Vertical Gardens (inside)

Discussion in 'Designing, building, making and powering your life' started by Ojo, May 20, 2011.

  1. Ojo

    Ojo Junior Member

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    It’s a beguilingly simple idea: make maximum use of a small amount of space by filling glass houses with plant beds stacked high one above the other.

    Financial and environmental pressures on modern agriculture have sparked new interest in vertical farming. With global population expected to exceed nine billion by 2050, competition for land to grow both food and energy crops will become increasingly fierce. Four-fifths of us will live in dense urban areas, and increasing awareness of the carbon and water footprints of well-travelled food will have pushed locally grown produce even further up the list of desirables.

    So it’s easy to see the appeal of a system which, its proponents insist, can surpass the productivity of existing agricultural spaces by up to 20 times, while using less water, cutting mileage and energy costs, and delivering food security.
    https://www.greenwisebusiness.co.uk...ture-to-new-levels-vertical-farming-1725.aspx
    https://groups.hort.oregonstate.edu/content/building-green-towers
    https://verticalgardeninstitute.org/?p=84
    indoor using LED lighting
    https://www.plantlab.nl/4.0/
     
  2. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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  3. Ojo

    Ojo Junior Member

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  4. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Agreed Ojo but any suggestions for indoor food producing plants?
     
  5. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    Occupation:
    Farm manager/ educator
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    Hunter Valley New South Wales
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    warm temperate - some frost - changing every year
    How about strawberries Ma or rhubarb?
     
  6. Ojo

    Ojo Junior Member

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  7. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Thanks Ojo i guess i have been asking this question for a long while. How boring is that.
    Some of the suggestions seem to be from people who have never tried
    Bush Basil - No needs sun
    Pennyroyayal Yes but why bother?
    Winter Savoury no needs sun
    Chives Maybe at a pinch but needs sun for good flavour especially in winter
    Cayenne peppers No rubbish
    Lettuce leaves OK
    Watercress Okish
    Garlic Onions No
    sprouts OK but how about something that lasts a bit longer
    Flowersno
    Yes PP but it is a little cruel to strawberries
    I am still stuck for something that will actually fruit indoors
    The couple of good suggestions are from Forum members;-
    yellow jaboticaba or 'cabeluda' Myrciaria glaziovianaI don't know this plant
    Grumichuma Eugenia brasiliensisDon't know this one either
    MushroomsNot sure these would get buy office manager
     
  8. Lumbuck Thornton

    Lumbuck Thornton Junior Member

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    I think the whole approach needs rethinking to be built more around the needs of the people and the plants in these environments. It all needs to be configured around the use of light, energy and materials and it is how all these things move that really requires parts of the building to move and plants to be correctly orientated horizontally and vertically.
    Fixed buildings arn't much better than caves in many ways and full of compromises. Some parts of buildings cant be moved but some some parts on tracks like roller coasters through garden would be very light (not heavy) and these tracks would be as stackable as the engineering and budget of these super garden structures permitted. The rooms on rollers would be very light and not even weather proof. Imagine a building like a round multistorey car park in which rooms either followed or avoided the sun around the edge. There are pillars high enough to let light in on the suns angle into that storey but there are no floors because the room runs on rails. Gardens are tended from in the moving rooms. One half of the circuit is shaded to varying degrees by well placed vegetation, vines growing up from below and planted boxes of vegetables and fruit trees.
    If you look at my other threads you will see I am opening up a new platfrom for permaculture. There are lots of good retrofits for buildings but some time we have to start redesigning the whole systems from the ground up around new types of human and plant needs.

    The other idea I had was to find an enormous river redgum somewhere and enclose it with a half geo dome frame so that if any limbs fell off they would not harm the structure because the base was far enough out not to be effected and not damage the root system. Then it would be a matter of suspending a series of monorails around inside the dome on which passive solar garden appreciation platforms were suspended. The shade and shelter of the tree would be utilised, the views, wildlife and ecology would be amazing and the education potential would be enormous. The rail could even extend underground to explain how the root system worked !

    Just a thought but we are going to have to do something about recolonising out remote landscapes if we are going to have any environmental value presence as fossil fuels and climate change start to effect things. Most of all I think we need to have some positive pathways to promote.
     
  9. Ojo

    Ojo Junior Member

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    I think tomatoes are worth the effort, if you pick a good indeterminate variety and give it a little help pollinating, shake the plant or put a fan on it. Here at latitude 32 degrees north I can grow tomatoes, peppers etc. outside all winter, it's the summer heat and sun that I struggle with. The summer heat and sun kill off the foliage of my maters, but as long as I can keep the bottom few inches of stem green, it'll come back. I've got fresh organic tomatoes right now from the neighbor, I give her grapefruit, oranges, limes, peaches, cuttings and starts and she gives me her tomatoes. It sounds a little uneven, but I like my tomatoes to taste like tomatoes. I'd like to know what's driving the market on those red things they sell in the supermarkets, do people really eat those?

    https://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/how-to-grow-tomatoes.html
    https://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2004-10-01/Winter-Tomatoes.aspx
    if you want to add light, one of these carts would be pretty easy and cheap to build.
    https://homeharvest.com/fluorescentplantcartslarge.htm
     
  10. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Agreed Lumbuck keep thinking. getting enough light energy to plants seems to be critical.

    Ojo
    tomatoes are not going to do well indoors- outdoor vertical yes they would be great.

    PP
    I am going to report you to the RSPCS (Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Strawberries) but rhubarb could be worth a shot, parsley and chevil and other salad herbs too
     
  11. Ojo

    Ojo Junior Member

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    throw them in your pot growroom, under those 1000 watt metal halides, they'll do OK.
     
  12. Ojo

    Ojo Junior Member

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    Step by Step Easy Method to Grow Indoor Tomatoes

    Growing tomatoes indoors is not difficult. Anyone can grow tomatoes indoors. All plants require the same basic elements; Soil (medium), light, water and the proper temperature to grow successfully. Of course each plant differs in the type of soil, amount of light, amount of water and the ideal temperatures it requires. I'll focus on growing indoor tomato plants for this article by outlining the basic needs of the tomato plant. Followed by the method I use to grow indoor tomato plants and some useful resources to help you.

    What Tomato Plants Like:

    • Soil: The soil (medium) can be the usual potting soil mix that contains sphagnum peat, vermiculite and perlite. I like to use peat pellets, for starting my indoor tomato plants, that are available at most gardening stores or from online sources. TIP#1: Want to make your own peat pellets? Check out the article at Mother Earth News. For more in depth information on tomato plants I suggest; Jason's Indoor Guide.To much to cover here. https://www.jasons-indoor-guide-to-organic-and-hydroponics-gardening.com/how-to-grow-tomatoes.html

    • Light: Indoor tomato plants need to get 8-12 hours of bright light per day and a southern exposure is ideal during the colder months. Just take care to avoid cold drafts or to hot environments. Also if you don't have good lighting there are many sources for plant lighting available at your gardening store or online. Tomato plants also need a period of sleep (darkness).

    • Water: When you are starting your tomato plants from seeds (this is what I do for growing my plants indoors) keep the soil (medium) moist. When you see the seedlings appear you should adjust your watering to 2 or 3 or more times per week depending on your homes temperature. Don't over water and let the soil dry out slightly before watering your plants. Misting is a good thing between watering.

    • Temperature: Tomato plants can grow in a wide temperature range, but do much better with warmer temperatures. For example during the day 68 to 80 degrees and at night (when you save energy and turn the temperature down) from about 58 to 68 degrees.

    https://ezinearticles.com/?Step-by-Step-Easy-Method-to-Grow-Indoor-Tomatoes&id=855524

    Careful consideration must be done when choosing the best tomatoes to grow indoors. Keep in mind that the main reason people grow plants inside their homes is because of lack of space or no space for a garden outside, so instead they make use of their own space inside. Choosing the right variety and size of tomatoes should also be kept in mind. There are smaller varieties like Pixie or Tiny Tim. Some larger varieties can also grow indoors.

    To choose tomatoes to grow indoors, go for the crack-resistant varieties. When the weather changes some tomato varieties have the tendency to crack. Varieties that are crack-resistant grow better even if not grown in a typical manner.

    Some of the best tomatoes to grow indoors are small tomatoes such as the pixie variety. Pixie tomatoes are small, compact plant that produces small fruits about the size of a quarter. They are well-suited for growing indoor because of its size and density of foliage. Pixie tomatoes have several varieties including Orange pixie, scarlet pixie and striped pixie. All are similarly sweet and meaty. They mature in 52 days.
    https://www.howtomatoesgrow.com/best-tomatoes-to-grow/

    Grow Your Own Tomatoes Indoors This Winter

    By Robert Cox, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Agent, Horticulture

    Tomatoes here, tomatoes there, tomatoes everywhere. When we're adrift in a sea of tomatoes, why a column about growing more tomatoes?

    Think about the taste of those store-bought facsimiles you purchased last January and you have the answer. Those pale, hard, tasteless, imitations made you long for the real thing. This winter, you can have it.

    You don't need a green thumb or a greenhouse to grow vine-ripened tomatoes indoors. "Window-sill" tomatoes will do well in 6-inch pots filled with good potting soil. You'll also need the right tomato seed, seed starter mix, fertilizer, and plant stakes. Presto! Tomato salad comin' up!

    Window-sill tomatoes are smaller than their outdoor relatives -- quarter-to-half-dollar-size. But don't let their small size fool you -- they come with a big tomato taste. They aren't "slicers," but they are perfect for salads or snacks.

    Here's how to grow a winter tomato garden:

    You can grow one plant in a 6-inch pot or two plants in larger pots. For a continuous winter supply, start one or two new plants from seed every two weeks. Recommended varieties are Pixie, Patio, Toy Boy, Small Fry or Tiny Tim. These varieties will produce small plants, but they still may need to be staked, especially when they begin to bear fruit. Quarter-inch dowels make good stakes.

    Germinate seeds in a small pot with starter mix. Plant seeds about 1/4 inch deep and water. Keep starter mix moist but not soggy. Germination should occur in 5 to l0 days.

    Transplant from starter mix into potting soil when seedlings are about 3 inches tall. Fertilize regularly, but lightly, beginning about two weeks after transplanting. Water plants thoroughly, but not too frequently. A catch pan under the pot will keep windowsills dry.

    When plants bloom, help Mother Nature along: Tap the main stem and larger side branches with your finger. This moves the plant slightly and encourages pollination. As you tap the plant, you might see a small cloud of pollen falling from the open flowers.

    Turn plants occasionally, so all sides get a fair share of sunlight. After each plant has provided a bumper crop and has become unproductive, cut it off at the base, saving the potting soil for future transplants. Toss the old plant in the compost pile.

    THE STORY BEHIND STORE-BOUGHT TOMATOES

    To satisfy our year-round demand, commercial suppliers plant tomato varieties suitable to production and shipping needs. Often, these tomatoes lack the taste, color or texture that most people prefer. To better withstand shipping, they usually are picked at the "mature green" stage. To complete ripening at their destination, they are gassed with ethylene, a natural plant hormone that is part of the ripening process.

    A United States Department of Agriculture study found that ethylene gas has no effect on the tomato's nutritional quality. Surprisingly, such tomatoes provide only slightly less beta carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A, and vitamin C than the tastier vine-ripened fruits. One 5-ounce tomato -- whether home-or-greenhouse grown -- provides a third of our daily needs for these vitamins, along with some iron, fiber and B vitamins.
    https://www.coopext.colostate.edu/4dmg/VegFruit/tomatind.htm
     
  13. Ojo

    Ojo Junior Member

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    Vertical gardens behind urban glass.
    https://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/11/window-farms-vertical-gardens-behind-urban-glass.php

    "Window farming," as it is called, is catching on in New York City and beyond. Window farmers use recycled 1.5 liter water bottles, clay pellets, plastic tubing and inexpensive fish tank air pumps to create their indoor gardens. There are now 4,000 registered users at windowfarms.org. Farmers are tending to their greens everywhere from the U.S. to Italy, Israel and Hong Kong.
    excerpt
    https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125504307
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fif-hNj47M
    https://www.radicalmontreal.com/2011/03/urban-window-farming.html
    https://www.creatingourparadise.org...s/urban-window-farming-gardening-small-spaces
    https://urbanfoodguy.blogspot.com/2009/08/urban-gardening-window-farming.html
     
  14. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Interesting Ojo thanks
     
  15. Ojo

    Ojo Junior Member

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  16. Lumbuck Thornton

    Lumbuck Thornton Junior Member

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  17. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    [video=youtube;ccbbxflNY-g]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccbbxflNY-g[/video]
     
  18. Lumbuck Thornton

    Lumbuck Thornton Junior Member

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    Verticle is fine but most of these gardens appear to be in fixed positions and in environments with other obsticles to light. The sun moves in various seasonal arcs. Having the plants outside of the room and moving past and over and under the room that is moving through an arc to track or avoid the sun might be more comfortable for us and the plants. It is time we rollercoastered permaculture at sun movement speed and in more dimensions - much more exciting than living in artificial caves ! Maybe some of the high planting technologies might be handy but with the use of vines on a light frame they should get up pretty high and just need trimming occasionally to let the moving room past and enough light through at a range of intensities.
     
  19. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    O'Hare Airport Debuts Aeroponic Vegetable Garden (VIDEO)
    [​IMG]
    No more complaining about the poor quality of airport food--at least not in Chicago's biggest travel hub. The opening of the first in-airport vertical garden at O'Hare will supply the international airport's restaurants with swiss chard, red habanero peppers and 42 other types of herbs and vegetables grown right between terminals 2 and 3.

    The garden relies on a technique called aeroponics where water and a mineral solution are used as a base instead of soil, allowing plants to thrive in smaller, more contained environments. In this case, cylindrical, 8-foot-tall white towers save space and allow for water to be easily circulated.

    "It uses and recycles water. The water has nutrients in it that feeds the vegetables, so it's using less land growing vertically instead of horizontally," aviation commissioner Rosemarie Andolino told ABC Chicago.. . . .


    https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/19/chicago-airport-debuts-ae_n_970222.html
     
  20. Yukkuri_Kame

    Yukkuri_Kame Junior Member

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    One of the great things about indoor tomatoes, is that you can make cuttings and get an early start on your outdoor tomatoes once the weather warms up. Likewise, as the outdoor growing season gets wrapped up, you can start your indoor plants from cuttings of outdoor plants. But without a good window or big input of electricity, you're doomed.
     

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