Knowra Vertical farming Vertical farming Vertical farming grows crops in vertically stacked layers, often indoors with controlled lighting, climate, and soilless cultivation. It uses space-efficient systems to manage growing conditions.
Hydroponics : A method of growing plants with nutrient-bearing water instead of soil. Hydroponics delivers nutrients to roots in many indoor vertical farms.
Leafy vegetables : Vegetables whose edible portions are primarily leaves, such as lettuce, spinach, and kale. Short growth cycles and compact forms make leafy crops common vertical-farm products.
Field agriculture : Crop production in open fields using natural sunlight and outdoor conditions. It is the main land-based alternative, with different costs, yields, and resource demands.
Energy intensity : The amount of energy required to produce a unit of output or provide a service. Lighting, cooling, and dehumidification can make indoor crop production electricity-intensive.
Aeroponics : A method of growing plants with roots suspended in air and periodically misted with nutrient solution. It can expose roots to oxygen while using little water in stacked systems.
Microgreens : Young edible seedlings harvested shortly after their first leaves develop. Their small size and fast harvest suit tightly controlled stacked production.
Greenhouse agriculture : Crop production in protected structures that admit sunlight and regulate growing conditions. It shares environmental control with vertical farming but often relies more on sunlight.
Photosynthetically active radiation : The range of light wavelengths plants use for photosynthesis, conventionally 400 to 700 nanometers. Efficiently supplying this light is central to crop growth and electricity use indoors.
Controlled-environment agriculture : Crop production in which factors such as temperature, humidity, light, and carbon dioxide are deliberately managed. Vertical farming is one form of this broader approach to managing crop conditions.
Urban agriculture : The cultivation, processing, and distribution of food within or around cities. Vertical farms can locate crop production near urban consumers and distribution networks.
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