Folks looking to harvest a steady supply of fresh greens from their kitchen may have limited success with pots at the window. SproutHub automates growing on the countertop, with the promise of an easy weekly harvest.
The idea of being able to just snip whatever greens you need, exactly when you need them, rather than pop down to the local store is a compelling one. You don't have to worry about freshness, because your crop goes straight from the indoor veggie patch to food prep. And such systems are designed to automate much of the process, so even growing novices should be able to enjoy a healthy harvest.
The SproutHub works in a similar fashion to other indoor gardens like the Tiiun from LG or crowdfunded projects like the Click&Grow and OGarden, but unlike the recent Plantone 2.0, countertop farmers will need to buy into a regular supply of nutrient-packed sponge pods – though users can plant their own seeds.
Example plants include herbs like dill and basil, greens such as kale and lettuce, and other edibles like strawberries, peppers and tomatoes. The device can accommodate between six and 11 pods at the same time, and each pod is estimated to cost around a dollar, maybe a little more. The SproutHub will ship with 54 plants to get growers started.
The mini indoor farm features a height-adjustable LED growing light with three brightness levels, adjustable spectrum and an auto timer. The system will alert the user when the onboard sensor detects that the water is running low, with the creators reckoning that the system will use around 1.3 gal (5 L) of water per week. There's a simple control panel out front to power on and enter settings, plus monitoring and tweaking via a companion mobile app.
The SproutHub indoor garden is raising production funds on Indiegogo, where perks start at £62 (about US$75). The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if everything goes to plan, worldwide shipping is estimated to start from October. The video blow has more.
Source: Bird Leaf LLC
