Testing vertical distance and growth medium for vertically farming bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in urban agriculture

Abstract

Vertical farming implies growing crops in superimposed growth beds. This study assessed the effects of vertical distance between growth beds and growth medium on beans and tomatoes. Three levels of vertical spacing and three levels of growth medium were studied in a split plot design and three replicates. The vertical distance was tested in main plots while the growth medium was tested in subplots. The main plot was a wood-made vertical structure with the ground growth bed and the top bed vertically separated by either 80, 120 or 160 cm. The subplot was a bottom-holed plastic bucket containing a thorough growth mix of loam soil and 0, 40, or 60% added manure (volume/volume). Three buckets were used per growth medium and growth bed, making 6 observations for each factorial combination. Tomato was cropped after bush bean harvest. Maximum bean grain yields were projected for 130 cm vertically spaced beds and for 30% added manure growth medium. Maximum tomato fruit yields should be expected for growth medium containing more than 60% manure and for spacing distance above 160 cm. Vertical farming appeared highly productive with 0.86 kg m -2 of total dry bean grain yield and 14.1 kg m -2 of total tomato fruits from the two beds.