Organic Chinese chives Lingot®

Lingots^® are patented 100% biodegradable and compostable refills.

They are guaranteed GMO-free and pesticide-free.

The Lingot^® contains:

• A natural soiless media adapted to hydroponics
• Pre-sown organic seeds
• Essential nutrients

The substrate is made of coconut fibers (peatless). This plant-based material is a renewable resources. The honeycombed texture of Lingot^® enables optimal rooting and oxygenation, which guarantees a fast and healthy growth of your plants.

The majority of the seeds we use are certified organic, some are untreated (to know which one, look at the description of each Lingot^®).

The nutrients integrated in the substrate are made of minerals and elements essential for growth and assimilated directly by plants. They are dosed precisely so that the plant uses them entirely during its life cycle.

Thanks to the Véritable^® garden technology, plants grow 2 to 3 times faster than in a garden. Some plants can be harvested from 3 weeks.

The speed of growth depends on the species and the temperature of your room.

For germination and growth time, refer to the Lingot^® packaging, or visit the Lingot^® page on our online shop.

Once planted, a Lingot^® enables you to harvest your herbs generously for 4 to 6 months. Indeed, after each harvest your plant grows back!

The duration of a Lingot^® depends on each species and how you harvest.

To know the life cycle of each Lingot^® refer to the packaging of the Lingot^®, or visit the Lingot^® page on our online shop.

After 4 to 6 months, depending on its condition, you can compost your plant, or transplant outdoors.

You can keep your Lingots^® for up to 1 year from the date of purchase before using them.

Store them in a cool, dry place, in their original packaging. The ideal is to place them in an airtight box in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator.

It is recommended to use your Lingots^® in the year of purchase for maximum efficiency. Delayed germination rate may drop.

Thanks to the performance of the Véritable^® garden, you will harvest on average one bouquet of aromatics per week for 4 to 6 months.

The quantity you will harvest is therefore much higher than a traditional pot of herbs.

In addition, thanks to our specific lighting, the plants of your Véritable^® garden have pronounced tastes, you do not need to use as much as usual to obtain the desired seasoning.

In a Véritable^® Lingot^®, you harvest up to 4 times more than with other home gardens, the cultivation surface of the Lingot^® is 3 to 10 times bigger and its lifespan is longer.

Depending on the type of plant, the temperature of your home, the humidity rate and the way you harvest your plants, the amount harvested may vary.

As they do not share the same soil, all your plants are compatible with each other. However, for optimal growth, follow these 5 tips by referring to the indication on the packaging of each Lingot^®:

1. Arrange side by side plants of similar species
   
   
2. Arrange side by side plants of similar size
   
   
3. Arrange side by side plants of similar growth speed
   
   
4. Prune the plants that shade the others so that each one accesses the light correctly
   
   
5. Adjust the height of the lighting and harvest your plants in the aim to respect a space of at least 4 cm between the plant and the LEDs

Your herbs need to be pruned and harvested regularly to give you the best.

To properly harvest your plants and allow them to regrow each time, follow these 3 tips:

1. Wait for the plant to make at least 10-15 cm before the first harvest.
   
   
2. Harvest at the most 1/3 of the plant each time, not to weaken it.
   
   
3. Collect the oldest leaves first (usually the biggest ones)

And do not forget to harvest just before consuming for optimal freshness!

The nutrients integrated in the Lingots^® are used to nourish the plant so that it grows. All plants need mineral elements, they are essential for their growth.

In our Lingots^® we use mineral salts similar to those found in nature (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) directly assimilated by plants and compatible with our hydroponic system. In any case, these nutrients are transformed by the plant. Unlike pesticides, you do not find them in your plate!

For example, mineral nitrogen is transformed by the plant into amino acids, then proteins, essential for your diet and that of animals.

In spite of the performances of our apparatuses and the care which we bring to the manufacture of Lingots^®, it can arrive that certain seeds do not develop correctly because they are living products. It should be known that the natural rate of germination of seeds varies between 65 and 95%. It is thus impossible for us to guarantee you a germination at 100%. However, we voluntarily planted more seeds than it is necessary in each Lingot^® in order to obtain a good proportion of plants which arrive at maturity.

To ensure you a maximum satisfaction, we offer a guarantee "satisfied or exchanged" on all our Lingots^®. To know more about it, consult our page Germination Guarantee.

Indoors, bees and other insects are not present to pollinate your flowers as they would be in nature. Moreover, the air flow in your home may not be enough to transport the pollen from the stamen to the pistil (in your Véritable^® plants, these two parts are contained in the same flower).

It is therefore necessary to manually pollinate your flowers!

Don't worry, it's very simple! To know all the tricks, please refer to our article: "Manual pollination of flowers in your indoor garden".

For the stains in the holes of the Lingots®: it is not mold but clay to maintain the seeds in the Lingot^®. This is perfectly normal.

White fluff or green moss: This can happen during the germination phase and during the first 2 months of growth. This phenomenon, very common in organic soilless agriculture, also depends on the atmosphere of your room (temperature/humidity). This is perfectly normal and does not prevent the growth of your plants. Do not fill the tank above the maximum level.

Lingots^® are made from a natural pasteurized substrate which guarantees the absence of harmful insects.

If you find insects in your plants, they have spread from other indoor or outdoor plants. Some insects are not harmful to your plants, but they can quickly multiply if you don't take action. Here's how to fight these pests naturally:

Solution #1 (most effective): biological control agents (e.g., Nematodes against the potting fly, Chrysopes against aphids and thrips).

Solution #2: non-toxic insecticidal soap (or prepare a home-made recipe).

IMPORTANT: Don't forget to treat all the other plants in your house. Always rinse your crops before eating them if you have treated them. If the infestation is too important, it is wiser to harvest all your plants and clean your unit with dishwashing liquid and white vinegar. Wait a few days and then start again with 4 new Lingots^®.

The yellow sticky traps we offer are also a very effective and easy to set up solution.

The Véritable^® garden has been designed as a global technology that makes growing plants as simple as possible. Lingots^® are therefore an integral part of this autonomous and efficient system, and are specifically adapted to our passive hydroponic system.

Using something else than Lingots^® in the Véritable^® garden is not viable for these simple reasons:

1. Unlike the potting soil, the Lingots^®' substrate is specifically developed to assure optimum oxygenation and root anchoring in a small space. It acts as a sponge compatible with our capillary irrigation system allowing an ideal humidity level at all times.
   
   
2. The Lingot^® already incorporates nutrients adapted to the needs of each plant, allowing regular harvests for a period of 4 to 6 months.
   
   
3. The varieties of plants that we propose have been selected for their pronounced tastes, their productivity and their adult size adapted to the dimensions of the Véritable^® garden.

With these Lingots^®, you can grow your plants in a simple and clean way. No need to have a green thumb to succeed!

When your Lingot^® reaches the end of its cycle, take the basket out of your garden.

Pinch the basket and turn it upside down to extract your plant more easily.

You can then repot outside, compost or throw your plant in the garbage.

After washing, simply put a set of wicks and a new Lingot^® in your basket.

The plant is too close to the light. Move the lamp up or prune the plant. Don't forget to prune and harvest regularly!

The ripening phase is quite long for tomatoes. Your tomatoes will stay green for a while and then they will start to turn red all of a sudden (usually after 2.5 to 3 months). Make sure they have good access to light by pruning nearby plants. 

As explained in our instructions, when the tomato plant starts to bear fruit, it is normal for the leaves to turn yellow and dry out as the plant focuses its energy and sap on developing fruit.

Some important tips:

• Cut off dead leaves to further concentrate energy toward the fruit, provide maximum light for ripening tomatoes and maintain a healthy garden.
  
  
• Also remember to prune leaves that would shade neighboring plants as soon as necessary.
  
  
• As soon as the tomatoes are too heavy and start to bend their branches, support your plants with small stakes (e.g. Chinese pegs, skewers).
  
  
• Harvest your tomatoes gradually as soon as some of them reach maturity. This encourages the plant to produce new ones.

Several factors can influence:

Lack of darkness: plants need a daily night phase to produce flowers. If your garden is placed in a room that receives light (natural or artificial), program your garden to be in darkness at least 8 hours a day.

Not enough light: You must prune your plants so that they stay under the light and do not shade each other.

Unsuitable room temperature. Move your garden to a warmer or cooler room depending on the species.

E.g.: tomatoes, peppers and chillies like warmth (21°C to 32°C)