Ikea built a thriving business out of flat-packed furniture that you can put together by following straightforward instructions. And now, they’re bringing that same process to home hydroponics with the Ikea Indoor Garden.
That’s right, the same company you rely on for affordable bookshelves, writing tables, and… uh… meatballs is looking to bring hydroponic gardening to the mainstream. No more setting up specialized gear or dealing with small startups when you want to get a soil-free home garden running – just head to the nearest Ikea to pick up either new equipment or a fresh batch of supplies.
The Ikea Indoor Garden collection consists of different kits, each of which includes everything you need to set up a hydroponics garden. That includes seeds that you place on sponge-like plugs in a watered tray, where they will be allowed to germinate in the sun. Once those seeds sprout, they’re moved to proper planters that contain absorbent pumice in place of soil, which you then position under a grow light as you wait out the weeks or months necessary for your plants to mature.
While not as simple as Click and Grow’s module-based system, it’s still straightforward enough that even complete novices should be able to handle setting up their own countertop gardens with ease. IKEA will start out with lettuce and herbs for their inaugural collection, with plants to branch out in other produce further down the line.
Ikea stores will begin carrying the Indoor Garden starting in April.