The next big smart farm is a small indoor garden for your home
Most of the greens we consume in Korea are grown locally. And some, with the help of urban smart farms, are grown literally under our noses. But what if your next meal could come from your own kitchen? We’ve seen how smart farms are becoming commonplace across the world, in many forms from rooftops to rural provinces. Now, smart farms are coming home. These miniature DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) indoor gardens are changing the way we grow, cook, and eat within our own homes. Advanced technology and IoT (Internet of Things) in indoor gardening are changing the way we grow and eat our greens. See what these scaled-down smart farms can do for you—all within the comfort of your home.
LG brings its home appliance expertise to indoor gardening
Known worldwide for its home appliances, LG Electronics is one of the first major conglomerates to make its foray into smart home gardening with its Tiiun line of products. The LG Tiiun Mini home garden is a countertop home garden that blends in anywhere with its small size and sleek design. The other model, LG Tiiun Objet Collection, has the appearance of a compact wine fridge, but is actually an enclosed indoor garden suitable for bigger families or serious gardeners. It features a built-in inverter compressor that controls the lighting and temperature and a ventilation system designed to help greens, herbs, and flowers thrive. Not sold on an indoor garden just yet? There’s also an option to rent a Tiiun for your home.
Startup Oneul Sikmul makes ripples in the smart gardening scene
Big consumer electronics companies aren’t the only ones making waves in the smart indoor gardening scene. Oneul Sikmul is a new smart home garden startup that’s taking over social media with their minimalist indoor garden system and thoughtful curation of seeds. Oneul Sikmul appeals to a warmer aesthetic with its sensible design and optional rattan covers—a contrast to the sleek, appliance-like look of many indoor gardening systems. Order a packaged set to get started on cultivating your own greens, or design your own garden by choosing seeds from one of their many plant offerings.
Click and Grow offers homegrown greens to customers across Europe
Click and Grow, the Estonian smart garden company offers customers a wide range of sizes from the basic three-pod garden to the nine-pod, Bluetooth-enabled “PRO” model. Take the effort and guesswork out of maintaining an indoor garden with the Click & Grow 25, a modular indoor garden system that also offers a plant pod subscription program. For those serious about having a constant supply of greens, you can opt for a subscription while stacking the gardens to create a garden tower. Keep in mind that while Click and Grow offers international shipping to select countries beyond Europe, including those in Asia and the Middle East, strict customs regulations can limit the import of garden kits that include seeds.
At-home aquaponics
Want to add some greens and some fins to your home or diet? While DTC aquaponic systems are not yet widely available in Korea, they are gaining traction in the United States. Colorado-based The Aquaponic Source brings aquaponics into your home or greenhouse, while Back to the Roots in California offers a scaled down countertop version that’s popular with children. A newbie to the world of growing plants with fish? The Aquaponic Source’s AquaSprouts Aquarium is a compact half-garden, half-aquarium that you can assemble to your liking. The Aquabundance Modular Aquaponic System, on the other hand, is designed for abundant food production, as its name suggests (and also takes up a good amount of space). Back to the Roots offers what it calls “zero-risk gardening” for those who lack a green thumb, even to the point of guaranteeing as many seeds customers need to get their indoor garden thriving. The Water Garden Duo can work as a hydroponic or aquaponic garden, and comes with a free STEM curriculum on the two ecosystems.
Will indoor gardens change the way we grow and eat?
From advanced sensors in indoor gardens to autonomous tractors, like the telematics-enabled TYM T130, ICT-enabled technology is helping everyone from home chefs to industrial farmers to grow and harvest with less environmental impact and more efficiency. Will private indoor gardens create make a dent in industrial emissions? Will having a countertop garden revolutionize our meals? While it’s too early to tell, and human behavior may not change overnight, one thing is for certain: smart farming of all sizes is a small step toward a more sustainable future.
TYM is committed to sustainable management. To find out more about our latest automated technology and smart management apps, visit our website at tym.world.
