Tending the octopus' garden
Nemo’s Garden, an Italian initiative, is testing the viability of farming under the sea.
Nemo's Garden wants to make underwater farming an economically viable, long-term alternative form of agriculture. Their submerged and domed hydroponic farms use renewable energy harnessed from the sun and fresh water from desalinated seawater. The microclimate and thermal conditions within these “biospheres” create stable conditions for plant growth. Each underwater “greenhouse” is an air-filled clear plastic pod that is anchored to the bottom of the sea. The biospheres are equipped with sensors for carbon dioxide, oxygen, humidity, air temperature, water temperature and illumination. On the shore, a control tower supervises the gardens and communicates with the divers tending to the crops below the water’s surface. So far, Nemo’s Garden has grown plants such as herbs, strawberries and lettuce.
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