Now there is also a 3D NFT / 3D gutter system based on large cylinders

With more and more rack based vertical farms coming up aponix from Germany introduced a novel shape to grow more plants in small and medium sized urban farms. The idea was to be able to utilize available height flexibly, maximize 3D space utilization and use natural sunlight if available. The Vertical Barrel / 3D-NFT  from aponix is a versatile and modular platform to set up grow spaces using standard 2-inch netpots vertically drip irrigated. Setups can be from just one standalone unit or a larger chained and integrated setup draining to an external reservoir.

Aponix even added a new net pot replacement – the Plug-Pot – a reusable alternative to single-use-plastic netpots that provides an optional metal trellis insert to support also fruiting and small vining crops. In indoor farming where light is generated from electricity, we are mostly restricted to leafy greens, microgreens and baby leaf lettuce. With the Vertical Barrels users can utilize natural sunlight too and expand into fruiting crops. There are even specialized lighting solutions to add supplemental light to long rows of barrel units like the ones from SpectraGrow.