Windowfarms unveils new garden kits that grow up to 32 plants per window

In a Windowfarm, plants hang in vertical columns, with each plant growing inside its own 1.5-liter recycled plastic bottle filled with soil. Large plants can be grown in small containers due to the use of the hydroponic system. The system involves a tub of water elevated above the garden that drips water through the vertical columns into each plant. A basin at the bottom catches water that is not absorbed by the plants, and a pump cycles the water back to the top of the system. The water also contains a nutrient solution.

Windowfarms can grow a variety of vegetables, including tomatoes, swiss chard, lettuce, kale, strawberries, marigolds, squash, sugar peas, and more, according to its website. Sometimes, if there is not enough sunlight coming in, a full-spectrum CFL bulb can provide additional lighting.

The Windowfarms project originally started as a web-based social collaboration experiment, in which more than 15,000 citizen scientists shared ideas and discussed urban agriculture. Windowfarm inventor Britta Riley explains that the project is based on an “R&DIY” (Research and Develop-It-Yourself) model, and has successfully demonstrated the possibility of growing food in urban environments.

Windowfarms range in price, starting from $140 for 16-plant home kits, $240 for 32-plant home kits, and up to $1260 for 60-plant educational kits. The project also provides free instructions on how to build the kits.

More information: Windowfarms.org
via: Inhabitat

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