An indoor soilless plant cultivating system, comprising a plurality of stationary light posts, each of which adapted to illuminate a predetermined sector of an indoor facility in accordance with a predetermined illumination signature; a plurality of plant growth towers that are rotatable about a substantially vertical axis in accordance with a predetermined timing sequence so as to be exposable to the light generated at any given time by one or more of the light posts and that are arranged by at least one module defining a module darkened interior region within which plants being instantaneously positioned receive a sensation of nighttime; and irrigation means for supplying the plants being cultivated in each of said towers with a nutrient-rich solution. Moreover, an artificial pollination system based on compressed air nozzles is incorporated within the light posts.

A rotational sprouter system, is disclosed including: a chamber comprising an opening; a porous end cap that is configured to engage the opening of the chamber; a reservoir; wherein the chamber and the porous end cap are 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; and wherein the porous end cap is 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.

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.

Three-dimensional vegetation growing systems provide an enclosed hydroponic environment for growing plants. The system serves to uniformly expose the plants to nutrients, liquids, and light from multiple directions while the plant rotates. In some embodiments, the three-dimensional vegetation growing systems may include a system housing configured to form an enclosed hydroponic growing environment; at least one light source in the system housing, the at least one light source configured to emit light; a distribution portion in the system housing, the distribution portion configured to discharge a vegetation growth sustaining liquid; and at least one conveyor device in the system housing, the at least one conveyor device disposed in proximity to the distribution portion, the at least one conveyor device configured to support vegetation and rotate the vegetation in the system housing as the vegetation receives the vegetation growth sustaining liquid from the distribution portion and the light from the at least one light source. Other embodiments of the three-dimensional vegetation growing systems are also disclosed.

Three-dimensional vegetation growing systems provide an enclosed hydroponic environment for growing plants. The system serves to uniformly expose the plants to nutrients, liquids, and light from multiple directions while the plant rotates. In some embodiments, the three-dimensional vegetation growing systems may include a system housing configured to form an enclosed hydroponic growing environment; at least one light source in the system housing, the at least one light source configured to emit light; a distribution portion in the system housing, the distribution portion configured to discharge a vegetation growth sustaining liquid; and at least one conveyor device in the system housing, the at least one conveyor device disposed in proximity to the distribution portion, the at least one conveyor device configured to support vegetation and rotate the vegetation in the system housing as the vegetation receives the vegetation growth sustaining liquid from the distribution portion and the light from the at least one light source. Other embodiments of the three-dimensional vegetation growing systems are also disclosed.

A structure (20) for growing plants comprises an array (22) of containers (24), for example intermodal shipping containers, each having a floor (28) and an open end (30), and being arranged in a plurality of stacked rows (32), each row comprising a plurality of containers. The array defines a space (34) bounded on its sides by the open ends of the containers. Each container holds a plant-growing apparatus (26) of the type having a plurality of rotatable plant-growing modules (52) in which plants grow radially inwardly toward a light source (56) inside the module. The structure (20) includes means (58, 60) for moving the modules along a path within each container and means (74) for removing the modules from the containers and for placing the modules into the containers. The array of containers and the bounded space are covered by a flexible fabric (50) or rigid dome (48).

Disclosed is a vertical growing carousel including a first upright member, a first drive gear associated with the first upright member, a first chain connected to the drive gear, a first plurality of support brackets connected to the first chain, a second upright member opposite the first upright member, a second drive gear associated with the second upright member, a second chain connected to the second drive gear, a second plurality of support brackets connected to the second chain, a driveshaft extending between the first upright member and the second upright member, a motor connected to the driveshaft, a plurality of growing trays, each growing tray respectively comprising, a substantially flat base, a plurality of upstanding sidewalls extending, up from the flat base, a plurality of electrical contacts for receiving electrical power, and at least one light on a bottom side of the base.

A symbiotic aquaponic growth system is a system for growing plants. An aquaculture reservoir holds water and aquatic animals. Water and waste is transported to a filtering germination tray that serves to hold germinating seeds as well as to filter solid waste from the water. Plants are supported in a tubular growing member that rotates due to water flowing from the filtering germination tray onto the tubular growing member. The aquaculture reservoir, the filtering germination tray, and the tubular growing member are contained within an enclosure that may be closed via a lid and a shuttered door. Water is transported from the aquaculture reservoir to the filtering germination tray through a fluid distribution assembly. Water and nutrients are provided to plants in the tubular growing member by dipping the plant roots into the aquaculture reservoir as well by the water falling onto the plant roots from the filtering germination tray.

This invention relates to a modular rotatable gardening system, comprising a modular main frame supporting a drum for growing plants. This modular rotatable gardening system can be stacked on top of one or more other modular rotatable gardening systems, and also combined in-line. The modular rotatable gardening system may additionally comprise a modular hot air removal ductwork, and may additionally comprise a CO.sub.2 delivery system.

A rotatable rack system for growing plants is disclosed which has a frame, a plurality of mobile trays arrayed around the frame, where each mobile tray contains at least one plant and a chain linking said plurality of mobile trays together, supported by the frame with a drive mechanism configured to drive the chain wherein the frame is configured to support the plurality of mobile trays encircling an enclosed space. Several configurations of the frame that are equally energy efficient are also disclosed, along with a method of growing plants using the system.