aspara Nature User manual

User Manual
28062019A
Keep this manual

WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE ANY OF THE APPLIANCE’S COVERS OR PANELS: THERE ARE NO
USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE! REPAIRS SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT
BY AUTHORIZED SERVICE PERSONNEL ONLY.
1. CONTENTS
1. Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------ 2
2. Important safeguards ------------------------------------------------- 3
3. What is aspara™Nature? --------------------------------------------- 5
4. Parts ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6
5. How to use aspara™Nature ----------------------------------------- 8
6. Cleaning and sanitizing ---------------------------------------------- 20
7. Obtaining seed kits ---------------------------------------------------- 22
8. The aspara™App ------------------------------------------------------ 23
9. Growing tips ------------------------------------------------------------ 25
10. Some dos and don’ts -------------------------------------------------- 26
11. Warranties -------------------------------------------------------------- 27
12. Customer care --------------------------------------------------------- 29
13. Regulatory notices ---------------------------------------------------- 29

3
2. IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
When using this appliance, basic safety precautions should always
be followed. These include the following:
• Read all instructions
• To protect against electrical shock, do not place the cabinet of
the appliance, the power cord, the power adaptor or the plug in
water or any other liquid.
• Do not place the appliance in a location where it may be played
with or misused, such as near unsupervised young children or
people with reduced physical, sensory or mental capabilities.
• Do not use the appliance if it has a damaged power cord or plug.
• Never let the power cord dangle.
• Do not use unauthorized attachments with the appliance: they
may cause re, electrical shock or physical injury.
• Do not use the appliance if it has been dropped or damaged in
any way.
• Do not look directly at the LED grow light when it is on.
• Do not place anything heavy on top of the appliance or the grow tray.
• Do not place the appliance near a heat source or a naked ame.
• Do not place the appliance on an uneven surface or near the edge
of a surface where it may be knocked off.
• Do not move the appliance when it is operating. To move it, always
unplug it and empty the water within it rst.
• When carrying the appliance, place both your hands underneath
its base. NEVER carry it by the cylindrical pillar or by the cabinet ceiling
(i.e. the part of the appliance where the LED grow light is housed).
• Do not use the appliance outdoors or for a commercial use. It is
designed for indoor household use only.
• Always return the appliance to the nearest authorized service
facility for examination and/or repair if it has malfunctioned.
• The appliance is suitable for use in damp location.

• During the installation, the power cord should:
- Not be concealed or extended through a wall, oor, ceiling,
or other parts of the building structure.
- Not be located above a suspended ceiling or dropped ceiling.
- Not permanently be afxed to the building structure.
- Be routed so that they are not subjected to strain and are
protected from physical damage.
- Be visible over their entire length.
- Be used within their rated ampacity as determined for the
maximum temperature of the installed environment (60°C).
• The LED grow light of this appliance is not replaceable;when the
light reaches its end of life, the appliance should be replaced.

5
3. What is aspara™Nature?
aspara™Nature is a smart indoor plant grower. Packed with
technology, the appliance senses, monitors and manages its
growing environment to deliver the best conditions for plant
growth. The LED grow light will automatically turn on and off,
and the water will automatically ow between the grow tray and
the tank. The appliance comes with lots of planting programs and
plants for you to choose from.
Online and ofine mode
aspara™Nature can be controlled by either the built-in control panel
(ofine mode) or the aspara™App (online mode).
• Ofine: To use the appliance ofine, please follow Section 5.3.2
after nishing Sections 5.1 and 2 on general setup.
• Online: To use the appliance online, please download the
aspara™App (see Section 8), then follow 5.3.1 after
nishing Sections 5.1 and 2 on general setup.

4. PARTS
1a
1b 1c
2
1d
5a 5b
1e
3a
1f1g
1h

7
Cabinet
1a. LED Grow Light
1b. Control Panel
1c. Display Screen
1d. Cabinet
1e. Stand
1f. Power Socket
1g. Docking Station
1h. Reset Button
Grow tray
2a. Tray Lid
2b. Tray Container
2c. Connector
2d. Sponge
Tank assembly
3a. Tank
3b. Sensing Probe
Power Cable
4a. Power Adaptor
4b. Power Cord
Accessories
5a. Grow Hole Covers (x16)
5b. Germination Domes (x16)
4a 4b
3a
3b
2b
2c
2d
2a
5a
5b
Power cord is different depending
on the region of purchase

5.1.2 Setting up the tank assembly and add water
• Insert and attach the sensing probe to the inside of the tank
according to the gure below.
• Fill the tank to the ‘max’ mark shown on the sensing probe with
either distilled water or tap water (only if you know tap water
in your area is not hard water). The water should be at room
temperature. Do not use well water or softened water as this
may interfere with plant development. NEVER add water
to the grow tray. Water should only ever be added to the tank
as asparaTM Nature will run water from the tank to the grow tray
automatically to water your plants at appropriate times.
Max marking
5. HOW TO USE aspara™Nature
Before rst use, wash all parts of the grow tray and the tank
assembly. Additionally, wash the grow hole covers and the
germination domes
5.1 Powering up and getting the appliance ready to grow
5.1.1 Power up
Assemble the power adaptor and power cord. Plug one end
into an electricity socket in your home and the other into the
appliance. The appliance will turn on and you will see the control
panel showing “aspara”.

9
5.1.3 Assembling the grow tray
Assemble the tray container,
tray lid, connector and sponge.
• Insert the tank into the cabinet on the stand. We suggest you use
both hands when you insert the tank (one holds the tank, the other
holds the back) for easy installation. The tank is properly inserted
when there is no gap between the tank and the cabinet stand
(should feel smooth between the two parts).

5.2 Planting
You can grow up to 16 plants in the grow tray. Simply use the
same number of seed capsules you wish to grow. That said, some
plants prefer more space than others. Information on this is given
in Section 9 (Growing tips).
Tear open the seed capsules
according to the cut lines and
keep the plant information on
the rims.
•
Cover any empty holes with a
grow hole cover to avoid open
water which may attract bugs.
Place a germination dome over
each seed capsule being used.
This keeps the seeds inside
moist during germination.
•
•
Insert the seed capsules into
the holes in the tray lid. When
inserted properly, you should
hear a click.
•
Slide the grow tray into the
cabinet. Make sure that the
connector docks with the
docking station.
•

11
5.3 Starting the growing process
You can use aspara™Nature through either the built-in control
panel (ofine mode) or the aspara™App (online mode). Choose
either one way to start planting.
You cannot change the mode (from online to ofine or vice versa)
after you have started planting. To switch between online and
ofine mode, see Section 5.5.2 Ending the growing process.
* Note: 5.3.1 and 5.3.2 sequence and images may not be the
most updated. Please browse www.aspara.hk for the most
updated setup instruction.
5.3.1 Online mode - Control by using aspara™App
Setup:
• To use the app, rst download the app. See Section 8 for download.
• Open the app and sign in. You can sign in with email or social
media accounts.
• You should reach the My Veg page after sign in. Click “Add
Device” or “+” and then “Set up a new device”. Set up according
to the setup guide in the app, then you should be able to nd your
aspara in the app.
• Go to www.aspara.hk/video for detailed video instruction on
online mode setup.
Setting:
• After your aspara™Nature is available in your app, you can start
growing. Select your appliance shown in the My Veg page of
your app and select the type of seeds you have added to aspara™.
• You can then see your plant status in the app. In the plant status
page, click the top right corner for the control panel. You can
set the sunrise time (i.e. LED grow light turn on time) of
aspara™. (Note: there is no need to set the present time, the
clock of aspara™will be corrected to local time automatically).
See Section 5.4.4 on more about sunrise.
• You can also control the growing mode between auto and
manual in the control panel. You can change the planting stage
(e.g. from germination to growth stage) or set the growing
speed (only in growth stage) if you have selected the manual mode.

2. Set the clock.
Increase hour Increase minutes ConrmBack
Press and hold to increase
the number quickly
5.3.2 Ofine mode – Control by built-in control panel
To choose ofine mode,
select
Press any
button to begin.
1.

13
Increase hour Increase minutes ConrmBack
After you have started planting,
water should run automatically
from the tank to the grow tray.
Set sunrise time
(i.e. LED grow light turn on time).
See Section 5.4.4 on more about
sunrise.
3.
6. Select to start planting.
4. After adding water into the
tank according to Section
5.1.2, select
5. After set the grow tray
according to Section 5.2,
select

Ofine menu: During planting
Light Modes
1
In the default setting, the Light is
set to Auto to simulate the best
sunshine for your plant. You can
always adjust to different lighting
when needed. However, the setting
will be reset at next sunrise.
Auto Dim White
light
Off
Planting Stages
There are 3 stages:
2
The planting stage (germination/
growth) will change according to
the planting program (ranging
from 3-7 days). You can also
manually select the planting stage
if you like.
Planting Stages can only be
adjusted manually inside the App.
Germination Growth Harvest
Select this when
you want to
nish planting.
Set Time
4
You can set time and sunrise time.
After sunrise, the light will be on for
12-14 hours.
Adjust it to suit your lifestyle.
You can set sunrise time in the App.
Planting Programs
3
Select the Program indicated on the
seed kit packaging.
The Planting Program
depends on your selection
when you start planting in
the app.

15
This is the complete growing process and the care you need
respectively. Be sure you read through to ensure healthy growth
of your plants.
Note: You can skip adding nutrient when you start. Nutrient is
only needed during growth stage. Be aware of notications from
aspara™(shown in the control panel and phone notications if
you have chosen the online mode). It will tell you when water or
nutrient is needed.
5.4 Caring for your plants during the growing process
Complete growing process

As plants journey from seed to harvest, they go through many
different stages of development. One stage is germination.
During germination, plants start sprouting and their needs are
very different to those in later life. Because of these unique
needs, the appliance behaves differently during germination: the
LED grow light is dim and the water does not circulate very much.
This is not a fault! After germination, the LED grow light is bright
and the water circulates regularly between the tank and the grow
tray. See the table below for more information:
Note: You will need to manually extend the germination stage for
some plant with longer germination if you choose not to pair the
appliance with the app.
5.4.1 Adding water and nutrients
During the growing process, your plants consume water and
nutrients. As such, these need to be periodically replenished. The
appliance will automatically tell you when to replenish them via
the display screen and/or via the app.
Before adding water and/or nutrients, ensure that the
appliance is not circulating water. Wait for “water running” to
complete if necessary.
Planting stage
Duration (Ref
days, depend
on specic
plant)
Grow light Water
movement Nutrient needs
Germination 3-10
Dim after
sunrise and
before sunset
Water stays
mostly in the
grow tray
No
Growth
18-60
(Continue
before manually
selecting
harvest for
ofine mode)
Bright after
sunrise and
before sunset
Water
circulates
periodically
between the
grow tray and
the tank
Nutrient is
needed, add
1 or 2 packs
according to
instruction
Harvest (Only in
online mode)
Continue
until nished
planting
White light
after sunrise
and before
sunset
Low for most
plants
Germination and post-germination

17
Note: if your tap water is hard water, we would suggest using
distilled water to avoid nutritional and pH imbalance which will
affect the plant growth.
To add nutrients, remove the tank and pour the nutrients into
the tank. The display screen will inform you how many packs of
nutrients are needed (Either 1 or 2 packs). Next, place back the
tank. (Nutrients can be found in each seed kit).
Please note the app data on water and nutrient status will not
instantly update, the app status will only update after the water
has circulated for 3 times (after the tank is inserted, water will
automatically circulate), which is about 10 minutes after the
water tank is inserted.
ALWAYS add water and nutrients to the tank. NEVER add them
to the grow tray.
To add water, pull out the tank
and ll it to the ‘max’ mark on the
sensing probe with water. As stated
above, use tap water or distilled
water at room temperature. Next,
place the tank back.
•
•
•
Max marking
5.4.2 Removing the Germination Domes
When the rst two leaves on a plant appear, remove its
germination dome. The approximate time to do this is written
on the rim of each seed capsule. The same information can also
be found on the app. Not removing the germination dome at the
correct time can inhibit plant growth.
5.4.3 Thinning out your plants
During the rst stage of development, you will likely notice more
than one plant growing in each seed capsule. This occurs because
each seed capsule actually contains more than one seed. To

ensure a good harvest, especially for lettuce type species, you
need to thin your plants out during the growing process to give
them space to grow. The best time to do this is when the plants
are around 25 mm (1”) tall. Simply choose the most healthy-
looking plant in each seed capsule and pull out the rest.
5.4.4 Control of the LED growth light
During the planting program, you can adjust the brightness of the
LED grow light at any time. You can also turn it to white (ideal
for photo taking, the appliance will also automatically change to
white light when "take photo" is selected in the app.) and switch
it off. All these functions can be performed using either the
control panel or the app. Please note, unless on standby mode(see
Section 5.5.2 on how to enter standby mode) or unplugged, the
LED grow light automatically reverts to its normal plant-growing
brightness and color after a set period of time. This ensures your
plants stay healthy.
Your plant cannot be exposed to light for 24 hours, they also need
to rest to stay healthy. Due to this, LED grow light will turn on and
off automatically. This is a gradual change which we will call it
sunrise and sunset (similar to nature sunrise and sunset).
You can set the sunrise time of aspara™through the app and the
control panel. The sunrise and sunset time determine when the
light in aspara™will be turned on. The appliance will have the
light on for 12-14 hours (depending on the species, sunset time is
automatically set by the appliance based on sunrise time). Set the
sunrise time to determine the time that you would prefer the light
to be turned on.
If you do not want the light to be turned on at the daytime, you
can set the sunrise time to evening or night time, e.g. 8pm so that
the light will be on throughout the whole night from 8pm to 8am
or 10am and will be off during daytime. Such shift of light on time
will not affect growth of plants. As long as there is enough light for
the plant, light on from 6am to 6pm is the same as from 8pm to
8am.

19
5.5 Harvesting
If you are growing edible plants, you will want to harvest them.
Information on when to do this can be found on the rim of each
seed capsule and on the aspara™App.
5.5.1 How to harvest
• Slide out the grow tray.
• For harvest, use either scissors, a knife, or your hands.
5.5.2 Ending the growing process
Once you have nished growing and there are no more plants
to harvest, end planting with the control panel for ofine mode
and with the app for online mode. The appliance will then be in
standby mode. This mode stops the water circulation and will turn
off the LED grow light.
For ofine mode, end planting by selecting “Harvest” in planting
stages (refer to Section 5.3.2 for where Harvest is located). Then
select yes when aspara™Nature prompt for nish planting to
enter the standby mode.
For online mode, end planting by selecting “Finish” in your aspara™
control panel. Your planting data will be moved to “Planting
History” in the “Me” part.
Remove and throw away any remaining plants and used seed
capsules. Refer to Section 6 for cleaning instructions. You can
restart planting after cleaning. Refer to Section 5.1.2 to restart.

Reset button
6. CLEANING AND SANITIZING
The appliance should be cleaned between each growing session
or if it has not been used for a while. It should also be sanitized
at least once a year and whenever you feel the water is not
circulating freely between the tank and the grow tray.
Before you clean or sanitize your appliance, make sure it is in
standby mode (see Section 5.5.2 for how to end the planting
program in order to reach the standby mode).
6.1 Cleaning
All parts of the appliance that come in contact with the plants
and water should be cleaned thoroughly between each growing
session (The parts include the grow tray, connector, tank, sensing
probe, grow hole covers and germination domes. The other
parts should avoid touching water.) The exception is the growing
capsules: these are made of a biodegradable material and are
designed to be thrown away.
We recommend you do the following before you start cleaning:
• If a growing program is running, nish it.
• Remove all plants and water from the appliance.
Note: You can shift from ofine to online mode only in standby
mode. Follow Section 5.3.1 for online setup. If you are in online
mode, you can shift to ofine mode by pinning the “Reset” button
and make your choice again according to Section 5.3.2. Your
app will disconnect the appliance. If you reset when you are in
planting mode, you will not be able to continue with your current
planting data.