 Vertical farms comes in different shapes and sizes they are classified in two

major types :

1. Simple two level or wall mounted system

2. Large warehouse to several stories

 All vertical farms use one of three soil- free systems for providing nutrients
to plants :

1. Hydroponic

2. Aeroponic

3. Aquaponic

HYDROPONIC:

It involves growing plant in nutrient solution that is free of soil. Plants roots are
submerged in nutrient solution which is frequently monitored and circulated to
ensure the correct chemical composition.

Mainly terrestrial plants are grown with the help of this type of farming. Two main
techniques is used sub irrigation and top irrigation .these irrigation is done with the
help of reservoirs. Most of the reservoirs are made up of plastic, woods, vegetable
solids. The containers should exclude light to prevalent algae growth in nutrient

Different techniques of hydroponic farming:

1. STATIC SOLUTION CULTURE:

This is a still solution technique:
1. Plants are grown in containers, jars or tubs with the help of nutrient
solution. The solution is gently aerated (air is circulated)
2. The solution level is low enough roots are above the solution so they get
adequate oxygen
3. Hole is cut in the lid of reservoir for each plant.
4. Containers should be clear and it should be covered with aluminum foil,
butcher paper, black plastic this help in eliminating the formation of algae.
 5. Changing of nutrient solution should be scheduled prescribed time is once
per week .

2. RAFT SOLUTION CULTURE:

Plants are placed in a sheet of buoyant plastic (plastic used for herbal medicine
plantation ) that is floated on the surface of nutrient solution and solution level
never drops the required level .

3. CONTINOUS-FLOW SOLUTION :

1.the nutrients solution constantly flows past the roots. It much easier to automate
than the static solution culture.

2.a very shallow stream of water containing all the dissolved nutrients require for
plant growth.

3.a channel is prepared and water circulated with the help of channel . Continuous
flow of water create moist environment.

4. This technique uses NFT technique, which means using of right channel slope so
that right flow of nutrient would be available for plants. (Please see this NFT in
detail)

5. The main advantage of the system is that the plant roots are exposed to adequate
supplies of water, oxygen and nutrients .and higher quality of crops can be yield
over an extended period of cropping

General guideline for use of continuous flow solution:

1. Flow rates for each channel should be 1 liter per minute.

2. Depressed growth rates of many crops have been observed when channel length
exceeds 12 meter in length

3. Each channels should have 4 crop placed in it

How To Grow Hydroponic – Step by Step Tutorial
Figuring out how to grow hydroponic produce doesn’t have to be
overwhelming. Just follow our step by step tutorial on how to grow hydroponic
and we’ll by a master farmer in no time!

How To Grow Hydroponic – Seeds Vs. Seedlings

Most experts would recommend starting with hydroponic seeds rather than seedlings. By
starting with seeds you’ll be in full control of what you grow. We can even experiment
withfavorite type of produce or even best of the best heirloom varieties. . Starting from seeds
will be a little tougher and take a little longer

Seeds: We choose what we want to plant

 Seedlings: Choose what the store has

 Seeds: Trauma-free growth

 Seedlings: We must wash any soil from the roots which may cause damage

 Seeds: Keeping wer hydroponics garden clean and sterile

 Seedlings: Potential to introduce bugs and disease to wer hydroponics garden

 Seeds: Cost efficient – seed packs contain handfuls of seeds for only couple of dollars
 Seedlings: More expensive – each seedling can cost a couple of dollars

 Seeds: Satisfaction of growing something from nothing

 Seedlings: Its almost like cheating!
How To Grow Hydroponic – Starting wer Hydroponic Seeds

Since we’ll be using rough, coarse growing mediums in wer hydroponics garden
like rocks and pebbles we’ll need a nice, secure environment to get wer seeds
going. Just like in traditional soil gardening, hydroponic seeds should be sprouted
in a starter “pot.” We have a couple of options with the most popular being
rockwool, or stonewool starter cubes. These are basically rocks that are heated to
the point they start breaking down, stretched, then spun – imagine cotton candy but
with rocks instead of sugar. These make great starters for wer seeds as they are
chemically inert, very inexpensive, and do a great job of transporting oxygen and
water. There are a number of other options available that all work just fine, just
remember to stay away from anything that might breakdown and clog wer
hydroponics system.

.
Conditions For Growing With Hydroponics

The great thing about growing with hydroponics systems is that wer plants want to
grow. Growing with hydroponic methods gives we complete control over wer
plants growing conditions allowing we to create an ideal situation for wer plants to
grow by providing the proper nutrients and conditions. As a reward wer system
will give we great, consistent harvests cycle after cycle. The bad part is that we
MUST be able to provide wer crops with the proper nutrients and conditions or
we’re doomed to fail.

As far as conditions go – here are the 4 main factors that all contribute to creating
the ideal conditions for growing with hydroponics:

Temperature

When we’re growing with hydroponics it’s easy to forget how sensitive crops are
to temperature but this is definitely one factor we don’t want to overlook! Whether
it means providing heat during cold winter months or proper ventilation and air
conditioning during hot summer months the optimal temperature range when
growing with hydroponics is between 65-75 degrees F.

If we’re growing vegetables another thing to keep in mind regarding temperature is

that there are two main kinds of crops. Of course we can mix and match crops
depending on what type of produce we want to grow but for optimal results we
should try to rotate wer crops based on season and/or wer ability to properly
regulate wer growing temperatures. If we’re growing with hydroponics completely
indoors and can regulate the temperature using heaters and proper A/C feel free to
grow what we want, when we want!
  Warm season crops: tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, herbs, eggplant
o Daytime = 70-80 degrees F
o Nighttime = 60-70 degrees F
o Absolute maximum temperature = 90 degrees F
 Cool season crops: lettuce, cabbage, green onion, peas, spinach
o Daytime = 60-70 degrees F
o Nighttime = 60-70 degrees F
o Absolute minimum temperature = 40 degrees F

Daytime vs. Nighttime temperatures are a critical component of temperature

regulation as plants need a nighttime cool-down period for their metabolism to
function properly. Plants have evolved over the course of many, many years and
are used to a period where the sun goes down and the temperature drops and the
whole goal of hydroponics is to mimic a plant’s ideal growth conditions including
both nutrients and lighting.

 *TIP* The biggest challenge to growing with hydroponics is going to be

heat so make sure we take the necessary steps to keep the temperature in that
magic 65-75 degree range!

Humidity

Anybody who’s ever been inside a greenhouse would think that high humidity is
ideal for growing with hydroponics but this is actually not true at all! High
humidity actually makes it hard for plants to breath properly and also interferes
with pollination; not to mention it also creates a breeding ground for nasty mold
and mildew. Ideally we’ll be able to keep an optimal humidity of 50% but
anywhere between 40-80% will work just fine.

A good way to stay on top of humidity and temperature levels is by picking up a

combination thermometer/hygrometer that displays both the temperature and
humidity levels. There are even some that display the high and low readings in a
given 24hour period so we can keep track of wer ranges on a daily basis.

Air circulation

Proper air exchange and circulation is a must for growing with

hydroponics! Remember – plants deplete the air of carbon dioxide so fresh air
must be provided at all times. If we’re using a closet or small bedroom for wer
hydroponic system make sure to keep the door and/or window open a bit to allow
fresh air in. If we’re using a closed off room we might even want to go as far as
installing an exhaust fan to vent out stale and moist air (think bathroom fan). At a
minimum all hydroponic systems should have a fan running 24/7 to promote
growth, circulate air, and prevent mildew. Keep in mind we don’t want to blast
wer plants with a tornado style wind – we just want to see gentle leaf motion and a
cheap oscillating floor fan set on low will do the job.

Lighting

Most people have successfully grown house plants or flowers without a second
though about lighting but it takes a little more to grow big delicious crops like
tomatoes and lettuce. While normal house lights are more than enough to help wer
hydroponics garden to grow, wer garden will need very bright lighting in a specific
spectrum and wavelength that replicates natural sunlight to actually bloom, flower,
and bear fruit.

In a traditional garden, vegetables usually need about 5 hours of direct sunlight and
another 10 hours of bright indirect light on a daily basis and we’ll need to recreate
these conditions when growing with hydroponics.

 *TIP* More is not necessarily better! Its natural to think if 15 hours of light
works well, 24 hours of light will work even better! Unfortunately this isn’t
the case as plants, just like we and I, need time to rest and recuperate and it
is during this downtime that helps plants really grow and mature.

If we have a very sunny window that can provide strong, ample sunlight this
should do just fine. However, if we don’t have this type of space of if we’re not
seeing the types of results we were hoping for it may be a good idea to invest in
supplemental lighting.There are two main types of grow light systems depending
on wer needs: Fluorescent and HID (High Intensity Discharge). There are also
LED and Plasma options that are relatively new to indoor growing and have the
higher costs associated with any new technology application.

 *TIP* Proper lighting is going to be wer second biggest challenge next to

temperature when growing with hydroponics. Without enough light wer
seedlings will almost certainly grow long and spindly since all wer plants’
energy will be used to search for enough light and eventually fall over. If
wer flowering plants do manage to grow nice, thick stems they will also
need the proper light to encourage flowering. If we’re not getting results
using direct, natural sunlight it may be time to invest in a small lighting
setup.

  What Can I Grow with Hydroponics Gardening?

Many people have asked, So what can I grow with hydroponics

gardening? Technically, anything we can grow using traditional soil methods we
can grow with hydroponics gardening. Realistically though, we really want to
limit wer hydroponics system to those best suited for ZeroSoil growing based on
taste and space. Also, remember that certain crops do better in certain types of
weather and that proper growing conditions are crucial for wer hydroponics
garden.

 Start by considering what types of vegetables we and wer family love to

eat. There’s really no point in growing 10 heads of lettuce if we hate eating
salads!
 Focus on produce that always taste better vine ripened and as fresh as
possible. Root vegetables like potatoes don’t really fit this profile so stick
with produce such as tomatoes and bell peppers or leafy green vegetables
like lettuce, spinach, and herbs.
 Another consideration when choosing wer crops is space. In most cases,
especially with beginner systems, hydroponics gardens will be limited in
size – either by the size of wer hydroponic unit or by lighting
constraints. To make the most of wer space we’ll most likely want to stay
away from space hogging produce such as melons, corn, and squash.
What Can I Grow with Hydroponics Gardening?

Here is a small list of the different kinds of produce we can grow with hydroponics
gardening. We recommend starting with this list until we get the hang of things
and once we get a little experience under wer belt – the sky is the limit!

 Lettuce varietals
 Tomato varietals
 Bell peppers
 Beans
 Peas
 Herbs
o Basil
o Marjoram
o Mint
o Oregano
o Sage
o Thyme
o Chives
o Rosemary
o Dill

Types of produce to stay away from*:

 Potatoes
 Melons
 Squash
 Cabbage
 Cucumbers
 Corn

*Of course we can technically grow anything hydroponically but these produce
tend to be unpractical for beginners due to space requirements