Austin Kerr-Valentic‘s Stackable Herb Garden!
This idea was the community favorite, and we’re excited to get the ball rolling on fleshing out the details.
Truth be told, while we love this idea, we do have some concerns…
1. Competitive landscape. There are several herb planters on the market. How can we make ours cooler?
2. Usability. The way the product was presented, only the top of the stack would get light. How would the others be able to grow?
3. Design. How would we be able to combine form and function in one groovy, compact case?
Start thinking about these issues as we delve into the industrial design for this product. And stay tuned for product research questions, which we’re currently discussing with our in-house community members. AND while you’re at it, grab some coffee. It’s gonna be a long night!
4 Comments
Flaming Duck | 04/13/2010 7:20 PM
Would it help with the sunlight issue if the material for the stackable sections was a clear, non UV-protectant plastic? This could then theoretically let some UV light in at the sides, or at least stop any shadowing on the plant leaves.
It would also look hot — I feel coloured plastic would take away from the plants. If I had a planter inside my house or, say, on my benchtop, I’d rather see the green, not the plastic. Clear material would be less visually intrusive.
Michelle | 04/13/2010 7:52 PM
First you need to decide what is unique about it? It stacks – so what? – It grows herbs – so what? Several??? there are thousands of these on the market. Can it grow something other that basic ‘common or garden’ herbs perhaps? I mean real innovation would have been the Truffle Tree planter http://www.trufflesaustralis.com.au/faqs.html.
Jonathan Laden | 04/13/2010 9:59 PM
I don’t know if this is feasible at all, but could the stackable planter be created as a sculpture that’s in constant (slow) motion. So the plants at the bottom would rotate to the top and so on? My experience with Smith & Hawkens big multi-level flower pot validates some concerns about getting enough sunlight to the lower levels to support strong herb production. (the first two levels did great, but the strawberries and parsley on level three “failed to thrive”)