The invention relates to a method for producing a stabilized growing medium for cultivation of a plant or seedling. The method comprises the steps of providing a receiving unit for containing the rooting plug to be formed and placing a root structure of a plant or seedling in the receiving unit. Further, the method includes the steps of filling the receiving unit with slurry material forming a stabilized growing medium and curing the slurry material in the receiving unit while holding the root structure of the plant or seedling in the receiving unit.

A method for operating a greenhouse system with block storage, at least one block storage element and at least one vehicle. Growth conditions for plants are to be improved. To this end, each block storage element has a carrier frame and a plant receptacle, the plant receptacle being detachably engaged with the carrier frame, the block storage having at least one first zone and one second zone, and at least one first carrier frame and at least one second carrier frame, the plant receptacle in the first zone being detachably engaged with the first carrier frame; and the plant receptacle being subsequently transferred into the second zone, the plant receptacle being transferred from the first carrier frame to the second carrier frame within the framework of transferal from the first zone into the second zone, the plant receptacle in the second zone being detachably engaged with the second carrier frame.

A horticultural container filling apparatus has a hopper to selectively dispense soil through an exit. A two-tier strip conveyor assembly has a plurality of narrow conveyor belts coupled to a motor for translating the narrow conveyor belts in a first direction along a first plane below the exit of the hopper. The narrow conveyor belts spaced apart, defining one or more gaps. A plurality of support rails support and guide the narrow conveyor belts along the first plane and are configured to support and convey a container on the narrow conveyor belts in the first direction. The container receives a portion of the soil dispensed from the exit of the hopper, and the gaps pass a remaining portion of soil not received by the container to a second plane below the first plane. A catch conveyor belt along the second plane receives and translates the remaining portion of soil in a second direction along the second plane. A return conveyor assembly has one or more inclined conveyor belts for receiving the remaining portion of the soil from the catch conveyor belt returns the remaining portion to the hopper. The inclined conveyor belts are substantially flat belts, and an incline angle of the inclined conveyor belts is configured to generally prevent slippage of the remaining portion of the potting material.

A plantlet holder (25) is formed of nutrient solution-absorbing, open celled, phenolic foam, with an upper handling portion (55), an insertion well (60) for a plantlet and a lower portion (56) adapted to laterally locate in a ring (30) in a work stand (24), the handling portion (55) adapted to be frictionally gripped for robotic or manual handling. Robotic handling apparatus includes a pair of plantlet holder gripper manipulator arms (40) adapted to engage the handling portion (55) for movement of a plantlet holder (25) between a material source portion, an operator work portion (14), and a material delivery portion. The operator work portion (14) is characterised by the work stands (24) locating the plantlet holders vertically by a step portion (32).

Automated, metrically controlled methods and systems of cultivating plants to maximize customer order fulfillment can dynamically take into consideration growing conditions and environments of transplant propagules, plants, and seedlings and even changeable order requirements. Through an appropriately configured programmable plant growth configured computer system, computer logic determined optimization of transplanting times, growth conditions, planting needs, and transplant propagule quantities, among other aspects, may be met more efficiently, with less waste at closer to one hundred percent. Programmable plant growth configured computer systems may be configured with a multi-cycle replacement tray maximization metric programs, and/or a multi growth stage parameterized metrics to achieve processes that are mare than just automated, but are fundamentally more than and different from previous systems. Automatic metric controls can simultaneously and differentially control donor tray growth environments apart from customer tray environments as automatically provided for by a program implemented to utilize multi-cycle replacement tray or multi growth stage parameterized metrics to sequence and achieve outcomes not previously available. Optimization of transplanting to customer plant trays and use and disposal of donor trays may optimize the economics by reducing waste through new processes that are fundamentally different and dynamically adaptable in real time from those manually conducted. Through transplanting optimization customer yields and producer efficiencies may be maximized.

A method for tracking seeds in an assembly line grow pod having a plurality of carts is provided. A target seed is deposited in a selected cell which is a part of a selected tray located in a selected cart travelling on an assembly line grow pod. A position of the target seed is tracked in the selected cell by determining the position of the target seed in the selected cart and determining a position of the selected cart in the assembly line grow pod. Sustenance is provided to the target seed including the selected cell. A growth factor of the target seed is determined in the selected cell. Upon determination that the growth factor of the target seed in the selected cell is below a predetermined threshold, supply of the sustenance provided to the selected cell is adjusted.

A conveyor system (4, 5) moves vertical poles (2) in an agricultural facility between a growing area (20) and a workstation (W). Each pole carries plant growing containers (3) at multiple levels (H1-H9). An irrigation reservoir (30) may be mounted atop each pole. Irrigation lines (31-33) from the reservoir may be individually metered (35) at each level to compensate for differing water pressure with height. Sensors (40) in the reservoir and at each level of the poles may provide a controller (36) with data input. The controller may impose different growing conditions in different areas of the facility, including vertically different grow areas (20A, 20B), and controls pole movements and locations selectively to provide a sequence of poles at the workstation ready to harvest on a demand schedule. The workstation may have multiple heights (W1, W2, W3) for tall poles that increase plant density per facility footprint.

A plant growing system comprising a growing panel and a porous air hose coupled to the growing panel. The growing panel includes a plurality of openings for receiving a plurality of plant receptacles. The plurality of openings are arranged in a plurality of parallel lines on the growing panel, and the porous air hose extends along the growing panel between at least two of the parallel lines.

A selective transplanter is provided for transplanting seedlings from a tray to seedling planting apparatus. The tray includes a plurality of cells for holding plugs of growing medium containing seedlings. The transplanter is arranged to eject plugs from the cells of the tray to a conveyor which conveys the plugs to the seedling planting apparatus. The transplanter is arranged to remove plugs that do not contain germinated seedlings from the conveyor at a removal position before they are transferred to the seedling planting apparatus. A seedling retention roller engages with plant material of the seedlings projecting from the plugs at the removal position before the plugs are transferred to the seedling planting apparatus, preventing removal of plugs containing seedlings with projecting plant material. The transplanter provides the advantage that the plugs containing seedlings can be planted in rows in a field without dud plugs being planted, leaving the rows substantially gap free.

The present invention includes an apparatus (2) for receiving and depositing plant pots (26) which stand in rows, having at least two receiving channels (4) that are arranged in parallel beside each other and which extend in an extent direction (R) and are provided with lateral delimitations (6). In order to improve the adjustment possibility of the channel width (24) of the receiving channels (4) with an adjustment apparatus (14), the lateral delimitations (6) are supported in a laterally displaceable and rotationally secure manner on a displacement member (16) which is orientated transversely relative to the extent direction (R) of the receiving channels (4), the lateral delimitations (6) be connected to an adjustable coupling rod linkage (18), the coupling rod linkage (18) form the adjustment apparatus (14), and the coupling rod linkage (18) adjusts the channel width (24) of all the receiving channels (4) by the same value.