An apparatus and methods are provided for transplanting slips with an automated slip transplanter. The transplanter comprises a planter unit, a singulation unit, a conveyor belt, a node sensor, and a controller. The planter unit is configured to plant consistent rows of evenly spaced slips in a field. The singulation unit comprises automated grippers and slip cartridges, and is configured to continuously singulate harvested slips stored in the slip cartridges. The conveyor belt is configured to receive the singulated slips from the automated grippers with brushed holders, and transfer the received slips on a belt to the planter unit. The node sensor is configured to autonomously collect performance data of the singulated slips in real-time. The controller is communicatively coupled to the node sensor, and configured to implement operational modes and dynamically adjust a planting slip rate based on the operational modes and performance data collected by the node sensor.

An apparatus and methods are provided for transplanting slips with an automated slip transplanter. The transplanter comprises a planter unit, a singulation unit, a conveyor belt, a node sensor, and a controller. The planter unit is configured to plant consistent rows of evenly spaced slips in a field. The singulation unit comprises automated grippers and slip cartridges, and is configured to continuously singulate harvested slips stored in the slip cartridges. The conveyor belt is configured to receive the singulated slips from the automated grippers with brushed holders, and transfer the received slips on a belt to the planter unit. The node sensor is configured to autonomously collect performance data of the singulated slips in real-time. The controller is communicatively coupled to the node sensor, and configured to implement operational modes and dynamically adjust a planting slip rate based on the operational modes and performance data collected by the node sensor.

An automated planter device for planting seedlings in an obstacle-strewn and/or uneven terrain. A laterally extendable boom is provided at the end of a vertically-moveable arm, which arm may also be swung from side to side. The boom has a plurality of spaced-apart seedling injectors thereon for planting seedlings. Advantageously, due to variably adjustable positioning of the seedling injectors on the boom, obstacles encountered such as tree stumps or medium sized rocks capable of being traversed but which otherwise create an obstacle to a typical seedling planter, may be avoided. The seedling injectors are each coupled via vacuum hoses to a bin mounted on the planter, which vacuum hoses supply seedlings from the bin to the injectors. A powered gantry at the rear of the planter unloads the bin from the planter when empty, and engages and lifts a re-stocked bin containing additional seedlings onto the rear of the device.

An automated planter device for planting seedlings in an obstacle-strewn and/or uneven terrain. A laterally extendable boom is provided at the end of a vertically-moveable arm, which arm may also be swung from side to side. The boom has a plurality of spaced-apart seedling injectors thereon for planting seedlings. Advantageously, due to variably adjustable positioning of the seedling injectors on the boom, obstacles encountered such as tree stumps or medium sized rocks capable of being traversed but which otherwise create an obstacle to a typical seedling planter, may be avoided. The seedling injectors are each coupled via vacuum hoses to a bin mounted on the planter, which vacuum hoses supply seedlings from the bin to the injectors. A powered gantry at the rear of the planter unloads the bin from the planter when empty, and engages and lifts a re-stocked bin containing additional seedlings onto the rear of the device.

Planting apparatus includes: (i) a housing that defines: a primary guide; and first and second opposed branch guides extending laterally from the primary guide; (ii) a first runner slidably secured to, and movable along the primary guide; (iii) a second runner securable to, and movable along a first branch guide; and (iv) a third runner securable to, and movable along a second branch guide. The first, second and third runners are configured such that: the second runner is receivable from the first branch guide on to the first runner; and the third runner is receivable from the second branch guide on to the first runner. Drive means move: (i) the second runner along the first branch guide and on to the first runner; (ii) the third runner along the second branch guide and on to the first runner; and (iii) the first runner, together with either of the second or third runners received thereon, along the primary guide.

A reforestation machine includes: a main body; a planting device which plants a plant body for reforestation at a predetermined position of soil; a traveling device which allows the main body and the planting device to travel; a power source which drives the traveling device; and a barrier installation device which installs a weed barrier, restricting the growth of weeds growing around a position in which the plant body is planted, around the predetermined position of the soil.

A reforestation machine includes: a main body; a planting device which plants a plant body for reforestation at a predetermined position of soil; a traveling device which allows the main body and the planting device to travel; a power source which drives the traveling device; and a barrier installation device which installs a weed barrier, restricting the growth of weeds growing around a position in which the plant body is planted, around the predetermined position of the soil.

An automatic picking and launching seedling device for a transplanting machine is provided, as well as methods of using the same. The device includes a seedling picking mechanism, seedling guiding devices, a box shifting mechanism and seedling separating mechanisms. The seedling picking mechanism is mounted on the box shifting mechanism, the two sets of seedling separating mechanisms are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the box shifting mechanism, and the seedling guiding device is arranged on the top of the seedling separating mechanism. The box shifting mechanism transports the disc to the seedling picking point, and the seedling picking mechanism moves the picking seedling claws to the seedling picking point to take the seedlings and moves to the seedling launching point to launch the seedlings.

Provided is a transplanting device for performing transplanting between a plurality of culture medium boards cultivating a plurality of plants planted in an aligned manner. The transplanting device includes a transplanting mechanism for transplanting the plants, where the transplanting mechanism performs alternately a step of arranging plants having been arranged in a grid form on a culture medium board of a transplanting source, into a zigzag form on a culture medium board of a transplanting destination, and a step of arranging plants having been arranged in a zigzag form on a culture medium board of a transplanting source, into a grid form on a culture medium board of a transplanting destination.

A planting system (100) for arrangement on a vehicle (110) is provided and comprises at least one plant arm (130) comprising a plant head (140) configured to penetrate ground and a plant feeding device (120) configured to feed plant seedlings (125) to the plant arm by dropping the plant seedlings from the plant feeding device. The plant arm comprises at least one articulation (180) and is configured to receive plant seedlings (125) and to guide the plant seedlings to the plant head. The planting system is configured to operate the plant arm by penetrating the ground and release the plant seedlings from the plant head into the ground while the plant system (100) is in motion and the plant head has a fixed position relative the ground. The plant seedlings fall from the plant feeding device (120) to the plant head (140) while the plant arm (130) is in motion.