A multi-stage, plant growing system is configured for high density growth and crop yields and includes among other things, towers or vertical growth columns, an enclosed controlled environmental growth chamber, interchangeable growth modules, and control systems capable of machine learning wherein the crops are optimally spaced and continually staged in their planting cycles utilizing special growth modules to provide an accelerated and continuous annual production yield. A vertical growth tower for vertical farming comprising a plurality of growth modules, each growth module comprising an enclosure configured to securely hold at least one plant; a drain aperture in the enclosure; and at least one lateral growth opening in the enclosure configured to permit and to encourage lateral growth of the at least one plant away from the enclosure; wherein one or more of the growth modules is configured to stackably support one or more of the other growth modules above and/or below itself within the vertical growth tower.

A plant growing system configured for high density crop growth and yield, including an environmentally-controlled growing chamber and a vertical growth column within, the column configured to support a hydroponic plant growth module which is configured for containing and supporting plant growth media for containing and supporting a root structure of at least one gravitropic crop plant growing therein and for detachably mounting to the vertical growth column, the hydroponic plant growth module including a lateral growth opening to allow the plant to grow laterally through toward a light emitting source, a nutrient supply system to direct aqueous crop nutrient solution through an upper opening of the hydroponic plant growth module, an airflow source to direct airflow away from the growth opening and through an under-canopy of the plant, so as to disturb the boundary layer, and a control system for regulating, at least one growing condition in an area in or adjacent to the under-canopy.

A computer implemented system for a vertical farming system comprising at least a first crop growth module and operating in an environmentally-controlled growing chamber, the control system comprising sensors for measuring environmental growing conditions in the environmentally-controlled growing chamber over time to generate environmental condition data, a device configured for measuring a crop characteristic of a crop grown in the crop growth module of the environmentally-controlled growing chamber to generate crop growth data and a processing device comprising software modules for receiving the environmental condition data and the crop growth data; applying an algorithm to the environmental condition data and the crop growth data to generate an improved environmental growing condition and generating instructions for adjustment of the environmental growing conditions in or around the growth module in the environmentally-controlled growing chamber to the improved environmental growing condition.

Exemplary embodiments provide an apparatus and method of use for more easily and reliably stimulating root growth on the limbs of plants or trees. The apparatus securely locks in place around a limb of a tree, and a root growth medium is placed inside the apparatus around a limb of a plant or tree. A watering tube and viewing port are also provided. After a period of time, roots grow inside the root growth medium, the apparatus is removed, the limb is severed from the plant or tree, and the limb and newly-formed root ball are planted.

An apparatus includes container having an open top, a lower end portion with a drain opening, and an interior growing space vertically between the open top and the lower end portion. A lid is received over the open top of the container. A plant retainer is supported on the lid, and retains a plant in a growing position in which the stem reaches vertically through the retainer and the roots reach downward from the stem. A plant feeder device is located beneath the retainer to emit water beside the plant. A root trellis reaches across the interior growing space beneath the feeder device. The root trellis has an inner portion aligned vertically with the retainer, an outer portion surrounding the inner portion, and a cross-sectional profile inclined vertically from the inner portion to the outer portion.

A soil-less biodegradable and porous rigid foam substrate for cultivating plants that has been formed of a heterogeneous matrix of organic fibers pasteurized with organic matter and natural minerals, and then contacted with a fungus, resulting in a biocomposite foam with excellent capillary dynamics, the whole of which does not compact and whose organic bio-composition favors the proper micro-biological activity upon a plants' rhizosphere. The preferred embodiment is to grow said substrate inside a waxed hexagonal prism shaped box, and around an externally accessible means of internal aeration, for approximately 3-5 days, and then to deactivate the live fungus in said biocomposite foam by exposure to microwave radiation.

A tree rooting enclosure apparatus including a body housing with a cylindrical body base culminating into a pair of opposing end openings. The body and end openings are structured to accommodate a portion of a plant therethrough. The apparatus as a whole may be made of two removably engaged elongate halves structured to surround a selected portion of a plant and attach to itself forming a water-resistant fit around the selected portion of the plant.

A tree rooting enclosure apparatus including a body housing with a cylindrical body base culminating into a pair of opposing end openings. The body and end openings are structured to accommodate a portion of a plant therethrough. The apparatus as a whole may be made of two removably engaged elongate halves structured to surround a selected portion of a plant and attach to itself forming a water-resistant fit around the selected portion of the plant.