Growing kits are a great way to start gardening, or try gardening something new completely.

The easy to use, grow kits in this article are all unique, providing their own characteristics that make them stand out.

At pebble, all of our products are independently recommended by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission which goes to help run our publication.

Quick links to our fav growing kits

• Bottle Farm

• Seed n Sow

• Fat Fox Mushrooms

• The Stem

• Sow Clever

Offering beginners' grow kits to help transform disused bottles, refills, seeds and other accessories, it's never been so easy to grow produce at home. The kit itself is made from 95% recycled material.

Bottle Farm is a supporter of Carbonfund.org, with their projects focusing on energy efficiency, forestry and renewable energy. The various decarbonisation projects allow them to offset their carbon footprint.

pebble’s verdict

Pros: Innovative way to encourage upcycling/recycling | space efficient | carbon neutral | actively invested in eco projects

Cons: Only eight varieties of seeds | Unsure whether can use non-Bottle Farm seeds

From £4.99 see Bottle Farm

2. Seed n Sow: Best for vegetables and house plants

Seed n Sow provide organic seeds and home grow kits that are easy to get growing.

Providing just seeds themselves, or fully equipped kits, growing plants from home has never been easier.

Seed n Sow offers house plant and flower seeds, as well as produce like herbs and vegetables.

They also offer unique kits, like Make Your Own Macramé Hanger Seed Kit adding a layer of creativity to growing projects.

They also offer subscription boxes where you can grow seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs.

Within the seed kits, there are 100% biodegradable fibre seed trays and pots, alongside the option to choose organic peat-free compost.

There are, in total, 49 different seeds customers can buy, all of which are packaged in biodegradable pouches. Each variety also comes with instructions for the plant care.

Seed n Sow are proudly partnered with Pachama, a reforestation project, and make donations for each delivery to offset any carbon created.

Seed n Sow gives customers the opportunity to bring nature into the home, in an accessible and eco-friendly way.

pebble’s verdict

Pros: All packaging is compostable/recyclable/biodegradable | eco-friendly | organic seeds | handmade products | donates to reforestation projects

Cons: No donations for social impact

From £2.55, see Seed n Sow.

3. Fat Fox Mushrooms: Best for growing mushrooms

Fat Fox Mushrooms passionately share their love for fungi through an array of growing kits, courses, medicinal supplements and mushroom inspired artwork.

Every aspect, from growing to packaging, is carried out by the Fat Fox Mushrooms' team in London. Originally selling from a stall, they now proudly offer a range of products to all of the UK.

They also offer a range of workshops on cultivating mushrooms throughout the year, including a future planned expert level workshop online.

Fat Fox Mushrooms offer five varieties of mushrooms in their home grow kits, and all helpfully described with their flavour and texture profiles, difficulty to grow, and health benefits.

They also share the conditions that the mushrooms need to grow and lots of info on the appropriate equipment that is included in the kits.

• Inspired to do some foraging? Check out Foraging Books: The 10 Best Guides To Start Gathering Food

All of the mushrooms also come with natural, vegan substrates and are packaged in cardboard.

These unique mushroom growing kit makes for an excellent introduction into the fungi kingdom, and with a harvest guarantee with each box, it's guaranteed to succeed.

For more things mushroom check out: 5 of the Best Mushroom Products

pebble’s verdict:

Pros: Innovative | harvest guarantee | offers workshops | vegan and natural substrate

Cons: No mention of charity work/donations

From £1.50, see Fat Fox Mushrooms

4. The Stem: Best for herbs for beginners

While also offering herb and vegetable growing kits, what makes The Stem so unique is their Hydro Herb Kit.

Handcrafted from recycled glass wine bottles, the hydro-herb kit presents an innovative way to grow herbs.

With a choice of five herbs, the hydro-herb kit presents an easy method to growing herbs.

All that’s needed is plenty of sunlight and fresh water.

The Stem are a part of 1% For The Planet (like pebble), meaning 1% of all sales go to environmental non-profits and charities.

Likewise, The Stem has an ongoing partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects, meaning that for every order made a tree is planted (and this is why it's important: 9 Ways You Can Plant More Trees This Year)

pebble’s verdict:

Pros: Innovative | recycled | eco-friendly initiatives

Cons: No refills | unsure if any seeds can be grown in these | unknown growing medium

From £20.00, see The Stem

5. Sow Clever: Best for growing herbs for tea

Sow Clever provides a multitude of growing kits, many based on region, flavours, seasons or variety.

They offer a unique Garden Teas growing kit which grows 30 plants.

The seeds included are wild chamomile, mint, lemon-balm and lavender.

Fancy a cup of tea? Check out 5 Of The Best Eco-Friendly Teas For A Better Brew

The herbs and tea growing kit also comes with peat-free compost discs, 100% biodegradable wood fibre tray and a plant care and growing guide.

The growing kit is made with the sentiment that everyone should be able to have the opportunity to grow produce, so it’s great for beginners.

A champion in the field, Sow Clever donates 10% of net profits to the mental health charity Mind.

Whether it be the herbal tea growing kit, or one of their many others, the earth and people are put first.

pebble’s verdict

Pros: Donates to charity | sustainable packaging | a wide variety of choices

Cons: Only large herbal tea growing kit available | no eco-friendly charity contributions

For £19.99, see Sow Clever

Read more. Do more...

Love growing? Don't miss some of pebble's other inspiring content in our Sea Change series, all about Feeding Ourselves.

• Learn more from our explainer What is Permaculture?

• Urban Gardening: Our Favourite 10 Guides to Start Gardening in Cities With

• What Is Soil Health? Why We Shouldn’t Treat It Like Dirt

• See our How to Grow Veg From Scraps

• How to Grow These Veg and Herbs Indoors

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