Underwater Greenhouses: How to Grow Anything, Anywhere

by Monica Joshi

Greenhouses: a unique and more streamlined approached to farming specific fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs that are unavailable in some environments. The seasons, the air pollution levels, or even the water quality usually don't matter in these buildings or blocks. Now, a small company in Italy wants to build experimental greenhouses. And get this: underwater.

This unconventional project is called Nemo's Garden and is already underway. The submerged spherical buildings house a small number of various plants, including strawberries, beans and lettuce.

The greenhouses are taking advantage of the sea's steady temperatures and high concentrations of carbon dioxide.

To ensure these plants are receiving the optimum growing environment, the spheres are anchored six meters, roughly 20 feet, below the water's surface, and kept at a steamy 26°C (79°F) and 83% humidity.

Now in its fourth year of operation, Nemo’s Garden is the environmental research branch of the family-run Ocean Reef Group, a scuba gear production company. 

The project is the innovative brainchild of Sergio Gamberini, president of Ocean Reef Group, the idea of which came to him while on vacation in Italy.

Gamberini said:

"I try to do something that's a little different and to show the beauty of the ocean. I hope to do something for the young people and to inspire new dreams."

Some people may have concerns that the greenhouses might cause havoc in the underwater ecosystem. Actually, the biospheres are even attracting wildlife. Octopuses seem to like taking shelter under the structures, and endangered seahorses have gathered beneath the biospheres to develop nurseries. Crabs have also been known to crawl up the anchors and into the greenhouses. So far, none of the animals have posed a threat to the plants or vice versa.

On the marine science of the matter, Gamberini noted that:

"It's so kind of sci-fi to see these two different forms of life interact."

After much experimenting, the company now has a fleet of biospheres, growing plants in the subaquatic realm. However, right now, the group is only able to set up their biospheres during four months of the year, from May to September, as allowed under a permit with the local government.

The company also has plans to make much smaller aquarium versions of the biospheres that people can experiment with in their own homes. They hope that a broader use of the technology could lead to new insights.

Further, about the future of the innovation, Gamberini claimed that:

"In the future, it'll definitely be something that's economically sustainable. I see possibilities for developing countries where harsh conditions make it difficult for plants to grow."

You can check out Nemo’s Garden via livestream, where you'll be able to see real-time data collected on the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide from the spheres.

Photo Credit: aco/Shutterstock