the growus initiative

Why grow vertically?

Science is showing that the agricultural industries are using too much water, and are using unnecessary pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals to treat vegetables and produce being grown today.

With the vertical system, innovators are proving that we can grow more produce in a smaller space, with no soil, using less water, and no pesticides in a controlled environment. This is the future of agriculture and the future of food consumption.

More and more humans are being born and less and less land is available. We are depleting the earth of its natural resources, which has forced us to look to other ways to solve this world issue.

Time to "grow"

The "GrowUS" Initiative was created to plan, design, and execute a way to introduce the future of agricultural studies and technology to high school students in a public school setting.

Utilizing a team of teachers and designated students GrowUS is planning to develop vertical gardens in a controlled aeroponic-style growing environment. Many companies today are spearheading the technology to allow for such a system to grow fresh produce, healthier and faster for human consumption.

GrowUS believes that by developing a system on a school campus, students will become more invested in their own futures, the future of agriculture, and the future of agricultural education.

By eliminating soil, the roots of the plants are able to absorb more oxygen, and in turn the plants can grow at a faster rate.

True Garden is a vertical farm tech leader and innovative company in the future of agriculture. Featured is their indoor and outdoor vertical tower systems.

Vertical towers

Besides growing vegetables inside a controlled "container" GrowUS is looking into Vertical Tower Farms (VTF) as a way to grow vegetables, leafy greens, and other produce in a small space while staying water conscientious .

Just one tower uses only 20 gallons of water in a cycled pump system. This is just a fraction of how much water is being consumed by the agricultural industry today.

Towers can be used indoors as well as in structures like greenhouses outdoors.

the bigger picture

On a much wider perspective, GrowUS is looking to the future of food consumption in a public school environment. Studies have showed that when students learn about planting and growing their own produce at school, they will be more likely to make better food choices.

When students have access to fresher ingredients, they flourish and grow. It is the mission of the GrowUS Initiative to help provide healthier school lunches to students, as well as providing healthy and nutritious produce to the community at large. GrowUS is dedicated to making this possible not just for our kids today, but for those hungry for tomorrow.

By working together, teachers, students, parents, and others in our community, can make this happen. Through grants, donations, and educational funding, GrowUS hopes to create a real change. The way we look at food growth and what foods we put in our bodies are absolutely essential to the success of our students and communities.

the zipgrow system

Food security is an issue that affects people all over the world. It is estimated that by 2050, demand for food will be 60% greater than it is today. This is due to population growth and increasing issues with supply chains and product lines. As daunting as this sounds, agriculture technology companies like ZipGrow are changing the future of food for the better through AgTech advancements, and through education.

In 2016, the flagship ZipGrow™ Tower, the most effective vertical hydroponic growth system on the planet, gave ZipGrow™ their start. The Towers are the building blocks for their products that provide an agriculture technology product with ethical, social, health and practical benefits.

the zipgarden

The ZipGarden™ is a small hydroponic system powered by the patented ZipGrow™ Towers. No matter your climate, growing experience, or housing situation, the ZipGarden™ bears an abundant harvest for many varieties of leafy greens and herbs.

By recirculating water and nutrients, this system brings to life any home, business or classroom while providing a delicious sustainable product.

Extreme climate? No green space? Busy schedule? The ZipGarden™️ can grow year-round in your home, condo, apartment or workplace without time-consuming weeding and maintenance.

Measuring in at 26.5″ (W) x 18″(L) x 73″ (H), the ZipGarden™ can harvest the equivalent of a 10×10 foot garden in the convenience of your home, year-round, using much less water, with an electrical consumption equal to less than two 60 watt light bulbs. It’s a mean green growing machine!

how does it work?

The base of the ZipGarden™ houses a small reservoir which contains all of the water and nutrients essential for your plants. An ultra-quiet pump circulates the solution to the top of the Towers. Letting gravity distribute the mixture to the plants’ roots before returning to the reservoir and restarting the cycle. You can grow roughly 20 heads of lettuce every 6 weeks, saving you up to $600 or more annually on your grocery bill.

What is required?

The ZipGarden™️ requires very little maintenance, and minimal supplies, without the mess of soil, weeding or pesticides.

The ZipGrow™ ZipGarden™ is a small hydroponic system powered by our patented ZipGrow™ Towers. No matter your climate, growing experience or housing situation, The ZipGarden™ bears abundant harvest for many varieties of leafy greens and herbs. By recirculating water and nutrients, this system brings to life any home, business or classroom while providing a delicious sustainable product. Water and nutrient are stored in a small reservoir at the base of the ZipGarden. An ultra-quite pump drives the water and nutrient to the top of the ZipTower. Water then trickles down the tower, distributing water and nutrients to the plant roots. The water and nutrient then drains back into the reservoir to be redistributed again.

what is required to start growing?

what can you grow with the vertical hydroponic system?

For more information follow this link: zipgrow.com/small-hydroponic-system/

ZipGarden instructional video for home hydroponic unit build

The ZipGarden™ is the most aesthetic hydroponic system engineered by ZipGrow™ for use in homes, schools, offices and small businesses. This instructional video walks you through the simple build of the ZipGGarden which requires only 1 phillips screwdriver for installation and will take approximately 60 to 90 minutes of your time.

the 2021-2022 garden projects presentation

Garden Projects Presentation

In the 2021-2022 school year, GrowUs created a Garden Projects Presentation to illustrate the importance of why a vertical growing system is so needed here on campus. With efforts from across many of the teachers here, students, and staff, this presentation is the start of something big.

By mapping out exactly how we plan on developing the growing systems, utilizing the systems, and distributing the grown produce, GrowUs is paving the way towards a healthier, more sustainable method for teaching and embracing 21st Century agricultural instruction in a public school setting.

It is time to re-think the food system and the best place to start is by teaching the kids of today, to sustainably grow food for tomorrow.

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