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Lettuce Grow’s Indoor Farmstand Is Perfect, Except for a Few Bugs (Literally)

Lettuce Grow’s Indoor Farmstand Is Perfect, Except for a Few Bugs (Literally)

Upon receiving the Lettuce Grow Indoor Farmstand in the mail, I did not expect that I’d be enjoying some tea before I’d even unwrapped all the parts.

“Is that … Zooey Deschanel? With a Dollar Tree Property Brother?” my husband asked, peering over my shoulder as I unpacked various tubes and parts. And indeed, among the boxes was a glossy handout of a slightly younger-looking Zooey, standing with a man who did vaguely resemble her current husband, Jonathan Scott, of Property Brothers fame. Turns out it was her ex-husband, film producer Jacob Pechenik, with whom she had created this indoor hydroponic gardening system in 2019.

Even though they split shortly thereafter, they continued to run Lettuce Grow together after their 2020 divorce, and an Instagram photo from July 1 even shows Deschanel flanked by Pechenik on one side and Scott on the other, debuting a Lettuce Grow collab with Costco. Apparently Pechenik runs day-to-day operations and Deschanel continues to promote the company through social media, according to a 2023 People interview with the former couple. If Scott has thoughts on this whole setup, he hasn’t shared them publicly. (Deschanel and Pechenik have two children together.)

Anyway, perhaps as befitting a celebrity endorsement, the Lettuce Grow is quite dramatic-looking for an indoor hydroponic garden, evoking a giant, space-age version of the terra cotta strawberry planter you probably remember from your grandma’s house. Even better, it delivers on its promises of growing many plants and vegetables indoors—even peppers and tomatoes—within a small footprint. There are, of course, a few caveats.

Bringing Outdoors Indoors

Photograph: Kat Merck

As far as indoor hydroponic garden assemblies go, Lettuce Grow’s was easy enough for pretty much anyone to figure out—second-easiest of the four systems I’m currently testing, behind only the Gardyn (9/10, WIRED Recommends). There are seven versions of the Farmstand: outdoor or indoor, each in small (18 plant slots), medium (24 plant slots), or large (36 plant slots); and the smaller indoor Nook, with 20 plant slots. I tested the medium, 24-slot indoor version for six weeks in a low-light corner near my downstairs bathroom.

When you buy a Farmstand, you also get credits for ordering live, pre-grown seedlings that you can buy later, at a time of your choosing. I recommend ordering after you’ve received and assembled your Farmstand. The selection (you get to choose) spans about 100 flowers, herbs, greens, and vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, and bell peppers, though once you’ve ordered you might want to make sure you have some insecticide on hand.

Like most indoor gardening systems, the indoor Farmstand’s LED lights and pump run on a timer. My Farmstand included two old-school analog timers, the kind with the infuriating little prongs that must be toggled. Lettuce Grow offers a smart timer upgrade for $24, which I also tested. The company also has an app, which kept disconnecting from the device and which I ended up abandoning halfway through. Of these, I preferred the smart timer, and I was able to set the lights to turn off at night. (They must run for 14 hours, but you can set which hours.) I set the pump to run every hour on the hour. (Note that the water sprayed by the pump does make a startlingly loud splashing sound due to the Farmstand’s cavernous interior, so you may not want it in a home office or bedroom or anywhere the noise could become a disturbance.)



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The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley).

“In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming.

“As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds">‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’
                The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley). [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85nfSzEho68[/embed] “In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming. “As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

 Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.  Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.      #Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds

Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley).

“In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming.

“As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds">‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’‘Strange New Worlds’ Season 4 Trailer Teases the Journey to the Beginning of ‘Star Trek’
                The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley). [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85nfSzEho68[/embed] “In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming. “As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

 Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.  Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.      #Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds

The future of Star Trek on TV isn’t terribly optimistic, but the new season of Strange New Worlds—its fourth, ahead of a shortened fifth and final outing—looks stuffed full of excitement and wonder. Paramount just shared the latest trailer ahead of the show’s return in July, featuring a meaningful chat between future dynamic duo Spock (Ethan Peck) and Captain Kirk (Paul Wesley).

“In season four of the Paramount+ Original Series, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise—led by Captain Christopher Pike—embark on a series of thrilling and emotional adventures across the stars,” reads the official synopsis, which makes no mention of the puppet episode we know full well is coming.

“As they journey to strange new worlds, they will battle inner demons and external threats, encounter colorful new characters, reunite with familiar faces, and confront terrifying aliens. Through it all, they strive to embrace a bright, hopeful future.”

Strange New Worlds season four stars Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley/Number One), Ethan Peck (Spock), Jess Bush (Christine Chapel), Christina Chong (La’an Noonien-Singh), Celia Rose Gooding (Uhura), Melissa Navia (Erica Ortega), Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. M’Benga), and Martin Quinn (Scotty); Carol Kane (Pelia) and Paul Wesley (Kirk) guest star.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season four begins July 23 on Paramount+. It runs weekly, with new episodes arriving Thursdays through September 24.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

#Strange #Worlds #Season #Trailer #Teases #Journey #Beginning #Star #TrekStar Trek: Strange New Worlds

A TikTok livestream host waves an iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.

“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at $1. As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over $100 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.

The winner was pissed. “I just paid $147 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about $20. “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”

This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay $55 for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.

This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.

Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.

The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.

WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.

“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.

#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media">TikTok Shoppers Thought They Were Bidding on iPhones. Instead, They Won Teddy BearsA TikTok livestream host waves an iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at . As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over 0 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.The winner was pissed. “I just paid 7 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about . “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay  for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media

iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.

“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at $1. As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over $100 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.

The winner was pissed. “I just paid $147 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about $20. “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”

This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay $55 for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.

This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.

Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.

The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.

WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.

“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.

#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media">TikTok Shoppers Thought They Were Bidding on iPhones. Instead, They Won Teddy Bears

A TikTok livestream host waves an iPhone box in front of the camera as around 250 viewers place their bids.

“This could be yours, chat,” the host says. “Wake it up.” The host’s face is hidden from view, with just their hands visible in front of stacks of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook boxes. The TikTok auction starts at $1. As the timer counts down, the price quickly shoots up, with a bid of over $100 scoring the win. After the bidding closes, a digital prize wheel appears and spins through multiple possible products before landing on what the high bidder just won: a teddy bear.

The winner was pissed. “I just paid $147 for a stuffed animal,” they wrote in the stream’s chatlog. “When I was bidding, you said that I could win that iPhone, and it gave me a BB3 Zodiac,” they said, referring to the Labubu-style plushie that retails for about $20. “That’s a scam. Please return my money.”

This person was not alone in their frustration. Multiple viewers of the stream were outraged when they placed high bids hoping to score Apple devices, only to learn their reward was the chance to spin a digital prize wheel that landed on something cheap. “Man, hell no. This is false advertising. Why would I pay $55 for a damn charger?” wrote another angry bidder. “Calling my bank now.” The demand for refunds was a common refrain.

This is all part of TikTok’s feature, called a “Surprise Set,” where auction hosts create buckets of up to 500 products and whoever bids the most walks away with a random pick from the available prizes. These streams often include a few big ticket items, like iPhones and iPads, to lure viewers in. The rest of the items are less desirable, like charging cords and pencil cases. This feature was added late last year to the platform and remains an invitation-only feature for sellers on TikTok.

Many of the streaming set-ups for these TikTok “Surprise Sets” look very similar: a pile of expensive products is shown on screen, with different hosts rallying a couple hundred concurrent viewers to bid higher and higher amounts. If a viewer taps on a small button in the lower left corner of the screen, they can see the live probability of winning each item as well as the full list of what items are still available.

The popularity of “Surprise Sets” on TikTok are emblematic of how gambling-like interactions currently dominate the experience of going online, where prediction markets and sports betting reign. People can even wager on the outcome of reality TV shows.

WIRED reached out to TikTok for comment on Wednesday of last week to share examples of frustrated viewers who felt scammed. One day later on Thursday, TikTok rolled out a change to its livestream policies and what hosts are allowed to do for “Surprise Sets.” (It’s a policy update that TikTok claims was already in the works.) Hosts are no longer allowed to include iPhones, iPads, televisions, diamonds, gift cards, or precious metals as part of the prizes available for viewers to win during surprise auctions. Following this rule change, hosts seem to be following the new guidelines, with no iPhones appearing in livestream “Surprise Sets” seen by WIRED.

“TikTok Shop requires all sellers, including those running Surprise Sets, to accurately present what is being offered. We will take enforcement action on violations of our policies, including removing products and suspending accounts,” TikTok spokesperson Ben Rathe said in a statement to WIRED. If a buyer feels like they were misled, they can reach out to TikTok’s customer support to review the purchase.

#TikTok #Shoppers #Thought #Bidding #iPhones #Won #Teddy #Bearstiktok,gambling,livestreaming,social media

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