Vertical Growing Hydroponic System
Vertikale Hidroponiese Groei Stelsel
Die PlantPod® is ŉ kompakte, estetiese aangename, lae energie verbruikende hidroponiese stelsel wat vir die huismark, asook vir kommersiële gebruik ontwikkel is.
Die PlantPod® is ideaal vir die groei van groente en kruie en gewasse met ‘n fyn wortelstelsel soos bv. lusern en ‘n groot verskeidenheid kruie en slaaie. Waterverbruik word beperk tot die behoefte van die plant wat tot gevolg het dat die minimum water vermors of verlore gaan.
Die PlantPod® is ‘n kompakte vertikalestelsel wat met die huidige konfigurasie, 28 plante kan huisves in ŉ 2m kophoogte pypstelsel.
Die PlantPod® is kompak, en benodig ‘n klein vloeroppervlak van slegs ongeveer 0.5m2.
Die ontwerp van die PlantPod® is dekoratief aantreklik, en die reservoir kan geverf word om by enige omgewing of dekor te pas.
Die unieke podstelsel verhoed dat die plante se wortels uitdroog indien die krag van tyd tot tyd afgaan en dit is beter vir die plant se wortels om nou en dan lug te kry.
Die reservoir / basis is van versterkte sement vervaardig om gewig en stabiliteit aan die stelsel te gee. Die gewig verhoed dat die stelsel nie maklik sal laat kantel nie, en verseker ook dat kinders dit nie kan omtrek nie.
Die reservoir se kapasiteit is ongeveer 35l water wat verder bydra tot die stabiliteit van die stelsel[A1] .
Die stelsel is ontwikkel vir geringe onderhoud en dit is net nodig om die watervlak, PH, en voeding een of twee keer ‘n week na te sien.
Die PlantPod® gebruik min krag aangesien dat die pomp op ‘n tydstelsel werk en kan die pomp opsioneel aan ‘n sonpaneel gekoppel word.
The PlantPod® is a compact, aesthetically pleasing, low energy consumption hydroponic system developed for both household and commercial use.
The PlantPod® is ideal for growing herbs and vegetables with a fibrous root system eg lucerne and a large variety of herbs and lettuce. Water consumption is limited to what the plant needs, resulting in minimal water wastage or loss.
PlantPod® is a compact vertical system which can accomodate 28 plants in its current configuration, with a pipe height of 2m.
PlantPod® is compact, requiring a floor area of about 0.5m2.
The design of the PlantPod® is aesthetically pleasing, and the reservoir can be painted to suit the surrounding decor.
The unique design of the PlantPod® prevents the plant roots from drying out in the event of a power failure, in fact it is beneficial for the roots to get some air from time to time.
The reservoir/base is made of reinforced concrete, which adds weight and stability to the system. The weight lowers the centre of gravity of the system, preventing toppling, and ensures that children are unable to pull the system over.
The reservoir capacity of approximately 35L of water also adds to the stability of the system.
The system is designed to be low maintenance, it is only necessary to check the water level, PH, and feed levels once or twice per week.
Because the PlantPod® pump works on a timer system, energy consumption is low. The pump can also be connected to a solar panel as an alternative power source.
Die stelsel bestaan uit die volgende komponente:
2m pyp met 28 geïntegreerde PlantPod® bakke
28 net potte
32 “coir” houers
The PlantPod® System
2m pipe with 28 integrated Plantpod containers
28 net pots
32 “coir” pellets
Die ontwerpers van PlantPod® het menige jare se ontwerpers ondervinding. Die konsep ontwerp het bykans twee jaar gelede begin. Die teorie van stelsel ingenieurswese was van die begin af toegepas, en is PlantPod® tot ‘n beproefde produk ontwikkel.
Verskeie konsepte is bestudeer tot opsigte van area benutting, waterverbruik, kragverbruik en effektiwiteit tydens kragonderbrekings. Die maklike integrasie van die stelsel, lae onderhoudkoste en effektiwiteit in terme van produksie van die plante wat gekweek word.
Die PlantPod® is ‘n geïntegreerde outonome stelsel wat aan al die bogenoemde vereistes voldoen.
Tydens die ontwikkeling van die PlantPod® is die volgende aspekte in gedagte gehou:
fokus op massaproduksie,
eenvoud van die komponente
“Van-die-rak-af” komponente gebruik gemaak om die stelsel eenvoudig en versienbaar te maak.
Standaard 110mm PVC pype is vir die regop struktuur gekies vir hulle rigiditeit en ultraviolet bestandheid. Industrialisasie van die stelsel was voortdurend in ag geneem om ontwikkelingstyd tot die minimum te beperk. Die reservoir, wat as die basis van die stelsel dien, maak die PlantPod® uiters kompak.
Die PlantPod® is ontwikkel met die kweker van slaai en kruie as die hoofmark. PlantPod® is uiters geskik om op klein of beperkte spasies opgerig te word om die kweker in staat te stel om op ‘n konstante basis vars groete en kruie tot sy beskikking te hê.
PlantPod® is in verskillende groottes beskikbaar wat by produksiebehoefte, van die privaat tot kweker tot kommersiële boere, aangepas kan word. Enkelpyp, dubbelpyp en trippelpyp stelsel sowel as 6m lengte pype kan met die PlantPod® geïntegreer word.
The designers of Plantpod® have many years of design experience between them. The conceptual design began about 2 years ago. The theory of system engineering was applied right from the beginning, resulting in the development of a proven and tested plantpod product.
Many design attributes were considered including space, water usage, power consumption, and survivability during power failures. The easy assembly of the system, low maintenance costs, and effectivity in terms of plant growth were crucial.
During development of the Plantpod system, the following aspects were considered:
Focus on mass production
Off-the-shelf component use to make the system uncomplicated and easy to maintain.
Standard 110mm PVC pipe was used for the vertical components, due to its rigidity and UV stability. The system was continually industrialised to keep development time to a minimum. The water reservoir also serves as the base of the system, making the Plantpod ultra compact.
The Plantpod was developed to serve mainly the growers of herbs and vegetables. The Plantpod is ideal for use in small areae, and allows the user to have a constant supply of fresh vegetables available.
Plantpod is available in various configurations, which can fulfill the various applications and needs of private consumers to commercial farmers. The plantpod can be integrated in a single, double or triple pipe configuration. It can also be configured in 6m pipe lengths for commercial use.
Plante, Voeding en Versorging
Alle plante met fyn wortelstelsels kan in die PlantPod® verbou word. Blaarslaai en spinasie groei veral vinnig en is beskerm van honger slakke.
Daar is twee metodes wat tans gebruik om die plante te groei nl. die saad in ŉ “coir” houer te plant of om klein saailinge direk in die “netpot”, wat deel vorm van die PlantPod® , te plant. Beide metodes is getoets en was suksesvol bewys.
Die plantvoeding word direk in die water opgelos en word deur die stelsel na elke planthouer gevoer. Die hoeveelheid voeding wat toegedien moet word verskil van plant tot plant en die konsentraat van die voeding word bepaal deur die elektriese konduktiwiteit van die water te meet nadat die voeding in die water gevoeg is.
Die Ph van die water is net so belangrik en moet op ‘n gereelde basis gemeet word. Indien die Ph nie die regte waarde het nie, sal die plante nie die voeding optimaal opneem nie. Die plante moet ook gereeld vir enige soort peste en siekte ondersoek word.
Plants, feeding and care
All plants with a fibrous root system can be grown in the Plantpod®. Plants such as spinach and lettuce grow particularly well in the system, and are well protected from hungry snails!
There are two recommended ways to start growing plants in the system. The first is to place seeds in the coir pellet directly in the system, or to transplant seedlings into the net pot. Both methods have been testet and have proven successful.
The plant food is dissolved in the water reservoir, and is carried to the plants whenever the pump operates. The amount of food needed differs from plant to plant, and the food concentration is determined using an EC (eletroconductivity) meter after adding food to the water.
The PH of the water is also important, and should be measured regularly. If the PH is not at the correct value, the plants will struggle to absorb the necessary nutrients, and may suffer from root burn. The plants should be regularly inspected for any disease or pests.