No soil, no hassle: Kochi youths develop innovative method of farming on balcony

Who says apartment living limits your garden dreams? Even a tenth-floor flat can bloom with greenery, flowers, and fresh vegetables.

Turning this dream into reality is HeyFarmer, an innovative agri-startup founded by young entrepreneurs Jerin J Mathew, Christeen Jo Reji, Sharath Krishna and Tejas Krishna. Operating near the Cochin University campus in Kalamasseri, HeyFarmer has earned recognition as part of the globally acclaimed Inception programme by NVIDIA

Unlike traditional terrace farming, bringing soil and manure into an apartment isn’t practical. To overcome this, they have developed a model using aeroponics technology, which allows plants to grow indoors with minimal water and nutrients, thus making it ideal for confined spaces.

With this approach, a variety of crops can be cultivated indoors, including leafy greens like choy sum (palak), spinach, lettuce, and bok choy, as well as chilies, tomatoes, strawberries, stevia and thyme.

The first concept to be designed and developed by HeyFarmer was a vegetable farming tower that can be installed on apartment balconies to make the most of sunlight. Around a vertically positioned cylinder, 36 plant holders are arranged in specially created slots to form the vertical farm. A steady flow of nutrient-rich water circulates from top to bottom through the hollow tower, pumped by a motor that continuously pumps the solution from a tank at the base. This ensures the plants receive all the essential nutrients needed for healthy growth. Being a soilless farming system, it eliminates the risk of soil-borne diseases while the likelihood of pest infestations in high-rise apartments is minimal.

According to Jerin, the first 30 days of care are the most critical for all vegetables, posing the biggest challenge for urban farmers. To make this easier, seedlings that are already four weeks old are provided. Installing the seedlings into the slots of the tower is the farmer's responsibility, after which they can simply enjoy watching their plants flourish on the balcony every day.

Watering and fertilization are fully automated, requiring no additional effort. Leveraging IoT technology and smart design, this system functions as a vertical hydroponics farm.

As the next phase, HeyFarmer is now developing a twin-tower model capable of growing 72 vegetable plants. The aim is to produce up to 50% of a household’s vegetable needs in a fresh, chemical-free and innovative manner. For the current single-tower model, a weekly commitment of just 10 minutes is sufficient for cultivation; with the twin-tower setup, 10 minutes per month will suffice.

This new model is designed not only for balconies but also for indoor rooms, where grow lights replace natural sunlight to support plant growth.

Jerin explains that discussions during their student years amidst the pandemic about growing fresh vegetables at home inspired the concept. Instead of market-focused farming, the startup emphasises home cultivation, addressing urban challenges such as limited time, space and convenience. By harnessing technology, HeyFarmer seeks to eliminate these barriers, making farming both accessible for everyone.

Balcony farming, a source of joy
HeyFarmer’s vertical aeroponics system is proving to be a source of both fresh, chemical-free vegetables and emotional well-being, especially for senior citizens living alone. This is evident in the experience of Krishnakumar Sreekanthath, a resident of Maradu in Ernakulam.

After spending several years in London, Krishnakumar now lives in an apartment in Maradu. He installed HeyFarmer’s vegetable tower on the balcony of his third-floor flat in May. Since then, he has successfully grown spinach, bitter gourd, tomatoes and chillies.

More than just good vegetables, Krishnakumar says the experience has brought him immense joy. He adds that the HeyFarmer team continues to provide timely support after installation, supplying seedlings, organic nutrients and practical farming guidance whenever needed.

The vegetable tower at his apartment has been temporarily dismantled to facilitate painting work, but Krishnakumar is keen to reinstall it and resume cultivation soon. When he does, he plans to add another tower dedicated to growing medicinal plants.
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