Systems and methods for vertical farming that reduce the deployment cost, operational costs of human labor, and overall use of energy intensive processes, such as lighting, heating and cooling, and ventilation, while increasing crop quality and yield. This reduction is achieved through a hybrid system that alternates natural light, temperature, and ventilation sources with system-controlled lighting, temperature, and ventilation means. The system includes a germination module that allows seeds to germinal on a horizontal substrate, a growth module that provides optimal growth conditions to the germinated seed on the substrate in a vertical position, and a dosing module that controls the micronutrient mixture supplied to the growing plants.