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My Honest Lettuce Grow Review After 2 Years (36-Plant Farmstand)
Indoor hydroponic garden for families
10/7/20267 min read
Short answer: Yes, I still love my Lettuce Grow tower, and yes, I'd buy it again.
I've had my indoor 36-plant Farmstand (light rings and all) for almost two years now. I've grown from seed, I've grown from seedlings, I've battled bugs, and I've made more batches of basil pesto than I can count. So this isn't a "look at my pretty unboxing" review. This is the real, lived-in, there's-a-colander-of-lettuce-on-my-counter version.
If you just want the deal: Use code ALLISON or shop my link for 15% off.
But stick around, because I'm sharing what actually grows best (spoiler: butter lettuce is the queen) and the honest stuff nobody puts in their sponsored posts.
What Is a Lettuce Grow Farmstand, Anyway?
It's a vertical hydroponic garden.
Translation: plants grow in a tall tower, no soil, with a pump that cycles water and nutrients up through the roots. You plug it in, fill the reservoir, pop your plants in, and let it do its thing.
I went with the 36-plant size, which is a sweet spot for a family. It's enough to keep us in salad greens and herbs without feeling like I'm running a small farm.
As a crunchy mama, the appeal was obvious. I want to know where my food comes from. Store-bought herbs wilt in two days, and those plastic clamshells of lettuce are a whole thing. Having fresh greens a few steps from my kitchen felt like the easiest "real food" upgrade I could make, without needing a big backyard garden or a green thumb.
Indoor Tower = Fresh Greens All Year
This is the part that sold me. Where I live, we get real seasons. By the end of October it's freezing at night, and every outdoor garden in town is done for the year.
Mine isn't. We have the indoor tower with the light rings, so it's a year-round harvest of lettuce and herbs, not just a summer thing. While everyone else is buying sad grocery store basil in January, I'm snipping it fresh for pesto.
How Much Work Is It, Really?
Less than you'd think. The automated timers run the show, which keeps it fairly low maintenance. No remembering to turn lights on and off. No daily babysitting.
The main job is the water. Check or fill up the base every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on how big your plants are. Little plants sip. Big, leafy, almost-ready-to-harvest plants chug. So early on you can stretch it, and once things fill out, check closer to weekly.
Seeds vs. Seedlings: I've Done Both
One of my favorite things about Lettuce Grow is you get to choose your adventure.
Seedlings are the easy button. They show up ready to go, you pop them in, and you're harvesting way sooner. If you're new, busy, or just want results fast, start here. Zero shame. Mom life is busy.
Seeds are more budget-friendly and give you way more variety to play with. It takes more patience (and a little more babysitting at the start), but there's something really satisfying about growing your salad from literally nothing.
My honest take? Start with seedlings your first round so you learn how the tower works. Once you've got your rhythm, mix in seeds to save money and try new varieties.
What Grows Best
(Butter Lettuce Wins, No Contest)
After two years of trying different varieties, I have a clear favorite: butter lettuce grows the best in my tower. Hands down. It fills out beautifully, the leaves are soft and tender, and it just seems to love the hydroponic life. I've tried other lettuce varieties and they're fine, but butter lettuce is the one that makes me go "okay, this thing is worth it."
The other MVPs are herbs:
for all the pesto (more on that below)
for tacos, rice bowls, and literally anything Mexican-night
for that quick pop of green on top of dinner
I've also grown cherry tomatoes and bell peppers in it. They grew, but honestly? They do much better outside. Indoors, the tower really thrives with leafy greens and herbs. If you put it outside in a warm climate, it can handle heartier veggies like tomatoes and peppers way better.
If you're stuck on what to plant, start with butter lettuce plus a few herbs you actually cook with. Grow what you'll eat, not what looks cute in the catalog.
How We Actually Use It
This is where the tower earns its spot in my house.
Fresh basil pesto. This is my favorite thing to make from the tower, period. Basil, olive oil, garlic, nutritional yeast, and some nuts in the blender (dairy-free and fully vegan), and you've got the brightest, most flavorful pesto ever. It tastes completely different when the basil was growing five minutes ago. Toss it with pasta, smear it on a sandwich, drizzle it over roasted veggies. Chef's kiss.
Quick garnish, zero effort. Making tacos? Snip some cilantro. Pasta night? Grab a little parsley. No more buying a whole bunch of herbs for one recipe and watching the rest turn to slime in the fridge drawer. (We've all been there.)
Salads on demand. Cut a few leaves of butter lettuce right before dinner and it's crisp, fresh, and doesn't need a triple wash. Lettuce wraps are also a big win here.
The Honest Part: It Can Get Buggy
I'm not going to pretend it's perfect. It can get buggy sometimes. It's a garden. Bugs find gardens. That's kind of their whole job.
The good news is it's manageable, and it hasn't made me want to give up on the tower. A few things that help:
Check your plants regularly. Peek under the leaves when you harvest so you catch things early instead of after they've thrown a party.
Pull struggling plants fast. One sad plant can become a bug buffet for its neighbors.
Rinse your harvest. A quick rinse before eating and you're good.
Keep it natural. If you're like me and don't want harsh chemicals anywhere near your food, look for gentle, plant-safe options.
A few bugs is the trade-off for food that hasn't been sprayed with who-knows-what. I'll take it.
So, Is It Worth It?
For us, yes. Almost two years in, the tower is still running and still feeding my family fresh greens and herbs. That's more than I can say for most "healthy living" purchases I've made.
It's a great fit if you:
Want fresh herbs and lettuce without a full backyard garden, even in the dead of winter
Cook at home and are tired of tossing wilted store-bought herbs
Like knowing exactly where your food comes from
Want a fun, hands-on way to get your kids excited about veggies
It might not be for you if you:
Want zero maintenance (it's low maintenance, not no maintenance)
Will totally freak out at the sight of a bug
Mostly want to grow tomatoes and peppers indoors (those do better outside)
I've had my indoor 36-plant Farmstand (light rings and all) for almost two years now. I've grown from seed, I've grown from seedlings, I've battled bugs, and I've made more batches of basil pesto than I can count. So this isn't a "look at my pretty unboxing" review. This is the real, lived-in, there's-a-colander-of-lettuce-on-my-counter version.
If you just want the deal:
Use code ALLISON or shop my link for 15% off.
But stick around, because I'm sharing what actually grows best (spoiler: butter lettuce is the queen) and the honest stuff nobody puts in their sponsored posts.
It's a vertical hydroponic garden.
Translation: plants grow in a tall tower, no soil, with a pump that cycles water and nutrients up through the roots. You plug it in, fill the reservoir, pop your plants in, and let it do its thing.
I went with the 36-plant size, which is a sweet spot for a family. It's enough to keep us in salad greens and herbs without feeling like I'm running a small farm.
As a crunchy mama, the appeal was obvious. I want to know where my food comes from. Store-bought herbs wilt in two days, and those plastic clamshells of lettuce are a whole thing. Having fresh greens a few steps from my kitchen felt like the easiest "real food" upgrade I could make, without needing a big backyard garden or a green thumb.
This is the part that sold me. Where I live, we get real seasons. By the end of October it's freezing at night, and every outdoor garden in town is done for the year.
Mine isn't. We have the indoor tower with the light rings, so it's a year-round harvest of lettuce and herbs, not just a summer thing. While everyone else is buying sad grocery store basil in January, I'm snipping it fresh for pesto.
Get 15% Off Your Own Lettuce Grow
Ready to grow your own pesto empire? Use code ALLISON at checkout or shop through my link for 15% off.
My tip: go for the size that fits how much your family actually eats. The 36-plant has been perfect for us. And whatever you do, plant the butter lettuce. Trust me.
Got questions about growing from seed, dealing with bugs, or what to plant first? Drop them in the comments. Happy growing, friend!
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