All You Need To Know About Vertical Farming: A Detailed Guide

Did you enjoy stacking those colorful donut rings in your childhood? Wasn’t it fun? But the most interesting part was to watch how all the donut rings fit the pole perfectly!

Well, if you think that you are a grown-up now & can’t enjoy stacking things anymore, then you might be wrong.

But, first, tell me are you a “green” lover? If yes, I have the perfect solution for you. With this, you can grow your favorite plants indoors, and that too, in a limited space. That’s where lies the importance of vertical farming or stacking. You grow as many plants as you want & stack them one above the other. 

Sounds interesting, isn’t it?

Now, did you know that the last 40 years’ damaging farming practices have destroyed around 30% of the earth’s cultivable lands?  Not just that! Around 70% of the US’s agricultural products contain harmful pesticides. 

But, is there any sustainable alternative to these harmful farming practices?

Well, this farming process consumes less space while reducing water usage by 13 times compared to traditional farming. 

Scientists assume that by the year 2050, around 10 billion people will feed on agricultural products. That is why, researchers are continuously trying to make it a highly sustainable farming technique. Not only it will result in the effective usage of non-renewable resources but also increase the production rate & reduce waste. 

Wondering what it is all about & how it works? Stick to this guide till the end & find out some mind-blowing facts & benefits of this farming technique.

What Is Vertical Farming? 

First, let me tell you, that in 2022, the market worth of a vertical farm was around $6.88 billion! And, you can expect it to be around 436.04 billion by the year 2031. 

Well, it just shows the future potential of this farming technique. Precisely, it is the practice of growing crops above one another. This is different from other traditional forms of harvesting because vertically farmed plants do not grow horizontally & require less space. 

These are perfect for indoor plantations as you can control the environmental conditions. The 330,000 square feet Bustanica farm developed by the Emirates Crop One is the world’s largest vertical farm. 

However, Nordic Harvest in Denmark is Europe’s biggest vertical farm measuring 75000 square feet with 14 stacked layers. To your surprise, it produces 1000 tonnes of food each year with 250 times less water supply. So far, the USA has seen a huge growth in its profitability. Apart from this, Singapore & Saudi Arabia are also popular for practicing this farming technique.

How Does Vertical Farming Work: The Basic Requirements

Hydroponics, aeroponics, & aquaponics are some of the best examples of this farming method. All these farming techniques require a closed environment, strategic water usage,  & recycled farming resources.

To successfully practice this farming technique farmers plant crops on a tower-like structure. The best part is they cultivate the crops with limited resources. However, artificial lighting is a key factor for crop growth apart from natural lighting. Also, the producers use rotating beds for optimum light distribution. I usually prefer LED lights for my indoor vertical plants as they are enough powerful. 

Since it is a soilless farming procedure, you can use coconut husks or other easily available growing mediums. But, let me tell you, I like using peat moss as a growing medium & my plants have grown to be quite healthy. Just make sure you use something widely available. 

Sounds highly sustainable, right? Let me give you some good news!

You need almost zero agrochemicals for harvesting your indoor vertical plants. Trust me, the zero investment for fertilizers or pesticides has saved me thousands of bucks. Also, this harvesting technique will consume 95% less water compared to other farming types with recycled water.  

Now I am sure you must be thinking of who invented such a sustainable farming technique. So, let’s focus on its history.

The History of Vertical Farming

The first example of a vertical farm that history records is the Babylonian hanging gardens. They existed on earth around 2500 years ago. They effectively maximized the growing space by growing plants upward. 

Apart from this, we can find the Mesoamerican Aztec people growing plants without soil. Also, people from the Aztec civilization cultivated plants on marshy “rafts,” usually suspended rivers & lakes. Remnants of small rectangular farmland areas resembling these rafts are still visible in Mexico City & these are called chinampas. 

Precisely, the increased demand for agricultural food products & limited farmlands gave rise to this farming technique. So, now modern farmers grow plants & crops in stacked layers instead of single horizontal surfaces. Usually, they grow several types of herbs, leafy green vegetables, chives, legumes, lettuce, strawberries, etc. 

4 Popular Types of Vertical Farming

Buildings/ Abandoned Mine Shafts

Abandoned buildings, underground tunnels, & mine shafts are ideal for deep farming. First, farmers can easily access groundwater as a consistent source of water supply in this system. Also, they can make use of underground temperatures & humidity effectively & easily transport farmed crops to the market at low cost. 

However, the most interesting fact is that this farming system produces 7 to 9 times more agricultural food products. 

Shipping Container

This is my favorite farming type because containers are easily available. The only thing you need to do is to equip a container with LED lights. Now, prepare your containers, plant the seedlings, & start stacking them. You can also install monitoring sensors for better climate control. 

That’s how easy it is! 

Now, enjoy your own garden in your own room. 

Mixed-use skyscrapers

Ken Yeang first discovered this personal or community-use-based farming technique & emphasized the importance of growing plants in skyscrapers. 

Despommier’s skyscrapers

Dickson Despommier pointed out how we can grow plants within skyscrapers with less energy use & pollution. However, he opposed farming in natural landscapes due to the excessive presence of toxic components & parasitic risks.

So, now you know how & where you can start this farming process. But do not forget to let me know, which type of farming you will prefer.

5 Steps Of A Successful Vertical Farming Process

If you have just spotted the perfect indoor corner for your own vertical farm, learn about the steps.

Seed Selection

Start by selecting the crops you want to grow. After that, collect high-quality seeds to ensure better yield. I usually grow beans, tomatoes, peas, carrots, etc. due to their disease resistance, quick growth, & high market values.

Germination

Now comes the most crucial part! 

Create a controlled environment ideal for sprouting. I rely on optimal light supply for temperature control apart from the right amount of water & nutrient supply. 

That’s it! Plants do not need more than that.

Transplanting

You know what, this is the toughest part of vertical farming for me!

Once you find the seeds successfully sprouted, transplant them into a vertical growing structure. You can place them one above another on the racks. But, decide on a suitable place beforehand because you need to leave the germinated sprouts there only until they mature. 

The toughest part is to transplant those fragile sprouts in vertically designed stacked layers. Also, providing them with proper space to grow is highly crucial. 

Monitoring Growth

Let me know how it feels when you watch your baby plants grow gradually! Isn’t it satisfying?

Well, do not forget to track their growth rate & adjust the temperature, lighting, or nutrient supply depending on it. This way, you can spot diseases in advance & take proper precautions for healthy plant growth. 

Harvesting

If you have been waiting for ages to harvest your favorite crop or vegetables, congrats!

The time has finally come.

Carefully harvest the vegetables or crops manually or by using the latest automated technologies intended for vertical farming. 

You can consume them or if you plan to market them, make sure you process them well before market distribution. 

3 Steps of Storage & Marketing 

Before marketing, make sure your farmed crops are market-ready. 

But, how?

Only a few steps more can earn you a high-profit margin from vertical farming. However, these steps are mostly necessary for large-scale or commercial production. 

Cooling

Large-scale producers instantly cool down the vertically farmed crops to reduce field heat, preserve nutrients & flavor, & prevent quick ripening. As a result, the shelf life & crop quality increase with almost zero post-farming losses. 

Packaging

Now comes the vital part of proper storing.

The producers take special care in packaging crops the right way to avoid decaying during transportation. But if you want to store & transport your crops, use moisture-resistant & breathable packing material to avoid spoilage. 

Also, I like to label my packages with proper product information along with handling instructions for easy supply chain handling.  

Distribution

I usually sell my farm products to the local market. However, you can contact the local retailers & restaurant owners for better market reach. 

Also, if you live near urban marketing centers, you can save a few extra bucks while transporting the crops. You will not only favor the environment due to less carbon emission but also, you will reach your destination faster.

3 Benefits of Vertical Farming

Efficient Resource Usage

This farming technique requires less space, water supply, human labor & agrochemical usage.

Year-Round Production

With this technique, you can produce crops & vegetables throughout the year.

Not Susceptible to Weather Changes

You can expect consistent farming output because vertically farmed crops are less prone to weather changes & parasite attacks. 

2 Drawbacks of Vertical Farming

High Energy Requirement

The growth of these types of crops demands a high supply of energy resources in the form of lighting. Specifically, they consume around 60% to 80% of vertically reflected sun rays on the stacked surfaces.

Huge Capital Investment

You need to invest pretty large amounts initially to purchase lands closer to urban markets. Also, the regular maintenance, transport, & marketing need some extra funds.

The Growth of Controlled Environment Agriculture & Modern Vertical Farming 

Modern vertical agricultural practices rely on CEA or the Controlled Environment Agriculture system. With this, you can control & adjust various environmental aspects such as temperature, humidity, etc. 

For example, you can use commercial LEDs to control the right temperature & they are 28% energy efficient. Also, smart thermostats can do the job for you! 

Apart from these, you can make use of automated irrigation systems for effective water management. Additionally, the GSP & AI-integrated automation technologies, spectrum control, farming software, cloud computing systems, & IoT devices can help you. 

With all these, you can effectively track and monitor the plant growth, and soil nutrient levels, & adjust the environmental factors. So, make sure you get the most out of these modern technical systems for large-scale production & higher market values.

What Does The Future Hold For Vertical Farming?

Do you think this farming technique alone can feed the ever-increasing global population?

Well, researchers don’t think so.

Vertical farming is a great way to produce large amounts of food crops. However, farmers can not rely on one type of farming practice. So, researchers suggest both traditional & vertical crop producers should work hand in hand for better crop yield & well-maintained biodiversity.

However, indoor farming is an energy-intensive process & the electricity prices are spiking each day. So, agricultural producers are still looking for sustainable alternative farming procedures.  Precisely, they should consume fewer non-renewable farming inputs while having zero negative climatic impact. 

Now, you know almost everything about vertical farming! 

So, let me know which part of this farming method sounds most interesting to you. 

Are you planning to create your own vertical farm inside your room? If yes, comment down below & mention the names of the crops you have planted.

Frequently Asked Questions