Provided herein is a rotary plant growing apparatus. The apparatus includes a base and a cylindrical assembly supported by the base. The cylindrical assembly has an open first end and defines an interior growing chamber. The cylindrical assembly is also selectively rotatable relative to the base. A plurality of cartridge retention members are disposed on an inner said of the cylindrical assembly. An annular retention frame is disposed at the open first end of the cylindrical assembly and is formed with an opening. A selectively movable cartridge is retained in said interior growing chamber by the first cartridge retention member and the annular retention frame. The annular retention frame is dimensioned and positioned relative to the cylindrical assembly such that the selectively movable cartridge is only movable relative to said cylindrical assembly when the cartridge and said opening are longitudinally aligned.

A rotational sprouter system is proposed. The system may include a chamber including an opening, a porous end cap that is configured to engage the opening of the chamber, and a reservoir. The chamber and the porous end cap may be at least partially submerged in the reservoir such that an interior of the chamber is in communication with the reservoir via the porous end cap. The porous end cap may be adapted to engage a drive mechanism that is configured to rotate the chamber and the porous end cap while the chamber and the porous end cap are at least partially submerged in the reservoir.

A growth chamber carousel is provided which may be used to grow plants in a chamber. The chamber includes an artificial light source, a plurality of plant supports, a supporting structure configured to rotate the plant supports between two positions, the first position being closer to the artificial light source than the second, and a divider separating the chamber into a light region containing the artificial light source and one of the plant supports in the first position and a dark region containing the other plant support in the second position. The divider is moveable between a first divider position in which the divider prevents movement of the plant supports and a second divider position in which the divider does not prevent movement of the plant supports.

Modular systems for propagating plants in at least one of a hydroponic environment and an aquaponics environment may include at least one tank configured to hold liquid. A modular drive assembly may be carried by the at least one tank. At least one propagation module may be drivingly engaged for rotation by the modular drive assembly. The at least one propagation module may be configured to support and propagate at least one plant. At least one pump may be disposed in fluid communication with the at least one tank. The at least one pump configured to pump the liquid from the at least one tank through the at least one propagation module. Modular methods for propagating plants in at least one of a hydroponic environment and an aquaponics environment are also disclosed.

A vertical cultivation system and method. The vertical cultivation system includes a vertical carousel with associated platforms that each hold a plant. The carousel moves the platforms through different levels during the daily growing cycle and the plants receive treatments at each level. The treatments include irrigation, lighting, environmental control, pest management, and deep-water culture. The movement of the carousel (e.g., its speed and rotational positioning) is controlled by a controller that receives input from sensors configured with the plants. The sensors communicate sensed readings (e.g., moisture levels) and the controller controls the carousel's movement based on the readings. When at ground level, the plants are held at a level that is ergonomic for pruning and other plant maintenance activities.

Provided herein is a system for hydroponics growing of plants. An apparatus for a hydroponics system described herein includes: a tray configured to receive water from the hydroponic system, circulate the water through the tray, and return the water to the hydroponic system, where the tray includes one or more flow control features configured to regulate water flow through the tray, and a tray insert supported by the tray, where the tray insert includes a plurality of holes through a bottom surface of the tray insert, where the tray insert is configured to receive seeds on the bottom surface and maintain the seeds in a predefined depth of water. According to some embodiments, the one or more flow control features include one or more slots, where the one or more slots are each arranged to receive therein a barrier that blocks a portion of water flow out of the tray.

A transformable greenhouse system comprises devices for growing plants arranged in rows (2), where each of the devices includes vertical bearing posts (3) to which horizontal beams (5) are hinged, on which the vegetation receptacles of plants (10) are hung. The horizontal beams have the ability to turn and move in the vertical plane by way of a drive. In addition, the mentioned beams have the capability of being fixed in the vertical plane to place the vegetation receptacles of plants at different heights. The vegetation receptacles of plants are located on horizontal beams with the capability of adjusting the distance between them.

A system for providing a growth environment for a plant positioned in an automated plant growing system is disclosed. Light sources with each light source positioned in the automated plant growing system to expose the plant to the light sources and to generate light to trigger photosynthesis in the plant. A controller that monitors a growth parameters associated with the plant to determine whether the growth parameters deviate beyond a corresponding growth threshold. Each of the growth parameters provides an indicator as to a growth status of the plant and the growth status of the plant decreases when the growth parameters deviate beyond the corresponding growth threshold. The controller automatically adjusts an environmental parameter when the growth parameters deviate beyond the growth thresholds. Each of the environmental parameters impact the growth environment of the plant positioned in the automated plant growing system.