Disclosed herein are grow systems for developing plants using aeroponic and hydroponic techniques. The grow system includes a frame, lighting supports, and container skirts for positioning growing containers in the grow system. The container skirts simplify methods of installing or removing growing containers from the grow system without using tools, improves container drainage, and captures nutrient solution spillage when containers are removed from the grow system. The configuration of the grow system allows lighting supports and container skirts to horizontally extend past vertical members of the frame which improves access to plants and grow system lighting.
An article that supports germinating seeds and growing plants is provided and disclosed. The article includes a substrate with openings therethrough for developing plants. The substrate includes a phosphor containing layer on the closed substrate surfaces and optionally a reflective layer below the phosphor containing layer on the closed surfaces. The substrate with openings and phosphor containing layer on closed surfaces of the substrate can be disposed over a growth medium. The article having the phosphor containing layer is configured to convert at least a portion of incident plant growth light into longer wavelength red spectrum containing light, and redirect the red light to the developing plants.
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to tray modules and tray assemblies made from interconnected tray modules. The modular tray assemblies can be used in indoor farming with a soilless growth medium to germinate seeds, develop plants from the germinated seeds, and harvest the developed plants. The tray modules making up a tray assembly are interchangeable and can be made from the same mold design. This can reduce production costs for making tray modules and can reduce the inventory of replacement parts needed to repair tray assemblies.
Resilient plant development media are disclosed that can include a first layer that includes a plurality of adjacent strands, a second layer that includes a plurality of strands that are adjacent and that is in stacked relation relative to the first layer, wherein the strands of the first layer and the strands of the second layer are in a non-aligned orientation relative to each other. The strands in the first layer and the strands in the second layer may define a crisscross pattern. The multilayer resilient media is effective in supporting seeds during germination and plants throughout their growth and development. The multilayer resilient media is effective for use in various plant growing modalities, e.g., aeroponic, nutrient film, and hydroponic plant growing environments, ratooning processes, and may be easily cleaned for reuse.
A01G 24/46 - Growth substratesCulture mediaApparatus or methods therefor characterised by their structure in block, mat or sheet form multi-layered
A01G 24/30 - Growth substratesCulture mediaApparatus or methods therefor based on or containing synthetic organic compounds
A01G 24/18 - Growth substratesCulture mediaApparatus or methods therefor based on or containing inorganic material containing inorganic fibres, e.g. mineral wool
Resilient plant development media are disclosed that can include a first layer that includes a plurality of adjacent strands, a second layer that includes a plurality of strands that are adjacent and that is in stacked relation relative to the first layer, wherein the strands of the first layer and the strands of the second layer are in a non-aligned orientation relative to each other. The strands in the first layer and the strands in the second layer may define a crisscross pattern. The multilayer resilient media is effective in supporting seeds during germination and plants throughout their growth and development. The multilayer resilient media is effective for use in various plant growing modalities, e.g., aeroponic, nutrient film, and hydroponic plant growing environments, and may be easily cleaned for reuse.
A01G 24/46 - Growth substratesCulture mediaApparatus or methods therefor characterised by their structure in block, mat or sheet form multi-layered
A01G 24/30 - Growth substratesCulture mediaApparatus or methods therefor based on or containing synthetic organic compounds
A01G 24/18 - Growth substratesCulture mediaApparatus or methods therefor based on or containing inorganic material containing inorganic fibres, e.g. mineral wool
Versions of the disclosure relate to multilayer structures for germinating seeds and growing plants in aeroponic or hydroponic farming. The multilayer structure can include a growth medium positioned in close proximity to a seeding tray. The seeding tray may be configured and dimensioned to at least partially retain a germinating seed. Optional grid tray may be positioned below the growth medium and configured and dimensioned to support the growth medium.
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to soilless growth media with light reflecting and light absorbing surfaces for indoor farming and methods of using the media to germinate seeds and develop plants. In some embodiments, the soilless growth media can be a fabric made from two webs that can be joined together with a tie-in yarn linking the light reflecting plant supporting surface web yarn and the light absorbing web base yarn together in the fabric. The soilless growth media in embodiments of the disclosure can be used to reduce evaporation from nutrient delivery systems and improve controlled environmental agriculture operating efficiency.
The present disclosure provides advantageous lighting systems that can be installed on parallel rows of horizontal supports. The lighting systems can be configured to have a single electrical feedthrough on one end of the lamp that can also act as a mating feature between the lamp and supports. More particularly, the present disclosure provides improved lighting systems that are fixtureless, waterproof, customizable, and easy to install/remove.
A01G 7/04 - Electric or magnetic treatment of plants for promoting growth
F21V 21/005 - Supporting, suspending, or attaching arrangements for lighting devicesHand grips for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
F21V 23/06 - Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices the elements being coupling devices
F21V 29/70 - Cooling arrangements characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
F21K 9/27 - Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with two fittings for each light source, e.g. for substitution of fluorescent tubes
Embodiments of the disclosure relate to apparatus and methods for monitoring plant development in aeroponic farming. The output from one or more sensors in the apparatus be used to modify the flow of one or more fluids to the developing plants.
Versions of the disclosure relate to multilayer flats for germinating seeds and growing plants in aeroponic or hydroponic farming. The multilayer structure can include a soilless growth medium sandwiched between a support layer and a light barrier layer. The support layer includes openings that allow plant roots to be sprayed with a nutrient solution and the light barrier layer includes openings that allow plants to develop while limiting the growth of harmful algae on the soilless growth medium.
The present disclosure provides an advantageous pan jig for installing a pan relative to a frame. The disclosed pan jig semi-permanently engages the pan relative to a frame. Specifically, the disclosed apparatus and method of use advantageously facilitates formation and mounting of a drip pan for use with a system that facilitates aeroponic growing. The disclosed aeroponic growing system may include a plurality of drip pans.
A device and method for altering biochrome ratios in plant leaves is provided. The device and method generally include a light source; and means of directing the light source to deliver an altering spectrum to a group of cells. The altering spectrum alters the biochrome content of a group of cells to produce a contrasting color that creates a desired pattern on a leaf. The device may include a first light source that emits a main growth spectrum, a second light source that emits an altering spectrum; and means of directing the first and second light source to a group of cells, wherein the altering spectrum alters the biochrome content of a group of cells to create a desired pattern on a leaf. Methods of altering the biochrome ratio in a group of cells on a leaf generally involve aligning a surface of a leaf with a light source, activating the light source to produce an altering spectrum, and directing the altering spectrum towards the leaf to create a pattern, wherein cells of the leaf exposed to the altering spectrum exhibit a desired pattern.
Exemplary embodiments are directed to an improvement of an aeroponic system including a growth chamber and cloth support elements. The improvement generally includes a cloth supported by the cloth support elements. The cloth advantageously satisfies a wicking height parameter and an absorbance parameter so as to deliver advantageous aeroponic performance. The wicking height parameter is a measurement of an ability of the cloth or fabric to absorb moisture. The absorbance parameter is a measurement of moisture the cloth or fabric retains. Exemplary methods of aeroponic farming in an aeroponic system are also provided.
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