What is Vertical Farming?
Vertical farming is a method of growing plants in vertically stacked layers using hydroponic systems.
This growing method offers a number of advantages over traditional crop production.
Let’s explore the advantages of vertical farming and see why it just may be the future of agriculture.
Advantage 1: Increased Efficiency
Vertical farms can grow more plants per square foot compared to traditional farming. This is because plant trays are arranged in stacks as shown in the picture above.
Plants in hydroponic gardens mature faster growing in water with LED lights as compared to growing in soil with natural sunlight.
The higher density planting, along with the faster time to harvest, results in a growing environment that is more efficient and productive.
Did you know vertical farms can produce up to 70 times more food per square foot than traditional farms? This is according to the Association for Vertical Farming.
Put another way, according to a University of Arizona study, vertical farms can produce the same amount of crops as traditional farms using just 10% of the land!
Advantage 2: Reduced Water Use
Vertical farming systems use less water compared to traditional farming.
The water is recycled, and the plants are grown in a controlled environment meaning no runoff and little evaporation.
Estimates on the amount of water saved as compared to traditional farming are as high as 95% depending on the crop!
Advantage 3: Reduced Pesticides and Herbicides
The controlled environment of a vertical farm makes it easier to prevent pests and diseases.
As a result, food in vertical farming systems can be grown with minimal use of pesticides or herbicides.
This is better for you and better for our environment.
Advantage 4: Reduced Transportation Costs
Vertical farms can be located closer to urban areas where food is consumed. This greatly reduces the environmental impact of transporting produce via large trucks.
And, the financial cost of transportation is reduced leading to lower prices.
Imagine the benefit to the planet of reducing the number of trucks on the road!
Advantage 5: Year-round Food Production
Vertical farms can operate year-round, since they are not affected by weather conditions or seasonal changes.
This means crops can be harvested multiple times per year instead of just a couple.
For example, it is not uncommon for a vertical farm to produce lettuce in as little as 28 days.
In comparison, a traditional farm may only be able to produce two or three harvests of lettuce per growing season.
That all sounds great, right? However, there are also some challenges to overcome in order for vertical farming to become more widely adopted.
The challenges include:
- High upfront costs of building and operating vertical farms
- Energy requirements and environmental impacts of artificial lighting needed for plant growth
- The need for specialized knowledge and technology to build and maintain the systems
- A large number of plants. such as fruit trees, are not suited to be grown in a vertical farm
Despite these challenges, many experts believe vertical farming has the potential to play a significant role in the future of agriculture particularly as the world population continues to grow and the demand for fresh produce increases.
Food access needs for the world will continue to increase as global warming becomes more pervasive and the population of third-world countries increases.
Scientists are doing research to modify plants and optimize hydroponic systems to grow crops vital to many diets worldwide, such as wheat. These advances in hydroponic agriculture will help further the adoption of vertical farming.
More locations are employing renewable power sources to sustainability manage facilities. Automation is becoming better. LED lighting is getting more efficient and cheaper to buy.
Big companies, such as Walmart, are throwing their influence and dollars behind vertical farming, as well.
The advancement in technology and agriculture means the future of vertical farming is indeed brighter than that of the LED lights that make it all happen.
Ready to learn more? Check out what 80 Acres is doing in the vertical farming space.
Or, read our article on the different types of hydroponic systems to get started with your own garden.
