The disclosure relates to polylactic acid compositions comprising a degradation additive and a thermal stability additive. The polylactic acid compositions have increased rates of degradation when compared to polylactic acid composition without the disclosed additives. The polylactic acid compositions are particularly suitable for use in artificial seeds.

An innovative modular indoor growing system uses a holistic approach that includes an heirloom/ancestral seed collection sourced from global seed banks, an in-home easy-to-use production system, passport-style information for people to explore or experience the global seed diversity of a crop, onboard sensors and cameras for real-time monitoring of the crop, virtual assistance facilitating the selection, development, and creation of new varieties, and a crowd sourced data collection network that relies on artificial intelligence to build a state-of-the-art knowledge base for product optimization and consumer intelligence.

Systems and methods for providing and operating a modular garden are provided. Modular gardens of the present technology may be attached to an indoor or outdoor wall. Modular gardens of the present technology include modular planters having at least one panel, a watering system, and a garden computing system that monitors plant conditions, automatically waters plants in the modular garden, and may communicate with a user personal computing device.

A plant growing vessel includes an impervious outer vessel, a cover, a first permeable membrane, a nutrient chamber, and a pocket. The impervious outer vessel includes an inert substrate in a root zone. The cover is positioned over the impervious outer vessel. The first permeable membrane is in contact with the inert substrate. The nutrient chamber includes solid nutrients. The nutrient chamber is between the cover and the first permeable membrane or between the first permeable membrane and a bottom of the impervious outer vessel, and the solid nutrients are in contact with the first permeable membrane. The pocket is configured to allow seeds, seedlings, or shoots of plants access to the inert substrate through an aperture in the cover.

The present invention relates to a container for propagating growth of seedlings, having a main body comprising a base, a central wall extending vertically from the base. A first wall section and a second wall section are arranged to the main body. The first wall section and the second wall section are hingeably connected to the main body. The base, the central wall, the wall sections forms in the closed condition at least two cells being open at top. The base comprises a supporting structure at the lower part of the main body, wherein the main body is provided with supporting means for holding an irrigation mat. The present invention also relates to a tray designed for receive and carry one or more of said containers, a greenhouse including the tray and one or more of the mentioned containers, and a method for propagating growth of seedlings.

An agricultural yield pod or agricultural yield pad with holed root membrane overlay. The agricultural yield pod encloses soil and vegetation in the soil. The top of the agricultural yield pod is closed except for at least one water and nutrition port and at least one vegetation growth port (or neck). The trunk of the vegetation passes through the at least one vegetation growth port (or neck). The agricultural yield pad is closed by the holed root membrane overlay and contains soil and vegetation in the soil. The trunk of the vegetation passes through the holes in the holed root membrane overlay. Root direction channels 38 may be beneath the overlay.

Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques, including systems and methods, for planting using planting pods. A planting system can be configured to deliver pods including a payload (e.g., seeds, cuttings, or other planting materials) into or onto the ground at a predetermined location. In some embodiments, the automated planting system can include a mapping system that receives various sensor inputs and generates a map of a planting area. A pod planting system may use the map of the planting area to deliver pods to the planting area. The pod planting system may be executed automatically using the maps generated by the mapping system and/or manually by a remote operator. Each pod can include a payload to be planted on or in the ground by the pod planting system. Pods may be customized depending on the types of plants being planted, the terrain, prior planting results, etc.

A bed for planting in is disclosed. The bed includes panels for creating a frame. A liner, comprising a rip-resistant material, that fits within the frame and is attached thereto. Each panel includes spaces to access the liner. The material of the liner permits slits to be made in it without the slit expanding. Any slits made in the liner are located in the spaces within the panels. The liner is filled with grow medium. Plants are planted in the grow medium and grow out of the upper surface of the grow medium in the liner. Slits are placed in the liner, and plants are placed in the grow medium to grow through the slits. A method for creating a bed to plant in is also disclosed

A sprout lid for use with a container to sprout seeds and or beans is provided which may include a recess feature which may allow the container to be filled with water without removing the sprout lid from the container, as well as allowing proper airflow in the container. The sprout lid may also be used to rinse, strain, and drain seeds and or beans in the container.

An apparatus for cultivating plants may include a cabinet forming a space in which plants are cultivated; a door connected to the cabinet to open and close the space; at least one bed disposed in the space and configured to support at least one seed package accommodating a medium including seeds; and at least one light assembly that radiates light to the at least one seed package on the at least one bed. The light assembly may include at least one LED module including a plurality of LED groups; a light case that covers an upper portion of the at least one LED module; and a light cover coupled to the light cover and supporting a lower portion of the at least one LED module.