FARMING IN SHIPPING CONTAINERS
How does farming in shipping containers work?
A remanufactured shipping container converted for farming purposes is a closed environment that can be easily controlled, even remotely. The size might vary depending on the container chosen. Those most commonly used are 12-feet containers. First, the container is insulated and provided with an HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system. Thanks to it, the environment can be cooled down, warmed up, or humidified as needed.
Inside the container, an anteroom is usually set up. In this area, the operator can get change and monitor the parameters without entering the part of the environment used for farming. It is a buffer space that helps avoid external contamination when you open the door to enter the container. Farming is usually done through shelving placed along the longer sides of the container so that the operator can freely move while they manage the system.
Containers for hydroponics, vertical aeroponics, and for growing fungi
You can grow many kinds of plants and fungi inside a container, according to the system being set up. In particular, the shelving can hold either hydroponic or vertical aeroponic systems, which are, in turn, provided with an automatic fertigation system. These systems are perfect for growing cuttings, baby leaves, and microgreens. Each shelf is equipped with a specific LED stimulant light according to the culture involved.
Regarding fungi production, each shelf is arranged to accommodate the inoculated bales ready to fruit. In this case, the lighting is not placed on each shelf but evenly distributed along the central aisle.
WHAT PLANTS CAN YOU GROW INSIDE A CONTAINER?
The following are the plant species most commonly grown in containers. Some of them are more suitable in hydroponics, others for aeroponic systems:
- Microgreens (such as pea, sunflower, leek, radish)
- Baby leaves (those include different varieties of lettuce)
- Aromatic plants and mixed salad (such as basil, mint, parsley, chives, rocket, valerian, etc.)
- Cuttings of medicinal plants (lavender, rosemary, thyme, etc.)
WHAT FUNGI CAN YOU GROW INSIDE A CONTAINER?
You can place different kinds of bales on the shelves. The most important thing is setting the correct value for temperature and humidity according to the variety you are growing on the control unit.
Among the most common you can grow in a container there are:
- Pleurotus ostreatus
- Pleurotus djamor
- Pleurotus eryngii
- Pleurotus cornucopiae
- Lentinula edodes
- Hericium erinaceus
