This Automated Indoor Garden Wants to Ease Hydroponics

WI-FI CONNECTED

Live monitoring, notifications, plant doctor, sharing within the community …

PLANT SELECTION

Grow your own fruits, microgreens, edible flowers, herbs or leafy green

LED ILLUMINATION

Suited LED grow lights provide the needed spectrum for every growing phase

Although most of us are eager to eat fresh, healthy food that’s grown in a sustainable way, most of us lack the time and expertise it takes to produce food crops ourselves. That’s particularly true if we want to garden in an office or apartment with no outdoor space to spare and are seldom at home. Now, having an automated indoor garden is within easy reach, even if you have never grown plants before.

Hydroponics has always been an indoor growing option, but in the past, it took quite a lot of specialized expertise to create an effective hydroponic garden. CityCrop, an innovative startup, has developed a neat, compact, self-contained system that you can manage on the go using your smartphone.

What Makes Hydroponics Sustainable?

Apart from the fact that you know exactly what’s gone into the growing of your food, hydroponics uses just 10 percent of the water you would need to grow plants in a regular garden. The water is constantly recirculated instead of going to waste.

FLEXIBLE TRAYS

You are free to choose and customize your needed trays for several plants

CLIMATE CONTROLE

Controlled temperature, lighting, humidity and aeriation

DOSED NUTRIENTS

Automated nutrient system handles the nutrient formula and supplies your plants

Because the CityCrop garden is a closed unit, you shouldn’t experience any pest problems, so you should be able to grow your food without any pesticides to speak of, and although it does consume some electricity, your plants grow in optimum conditions, allowing you to get maximum yields much faster. That means a smaller carbon footprint for every harvest you take from your automated indoor garden. Compared to other private indoor planting solutions like Herbert or The Growroom, the high level of technology arranges a growth stimulating environment.

How the Automated Indoor Garden Works

The vertical garden is enclosed in a neat casing with adjustable trays. It’s also a fully connected system that allows you to monitor it no matter where you are. A useful app shows you the ideal temperature, humidity, light, and nutrient conditions for your crops. Simply select your settings using your phone, and the unit takes care of the rest.

Would you like to know how your plants are doing even though you’re far from home? You can take a look at them and see for yourself, and you’ll get notifications if there’s anything you need to change to improve your indoor vertical garden’s success.

The energy demand varies due to lighting conditions and the extent of ventilation. According to the London- and Athens-based company, it is recommended to budget £3-£5 per month. Of course, this value depends on local electricity prices varying from country to country. When it comes to seeding, horticulturists are free to use own organic seeds or from CityCrop provided and tested seeds. If you plan to integrate it in your kitchen, you should be aware of the geometric dimensions of 45cm x 45cm x 88cm (L x W x H).

You Aren’t All on Your Own

One of the best things about gardening is the bragging rights you get, and the option of getting advice from experts or other urban gardeners. In the old days, this meant being a member of a garden club, but busy indoor gardeners can simply join the CityCrop community to get exposure to the social side of gardening.

If you need expert help, simply send a picture to CityCrop help and support for a professional opinion. Growing like a pro doesn’t have to take years of experience when you have access to experts at the touch of a button.

What Can You Grow?

Obviously, there are limits to what you can grow in your CityCrop automated indoor garden. You wouldn’t have room for fruit trees, for example, but there’s nothing to stop you from growing small fruit crops like strawberries.

Greens and microgreens are an excellent choice for the freshest, most nourishing leafy veg straight from your own indoor garden. Most of us don’t eat enough fresh greens or struggle to find super-fresh, healthy greens at a reasonable price. This unit solves these problems beautifully.

Fresh herbs really set top chefs apart from the ordinary cook, and once again, the CityCrop unit allows you to grow quite a variety. Cultivate your own basil, chives, parsley, cilantro, and so on. And let’s not forget that flowers are good to eat too. Pretty violas, nasturtiums and day lilies all add color and variety to your diet.

An Attractive, Fun, and Easy Way to Become an Urban Farmer

All in all, CityCrop seems to have many bases covered. It looks great, even the rawest beginner can use it to grow plants, and the social aspect also adds a fun touch to the package. When old fashioned gardening goes high tech, even the busiest person can grow fabulous food crops easily and conveniently with an automated indoor garden.

In the end, interested customers can decide whether they want to shorten their harvest cycles and enjoy the services of CityCrop’s indoor garden or whether they prefer to save the investment sum and place their simple pot with basil at the window.

Images: CityCrop