze the tabs on either side of the net cup and lift it out of the tray lid. If needed, gently tug the roots to separate from the roots of adjacent plants. The roots will drip water!
Briefly check your water trays for stray plant roots or leaves. If you leave this biomatter in your Garden, it can attract mold or pests. Wipe down the top of the tray lid with cleaning vinegar to stop a build-up of biomatter, if necessary.
Remove the used plant pod from the net cup by pushing the pod and roots up through the top opening in the pod. Brush stray roots and debris off of the net cup, then sanitize it by either soaking it in vinegar or washing it in the top rack of a dishwasher.
Sanitize the base of the Nursery by either soaking it in vinegar or washing it in the top rack of a dishwasher. Do NOT wash the Nursery lid in your dishwasher, as it will soften and deform.
Deep Clean Every 6 Months.
We recommend a full, deep clean of the garden every 6 months, you need to do a full deep clean of your Garden system. This prevents the buildup of micronutrients, algae, and other debris that can limit plant growth over time.
If possible, time this cleaning (1) with a full harvest of the garden and (2) low water level in the tank. This makes it easier to remove parts for cleaning.
What you’ll need
As noted above, you will need cleaning vinegar and a rag/sponge for surfaces. For a deep clean, these tools are also helpful:
- handheld broom/dustpan or vacuum
Narrow brush. As noted above, bristled brushes may leave small scratches on plastic surfaces. Be gentle.
A jug, bin, or bucket at least 1 gallon
Step 1
If you have not already, harvest or move all of your plants out of your Garden.
Clear any loose debris, then remove all tray lids and service doors.
Step 2
As noted above, waiting until your Garden is almost out of water makes it easier later. If needed, add just enough water to allow the pump to run.
Pour in 2 cups of cleaning vinegar per level of your Rise Garden (2 cups for a Single, 4 cups for a Double, and 6 cups for a Triple).
Let your Garden circulate this cleaning solution for 15-20 mins. This will disinfect your Garden and loosen the residue.
Step 3
Gently scrub residue from water trays.
Step 4
Drain the vinegar/water mixture from the garden. The easiest way to do this is to use the garden’s pump and flexible supply tube.
It is not necessary to remove all water from the garden. This makes it much easier to remove the trays and reservoir without spilling.
Step 5
Remove water trays and pipes.
Step 6
Remove the water tank. Scrub or wipe off any residue. Empty remaining water/vinegar.
Step 7:
While the water tank is outside of the cabinet, use a damp cloth to wipe down the inside of the cabinet around the drain conduit. This area tends to collect nutrient residue over time. Dry with a clean cloth.
Step 8:
Rinse the interior of all removed parts, then return
to the garden. Reinstall the supply tube.
Step 9 (optional)
Rinse the garden one more time.
Add enough water to allow the pump to run.
Allow water to circulate for 10 minutes.
Drain the water from your Garden.
After cleaning, be sure to place any unharvested plants back in the same spots in your Garden. Use the Rise Gardens app in order to get your nutrients balanced again. You should now have a completely clean Garden. Happy Growing!