Grow Tower, Aerogarden, or NFT?
In the realm of indoor gardening, hydroponics has taken center stage due to its ability to cultivate plants without soil, resulting in efficient space utilization, optimized resource consumption, and accelerated growth rates. Within the hydroponics landscape, there are three popular systems that have gained considerable attention: hydroponic grow towers, Aerogarden, and vertical nutrient film technique (NFT). We’ll share our opinions and experiences and lessons learned with the three methods
Hydroponic Grow Towers:
Hydroponic grow towers are vertical gardening systems that utilize a series of stacked trays or channels to grow plants. These towers typically employ a recirculating nutrient solution, ensuring plants receive a consistent supply of water and nutrients. Key features and benefits of hydroponic grow towers include:
a) Space efficiency: Grow towers maximize vertical space, making them ideal for small apartments, balconies, or limited gardening spaces.
b) Enhanced plant density: The multi-tiered design enables a higher plant capacity compared to traditional gardening methods.
c) Easy maintenance: Grow towers often incorporate automated features such as timers, water level indicators, and built-in nutrient delivery systems, simplifying the cultivation process.
d) Versatility: Grow towers accommodate a wide range of plants, including leafy greens, herbs, and even small fruiting plants.
Placement is key for successful grow towers as they typically do not come with a UV source. In our opinion, grow towers are the most aesthetically pleasing hydroponic method. However, the higher cost of these systems and limited scalability make this method great for indoor gardening as a hobby but not so much for produce sustainment.
We’ve tinkered with a DIY grow tower design, the cost of materials and time equates to the cost of a Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) or Deep Water Culture (DWC) system. The stability also became an issue if managed outside or around children and pets.
Aerogarden:
Aerogarden is a compact and self-contained hydroponic system designed for countertop use. It employs a combination of aeroponics and hydroponics to nurture plants. The following benefits are what you can expect from an aerogarden like system.
a) Convenience and ease of use: Aerogarden provides an all-in-one solution with pre-seeded pods, LED lighting, and a built-in control system that monitors water levels, nutrient delivery, and lighting schedules.
b) Rapid growth: The system's efficient oxygenation and nutrient delivery methods result in accelerated plant growth, allowing for earlier harvests.
c) Compact size: Perfect for small kitchens or limited spaces, the Aerogarden can be placed virtually anywhere and still yield bountiful harvests.
d) Variety of plant options: Aerogarden offers a wide range of pre-seeded pods, allowing users to grow herbs, salad greens, vegetables, flowers, and even fruiting plants.
Despite its advantages, Aerogarden's limited size and pre-packaged seed pod selection might restrict the diversity of plants you can grow. The cost is also significantly higher compared to other options! We believe hydroponics must be affordable in order to be sustainable. Having utilized “Ahopegarden”, it is important to use tailored seeds. The growth height of produce is severely limited by the overhead light. This method is fun to start out with and gain experience with the hydroponic nutrient solutions. The amount of yield we received was not sustainable for weekly produce as we initially anticipated. Read our blog post about vining cherry tomatoes through countertop hydroponics!
Vertical NFT:
Vertical nutrient film technique (NFT) systems are designed to create a continuous thin film of nutrient-rich water flowing over a slanted surface, where plants are grown in channels or gutters. Key features of vertical NFT include:
a) Optimal nutrient delivery: The continuous flow of nutrient-rich water ensures plants receive a steady supply of essential elements, promoting vigorous growth.
b) Efficient water usage: NFT systems typically require less water compared to other hydroponic methods, making them an environmentally friendly option.
c) Scalability and modularity: Vertical NFT systems can be easily expanded to accommodate larger plant capacities by adding more channels or tiers.
d) Suitable for delicate crops: The gentle flow of nutrient solution in NFT systems makes them particularly suitable for fragile plants with sensitive roots
The disadvantages of vertical gardening with NFT is how wide the systems can be. If you have the placement for an NFT, you can always scale up however if you only have a small area then grow towers could be an alternate option. Keep in mind the gentleness of the water flow, our DIY tower ended up being too harsh on the leafy greens towards the top of the tower.
An NFT system met our needs by offering organized grow sites for a variety of produce. The top row was able to provide radish and low yield strawberries, while the lower tiers we sectioned out to create “unlimited salad kits” by growing cos romaine, spinach, and swiss chard.
