Abstract: A method for priming a hydration system of a gardening appliance includes: activating a misting pump in order to urge a nutrient liquid from a mixing tank towards a misting nozzle oriented towards a plurality of plant pods on a grow tower rotatably mounted within a cabinet; receiving data from a pressure sensor corresponding to a pressure of the nutrient liquid between the misting pump and the misting nozzle; and switching a bypass valve open and closed in response to the pressure of the nutrient liquid being less than a threshold pressure for a predetermined period of time. The switching of the bypass valve open and closed purges air from a flow path for the nutrient liquid from the mixing tank to the misting nozzle.

Abstract: A method for sanitizing objects within a gardening appliance includes: positioning at least one object on a grow tower of the gardening appliance; during a sanitization cycle, rotating the grow tower such that the at least one object on the grow tower is exposed to an ultraviolet assembly of the gardening appliance; activating the ultraviolet assembly such that the at least one object on the grow tower is illuminated by ultraviolet rays from the ultraviolet assembly; and after the sanitization cycle, removing the at least one object from the grow tower. A related gardening appliance is also provided.

Abstract: A gardening appliance includes a liner positioned within a cabinet and defining a grow chamber, a grow tower rotatably mounted within the liner and defining a root chamber, a hydration system comprising a water supply tank for storing water, a supply conduit fluidly coupling the water supply tank to a discharge nozzle, a supply pump for selectively urging the water through the discharge nozzle and a water level sensor operably coupled to the water supply tank. A controller obtains a water level of the water in the water supply tank using the water level sensor, determines a conservative water supply schedule based at least in part on the water level, and operates the hydration system to provide the water in accordance with the conservative water supply schedule, the conservative water supply schedule providing the water at a slower average hydration rate relative to the standard water supply schedule.

Abstract: An indoor gardening appliance includes a grow module that is seated on a turntable that is rotatably mounted within a grow chamber and is rotated by a drive assembly. A position sensing assembly monitors an angular position using two proximity sensors, such as Hall-effect sensors, mounted below the sump, and the turntable includes a plurality of proximity indicators, such as magnets, positioned at various circumferential positions on the turntable. A controller is configured to initiate rotation of the turntable from a first angular position, determine that the turntable should have reached a second angular position, e.g., based on the operating duration or drive signal of the drive motor, and identify a drive assembly fault upon determining that the turntable has not reached the second angular position.