Wk 7: Closed-Loop Grow cabinet

In some of my previous blog posts I’ve mentioned an interest in Ikea Greenhouse cabinets and designing one that is nearly self-supporting. I particularly want to create an herb cabinet. (I also kind of want to make a fermentation chamber, but I’ll start with one project at a time).

While I question whether hyper monitored indoor farming impacts the resilience of plants I am interested in developing an herb cabinet because the way herbs are consumed differently than fruits and vegetables. Often I’m grabbing a few sprigs or a cutting to add to a dish, to sprinkle over as garnish, not harvesting the full plant or gathering a bunch of fruit that would spoil otherwise. Therefore I think the idea of having a cabinet that serves the same role as a refrigerator or pantry, but for fresh, living herbs is something worth exploring.

The image above showcases the ideal cabinet option as well as the inputs and outputs I think would be needed in this project. Next steps, would involve figuring out what sensors are best designed for this kind of environment, which would involve some testing and research.

Note about light: I would like this cabinet to rely on as much natural light as possible. The light sensor and grow-light mechanism is included because natural light isn’t always accessible or reliable; the grow-lights supplement this resource when it is not available.

Not about power: Ideally I would also like this cabinet to be solar-powered. A solar panel placed outside but connected to the cabinet and a battery that could store more energy for days when the solar panel won’t be as efficient would be the ideal setup.