Photo: Booby Doherty/New York Magazine
It’s hard enough for New Yorkers to grow herbs on their so-often-sunlight-deprived windowsills, let alone in a polar vortex. But ecominded design company Tregren of Finland has figured out how to remedy this problem, with the AA-battery-fueled Garden Genie ($120 at tregren.com). Simply fill the bottom basin with water and the included packet of nutrients, plop soil and seeds (or a preplanted pot) on the growing platform, and voilà: A hydroponic system pumps water through the soil. Meanwhile, the LED lamp gives off 800 lumens (at the optimal spectrum of light for plants to munch on), ensuring your basil, snapdragons, or tomatoes will thrive.
