Want to grow organic vegetables at home? There's an app for that

URBAN farming is getting high-tech, thanks to what is being billed as the world's first smartphone-controlled plant growing system.
'Niwa' is a connected growing system that allows users to produce fruit, vegetables and herbs at home, with the help of a mobile app.
The stylish responsive growing system uses a number of sensors and actuators to control temperature, humidity, light and water irrigation.
Users simply plant the seeds and tell the app what they want to grow so that the settings are adjusted accordingly. The progress of the produce can also be tracked via the app and settings can be adjusted if necessary.
The system uses hydroponic technology, meaning no soil is needed to grow the produce. Following a two-year design process, the technology has been integrated with farming expertise and is now listed on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter.
"I started Niwa when I realised that thousands of tonnes of vegetables had to travel so far before getting to the final consumers," says co-founder Javier Morillas. "It made no sense to me."
The initial Niwa kits are scheduled for delivery in January 2015. – AFP Relaxnews