If you've ever found it hard to successfully to grow your own herbs and vegetables, then the Airgarden is for you. This revolutionary Australian made aeroponic growing system enables you to grow herbs and vegetables three times as fast as traditional soil growing methods, and its vertical design means it's also perfect for anyone short on space.

Made from UV-stablised, BPA-free, food grade plastic and suitable for the harsh Australian climate, the Airgarden is lightweight and easily assembled within 15 minutes. All you need to get started is access to power, everything else including a seedling starter pack, comes included in the box. There's room to grow up to 30 plants, and once it's setup, the system is self-watering and self-fertilising, with an 85 litre water reservoir, which means it can also self-sustain for up to two weeks.

We caught up with the inventors of this incredible system, Brisbane siblings, Prue and Tom Bauer, to chat about how they came up with this genius idea and the benefits of aeroponic gardening, which was originally developed by NASA as a means to grow food in space.

How did you come up with the idea for the Airgarden?

We were disenfranchised with our current fresh food options, particularly around the quality and the way it was being produced. We thought we'd grow our own, but like so many others, we had really inconsistent results and lots of frustrations, so we started looking for an easier way.

How did you hear about aeroponics?

We started to research other methods that were more consistent and easy, and in doing so we stumbled across aeroponic growing in the USA. It had been trialled by NASA to try and work out how to feed astronauts fresh produce while they were in space! We loved the concept and it just grew from there. The more we discovered, the more we loved it, and we knew we wanted to do this in Australia.

Have you always had an interest in gardening?

No not always. Our interest grew as a result of wanting to change what we were eating, and to know how it was grown, and also due to family illness and the link to diet and lifestyle. These were big drivers for us.

Can you use your own seedlings with the Airgarden?

Yes you can. You can grow your own in the coco coir starter plugs that come with your Airgarden, or you can transplant pre grown seedlings from your local nursery, if you want to get a jump start on your growing.

What are you growing in your own Airgardens?

I eat a lot of greens regularly so I always have a good supply of rocket, lettuce, spinach and kale. I also have basil, dill and parsley, cucumbers, chillies and tomatoes, and I've just planted some zucchinis as well.

Of all the things you've grown, what herb or vegetable do you think grows the best?

Leafy greens and herbs definitely grow like crazy in the Airgarden.

What's so great about aeroponic gardening?

So many things!! The beauty of aeroponics is that plants are grown in air or mist, eliminating the need for soil and the associated fertilisers, pesticides and mulch. It's easy; anyone can grow your own, anywhere, anytime, no green thumbs required! It takes less than 10 mins a week, making it an easy way to make good choices for your family and the environment. Aeroponics uses 95% less water and enables you to significantly reduce your food waste. Plus you know you're eating fresh, nutritious food with no herbicides or pesticides.