Plants are grown in a growing machine by advancing a plurality of plant cradles on an endless conveyor along a growing path, at least a portion of the path being an undulating path having alternating upward and downward portions and having a return portion for looping back to the undulating portion. Using a pair of parallel endless conveyors, the cradles are removably supported between the conveyors. The cradles are supplied with growth-sustaining liquid and growth-promoting light. The cradles are advanced along the path until the one or more plants have reached a target growth after which they can be harvested or transferred to one or more subsequent machines until mature for harvest. The machine can be in a controlled environment, including located in modules arranged in series, parallel or combinations thereof.

Cultivation system (1) comprised of an endless cultivation track (2), that includes a number of support members (5) on which that is to be grown is moved along the cultivation track's length under illumination from a plurality of lighting units (7). A specific feature present cultivation system is that at least one of the lighting units (7) is arranged to be movable to and from a position (9), where it is intended to provide light, to and from a position at at least one support member (5) in which the lighting unit may be connected at the support member (5) and that movement of the lighting unit (7) may occur with the support member (5) to and from an arbitrary position along the cultivation track's length.

A spiral growing system is configured to be housed in a vertically elongated silo growth chamber to grow an agricultural crop. The spiral growing system broadly includes a spiral growing assembly and a movable crop support with a continuous track and optional feeding system. The track extends continuously along the assembly length of the spiral growing assembly and presents a generally downward spiral path that defines a path axis, with the track configured to direct the agricultural crop along the spiral path to thereby direct the agricultural crop through the growing space along the spiral path.

A controller for a hydroponic growing apparatus, system, and method is provided. The controller includes a programmable logic controller housed within a control housing and a graphical user interface operable by the programmable logic controller and disposed on the control housing. A home screen has one or more status indicators for each seed bed on the plurality of levels. A seeding screen has one or more seeding controls for actuating a seeder for depositing seed on each seed bed on the plurality of levels. A harvesting screen has one or more harvesting controls for autonomously controlling seed growth harvesting from each seed bed on the plurality of levels.

A carrier for growing crops, such as lettuce, is disclosed. The carrier floats on water in a pond, and includes at least one floating beam and a carrier connectable to the floating beam, and a number of growth locations for the crops where holders for the crops or roots of the crops extend into the water.

The present invention relates generally to the field of hydroponics and to apparatus and methods for the growing of plants in a water-based or soil-free environment. A flexible container (2) for growing plants hydroponically is provided, comprising one or more openings (1) for receiving plantlets (16) and/or seeds (15) and one or more openings (1, 5, 6, 7) for receiving a nutrient and/or water (5) and/or oxygen supply (6, 7), which openings may be the same or different to the openings of (i).

Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods of providing a large-scale farming apparatus that utilizes a helical design for continuous crop production and cultivation. The invention generally embodies a planting material suspended between two material transport assemblies, configured to move down a helical path. In some embodiments, a depositor may deposit soil, seeds, fertilizer, etc. onto the planting material at the top of the helical path. In some embodiments, a harvester may harvest the crops at the bottom of the helical path and discard the soil into a compost housing. The material transport assemblies may travel back to the top of the helical path, creating a continuous path upon which the planting material may travel. A compost transport system may receive the compost from the compost housing, transport the compost upwards to the depositor, and deliver the compost, as fertile soil, back to the depositor.

The hydroponic growing system may include a gutter assembly configured to manage flow of a liquid solution to one or more components of the hydroponic growing system. Further, the hydroponic growing system may include at least one growing trough movably engaged to the gutter assembly and configured to hold one or more plants. Moreover, the hydroponic growing system may include an automation assembly movably engaged with the at least one growing trough and configured to move the at least one trough from a first position on the gutter assembly to a second position on the gutter assembly via one or more engagement devices.

The hydroponic growing system may include a gutter assembly configured to manage flow of a liquid solution to one or more components of the hydroponic growing system. Further, the hydroponic growing system may include at least one growing trough movably engaged to the gutter assembly and configured to hold one or more plants. Moreover, the hydroponic growing system may include an automation assembly movably engaged with the at least one growing trough and configured to move the at least one trough from a first position on the gutter assembly to a second position on the gutter assembly via one or more engagement devices.

The hydroponic growing system may include a gutter assembly configured to manage flow of a liquid solution to one or more components of the hydroponic growing system. Further, the hydroponic growing system may include at least one growing trough movably engaged to the gutter assembly and configured to hold one or more plants. Moreover, the hydroponic growing system may include an automation assembly movably engaged with the at least one growing trough and configured to move the at least one trough from a first position on the gutter assembly to a second position on the gutter assembly via one or more engagement devices.