Tired of taking back lettuce, I started growing vegetables in this smart garden

the Cyclospora outbreak The impact on produce from Taylor Farms in Mexico sickened more than 1,600 people in five states, including Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. It’s one in a long line of serious disease outbreaks, but this time, I’m reconsidering how I approach food safety, as the greens meant to nourish us continue to… Contamination risks.

For the past year and a half, I have been using… garden studio, Hydroponic system, to grow my own produce in my small apartment in New York City. I harvested arugula, kale, lettuce, peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, herbs, and edible flowers, even all winter long—and most importantly, I had complete control over the safety of my produce.

What to know about the 2026 Cyclospora outbreak

Cyclospora is transmitted through food and water contaminated with the parasite, and symptoms usually appear about a week after exposure, although cases can range from two to 14 days or more. The 2026 numbers represent a significant increase from the 249 cases reported in the United States during the same period last year.

according to Cleveland ClinicSymptoms of Cyclospora infection often include sudden, watery stools and even severe diarrhea. Other common symptoms include:

• Stomach cramps
• Bloating, increased gas, and burping
• nausea
• Unintended weight loss
• Anorexia
• Extreme fatigue or weakness

while Grow your own produce at home It does not eliminate all food safety risks, but rather it can eliminate specific risks Pollution risks Found in large industrial distribution systems and exposure to pesticides. Given these risks, many are looking for ways to bypass mass distribution entirely. That’s why I started using Gardenn Studio.

Nasha Adaric Martinez/CNET

Why I switched to Gardyn Studio

the Jardine Studio It is a 4.5-foot compact hydroponic tower with 16 grow holes, LED grow lights, and a mobile app that manages your grow from start to finish. After using it for more than a year, I have a clear sense of its benefits and drawbacks.

I appreciate how self-sufficient the device is: you insert the pods, set the light schedule, add water and plant food, and refresh the tank every few weeks. Otherwise, the plants grow largely on their own. However, not every pod is successful. In each cycle, at least two corneas fail to grow. While Gardyn will send replacement pods, you will need a Gardyn nursery (a separate $80 machine) to grow the buds before you can bring them into the studio.

I have found that harvest time is quick. Watercress reaches maturity in approximately three to four weeks. It takes about five weeks for kale to mature. Either way, the taste and quality are unsurprisingly better than store-bought vegetables.

the Jardine Studio It costs $579 and is great for small spaces. If you have a larger home, you might also consider the Gardyn Home ($899), which fits 30 growing slots, compared to the Studio’s 16 slots.

There’s also an optional membership that costs between $25 and $39 per month or $259 per year, which includes monthly credits you can use to purchase more plants and access to Kelby, an AI gardener that will automate watering and lighting cycles based on the life cycles of your specific plants and the local environment. It also sends notifications to the Gardyn app to alert you when to add water, add plant food, or harvest.

Last year, A CNET Survey It found that U.S. adults who shop for groceries waste an average of $125 a month on uncooked or undereaten food. That’s $1,500 a year. I rarely waste food grown in the garden because I harvest it as needed, so I rarely end up with excess greens wilting in the fridge.

Jardine specifications at a glance

price	$579 (hardware)
to rise	4.5 feet
Floor space	1.4 square feet
Increased capacity	16 plant pods at one time
technology	LED grow lights, automatic nutrient delivery via APP
Capsule pricing	$1.99 to $4.99 (member price); $4.99 (non-members)
Distinctive pods	Up to $9.98
Monthly pod credits	5, free with membership (10 with Gardenn Home)
Operating cost	Minimal electricity (compared to a smart bulb)
a guarantee	Two years
membership	$25 to $39 per month
trial	30 days

Pros and cons

While I use my Gardyn year-round, there are things to consider before committing to it. The initial cost of $579 puts the Gardyn Studio in the same category as high-end kitchen tools, but the benefits of growing my own produce at home and not having to buy them make it worth it to me.

Pros:

• Eliminates contamination risks
• Compact design fits into small spaces
• Minimal maintenance (no soiling or gardening skills required)
• Quick response customer service for replacement pods
• Reduce exposure to pesticides

cons:

• High initial costs
• Some pods fail to grow
• Capsule costs and ongoing nutrients
• Inability to grow root vegetables

For those who do not have access to hydroponic systems

Nasha Adaric Martinez/CNET

Growing your own produce at home is still valuable, even on a smaller scale. Windowsill herb gardens require minimal equipment and investment. My first home garden was in a 10-inch pot, where I grew cilantro, basil, and parsley, and placed them on my windowsill.

Buying from local farms and building relationships with local farmers markets creates supply chains directly from the source, without middlemen (distribution centers). Inquiring about the sources of produce at your local supermarket creates incentives for transparency and regional farming. These approaches will not prevent every outbreak, but they reduce reliance on centralized supply chains and create accountability between producers and consumers.

Food safety does not (and should not) be a luxury. However, it requires informed choices about where food comes from and who controls its cultivation. The Gardyn Studio is one option among many, and the one that fits my lifestyle and home. What is most important is to realize that there are alternatives to communal diets.