How Does Vertical Farm Works. Step By Step.

Vertical farming is a cutting-edge agricultural technique that grows crops in vertically stacked layers or inclined surfaces within controlled indoor environments. By leveraging technologies like LED lighting, hydroponics (soil-free growth systems), and automated climate controls, it enables year-round cultivation of healthy crops, even in extreme winter conditions or densely populated urban areas.

Increasing Popularity of Vertical Farming Vertical farming, popularized in the early 21st century, addresses urbanization, climate change, and sustainable food production challenges. It involves growing crops in vertically stacked layers within structures like skyscrapers, warehouses, or shipping containers, maximizing land use and reducing water and space needs. As urban populations grow, the demand for local, sustainable produce rises, increasing interest in vertical farming. This method uses technologies like hydroponics and aeroponics for year-round cultivation, minimizing pesticide use and carbon footprints from food transport. Vertical farming enhances food security in densely populated areas with scarce arable land, alleviates food deserts, and promotes sustainable practices. Ongoing research suggests vertical farming could significantly transform agriculture, supporting a resilient and sustainable food future. What is vertical farming?

Modern vertical farming differs significantly from its original concept. The industry now commonly employs LED lighting and advanced automation to manage environmental systems. With this technology, vertical farms can consistently produce high yields throughout the year by providing optimal conditions for plant species, independent of climate and weather.

Global population growth

According to the United Nations estimates, there are currently approximately 8 billion people living in the world. By 2050, the population is projected to increase to 9.7 billion. Vertical farms are environmentally friendly and are expected to provide food for a larger population in the future.

How Does Vertical Farming Work?

Vertical farming involves arranging plants in a vertical layout instead of a horizontal one. This method conserves a significant amount of space without compromising productivity. Consequently, vertical farming addresses the issue of diminishing land available for crop cultivation. Most vertical farming takes place indoors, where controlled environments create optimal conditions for plant growth.

Vertical farming eliminates the need for soil. Depending on the technique used, water is delivered directly to the roots, significantly conserving water. Substrates like expanded clay, coconut fibers, hemp fibers, or rock wool replace soil. Special hygienic barriers isolate the cultivation area from external conditions, providing additional protection against potential threats. 

Many vertical farming systems are compatible with renewable energy sources (RES). This compatibility enhances the energy efficiency of these systems, leading to quicker returns on investment and a reduced carbon footprint. Minimizing environmental impact is another key benefit of vertical farming. How much does it cost to start a vertical farm?

The cost of initiating vertical farming using a hydroponic system varies based on several factors. Let's delve into some of them!

1. Building Area: Vertical farms using hydroponic systems can be established in warehouses or other urban spaces. They can also be set up inside shipping containers, which can be placed almost anywhere due to their compact size.

2. Plant Species: Each plant has specific growth requirements. At Agricor , we have developed crop recipes that ensure a predictable production process.

3. Energy Costs: Agricor farms are designed to reduce energy consumption. LED lights are among the most energy-efficient options for vertical farming. Utilizing renewable energy sources, such as heat pumps and photovoltaic panels, can lead to further savings.

4. Chosen Technology: Agricor offers turnkey solutions for vertical farms in a hydroponic system, including all necessary equipment, software, and expertise to start your farm. The technology cost is calculated individually, depending on factors like farm size and building requirements.

How Vertical Farm Work

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Key Components in Vertical Farming

Vertical farming systems, whether housed in repurposed shipping containers or custom indoor facilities, rely on shared foundational elements to optimize crop cultivation. Below are two critical components:

1. Multi-Tiered Growing Systems : Plants are cultivated in vertically arranged layers using specialized structures such as stacked racks, mobile carts, or nutrient film technique (NFT) channels. The design of these systems is tailored to the spatial constraints of the facility and the specific requirements of the crops. For instance, Hydropolis technology employs multi-level shelving or vertical towers to maximize space efficiency while accommodating different plant species.

2. Precision Lighting Systems : Artificial lighting is engineered to regulate plant growth cycles, flowering, and yield. Unlike standard household lighting, these systems use advanced LED technology with customizable spectra, intensity, and photoperiods calibrated to the needs of each plant. By adjusting wavelengths (e.g., red for flowering, blue for vegetative growth) and light exposure times, growers can enhance photosynthesis, accelerate maturation, and improve crop quality. This targeted approach ensures plants receive optimal light conditions throughout their lifecycle.

These components work synergistically to create controlled environments that boost productivity while minimizing resource use—a hallmark of modern vertical farming.

Controlled Environment

A defining feature of vertical farming is its ability to meticulously regulate environmental conditions to create ideal growing parameters for plants. Key factors such as temperature, humidity, CO₂ levels, nutrient delivery, water supply, and light intensity are monitored and adjusted in real time to ensure uniformity across all cultivation zones. This precision eliminates variability caused by external weather or seasons, fostering a stable and predictable ecosystem for crops.

Central to this system is the concept of standardized cultivation protocols . Each plant species follows a tailored "growth recipe"—a predefined set of environmental settings and timelines optimized for its developmental needs. These recipes ensure repeatability, enabling growers to consistently achieve desired outcomes in terms of harvest timing, yield volume, and produce quality. By automating and replicating these conditions, vertical farms guarantee that every plant receives the exact inputs required for rapid, healthy growth, resulting in reliable production cycles and high-quality output.

This approach not only maximizes efficiency but also minimizes resource waste, underscoring vertical farming’s potential for sustainable food production. Nursery stations

is is where young seedlings are incubated and matured. They are then moved to vertically inclined surfaces. This stage of production occurs in two ways: either in cultivation cabinets or in specially designated rooms for larger crops. The plants remain there for several days or weeks until they achieve the necessary weight and height to be transferred to the main system.

Irrigation systems

Vertical farms utilize soilless irrigation systems for plants throughout their growth cycle, delivering nutrient-rich water directly to the plant's roots. These systems operate in a closed circuit, minimizing water waste.

In our vertical farming systems, the irrigation process is fully automated. This automation ensures that each plant receives the correct irrigation, nutrient levels, oxygenation, temperature, pH, and EC. The water level is consistently maintained within a closed-loop system, although the water composition varies according to the plant's growth stage, with different amounts of micro and macro elements.

Automated Vertical Farm by AGRICOR

In AGRICOR vertical farming, automated cultivation ensures that all parameters are optimally set, providing ideal conditions for plant growth.

The automation in cultivation is linked to software for remote farm management. The Grow Wizard program enables:

• Continuous monitoring of growth conditions. • Management of successive production stages. • Planning for future cultivations.

Controlled agriculture blends sustainable resource use with maximum production. It reduces human intervention to a minimum. With modern solutions, it allows for the faster delivery of healthy food. Vertical farms can thus contribute to building a sustainable food production system.

How Light Help to Grow Plants

Farming in a Controlled Environment

Controlled Environment Agriculture is a crucial aspect of vertical farming, integrating various technologies to create optimal plant growth conditions.  

Temperature and Airflow :

The temperature is automatically adjusted based on the plant species, facilitating favorable growth conditions. In vertical systems, airflow directs air through filtration systems, reduces humidity, removes heat, and circulates CO2. 

CO2 Concentration :

CO2 concentration is a vital component of controlled cultivation, as it is essential for plant photosynthesis. Any minor disruption in the supply of this element can negatively impact the entire plant development cycle. 

Lighting :

In vertical farming, natural light is replaced by artificial lighting, serving as the sole illumination source for the plants. The color, intensity, and duration of light influence plant growth and yield. Selecting the appropriate light source is crucial, as each stage of plant development requires different lighting conditions. 

Humidity :

For most plants, humidity should be maintained between 40 and 50%. Controlled cultivation technologies enable the achievement of ideal parameters for the cultivated species. When levels fluctuate, the system automatically adjusts them back to the target range. 

Nutrient Solution Dosing :

Proper nutrition is essential for plant development. An automated nutrient solution dosing system monitors nutrient concentration levels in the tank, including pH level, EC, and water temperature. Typically, the dosing system is connected to the nutrient source via peristaltic pumps, which deliver the required nutrient dose to the tank. 

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Plant Selection

Vertical farmers effectively cultivate lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, strawberries, flowers, mushrooms, and even algae. Some key industry players are exploring the potential for growing grains, rice, and animal feed. When evaluating crop options, it's important to consider the market potential. Look into which products are in high demand, their pricing, year-round availability, and more.   

Hydroponics Plants to Grow

AGRICOR current solutions support the growth of low-growing leafy plants, including:

• Lettuce: butterhead, romaine, batavia, curly, arugula • Herbs: basil, mint, thyme • Microgreens

At AGRICOR, efforts are ongoing to create cultivation algorithms for fruiting plants like strawberries.

In what ways does vertical farming benefit the environment?

• It promotes sustainable development by optimizing food production while reducing the use of natural resources.

• No seasonality – due to controlled environments, crops like lettuce can be grown year-round. The farm operates independently from external weather conditions.

• Reduction of the water footprint – agriculture accounts for up to 70% of water resource usage. Vertical farming, using Hydropolis solutions, consumes up to 95% less water compared to traditional farming methods.

• Minimization of air pollution – the agricultural sector contributes 23% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.

How can you invest in vertical farming?

There are numerous reasons to support vertical farming. Contact us if you are interested in exploring how it can enhance your business. Our experts will guide you in choosing the right solution and technology!