My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.
It's a place where I find myself when I need to lose myself.
Claude Monet
Alas, as our habitats shrink and our dwellings become vertical, personal gardens are found only in poetry books.
Hydroponics was discovered around 100 years ago. A man named William Frederick Gericke proved it to his distracters by growing a 25 ft tomato vine in water. But, ironically, it is only in recent years that hydroponic has come into its own. Its popularity has taken a sudden surge with the Covid Pandemic. As people were forced into confined spaces they desperately sought an activity that feeds not just the body, but also the soul.
Hydroponics is an effective method for growing plants. Plants are placed in a water solution that’s rich in nutrients. Instead of using soil to grow the plants, the roots of the plants come into direct contact with the nutrient-rich solution. The plants will also have access to a substantial amount of oxygen, which helps to facilitate growth. The primary advantage of using hydroponics to grow plants is that it allows for a much quicker growth rate.
WHO ARE WE
OUR MISSION
OUR MISSION
We have been working with hydroponics for the past decade, it was only in April, this year, that we formed GREENDOT.
GREENDOT is a partnership between Alpana Gambhir; Studio Potter and Teacher, and Ashok Talwar; Sculptor and Filmmaker, two individuals, with a single passion - being among PLANTS.
GREENDOT is also closely associated with Srishti Gautam, a Designer and Amlan Dutta; M. Sc in Biochemistry, Co-founder BomLife a biotech enterprise.
OUR MISSION
OUR MISSION
OUR MISSION
Get hydroponics to people living in high-rise buildings, or dwellings which do not have access to soil.
CONSTRAINTS
OUR MISSION
CONSTRAINTS
Working within strict lockdown laws, a small team worked tirelessly from home, with near, non-existent hardware support.
CONSTRAINTS
Alpana Gambhir
Ashok Talwar
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
a. Plant comfort - Appropriate growing condition for plants, was foremost on our mind.
b. Size limitations - The system had to be small and compact for obvious reasons.
c. Mobility - The system had to be mobile so that it could be moved around, for sunlight, frost protection or just to make room for household activity.
d. Ease of operation - Anybody in the house from a child to grandparent should be able to operate it
e. Looks - It had to be aesthetically pleasing as the garden was no longer in your back yard but right in your living area.
ACHIEVEMENTS
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
The system of hydroponics that we opted for is a hybrid between Deep Water Culture ( DWC ) and Nutrient film technique
( NFT ). DWC will keep the plants safe even if they remain unattended for a few days while as in normal times the flow of water will distribute nutrients and oxygenate the plant.
The team developed two models to suit different needs.
GREENDOTS
MOVING GARDEN - ZEEONE
Hydroponic garden on wheels. Fits comfortably in a small balcony or a veranda - can be wheeled indoors when required.
A double decker system built with 4 inch PVC pipe and accessories of the highest quality. With capacity to grow 38 vegetable/flower plants. It has a water tank and a submersible pump. This versatile workhorse is mounted on a sturdy UPVC trolley.
Outer dimensions : L 35" W27" H 34
Complete with 38, 2" netpots, growing pebbles, PH paper and one month requirement of liquid nutritions
HANGING GARDEN -ZEETHREE
Hanging Hydroponic Garden
If you have a place to hang a painting, you have a place to hang a garden.
Built specially for flats in high-rise complexes. This compact versatile system can be hung on a balcony railing or a wall. It has a capacity to grow 20 vegetable/flower plants - comes with a concealed air pump,the box also contains : 2 sturdy hooks, 20, 2" netpots, growing pebbles, PH paper and one month requirement of liquid nutritions - our own ZEEMIX
Outer dimensions : L 55" W17"
Thickness 5"
Hydroponic system for homes is not a free size vest, it is more like a well-tailored suit - it has to fit into your environment. We at GREENDOT will be happy to tweak our systems to suit your needs. Ask for additional information and price.
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