What is a Light Cleaning?
Doing a Light Cleaning means sterilizing the interior of your Gardyn, including the inside of your irrigation hoses.
How often should I do a Light Cleaning?
We recommend doing a Light Cleaning about 4 times a year, or after you've had a pest problem, to help keep internal biofilm and algae build-up at bay while also boosting plant root health, and therefore your Gardyn's overall health. If you regularly add our plant-based water treatment solution, HydroBoost, to your Gardyn, you can skip Light Cleaning altogether! Learn more about HydroBoost here.
What are the Light Cleaning steps?
Part 1: Empty your Gardyn's Columns
Note: If you're cleaning your Gardyn following a pest problem, dispose of all of your plants by moving/planting them outside or composting them.
- Harvest all mature plants that are ready to eat on your Gardyn. While optional, this helps lessen your workload of moving around lots of yCubes and large plants, so we recommend it!
- Get rid of any yCubes that have severe disease or mold infections, especially if they've been resistant to topical hydrogen peroxide treatments.
- Remove your remaining, disease-free plants from your Gadyn (still in their yPods) and store them in your silicone ySleeves or in a tray. It takes roots a few hours to dry out, so don't worry if water spills out of the yPods as you handle them.
- Wipe down the outside of the yPods on the plants you're keeping with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water.
- Remove any remaining yPods and Pod Caps from your Gardyn and soak in a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water to remove any biofilm or algae.
TIP: If the growth on your yPods/Pod Caps is stubborn and won't immediately come off, use a bottle brush to help remove the residue after soaking. Just remember, it's okay if not all the growth comes off!
Your Gardyn's columns should now be empty.
Part 2: Clean Your Tank & Irrigation Hoses
1. Sanitize
Following the same preparation steps as if you were doing a tank refresh, power off your device and detach and empty your water tank. Clean your tank thoroughly with dish soap and water. Then add 2 cups of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide and 4 gallons of water. Reattach your tank to your Gardyn. In your app, tap the water tile to run a watering cycle for 10 minutes. Tap again after 10 minutes to turn off.
2. Rinse
Empty the tank again, add 3 gallons of water to your tank, then reattach it to your Gardyn. Run another 10-minute watering cycle. Empty and rinse your tank for the last time.
If you need to let your Gardyn sit empty after cleaning because you're starting fresh after a pest problem, your light cleaning is now complete! Allow your Gardyn to dry out and sit empty for 3-4 weeks.
3. Refill
If you're preparing to immediately start fresh with a new generation of plants on your Gardyn and discarding all of your existing plants, fill your tank with 5 gallons of water only (no plant food). If you're returning mature plants to your Gardyn, add 5 gallons of water with 1/2 teaspoon of dissolved plant food per gallon.
4. Reassemble
Reassemble your Gardyn by once again lifting by the columns to replace the top half onto your water tank. Lower the pump, lock the lid into place, plug your device back in, and switch it on. Add your now-clean yPods, and return the plants you kept (if any) to your Gardyn. Be sure to cover any empty yPods with Pod Caps to prevent anything unwanted from entering or growing inside your device.
5. Restart
Let your Gardyn wake up, which may take 15-20 minutes. Do not touch the silver button - your Gardyn will come back online shortly, and the lights will turn on as scheduled. Don’t forget to log your completed cleaning as a tank refresh in the app when you’re done!
Routinely cleaning your Gardyn helps prevent biofilm and pests from bothering your plants. Help yourself remember your quarterly Light Cleaning by marking it in your calendar. You'll be rewarded with a cleaner device and healthier, happier plants!
Questions? Reach us at support@mygardyn.com, or chat with us. We're here to help!