Regardless Of The Season, This Indoor Farming Kit Automates The Cultivation Process

Illustration of indoor plant cultivation device. (Source: LG Electronics)

JAKARTA - Farming or gardening has become one of human's favorite activities, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit all over the world. Usually done outdoors, what if gardening or farming is done indoors.

This is what LG Electronics is trying to do by bringing gardening indoors. This South Korean homeware manufacturer launched 'tiiun', which allows consumers to grow various plants, such as flowers and vegetables indoors at home.

The company said Thursday the new machine is a 'plant household appliance' that automates most of the plant cultivation process, so that a novice can easily grow crops.

By simply spreading the seed kit on the device's inner shelf, supplying water and nutrients, users can grow their own crop in four to eight weeks, depending on the type of plant.

The company named the new device, "tiiun," after a Korean word meaning "to grow." This plant cultivation kit has two shelves and three types of seed packets for each shelf, meaning consumers can grow up to six crops at a time. Regardless of the season, vegetables can be harvested in about four weeks, herbs in about six weeks and flowers can bloom after about eight weeks, the company said.

"To grow plants, you need to know how to control temperature, light, wind and water, and that takes time and care. This complex process is automated by this device. With this device, beginners can also experience the joy of watching the process of growing and growing plants," said a company official at a pop-up shop in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, citing the Korea Times Oct. 14.

Featuring an automatic temperature control system, the device helps plants grow in an environment similar to their natural habitat, while water is supplied automatically eight times a day. It has improved the photosynthetic process of plants by using LED lights.

Sold through both its mobile app and retail stores, LG offers about 20 types of seeds, including three types of flowers, 12 vegetables and five spices.

The company plans to introduce this tool to the general public from Friday this week to early November.

The manufacturer says it aims to develop new markets with plant cultivators just as the company created the clothing care home appliances market with its Styler steam cabinets.

According to the South Korean Invention Promotion Association data, the domestic plant cultivation equipment market is expected to grow 50-fold in four years from around 10 billion won in 2019 to 500 billion won in 2023.