Welcome to 'Grow With Us', an initiative where we introduce you to the incredible members of the Rise Gardens team who bring their passion, knowledge, and unique indoor hydroponic gardening experiences to the table. In this series of interviews, you'll get to know the faces behind the greens and the stories beyond the sprouts. From their favorite crops to the lessons they've learned along the way, each story is a testament to the profound impact that gardening has on our lives. Get ready to be inspired and grow with us!
🙂 Name
Brandon Bay
🌱 Garden(s) Owned
Used to have a VERY hacked Family Garden. Now 3 Personal Gardens at home...and 12 in the office
🚴♂️ Hobbies
Cycling, sewing, grocery shopping
🙌 Fun Fact
For a couple of years in college, I had 15 roommates. Near the end, I got the best bed in the place: a coffin-like hole in the wall.
🥬 Top tip or trick for a beginner gardener
When sprouting plants, elevate the nursery a little to give the young plants more light.
🫑 Favorite things to grow
Radishes, red mizuna
🌼 Describe a gardening success story that made you particularly proud.
I grew two Gochujang pepper plants to >40" tall by stacking three Rise Garden units — a great reminder of just how much vertical growing potential an indoor system offers.
🫶 How has gardening positively influenced your well-being and mental health?
Rather than pack a lunch or go without, I will often compose a salad from whatever is ready for harvest in the office. It is way healthier and more satisfying. According to the USDA, people who regularly consume fresh vegetables report higher diet quality scores — and having greens within arm's reach makes it effortless. Hydroponically grown greens also go from garden to plate in minutes, and research suggests hydroponically grown produce can contain up to 50% more vitamins than store-bought equivalents.
🪴 Are there any gardening projects or goals you're currently working on or excited to start?
I have four cauliflower plants that are ready for harvest any day now... I started them from seed pods, and it has been rewarding to watch them develop over the weeks. Hydroponic systems like this use up to 95% less water than traditional soil gardening, which makes the whole process feel as responsible as it is satisfying.
🌞 What's your go-to personal mantra or affirmation?
"Take the time to do it wrong" - aka, make room to mess up the first time
📗 Can you recommend a book, podcast, or resource that has positively impacted you?
99% Invisible examines the built environment we take for granted.
😌 What's a wellness ritual you've incorporated into your daily routine that you wouldn't want to go without?
Commuting via bike can inspire a range of emotions, depending on traffic, but it never fails to clear my head.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to grow with the Rise Gardens team?
The Grow with Us series invites customers into the lives of the people who build and use Rise Gardens products every day. Team members like Brandon share their personal growing journeys, favorite plants, and how hydroponic gardening has changed the way they eat and cook. It is an invitation to see the brand as a community, not just a company, and to find common ground with fellow growers.
How does growing food at home change a person's relationship with nutrition?
When you grow your own food, you naturally become more curious about what you are eating, how it was raised, and how to prepare it at its peak freshness. Hydroponically grown greens, herbs, and vegetables are harvested at their nutritional best because they go from garden to plate within minutes. Rise Gardens team members consistently note that home growing has made them more adventurous, more health-conscious cooks.
Can beginners successfully grow with a Rise Garden?
Absolutely — Rise Gardens is specifically designed so that no prior gardening experience is required to get started. The system automates key variables like light schedules and nutrient delivery, so beginners can focus on the joy of watching things grow rather than troubleshooting complex systems. Team members from all kinds of backgrounds, including those with no gardening history, successfully grow delicious produce with Rise Gardens every day.
What crops do Rise Gardens team members personally enjoy growing most?
While preferences vary, fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, and chives tend to be universal favorites because they deliver the most immediate, noticeable difference in everyday cooking. Many team members also love growing specialty lettuces and microgreens for salads that taste nothing like what you find at the grocery store. Growing something you would otherwise pay a premium for at a specialty market is one of the most satisfying parts of the Rise Gardens experience.
