No soil, no weeds, just lush greens with these vertical farms

Imagine watching your leafy greens growing in front of your eyes in your basement, garage or any room in your home.

This is the world of modern, homegrown and super-fast vertical food production that could be an appealing alternative for people looking to avoid ever-rising costs at the supermarket.

Ilona Morrison has just opened Vertical Greens; what she calls Kelowna’s first aeroponic indoor vertical garden.

“What makes it special is we’re using just air and water and liquid nutrients,” Morrison told Kelowna10 while standing among six Tower Gardens at her showroom. Each one has a number of slots that hold the plants and lights that curl downwards tentacle-like from the top.

“There’s no soil, it grows three times faster, and there’s way less work,” she said.

Vertical gardens are by no means new and hydroponic set-ups are popular, but Morrison said the appeal of aeroponics is how little space and attention they need for all-year growth.

“Whether your young, elderly, or middle-aged like me, I want to have [the time] to have fun in the Okanagan but still enjoy amazing fresh produce without all the work,” she said.

“It’s really quite simple,” she explained, showing off the tower that features a reservoir at the bottom that pumps the water and nutrients up to the plants. They’re then showered [periodically] with the water mix recycled over and over.

“You pop the seeds into the rockwool cubes, you plug it in, the lights are on a timer to mimic the sun, and you watch it grow.”

She’s growing 20 mini romaine lettuces in the one model she’s showing off – they’re ready in four to five weeks. Then there’s an extension kit fitted near the top that takes 32 micro greens that can be ready to add to a favourite smoothie in just two weeks.

Baby greens are a recommended starting point for beginners from kale, arugula and mild mix, to wrinkled cress and stir fry mix. Cooking herbs are also popular.

Morrison said more and more people are looking to become part of a movement towards self-sufficiency.

“Especially with the food shortages we had [after the 2021 atmospheric river] and the prices hiking up. It’s time to grow our own food. With this system anyone can do it.”

Morrison sells two units; the most popular costs around $1,400 to be fully set up with all equipment and plants, and she has a second more portable option with wheels that goes for a bit more. It costs around six dollars a month to run the lights.

“We need to take control of our own food supply. In the winter we’re getting our food from across the country. Why not grow it here in Kelowna?” she said.