Know how to garden without a garden
Growing a vegetable garden in an apartment? Yes, it's possible, even if you don't have a green thumb. But how can you find organic and local vegetables when you live in the city? A real problem for Nicolas Nardone. "The agricultural system is not adapted to the urban population", he laments.
After 10 years in the IT industry, the former Polytech student was keen to develop "a new agricultural model in which everyone can be a producer".. And so the Risebox was born. "Literally, it's the box that grows".a system that allows city dwellers to grow vegetables... in their own apartments.
Growing box
From a distance, it looks like a decorative wooden shelf with an integrated aquarium. Up close, it's a veritable ecosystem. "This indoor vertical vegetable garden is in fact an aquaponics system", explains its designer. The principle? The fish release ammonia-rich dejecta. These excrements are transformed by bacteria into nutrients which are in turn used by the plants. Finally, the plants filter the water, which is returned to the fish. A closed-circuit system that has nothing but advantages: "it consumes very little water, the vegetables grow three times faster with less space, and above all they are guaranteed organic".
Vegetable garden 2.0
Another advantage: even those without a green thumb can grow their own vegetables. "No need to water, weed, add fertilizer or turn over the soil," explains Nicolas Nardonne. In fact, there's no need to worry about much at all, as the computer scientist and his partner have packed the Risebox with sensors to make it completely autonomous. "The system automatically controls parameters such as light or pH. It can even switch to ʺautopilotʺ mode to feed the fish and monitor the vegetables in your absence." A smart vegetable garden that comes with a mobile app that lets you buy seeds and fish food directly, or share your experience with other urban gardeners.
Garnished basket
How many vegetables can the Risebox produce? "It's the equivalent of a 6m2 vegetable garden producing all year round, just like in midsummer, which means you can cover a significant proportion of your vegetable needs," answers Nicolas Nardonne.