Hydroponic Systems for Year-Round Growing
Grow lettuce, herbs and other leafy greens through a Canadian winter, without soil. We carry ZipGrow and ZipGarden hydroponic systems, from a compact cabinet for your kitchen to tower walls and a classroom rack. Compare the options below and find the right size for your home, school or small farm.
Growing food year-round in Canada
Our outdoor season is short. Hydroponics lets you keep harvesting greens while the garden is under snow. Plants grow in a soil-free medium inside vertical towers, and a pump moves water and nutrients to the roots. You control the light, water and feeding, so the weather outside matters much less.
Indoors or in a greenhouse?
Indoors, plants need grow lights. The ZipGarden has built-in full-spectrum LED grow lights and the Education Rack includes LED lights, while LED light kits are optional on the Farm Walls. Indoor growing keeps plants warm and close to the kitchen.
In a greenhouse, sunlight does more of the work, but in Quebec and most of Canada you still need heat and extra light in the darkest months. Heating and lighting a greenhouse on an off-grid system takes careful planning; see our energy solutions.
Which system fits you?
Kitchen, apartment or cabin: the ZipGarden, a cabinet with three 4-ft towers and a 24-seedling nursery. See compact hydroponic systems.
A wall in your home or business: the 4-Tower and 8-Tower Farm Walls, which grow a minimum of 40 or 80 plants per cycle.
Classrooms: the ZipGrow Education Rack, a rolling rack with eight 5-ft towers per side.
Compare the tower systems side by side on our vertical farms page.
Frequently asked questions
What can I grow with hydroponics?
Leafy greens and herbs are the easiest crops. The ZipGarden can also grow flowers and small vegetables. Start with lettuce, basil or kale while you learn the routine.
Do I need experience to get started?
No. The ZipGarden arrives fully assembled and comes with two months of consumables. You will learn to check water levels and add nutrients on a regular schedule.
How much power do these systems use?
The pump and grow lights are the main loads. Power figures are not listed on these product pages, so call us before you buy if you run on solar or a generator.
Questions about growing indoors? Call us at 579-999-7666 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET) or email support@offgridnexus.ca.