Planning on going away for 5+ days, but not quite sure what to do about your plants? Never fear! Put your plants on pause - and your plans on go! - with Gardyn's Vacation Mode, a membership perk.
What is Vacation Mode?
Vacation Mode is a special growth mode for your Gardyn which you can only activate through the app as a member once your plants are 30+ days old. We recommend using Vacation Mode if you'll be away from your Gardyn for 5-14 days.
How does Vacation Mode work?
Vacation Mode uses specialized, reduced light schedules to decrease photosynthesis, carefully slowing your plants’ ability to grow while maintaining their health. Controlled photosynthesis means limited water intake and loss, so Kelby also reduces your watering schedule to avoid overwatering your less active plants.
After several days, the combined schedule changes can result in pale-looking plants, but not to worry! This is a natural result of Vacation Mode and you’ll be surprised at how quickly your plants bounce back to normal once you turn Vacation Mode off.
Please note, your Gardyn's unique growing environment, including the number, size, and type of plants you are growing, can affect your Gardyn's results on Vacation Mode. The more and larger plants you have, and the more fruiting plants you have, the sooner you will need to refill your Gardyn with water and plant food. Vacation Mode is not intended for plants younger than 30 days.
What if I'll be away longer than 2 weeks?
We recommend asking someone to help visit your Gardyn to top off your tank in your absence. But remember, using Vacation Mode longer than 2 weeks can have negative effects on long-term plant health, so we don't recommend it.
Preparing Your Gardyn for Vacation Mode
Just like your own to-do list before you travel, your Gardyn needs to prep for Vacation Mode, too!
Before you turn Vacation Mode on, it's critical to complete the following steps to ensure your Gardyn is clean, healthy, and ready to press pause.
- Harvest as much as you can off all of your ready-to-eat plants. Harvest any Microgreens in your Nursery or Baby Greens on your Gardyn completely.
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- Can't eat it all before you go? Share your bounty with neighbors!
- Discard any yCubes and compost any seed pads you harvest completely.
- Don't forget to cover any empty spots with Pod Caps before you go!
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- Consider retiring older or larger plants.
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- The less foliage on your Gardyn, the longer your water tank will last.
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- Trim any unhealthy leaves and prune the roots on all of the plants you keep to ensure you won’t return to an internal root jungle.
- Refresh your tank
How to Turn Vacation Mode On/Off
1. Tap the three-line menu in the top-left of your app's home screen, then go to Device Controls and tap the Vacation Mode toggle.
2. You'll see the pre-Vacation checklist with reminders of each step you should complete to prepare your Gardyn before your time away. (Don't forget to log your tank refresh too once you're done!).
You must check each box to confirm you've completed the step. Then you will be able to activate Vacation Mode, and you will see a confirmation that it is on.
3. Enjoy your time away! Your plants will be waiting for you when you return.
4. When you come home, turn Vacation Mode off by toggling Vacation Mode OFF (white/grey). Your previous schedules will automatically be restored.
The longer you're away, the more you may notice your plants appear lighter in color when you get back, but don't worry! This is normal, and your plants are still healthy. You'll be amazed at how quickly your plants bounce back to their normal hues after a few days back on their regular schedules.
Questions? Reach us at support@mygardyn.com, or chat with us. We're here to help!