The present invention relates to both a device and a system for monitoring plants and providing advice to a plant grower for optimizing indoor and outdoor plant growth. The device is packaged within a natural housing to promote a natural and pleasing appearance blending with the plant environment. With respect to the device, the core components are a probe comprising the plurality of environmental sensors, a microcontroller, a communication device, and a power source. With respect to the system, it is best characterized as a connected architecture capable of remotely exchanging information among the probe, a mobile device, a mobile app, a plant profile, a decision engine, a network, a remote computer, and a plant profile database. This system captures the target plant's current environmental conditions from the probe in real-time, compares the environmental conditions with the optimal parameters in the plant profile, and provides timely plant growth advice, where the latter is accomplished via a local alert or remotely via a mobile device.

An improved bridge circuitry is presented for improved soil sensor measurements. The improved bridge circuitry may include blocking capacitors, the ability to apply bias voltage, and the substitution of AC meters with DC meters and other improvements.

Provided is a method and a facility of plant cultivation in which leaf vegetables, fruit vegetables, and the like that are of stable quality can be cultivated at a relatively low cost and in which the period of cultivation can be stabilized. A plant cultivation method and a facility comprising a first step of raising seedlings, and a second step of planting the seedlings into a cultivation field and cultivating the seedlings, wherein, in the first step, the seedlings are cultivated with only artificial light; in the second step, the seedlings are cultivated with only sunlight; and the seedlings raised in the first step are sequentially transplanted to the cultivation field for the second step and are cultivated.

Provided is a method and a facility of plant cultivation in which leaf vegetables, fruit vegetables, and the like that are of stable quality can be cultivated at a relatively low cost and in which the period of cultivation can be stabilized. A plant cultivation method and a facility comprising a first step of raising seedlings, and a second step of planting the seedlings into a cultivation field and cultivating the seedlings, wherein, in the first step, the seedlings are cultivated with only artificial light; in the second step, the seedlings are cultivated with only sunlight; and the seedlings raised in the first step are sequentially transplanted to the cultivation field for the second step and are cultivated.

Provided is an expandable, modular tower planter having an internal vertical composting capability, and a method of assembling and using the same. Provided in various example embodiments is a modular composting garden container system comprising a base and a plurality of stackable rings forming a tower upon the base, including an optional base ring specially sized, shaped, and positioned to connect the tower to the base. A plurality of perforated, stackable tube sections are provided that are removably assembled into a compost tube assembly of selectable height and mounted within the interior of the tower and above the base. A plurality of holding struts are sized, shaped, and positioned to removably connect the compost tube assembly with the tower and to securely locate the compost tube assembly relative to the tower. Means are provided for recovering nutrient-rich drainage and selective recovery of compost material for reintroduction into the system.

Provided is an expandable, modular tower planter having an internal vertical composting capability, and a method of assembling and using the same. Provided in various example embodiments is a modular composting garden container system comprising a base and a plurality of stackable rings forming a tower upon the base, including an optional base ring specially sized, shaped, and positioned to connect the tower to the base. A plurality of perforated, stackable tube sections are provided that are removably assembled into a compost tube assembly of selectable height and mounted within the interior of the tower and above the base. A plurality of holding struts are sized, shaped, and positioned to removably connect the compost tube assembly with the tower and to securely locate the compost tube assembly relative to the tower. Means are provided for recovering nutrient-rich drainage and selective recovery of compost material for reintroduction into the system.

A pressure measuring and flow-rate controlling device includes: a flattening plate including a fluid cavity in the flattening plate; a flexible contact membrane provided on said flattening plate; a support member configured to secure the flattening plate against a sample; a pressure adjuster; an inlet tube connected to the pressure adjuster at a first end of the inlet tube, the inlet tube connected to a first end of the fluid cavity at a second end opposite to the first end of the inlet tube; and an outlet tube connected to a second end opposite of the first end of the fluid cavity, where the pressure adjuster is configured to control a flow rate of a fluid passing through the fluid cavity based on cell pressure of the sample.

A pressure measuring and flow-rate controlling device includes: a flattening plate including a fluid cavity in the flattening plate; a flexible contact membrane provided on said flattening plate; a support member configured to secure the flattening plate against a sample; a pressure adjuster; an inlet tube connected to the pressure adjuster at a first end of the inlet tube, the inlet tube connected to a first end of the fluid cavity at a second end opposite to the first end of the inlet tube; and an outlet tube connected to a second end opposite of the first end of the fluid cavity, where the pressure adjuster is configured to control a flow rate of a fluid passing through the fluid cavity based on cell pressure of the sample.

A method of real-time plant selection and removal from a plant field including capturing a first image of a first section of the plant field, segmenting the first image into regions indicative of individual plants within the first section, selecting the optimal plants for retention from the first image based on the first image and the previously thinned plant field sections, sending instructions to the plant removal mechanism for removal of the plants corresponding to the unselected regions of the first image from the second section before the machine passes the unselected regions, and repeating the aforementioned steps for a second section of the plant field adjacent the first section in the direction of machine travel.

A method of real-time plant selection and removal from a plant field including capturing a first image of a first section of the plant field, segmenting the first image into regions indicative of individual plants within the first section, selecting the optimal plants for retention from the first image based on the first image and the previously thinned plant field sections, sending instructions to the plant removal mechanism for removal of the plants corresponding to the unselected regions of the first image from the second section before the machine passes the unselected regions, and repeating the aforementioned steps for a second section of the plant field adjacent the first section in the direction of machine travel.