LG Electronics has added a plant germinator to its smart home appliance portfolio, targeting people with black thumbs wishing to grow plants and flowers indoors.
 
"While many South Koreans attempt to grow plants at home these days, more than 60 percent have expressed difficulty in keeping them alive. LG tiiun was launched to resolve this pain point prevalent among consumers,” said Sprout Company CEO Shin Sang-yoon at the media event held Thursday. 

Sprout Company is part of LG Electronics. 

Named tiiun, the new device is basically an aquafarming system that provides an optimal environment for plants to grow. Plants grow in foam instead of soil in its two compartments. 

The product uses technologies already applied to LG’s home appliances to automatically adjust the light, temperature and water supply. 

It emulates natural changes in sunlight using the temperature-regulating technology from LG Dios refrigerators. Plants are watered eight times a day using the water supply technology from the group’s Puricare water purifiers. 

LG’s smart plant grower is about the size of a large oven and comes in two colors -- green and beige -- and is priced at 1.49 million won ($1,260). A miniature version, the LG tiiun Mini, will appear on the local market soon. 

Interest in home gardening has grown exponentially since the COVID-19 pandemic started, as more people are staying home. In line with the trend, the market for plant-growing devices is expected to reach 500 billion won by 2023, data from the Korea Invention Promotion Association showed. 

As home farming increases, a growing number of local companies are coming up with smart farming devices.

Kyonwon Wells, a water purifier maker, launched a plant-growing device in 2018. SK Magic, a water purifier and bidet rental company affiliated with SK Group, acquired startup Airplus to develop its own smart plant-growing device.