Growing plants is a much tougher task when you’re in space. In microgravity conditions, water droplets float, and if herbs don’t grow, it’s not as if there’s a supermarket nearby.
To remedy this problem, inquisitive minds at NASA invented a hydroponic wheel in 1980. Sadly, the plans were never developed until a fully-functioning device – that is, until recently.
The company DesignLibero saw it as a shame that the concept went unused, therefore, invented The Green Wheel, “an iconic garden object for residential use, like a T.V..
The revolutionary hydroponic garden could provide those without reliable access to a garden the tools they need to start growing some of their own food indoors.
Fast Company Design reports that the rotary hydroponic garden has undergone a massive change from an aesthetic point of view. As the Milan-based company’s background is in interior design, architecture, product and graphic design, designers used their talents to not only make the garden functional and compact, but visually appealing.
In many ways, the circular garden is like a mini Ferris wheel. The outer case hides an engine that rotates the plants, and the rotary garden also includes a pump for automatic plant irrigation. Inside the inner wheel are vases made from coco fiber that provide support for plants and their roots.
Every hour, the plants are spun full-circle.
At the bottom of the system, a water reservoir feeds water to the roots; this ensures that each plant has an equal opportunity to soak in light.
“If you calculate the circumference of the wheel, you have larger growing area that helps to cultivate more plants with a lower energy cost,” explains Libero Rutilo, head of the company.
The circular garden can hold an astonishing eight feet of plants; it’s the intelligent design which minimizes the amount of illumination needed to nourish all of the flora.
The rotary garden can be easily controlled by an interface managed through a smartphone or tablet. Various controls allow the user to set the amount of illumination and light temperature and to be advised of water levels; this allows the growth of virtually any vegetation.