Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 7.17
Plant tower formed by stacking Styrofoam pots one on top of the
other by turning them 45 degrees to each other. Notches fit each pot in its exact
position. (Courtesy of CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa, Anguilla.)
times of what would be possible when growing them in normal horizontal
beds. Verti-Gro soon became aware that low-profile crops such as spinach,
herbs, and lettuce adapted readily to this system of growing.
The Styrofoam pots are stacked one above the other by rotating them
by 45 degrees so that the four corners of each pot are exposed, as shown
in Figure 7.17. The Styrofoam pots measure 9 × 9 × 8 inches with slightly
tapered sides. Their top lip is notched on each side to fit the bottom of the
adjoining pot (Figure 7.17). Here is how they are set up. A collection pan
sits on a drainpipe or supported at that level to collect the drain water and
return it to a solution reservoir. An indoor unit for your house would need
to be raised on a support frame to keep the drainpipe at an elevation above
the level of the nutrient reservoir. The drain pot or pan should connect to
the drainage return pipe by a flexible tube or hose line. A ¾-inch diameter
PVC tee can be placed at the bottom of the drain pot. A piece of galvanized
steel electrical conduit pipe is placed into the upper end of the tee. A ¾-inch
diameter PVC pipe slides over the conduit to act as a sleeve over which the
pots are threaded through a central hole in each pot (Figure 7.18). A swivel
