Verticle Growing

[Carey Ma]

I have noticed that a lot of you are wasting perfectly usable space. I am sorry that I don't have any pictures to show but when I was still in the States (Seattle), I built an experimental greenhouse that was only 8'x16' and produced ungodly amounts of food (quadruple out output).

 

The system I built was basically the same as "The Mad German's" is using except I made a T frame and added four more layers, (total 5 layers or grow out space).

 

Nutrient solution would first go to the bed system on the south side then flow back into the tank. Tank water would also be pumped to the top layer where I had  basins attached to the frame and used as my second main filter and grow beds for flat laying, sun loving, heavy feeders like squashes which also provided shade. On the second tier from the top I grew lettuce. I grew starter strawberries or other full sun to medium shade loving plants followed by a layer of basil and herbs on the next level with greens (lettuce) occupying the bottom level.The next step  of this cycle was to run it through a bucket to recharge the remainder nutrient solution with oxygen and pump it up to a hanging verticle   system like the zip system featured on this site. Finally, my " "waste water" went to growing sprouts before returning to the fish tank (500 gal). Later I added greenwalls of strawberries on the east and west side of the T frame and filling all the racks with herbs and greens. Talk about packing it in!

 

*Note: Do not run more than 30 ft(10 meter) of continuous flow without adding oxygen (air).

Do not attempt this unless your system is mature (fish load 50lbs) or it will not support all these plants.

[the mad german]

Nice design Cary,

If you used it for say leaflettuce where you could cut it regularly or small growth plants. I too would be concerned with the crowding, but indeed it would be a great application for a seed starting nursery

[Carey Ma]

Namaste Sahib,

Thank you for such an in depth article. Yes, I agree that spacing is very important. I know this diagram is a bit misleading and not drawn to scale but is only intended for fellow aquapons to understand my verbal description. I believe in square foot gardening and adhere to proper spacing, lighting and airflow.

This was an adaptation on an earlier experiment to produce fodder (sprout grass) using an immature AP system. I designed this system to grow cool season crops in summer and see how much I could grow in limited space packing on layer at a time until I ran into trouble. As it turns out, I was lucky and did not have any problems with mold or infections. What I did have a problem with was depleting the nutrients too quickly and had to do another experiment to subsidize natural nutes from fish with chemical salts without harming the fish, (this was in the early 90s before organic hydroponics).

As for steel vs wood…haha I could only wish I had the luxury of choice. My choices are crappy iron (not even steel), brick, plastic (non UV resistant) and cement and these I have to buy as valuable commodities. Decent wood is not an option. Everything here is recycled! On the small scale there is no waste! It’s the gov that blows wads in the name of keeping their GDP artificially high.

Yes Sahib this is a wonderful way for us to reconnect with nature and explore, to understand her intricacies and am so glad for these new brothers and sisters. I apologize if I lost or projected impatience with anyone here. I try, but I am or have become a troubled soul, living in this godless land. There are many wonderful places on this rock. Beijing, though it’s glamorous facade, is not. In fact quite depressing. But it is here, that I must try with all my might to change how we do things. This country is the pivot point. No excuses, I again apologies to anyone I offended.

Thank you for taking your time and patience with me; I’m just an old frustrated soul. Once upon a time I though I was enlightened. I also thought I was quite smart but the more one knows, the more we understand just how incomplete our way of thinking is.

Cheers to you my brother.

May your god guide and comfort you.

PS I’m not religious, I’m spiritual.

 

[Carey Ma]

Hi Mad,

I used this one to grow from start to harvest for over two years without much problems as a continual, expanding experiment. I used this unit's predecessor to grow sprouts or as you say seed starting nursery so you are correct. Leaf harvesting is one accentual way to cut down on crowding and allowing air and light passage.

[the mad german]

Be great for wheat grass also, kudos on the design.

I can't imagine living where you do or what you have to put up with to attain materials, if anything its probably why you are and have to be so resourceful. We are definately fortunate here in the US, like on 1 of your earlier comments, its just so sad that millions of acres for conventional farming are underutilized.

mad

Carey Ma said:

Hi Mad,

I used this one to grow from start to harvest for over two years without much problems as a continual, expanding experiment. I used this unit's predecessor to grow sprouts or as you say seed starting nursery so you are correct. Leaf harvesting is one accentual way to cut down on crowding and allowing air and light passage.

[David Waite]

Carey if you can believe it there are idiots in our gov and public schools that want to mimic the Chinese form of Socialistic communism. Maybe you should enlighten them hehe. Just curious what keeps you in China. Is it the kids or what?

[Carey Ma]

Well Dave, I was invited here to teach Sustainable Ag at the Uni here, but that lasted all of two weeks. Then I joined up with a German Landscape Architect to develop greenwalls. But what keeps me here is my self imposed mission. No no, nothing like James Bond, more like Jonah and the Whale, where fate and destiny conspired to spit me out in this god forsaken land, (to change these heathens of the wrong doing ~ so that they will stay in place and not spread out all over the world, esp. Africa which they already consider bought and paid for - though I don't think the natives would agree).

 

Also as I am single (married to my work), Beijing is THE largest collage campus in the world with over five hundred collages. Each with a new lineup of graduates every year! How on earth could I leave?

[the mad german]

Couldn't have said it any better.

the mad german

David Waite said:

Carey if you can believe it there are idiots in our gov and public schools that want to mimic the Chinese form of Socialistic communism. Maybe you should enlighten them hehe. Just curious what keeps you in China. Is it the kids or what?

[Carey Ma]

But of course they do. Every government want their cattle (oops citizens) to be docile and complacent with EKGs hovering just above zero.

[the mad german]

You know the old saying, control the food.....control the people....

Cary I just sent you a couple of pics of the moon, hopefully to pin up and hang on those haze covered nights in China....way to keep keeping your chin up.
Carey Ma said:

But of course they do. Every government want their cattle (oops citizens) to be docile and complacent with EKGs hovering just above zero.

[Carey Ma]

Thanks man. I'll print it up and hang it in my room in the city. I dont remember seeing stars there. Not so bad out at the farms. As long as the wind blows to the east we get to see blue sky , some stars and the moon and sun.

Cheers

[the mad german]

No problem, have a good evening.

the mad german