Disclosed herein are soil amendments, generally in the form of coated perlite compositions, as well as methods of making and using the same. The disclosed compositions, methods, and systems provide for various beneficial enhancements to plants growth and soil health, and may decrease costs, for example by avoiding the need for multiple treatments. The presently disclosed compositions, methods, and systems also aid in prolonging release of plant nutrition into the soil (including silica), enhancing aeration, water retention, and drainage, resisting soil compaction, providing for pest and insect control, etc. In many embodiments, the disclosed coated perlite composition is a sterile composition, that is lightweight, and has a low dust content, which may provide for efficient and low-cost handling and transport of products comprising same. The disclosed coated perlite compositions comprise perlite particles having a coating of a mixture of diatomaceous earth phosphorous and may also include one or more of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the coating.

Disclosed herein are soil amendments, generally in the form of coated perlite compositions, as well as methods of making and using the same. The disclosed compositions, methods, and systems provide for various beneficial enhancements to plants growth and soil health, and may decrease costs, for example by avoiding the need for multiple treatments. The presently disclosed compositions, methods, and systems also aid in prolonging release of plant nutrition into the soil (including silica), enhancing aeration, water retention, and drainage, resisting soil compaction, providing for pest and insect control, etc. In many embodiments, the disclosed coated perlite composition is a sterile composition, that is lightweight, and has a low dust content, which may provide for efficient and low-cost handling and transport of products comprising same. The disclosed coated perlite compositions comprise perlite particles having a coating of a mixture of diatomaceous earth phosphorous and may also include one or more of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the coating.

There is provided an off-ground plant growing system providing an electronic monitoring system and also providing a thin layer of high porosity organic compost and providing the steps of adding a precise amount of vermicompost to the soil phase, immediately followed by addition of arbuscular mycorhizae, and followed by regular weekly addition of beneficial micro-organisms for plant development, including mycorhizae associated bacteria, plant growth promoting fungi, soil conditioning bacteria, purple non-sulphur bacteria and probiotic disease-preventing bacteria, in order to promote the creation of a well differentiated, dense and ramified root system and complete microrhizobiome in the compost phase, that can effectively assist the functions of plant roots for optimal precision greenhouse, green walling or homegrown crop production of all kinds, without the use of chemical pesticides or fungicides.

There is provided an off-ground plant growing system providing an electronic monitoring system and also providing a thin layer of high porosity organic compost and providing the steps of adding a precise amount of vermicompost to the soil phase, immediately followed by addition of arbuscular mycorhizae, and followed by regular weekly addition of beneficial micro-organisms for plant development, including mycorhizae associated bacteria, plant growth promoting fungi, soil conditioning bacteria, purple non-sulphur bacteria and probiotic disease-preventing bacteria, in order to promote the creation of a well differentiated, dense and ramified root system and complete microrhizobiome in the compost phase, that can effectively assist the functions of plant roots for optimal precision greenhouse, green walling or homegrown crop production of all kinds, without the use of chemical pesticides or fungicides.

A modular hydroponic tower array fixture system for the growth of organisms such as plants and fungi on arrays of hydroponic towers, allowing for the insertion and removal of individual towers from the array, is provided. Methods for the production of organisms such as plants and fungi using a modular hydroponic tower array fixture system are also provided herein.

The present invention relates to a method of producing a coherent growth substrate product formed of man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF), comprising the steps of (vi) providing MMVF; (vii) providing an uncured binder composition; (viii) providing a superabsorbent polymer; (ix) forming a mixture of the MMVF, the uncured binder composition and the superabsorbent polymer; (x) curing the uncured binder composition in the mixture to form the coherent growth substrate product; wherein the uncured binder composition comprises at least one hydrocolloid.

A mechanically resilient variety of Rushia lineolata is presented, particularly in combination with a conditioned growth medium. In preferred aspects, the variety is clonally selected for a small growth profile and mechanical resiliency to resist damage from foot traffic, and the growth medium includes a porous low-density glass component, an acidic organic absorbent component, and a microbial organic component to enhance the desired properties.

Provided are 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.

A plant growth media composition, articles made therefrom, and methods of making and using the same are described. The plant growth media composition includes a combination of one or more plant growth substrate materials and an additive such as cellulose fibers, clay, carrageenan, alginate, chitosan, or combinations thereof.

A plant growth media composition, articles made therefrom, and methods of making and using the same are described. The plant growth media composition includes a combination of one or more plant growth substrate materials and an additive such as cellulose fibers, clay, carrageenan, alginate, chitosan, or combinations thereof.