by Windowfarms
How to Participate in the Innovation Process
July 11, 2009 in Featured Post, Getting Started by Windowfarms
We can find our own solutions to our own environmental issues!
The whole point of the windowfarms project is to collaboratively research and develop innovations together that make windowfarms easier to install, more elegant, cheaper, more efficient and better looking.
There are as many ways to participate in the reserarch and development process. Some people prefer share their results after they follow an instruction set and design their own rootcover solution or decorate their windowfarm in a unique way. Other people like to test new ideas others propose but have only had the time to test in one dimension. Some people contribute by creating controlled experiments around a particular aspect of the system, such as how far away a CFL bulb should be from lettuce befre it grows stringy. Others want to take the system in a new direction or swap out components for something new they find. Still others prefer to comment on other people’s ideas from the standpoint of convenience (call it market research) or critique how-to text (marketing?).
Any way that you would like to participate is welcomed and is a valuable service for all of us!!
If you intend to innovate or swap out components suggested in the how-to’s, we have found that swapping out any parts of the liquid circuit (pumps and reservoirs) means taking on a bit more complexity than switching out other parts of the system (lights, suspension, bottles, tubing, net cups, hydroponic media, etc.).
I realy like your idea. I like that you use readily available material. I will be building one for myself once we get moved.
I believe I will use as a water source an aquarium. The fish will provide nutrients and it will help keep the tank clean.
I’ve been using 40 oz drink cups for starting plants & winter gardening. For more detail, check my comment in the “About Winter Farms” sub-site. Since they leave after a month or two, there is no problem with soil quality. Watering is done using rain water, every day or three depending on conditions.
I am so glad I’ve come across this project. I dabbled with a small deep water culture setup last year and am now moving on up, learning about new systems and methods, especially ways to go UP! Unfortunately, I’ve determined that I don’t have any windows which provide a useful amount of light, so to try out some of the ideas presented here I’ll have to wait until spring and set them up outside. I’m big on sustainability and recycling found objects, so this sparks my interest, for sure!
Being that I’m a geek who loves to tinker, I’ll certainly be on the look out for something to contribute back!