There’s also the issue of water running through the bottom of the pot and, quite frequently, overflowing the saucer meant to contain it. That’s why I like the idea of sub-irrigated planters (SIPs), which are essentially plastic bottles with a reservoir of water in the bottom and a plant at the top. The bottle is cut in half, and the neck is lined with fabric that wicks moisture up into the soil from the water at the bottom, giving the plant the amount of water and oxygen it needs.
The idea came to the fiilo team after they found that typical plastic bottle sub-irrigated planters tended to have sharp edges after being cut in half. GrowGrow is their 3D printed, smooth-edged alternative: a hydroponic capsule that screws into any standard-size plastic bottle with no need for slicing. The capsule, which is printed with a cool geometric design redolent of fiilo’s other products, contains a grow medium in which to plant seeds. Fill a bottle with water, pop the capsule into the top of it, then sit back and wait for your plants to grow.
The system is ideal for growing herbs inside the home, according to fiilo. The capsule may be small, but the nature of the system allows plants to grow with less space than they would need in a conventional planter. The fiilo team is still trying to come up with an ideal growing medium; right now they’re working with coconut coir, the fibrous byproduct of harvested coconut husks.
All rewards should be shipped by the end of November, for pre-Christmas delivery. In keeping with fiilo’s mission of environmental sustainability, everything will be shipped in recycled packaging materials. Take a look at the Kickstarter video below, and discuss further in the 3D Printed Grow Grow forum over at 3DPB.com.
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