As we hunker down for the winter the joy of the garden harvest is starting to fade as we enjoy the riches of what we unearthed.  However, for most green thumbs it can also be a trying time as they wait out the cold weather in Canada and deal with the issue of having limited space to grow anything.

Until now.

There is a growing trend that has growers looking up instead of down and inside opposed to outside away from the elements of Mother Nature.

Growers have been turning to The Tower Garden, a 5-foot tall vertical garden which allows them to grow up to 20 plants with no soil, meaning there’s no weeding.

Not only has it taken off in homes, providing fresh fruits and veggies, it is also has been adopted on a much larger scale at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and Grant MacEwan College in Alberta.

The college’s six – month pilot project consists of three towers set up in a seldom used stairwell.  Each tower creates 270 square feet of growing space that uses aeroponic technology to grow produce without soil.

The goal of the project is to grow herbs for the Aboriginal Education Centre to be used in their smudging ceremonies, grow strawberries for students and grow produce that on-site food service providers can purchase at fair market value.

In a release, Grant MacEwan College Director of Retail and Hospitality Operations Kris Bruckmann says they are always looking for ways to bring more local food on campus.

“This pilot is an opportunity to test our theory that aeroponics could be an innovative way to do that. Instead of the 100-mile diet, this would be more like the 100-foot diet,” said Bruckmann.

The one at O’Hare airport can be found in the Rotunda of Terminal 3.

For more information on the Tower Garden and to get one for your home click here.