Frequently asked questions about the SmartGrow System

There is a SmartGrow for any home and available space.

• SmartGrow Life: Width 33cm, depth: 17,5 cm, height: 19 cm (germination phase), 59 cm (with 4 height modules)
• SmartGrow 6: 35cm diameter, height: 21 cm (Germination phase), 53 cm (with 4 height modules)
• SmartGrow 3: 19cm diameter, height: 24 cm (Germination phase), 56 cm (with 4 height modules)

SmartGrow is a hydroponic system optimized to provide plants with the exact amount of water and natural nutrients. The water tank lasts up to 3 weeks and supplies your plants with all they need – no need for a green thumb. A smart water level detection notifies you through blue lighting when it’s time to refill it. With its pump the device pumps just the right amount of water and nutrient to the plant roots based on their needs and growth stage. This way, plant roots are not permanently immersed in water and get even additional oxygen through the regular water movement. The pump of SmartGrow Life works contactless and silently allowing for the serving bowl to be easily detached from the base unit, for example to put in on the dinner table for on demand harvesting.

No, Bosch SmartGrow uses regular tap water.

Bosch SmartGrow is a hydroponic system that works without soil. Light, water and natural nutrients are sufficient to supply the plants with all they need. Besides the nutrients, which come with the seed capsules, you just need to add regular tap water – everything else is done by the system. Your hands stay always clean.

The SmartGrow light unit consists of professional and energy-efficient plant LEDs that generate a patented combination of ideal spectrum and light intensity for the growth of plants depending on the plants’ growth phase. The light spectrum is a combination of red, blue and green LED light containing no UV radiation, making it safer than sunlight.

Your SmartGrow communicates using different color combinations from its LEDs. To learn exactly what a particular color means, you can download our free app, set your garden and go to the help section. Select your device, color and pattern, to see right away, what your SmartGrow is trying to tell you.

You will find videos and a guide on what to do easily and quick.

Download iOS
Download Android

Additionally you can look at the User Manual:
MSGP6
MSGP3
MSGP3L

We regret to inform you that we will no longer be updating the app from 31.12.2023. However, you can continue to use the app if you have already downloaded and installed it. After March 1 2023, the app will not be available in the App Stores. The app is not function-relevant and you can continue to enjoy your Smart Grow appliance. You can find further information and contact details on our website.

SmartGrow seed capsules are recyclable. The main component, that also contains the seeds, is made of volcanic stone. This material ensures optimal exchange of oxygen, water and nutrients during the lifetime of plants and supports the roots. In addition, there is a thin plastic frame to stabilize the capsule. After removing the plastic frame and sticker, the plant capsules can be disposed in the organic waste bin.

The mineral nutrients in the fertilizer are safe and in accordance with the relevant EU directives. The ingredients of our fertilizer comply with the current legal requirements and can be used according to the dosage instructions for our plants that are tailored to our system. A list of contained ingredients can be found on each of our fertilizer packets. Of course, excessive use is not recommended. Please keep the fertilizer away from children and pets.

No, because the plants also need phases without light. The device automatically switches into sleep mode for eight hours after 16 hours of activity. The timer can be set according to individual needs, just set it once and the system will remember. How this works is explained in our video:

Due to its energy-efficient LED lights plus its smart irrigation system, Bosch SmartGrow has a very low power consumption. The yearly average power consumption by device is as follows:

• SmartGrow 6: 60kWh
• SmartGrow 3: 30kWh
• SmartGrow Life: 27kwh

The wall mount accessory MSGZWML [Local Webshop URL] is compatible with SmartGrow Life, allowing to turn your wall green and have your own vertical garden at home. It is suitable for solid concrete and solid brick walls. The wall mount kit includes screws, wall plugs and a drill template to help you with the exact measures – you only need a drill and a screwdriver. On other structures (e.g. plaster board, aerated concrete and proton blocks) special wall plugs must be used.

Even when hanging on the wall, you can easily remove the bowl from the base unit anytime without worrying about cords or electronics

SmartGrow Life comes with a timeless design. You can add your individual touch through design sleeves covering the serving bowl and detachable design clips for the height modules – all available in different colors. Please note that personalization accessories are only available for SmartGrow Life.

SmartGrow Life Design Clips available colours:

• Mint green x2 – MSGZDC1L [+ Local Webshop URL]
• Greige x2 - MSGZDC2L [+ Local Webshop URL]
• Stone Grey x2 - MSGZDC3L [+ Local Webshop URL]

SmartGrow Life Design Sleeve available colours:

• Bright Grey - MSGZDS2L [+ Local Webshop URL]
• Anthracite - MSGZDS3L [+ Local Webshop URL]

At Bosch we set a great importance on sustainability and at SmartGrow we believe our products should be produced and packed as Eco-Friendly as possible. We aim to use a significant share of recycled content, mainly in the form of recycled and recyclable plastic and paper. We are proud to use only white plastics on SmartGrow Life that are 100% recycled and 100% recyclable. In other words, considering all components in the device the share of recycled content is 58% of all materials used in the appliance - evaluation done according to DIN EN ISO 45557 (General method for assessing the proportion of recycled material content in energy-related products).

Moreover, our packaging box is made of 80% recycled paper and fully recyclable. We have also challenged the traditional way of packaging by fully eliminating the use of Expanded Polysterene (EPS). Instead, we use a very limited biodegradable plastic cover as alternative to EPS.

In order to be close to our main target markets we design, develop and produce in Europe.

Bosch SmartGrow is designed for indoor use and can be installed almost anywhere in your home, as it does not require sunlight. It should not be placed in direct sunlight. Radiators, air conditioners or electronic devices that are too close can also influence the natural growth conditions of plants.
With our new SmartGrow Life you can even create a vertical garden on your wall. All you need is the wall mount set accessory MSGZWML.

Watch the video to learn how to set up your device in a few steps.

SmartGrow waters your plants automatically. The new SmartGrow Life comes with a water level sensor that will notify you when the water level is very low (lights will flash blue 10 times every 3 minutes). To refill, pour the water with nutrients anywhere in the plant tray until the water level sensor detects that the maximum capacity of the water bowl has been reached (lights will blink white for 2 seconds). Also SmartGrow 3 (flashing pink) and SmartGrow 6 (flashing blue) give an indication once the water level reaches a minimum level. Use the watering hole to add nutrients and water.

Under general conditions the SmartGrow will supply your plants for up to 3 weeks. Of course, plant size, indoor temperature and humidity influence the water consumption. A device with very big plants might need a refill earlier.

The new SmartGrow Life is made for you and your lifestyle. Should the light disturb you during the 16h day phase (e.g. when watching TV) you can activate the dimming mode which reduces the brightness. To dim the light, press the touch button shortly on the light unit of your SmartGrow Life until the light intensity is reduced. The dimming mode automatically stops after 2 hours to ensure optimal plant growth. Please note that this feature is only available for SmartGrow Life.

To grow strong, your plants need 8 hours of rest like an average person. That’s why, your Bosch SmartGrow will automatically go into sleep mode after 16 hours of activity and will wake up again after 8 hours.

You can synchronize the sleeping time of your SmartGrow to your own bedtime. To set the sleep mode, press the touch button on the light unit of your SmartGrow Life for 3 seconds until the light unit flashes white twice. For SmartGrow 6 just place your hand on the light unit for 3 seconds. For SmartGrow 3 you need to press the button below the light unit for 3 seconds.

The device then will start its sleep mode. It will be then turned off for the next 8 hours and will turn on back again for the next 16 hours, keeping the same timing every day.

If you are not at home for several days, you can activate the holiday mode of your Bosch SmartGrow. Press the touch button on the light unit of your SmartGrow Life for 10 seconds until the light unit lights up purple (SmartGrow 6: place your hand on the light unit for 10 seconds; SmartGrow 3: press the green button at the buttom of the light unit for 10 seconds). The holiday mode reduces the plants’ water consumption and growth rate, keeping them in similar size for when you come back.

Before switching to holiday mode:

• fill up the bowl with water and nutrients
• harvest 30% if the plants have already grown to a large size
• If the plants have not yet germinated, you should not activate the holiday mode

Watch the video for a how-to:

When you want to reset your device, e.g. setting up a new garden after harvesting all plants, first disconnect it from the power supply. For SmartGrow Life, wait 1hour, for SmartGrow 3, wait 10 min before connecting again. For SmartGrow 6, wait for 10 hours before connecting it to power in order to make sure the device is properly reset.

When SmartGrow Life or SmartGrow 6's blue LED lights flash, the water level in the tank is too low. You can always check the water level by lifting the water unit. If that is the situation, please add water. For SmartGrow Life, the appliance will flash twice white when the max. refill level has been achieved.

For SmartGrow 6 please check also that the pump has been fixed correctly.

The pump in the device delivers water to the roots of the plants 1 to 7 times a day. The pumping process lasts for 30 seconds to 2.5 minutes per cycle and is usually very quiet, with a sound level of 50 decibels. If it gets significantly louder, this is an indication that too little water is in the water tank. Please check the water level and refill if needed.

SmartGrow Life features a water level sensor that indicates a shortage of water.

Growing microgreens in SmartGrow is possible with SmartGrow Life and SmartGrow 6.

To grow microgreens, an additional accessory is needed:

• SmartGrow Life: MicrogreenTray MSGZMTL (Coming soon)
• SmartGrow 6: VarioTray MSGZSCT1- buy here.

Use one sachet of microgreens per Microgreen Tray or VarioTray partition and put the transparent cover on top during the first 2-4 days. Afterwards the cover can be removed and the first height module can be added. You can also use the cover as a serving tray. Harvest the microgreens after 7-14 days by cutting 1cm above the mesh. Do not eat the roots. Use microgreens right away or store them in the fridge.

Clean the mesh once all microgreens have been harvested. Pull remaining roots out of the mesh and wash it in the dishwasher (max 55ºC). Clean the water tray from potential algae growth by hand every time after harvesting microgreens and change the water every second time (about after 1 month).

Before changing the design clip of a height module, please make sure the light unit and height module are taken out of the appliance. Do not replace the clip directly on the appliance. Take the height module in your hand and gently remove the cover. You will see the main unit with the electronics plate and can now place your color design clip. Make sure it is securely fixed before setting it back in the appliance.

Bosch SmartGrow components should be cleaned after each harvest (after 3-5 months). To clean you can use either citric acid or Bosch descaling tabs 00311893 or 00311864 [+Webshop local urls]

To clean using citric acid, add 1 teaspoon of citric acid per 1 litre of water and pour the descaling solution into the bowl. To clean using the Bosch descaling tabs, add to your SmartGrow 3 and SmartGrow Life 1x descaling tablet in the water bowl with lukewarm water. For SmartGrow 6 add 2x descaling tablets. Then, wait about 5 minutes for the tablet(s) to dissolve. Do not use citric acid and descaling tabs at the same time.

Use the SmartGrow descaling mode to remove lime scale. Press the touch button on the light unit of your SmartGrow Life for 15 seconds until the light unit lights up green (SmartGrow 6: place your hand on the light unit for 15 seconds until the light unit flashes blue; SmartGrow 3: press the button at the bottom of the light unit for 15 seconds until the light unit flashes green).

After the descaling mode has finished, remove the descaling solution, separate the parts and place the dishwasher safe parts (water bowl, watering tray, plant tray) into the dishwasher (max. 55 °C). To learn more which parts are dishwasher safe, please check this video:

Before putting the design sleeve, please remove the tray with the plants. Place the sleeve on the bowl from the top; ensuring the sewing remains right and left from it. Once the sleeve is dressing your SmartGrow Life, ensure the sleeve ends before the silver ring and the docking unit. This way the placement of the bowl on the docking unit will not be affected.

The silicon band in the inner part ensures that the sleeve remains in place.

The amount of seeds varies depending on the type of plant. The number of seeds is selected and finalized through months of stringent testing at the qualification process of seeds to ensure optimal nutritious harvest.

The seeds for our seed capsules come from well-known seed suppliers based in Europe. Basil, for example, comes from Germany. All seeds used are pesticide free, 100% natural and not genetically modified, following a stringent quality release process with months of testing to ensure reliable performance for optimal harvest.

They comply with current quality standards in Europe and the United States and have been certified by the Finnish Food Service Authority (EVIRA) under the Seed Trade Act (728/2000).

In Bosch SmartGrow, different plant species can be cultivated simultaneously. There are various different types available, a selection that keeps growing continuously. For the best result, however, you should make sure that they have the same time to harvest. The time to harvest group is indicated on the packaging of the planting capsules. There is also a filter available on the plant overview website that helps you find plants with similar time to harvest.

Plants differ in their growth process: On average, germination starts after four to fourteen days. For some plants, such as rosemary, this can also take up to three weeks while the fastest plant species are ready for harvest after two to three weeks already. Each plant of our wide selection has an indication for time to harvest on their packaging.

You can also get additional information on all plants and their growth process in the Bosch SmartGrow App.

Download now

iOS: LOCAL SPECIFIC

Android: LOCAL SPECIFIC

To learn more about how to harvest watch our video.

With appropriate care, the same herb or salad seed capsule can be harvested several times for up to three or four months. The prerequisite is that no more than three quarters of a plant is harvested at once.

We recommend to harvest when needed, thus you always enjoy the highest freshness.

The salads, herbs, fruits and microgreens can be consumed for up to a week after harvest if they are kept airtight in the refrigerator. Flowers should be used the same day. Herbs, edible flowers and fruits can also be dried or frozen for later use. [country specific] There are various tips and tricks in our SmartGrow App to help you getting most out of your harvest.

SmartGrow Plant Capsules should be stored in a cool, dry and dark place. Cool room temperature is good, but refrigerator is even better. If you have opened a package, close it well because the seeds might get damaged by air humidity.

Why is volcanic stone used as a substrate and not a natural substance like coconut husk that is biodegradable?

The professional volcanic stone (Rockwool) substrate used in SmartGrow offers a special microstructure that allows for an optimal availability of water and air (oxygen) to plant roots. Furthermore, the material ensures a consistent quality and optimal growth conditions for months, which is harder to ensure with peat and coco-coir based capsules.

We also take high priority on a sustainable material, making sure natural resources are saved.

We also take high priority on a sustainable material, making sure natural resources are saved.

SmartGrow seed capsules are recyclable. The main component, that also contains the seeds, is made of rock wool, originally extracted from volcanic stone. This material ensures optimal exchange of oxygen, water and nutrients during the lifetime of plants and also holds parts of the roots. In addition, there is a thin plastic frame to stabilize the capsule. After removing the plastic frame and sticker, the plant capsules can be disposed in the organic waste bin.

The germination process depends on the plant as well as the environmental conditions. Lift up your capsules to check if they are properly wet, one or two days after you’ve inserted them.

The germination process will take between one to three weeks, depending on the plant species. If germination does not take place after that time, and everything was done according to the instruction manual, please contact our customer service to get further instruction or a free replacement according to our Germination Guarantee:

Terms of Germination Guarantee:

Additionally to the statutory guarantee obligation for our SmartGrow devices, accessories and seed capsules, we offer a "Germination Guarantee" for our seed capsules. The warranty claims by law of the buyer remain unaffected by this guarantee.

• Guarantor is the Robert Bosch Hausgeräte GmbH, [local adress on country level];
• The Germination Guarantee is granted for all seed capsules sold under SmartGrow from Bosch bought after 10/2019 (excluded are Experimental Kits, MSGZEX002).
• The Germination Guarantee includes the right of the buyer to get free replacement of his or her seed capsules under the following conditions:

a) The seed capsules bought from SmartGrow do not germinate in SmartGrow devices (MSGP3, MSGP6 or MSP3L) although the user followed the instructions from the respective user manual.

b) The defect with the seeds in the capsules, leading to non-germination during the time it should (according to the type of seeds) - cannot clearly assigned to wrong usage.

c) The best before date of the seed capsules has not expired.

• In case the user wants to make use of the Germination Guarantee he or she needs to send an e-mail to the following address: [local@emailadress.com]; subject: Germination Guarantee.

The E-Mail should contain the following:

• First name and Surname
• Address
• Phone number
• Photo of all non-germinated capsules
• If the Germination Guarantee terms are fulfilled, the user will get a replacement of seed capsules of the same plant species, which did not germinate. The delivery of the seed capsules in … [editorial note: country name to be added] will be free of charge within the usual delivery time for the SmartGrow assortment. For delivery to addresses outside of [country] the delivery will be charged.

You can use a booster light module to speed up the growth of herbs and greens. Additionally, you can use the blooming light module to speed up the growth of your edible flowers and fruiting plants. Both are sold as additional accessories. For best results alternate between a normal high module and a booster light or a blooming light module. The maximum number of light modules that can be placed on any SmartGrow is 2.

Booster light module – for herbs and greens

• SmartGrow 6 and 3: MSGZHB2 [+Local webshop link]
• SmartGrow Life: MSGZHB2L [+Local webshop link]

Blooming light module - for fruiting plants and edible flowers

• SmartGrow 6 and 3: MSGZHB3 [+Local webshop link]
• SmartGrow Life: MSGZHB3L [+Local webshop link]

When plants are fully grown and start touching the LEDs at the light hood for a long period of time, they can get burned. To ensure your plants don’t get damaged my growth, add an extra height module to give them room to grow.