LG's herb fridge is a full-size indoor farm
You've heard of wine and beer fridges, but what about an herb fridge? LG thinks this full-size greens grower will be the next big thing.
When you think of growing herbs indoors (calm down, not that kind), most people image terra cotta pots lined neatly on a window sill. Smart indoor gardening has so far been predominantly gadget-size, like the countertop herb growing machines from MiracleGro and Click and Grow. Now, LG is taking on the green indoors with a full-size appliance in 2020. Today, the company announced an "indoor gardening appliance" and "indoor vegetable cultivator," tentatively called the LG Harvester, and plans to exhibit it at CES in January.
The built-in, column style refrigerator uses light, temperature and water controls to create the best environment for gardening in your kitchen. A non-circulating water supply system distributes the right amount of water for each plant type and prevents algae growth. Flexible modules replicate the best outdoor conditions by matching the temperature in the cabinet with the time of day. There are LED lights, forced air circulation and a wick-based water management system.
The fridge will work with a line of all-in-one seed packages and with a monitoring app to keep watch over your garden from anywhere, manage settings and give you gardening tips along the way.
You'll be able to grow up to 24 seed packages of vegetables and herbs in one appliance. Each package contains seeds, peat moss and fertilizer. Initial packages will include 20 varieties, including romaine, other types of lettuce, arugula, chicory and basil.
Vertical farming, smart indoor planters and micro-gardening are changing the way city dwellers pick their parsley. There are other herb fridge models, out there. Most are wine-fridge-size appointments, like the ones from Viking and Urban Cultivator.
This LG model certainly doesn't look space-saving, so you'll need to really love your leafy greens to be on board. Still, taking the garden full-size is an exciting idea. Check back as we keep you updated on all biggest CES trends in smart kitchen (and garden) technology.