It may or may not come as a surprise to you but most house plants are also able to thrive in the EcoGarden. Although we are a FoodTech startup initially focusing on herbs and leafy greens, it’s amazing to see a larger variety of plants that are not meant for consumption being a part of the sustainable growing system, aquaponics. We’ve recently collaborated with our local plant expert and shop owner from Plantasweden, you can browse their online store here and be mesmerized by all the unique plants they offer. Having your house plants in the EcoGarden provides similar benefits such as its stress reducing and therapeutic qualities as well as having more fresh and crisp air in your space.
Some of the benefits of keeping your plants in an aquaponic system compared to the usual pot of soil is firstly, the access to oxygen for the roots; since in an aquarium oxygen is also being circulated all throughout the system for the fish as well. When plants are in soil most of the time, especially for people that are new to plant keeping, it is extremely easy to overwater your plants and in turn, they end up not living a very long life. The reason for aquaponics being an effective method yet it is still possible to overwater plants is that when in the water, the roots absorb what they need when they need it – water and the available nutrients. When soil is also overwatered, it tends to put pressure on the plant which results to the suffocation of the roots and overall makes it soggy. When overwatering occurs it also makes it easier for mold to grow around the plant which may promote diseases in the long run. There has been an old saying that it’s better to underwater than overwater because then you are able to add more water but it is not possible to remove more water in that case, but with aquaponics on the EcoGarden it’s one less task for you to think about.
Plantasweden’s owner’s advice is that this makes a great environment for propagated plants or rooted cuttings. Since the EcoGarden is on the smaller side when it comes to the grow trays it may still be necessary to transfer your plants if ever they grow a little to big, beyond the provided adjustable grow lights since the said house plants will not be harvested just like herbs and vegetables. When you do transfer your plants, keep an eye out for them and make sure you don’t overwater!
To have your own little jungle on the EcoGarden there are 3 steps:
1. Purchase your EcoGarden on the shop of this website
2. Go to plantasweden.se and pick any plants that catch your eye
3. Once you have everything just clean the roots of the plants and set up your EcoGarden!
House plants in the ecogarden with Plantasweden
