As much as we all know we should pay more attention to where our food comes from, or perhaps even grow our own, often the effort involved is too much, or we just don’t have the space or time for it. That’s where Everblume comes in, with the smart indoor hydroponic garden that can sit next to your other kitchen appliances, and you’d never know the difference.
Although still under development and not quite ready for a public release just yet, the Everblume is an exciting concept. The hydroponic garden inside can grow a variety of fruits and vegetables, with everything from the humidity, to the oxygen and CO2 levels inside the closed ecosystem, controllable on your smartphone.
The Everblume unit itself measures in at 6 feet tall, 2.5 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, which is not too dissimilar to your average fridge. The inside is airtight to allow for a fine control of internal gasses, and there’s LED lighting to give the plant life all of the photons it needs to grow big and strong.
The plants themselves can be grown from cuttings or seeds, or transplanted whole, but regardless, they sit in a bed of nutrient rich water rather than soil — the reservoir for which will gradually refill it and adjust the nutrient levels so the plants have everything they need.
There is also the option for growing a single larger plant or a number of smaller ones. Of course, there is finite room inside the Everblume, and you won’t be able to grow as much as you would outside or in a greenhouse, but for those without a garden of their own, or who would like their food located in the kitchen whether it’s tinned, packaged, or growing, this could be perfect.
Unfortunately, TechInsider is reporting that founder of the Everblume, Mike Morgan, doesn’t know how much the unit will eventually cost or when it will come out. We do know that beta testing is set to take place this summer with some small-scale prototypes, though, so it may be out later this year or early in the next.
It’s a trend that’s catching on too. Hydroponic gardens are much more efficient in terms of space and wastage than traditional farming, and can take place in more urban environments. A Japanese “vertical” farm could well pioneer the way many farms evolve in the future.