In the narrow townhouses in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, where brick walls and concrete roofs occupy most of the space, many people still cherish the dream of having their own garden to breathe with nature. And then a solution called bioponic, combining hydroponics and nutrients from organic waste, has quietly opened the green door for nature lovers living in the heart of the city.
Bioponic: Bringing sustainable agriculture into your home
Bioponic is a method of growing plants without soil, using nutrients created from things that seem to be discarded every day: vegetable peels, coffee grounds, rice water, or tea grounds. Thanks to the support of microorganisms, these materials are fermented, transformed into an abundant source of nutrients for green plants to grow.
Bioponic is a method of growing plants without soil, using nutrients created from things that seem to be discarded every day
For townhouses, where every square meter is precious, bioponic is extremely ideal. A compact, easy-to-install system that does not require elaborate care, but can bring a whole green vertical garden right in the living room, kitchen corner or small balcony.
You can start from the once cold walls, build a wooden or recycled metal frame, attach small pots. The water pipe system and tank will bring the nutrients to the roots of the plants and then circulate them back - all gently, neatly like a miracle.
The organic compost bin does not need to be too elaborate. A small box to compost vegetable peels, tea grounds, no meat or grease, along with a few common probiotics is enough for you to have "golden water" of nutrients for the garden after a few weeks.
As for plants, you can start with pothos, ferns, basil or rosemary - plants that are easy to grow, easy to love, and suitable for indoor lighting.
A bioponic garden is not only a place to grow plants, but also a vibrant, green living space that helps you soothe your soul. Indoor plants help purify the air, reduce fine dust and increase humidity - things that seem small but are valuable in the context of increasing urban pollution.
Moreover, that garden can also be a place for you and your loved ones to take care of, chat and connect together. Like the story of Minh and Lan, a young couple in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, from a narrow balcony, they turned that place into a green oasis with rosemary and pothos. Their little daughter, only five years old, now knows how to classify organic waste, water plants and excitedly shows off "her garden" to her friends.
Bioponic is the future of urban agriculture
At the Plants 2025: From Seeds to Food Security conference held in early April 2025 in Barcelona (Spain), bioponic was assessed by researchers as one of the promising directions for sustainable urban agriculture. This technology not only saves up to 90% of water compared to traditional farming, but also takes advantage of available organic waste sources - helping to reduce waste, reduce costs and increase local food self-sufficiency.
Scientists also emphasized that bioponic is especially suitable in the context of climate change and rapid urbanization, where arable land is increasingly shrinking but the need for green and safe living is increasing. Not only applied in urban houses, bioponic is also being researched for implementation in arid, water-deficient areas - where growing trees used to be unthinkable.
Bioponic is not only a technique but also a lifestyle. A small garden in the corner of the house is a silent declaration of how we choose to live: love nature, respect the environment, and turn small things into lasting values.
In the modern pace of life, where the rush sometimes makes us forget the simple things, creating a green space with our own hands from vegetable peels and tea leaves is also a way for us to find peace.
Let's start with a small pot of plants. Who knows, it will be the seed for a new way of life, where every day we can touch nature, right in the heart of the city.
Khải Minh
