A self-watering, modular planting system allows you to nurture herbs, veggies and fruits when you are away, and pick and cook them too
(Left) A four-tier Altifarm unit comes with a self-watering system (above) and an option of Growlight packs (top) that help plants grow in the absence of sunlight
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It was several failed attempts at growing ornamental plants at his Mumbai home that led Arun Raj to launch Altifarm — a modular, self-sustaining vertical garden-like system suited for space-crunched residents. “My plants would die invariably. I guess it was inconsistent watering, which led to root rot and fungi,” says the 31-year-old Kerala-born design engineer, who has installed it at home to grow fresh herbs that go into meals as salad garnishes. “My son Rudy is also fond of hanging around near it,” he smiles. On November 10, he will launch a 45-day crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to gather funds for further development of the product launched under his start-up, Enverde, specialising in urban farming. It’s available via pre-orders on the portal until December and at interior stores from January next year at a price of '11,999 for a four-tier unit.
How it works
Taking up space of a medium-sized chair, a four-tier unit can pack in cultivable area sufficient to grow most varieties of vegetables including leafy varieties, some fruits along with exotic, non-seasonal plants or medicinal herbs. “You can pick up saplings and soil from a nursery and plant them in a unit. It is particularly useful for the elderly, who wouldn’t want to bend over,” says Raj, who was assisted by co-founder and industrialist Davin Ghosh and mentored by Jean-Marc Batard from Switzerland, the inventor of Le Jardin Pyramidal (pyramidal garden) system. “All the tiers are enabled with a self-watering system, wherein water is stored and supplied to plants on demand considering they absorb it from the soil, through a capillary wicking action (ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces), preventing over or under-watering. So, you can be away from home for a week and plants will continue to thrive,” he says. The built-in watering system also allows plants to grow faster “as there is provision for oxygenation of roots and nutrients are not washed off”. The system supposedly uses 80 per cent lesser water than regular plants.
Let there be light
If you wish to install a unit in a basement that is not exposed to sunlight, you can also buy an optional Growlight pack. “It comprises power-efficient LED lights that provide the required wavelengths for specific plant growth functions. It is used in colder countries to extend daylight hours and also, in modern food farms to maximise productivity. We have worked with suppliers to make miniature models for domestic use. These are waterproof, height-adjustable and automated,” informs Raj, adding that a three-tier unit is under development too. “The aim is to help families around the world become self-reliant with respect to food. They can also make decent savings in the monthly food bill, besides enjoying nutritious, chemical-free produce,” he sums up.
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