Urban Mist Farms
Aero-Farm it!
Early Patents
Aeroponics as a commercially viable venture began when B. Briggs, commercial aeroponic pioneer, succeeded in propagating hardwood cuttings by air-rooting. He transplanted air-rooted trees into soil without suffering from transplant shock unlike hydroponic transplants. By 1976, John Prewer, a British researcher, conducted aeroponic experiments grew lettuce from seed to maturity in only 22 days using polyethylene film tubes made rigid by pressurized air supplied by ventilating fans. Within six years, L. Nir patented a low pressure aeroponic apparatus which delivered a nutrient solution to plants suspended by styrofoam in a metal container. One year later, R. Stoner filed a patent for the first microprocessor interface to deliver tap water and nutrients into an enclosed plastic aeroponic chamber.
Commercial Viability
First Commercial Greenhouse
Stoner’s company, GTI, became the first company to manufacture large scale closed-loop aeroponic systems for commercial crop production. Later, Stoner continued to develop other innovative companies to improve and expand aeroponic technology hardware, interfaces, bio-controls, and components for commercial aeroponic crop production.
Other Companies
In the 1990s, General Hydroponics, another European company build the Aerogarden system and marketed it to hobby hydroponic enthusiasts. Some critics considered the Aerogarden system not to be authentic because it produced tiny droplets of solution rather than a fine mist of solution.
Nevertheless, many growers claimed to be growing their hydroponic produce aeroponically. Today, General Hydroponics still continues to manufacture and sell several aeroponic systems such as AeroFlow and RainForest along with plant nutrients and other hydroponic systems after 35 years in business.
By the end of the nineties, another British firm, Nutriculture, decided to explore a more genuine model of true aeroponic growing system. To achieve a true mist system, Nutriculture developed a special pump; but it presented scalability problems. Eventually, Nutriculture realized that a droplet aeroponic system was simply easier to manufacture and achieved the same results. They refocused and designed a unique droplet aeroponic growing system called the Amazon.
Currently, this British company manufactures and sells an aeroponics system called the Amazon. Another company, Future Growing® LLC, created a unique vertical aeroponic tower economically adaptable for commercial growers as well as home growers. It facilitates a wide variety of crops in a relatively small growing space. Their website features aeroponic technology designed for rooftop, urban, and commercial farming.
Expanding the Realm of Agriculture
As a nation with limited tillable land space, Vietnam intends to utilize aeroponic technology to augments their agricultural sector. Historically, this is the first time a nation as a whole to used aeroponics this way. Aeroponic technology, more than any other form of agricultural technology, will help Vietnam to stimulate farm economic goals, meet increased demands, improve food quality, and increase production. It decreases their cost of operation and increases disease-free and pesticide-free crop yields.
After originally launching this leading aeroponics program at the Institute of Biotechnology at Ha Noi University of Agriculture in 2006 under the direction of Prof. Thach, the program has achieved excellent results. Currently, the program has grown beyond applying aeroponics to potatoes. It has expanded to include many other varieties of plants such carnations, dahlias, herbs, and out-of-season vegetables.
In 2011, Chicago O’Hare plans built the first in-airport aeroponic vertical garden. It supplies international airport’s restaurants with swiss chard, red habanero peppers, and 42 other types of herbs and vegetables. HMS Host, the company that manages most of the airport's concessions funded the aeroponics garden in response to the growing demand from travelers for fresh local produce. The aeroponic vertical garden currently feeds 10,000 visitors a year to Chicago.
Although aeroponics is commonly employed in the agro-tourism industry, educational facilities, theme parks, and restaurants, it has demonstrated its commercial adaptability for a wider range of applications for local grocers, hospitals, and other organizations as well.