A Canadian invention, this indoor garden allows people to grow their own organic fruits and veggies at home.

OGarden, a start-up launched at the end of 2016, is the innovator behind this small indoor garden. The device consists of a wheel that’s 36 inches in diameter, set on top of a wooden cabinet. Inside the wheel, it’s possible to grow over 80 fruit and vegetable plants, including various types of lettuce, cabbage, and even strawberries.

Thanks to a crowdfunding campaign, the young company raised $110,000 in 30 days. “Those results validated our idea and encouraged us to officially launch our business,” said Pierre Nibart, co-founder of OGarden. The system allows you to harvest fruits and vegetables daily, and only takes a few minutes a day to maintain. “The cost works out to about 30 cents per organic plant, which is 10 times cheaper than what you’d pay in a grocery store. If you follow all the steps we outline, it will thrive!” 

The company set itself two main objectives with this innovation: to give people a certain independence in growing their own food and to make an environmental impact by encouraging local farming. “Our food system today makes us too dependent on grocery stores and suppliers that generate enormous amounts of pollution, whether it’s through transportation or packaging. It’s just not sustainable.”

OGarden also decided to make its products entirely in Canada. “We use the most environmentally-friendly materials we can find on the market. Some of the parts are even made by organizations for people with disabilities. It was essential for us to combine the environmental and social impact.” The products used to grow the fruits and vegetables are also Canadian: soil from Ontario and fertilizers and seeds from various regions of Quebec.

The price may, however, seem a bit steep to consumers. OGarden sells for $1,500, but this includes all of the equipment, transportation, and a starter kit with the soil, fertilizer and seeds required to grow the first 100 plants. “This is the cost of a product of this quality made 100% in Canada. It is designed to last more than a decade, so it does pay off. It all depends on how much you eat. We’ve sold over 200 OGardens in less than 10 months and we’re getting calls from people around the world!”

For now, the company wants to focus its business in Canada, but it’s also looking at Europe, where there is keen interest. “The need in Europe is even greater, because people who live in cities there have even less space than here. We really made this product for people who are short on space.”