In a method for the manufacture of a pad built up from two fluid permeable, flexible sheets attached to each other with moisturizing, swellable gel in between, the sheets are supplied as pre-cut sheets and a first sheet of the pre-cut sheets is placed on a transport plate. Then, a layer of glue is applied on an upwardly facing side of the first sheet. Thereafter, gel beads are or gel powder is evenly applied on the upwardly facing side of the first sheet. Then, a second one of the pre-cut sheets is applied to the gel and the adhesive layer. Then a heated heating plate is pressed for some time on the top sheet of the pad formed this way.

A submersible foliage planter includes a growing medium; and a container including an inner pouch of fine porous material which encloses the growing medium therein and an outer pouch of course porous material which encloses the inner pouch therein, wherein the coarse porous material has an average pore size larger than that of the fine porous material, the fine porous material and course porous material are permeable by water and by a root system of an aquatic plant, and the course porous material is water insoluble.

A submersible foliage planter includes a growing medium; and a container including an inner pouch of fine porous material which encloses the growing medium therein and an outer pouch of course porous material which encloses the inner pouch therein, wherein the coarse porous material has an average pore size larger than that of the fine porous material, the fine porous material and course porous material are permeable by water and by a root system of an aquatic plant, and the course porous material is water insoluble.

The facility has a pair of side bars (1,1) acting as inclined supports for an upper sheet (2) with openings (8) for inserting the plants, a closed lower sheet (4) acting as a collector, and at least one intermediate sheet (3) with openings determining a cascade trajectory for the water with the nutrients. The multi-layer upper sheet (2) preferably includes four layers (2a, 2b, 2e and 2d), which together define narrow channels (7) such that at insertion, the root of each plant is placed in a channel (7) different from that used by the adjacent plants. The openings (8) for the insertion of the plants form two marginal and longitudinal lines, so than the roots of adjacent plants can be completely isolated during the first growth phase thereof, preventing interference therebetween and allowing plants with different growth rates and even different types of plants to be arranged on the facility, generating, in turn, continuous production and an improved yield from the facility.

A whole plant gas exchange apparatus employs a chamber having a first region for accommodating a growth medium and a root system of a whole plant, and a second region accommodating a canopy of the plant. The regions are separated by a barrier, except for an opening through which the stem of the plant is accommodated. An air source supplies incoming air to the second region through an intake. An air outlet conveys outgoing air from the second region to a gas sensor for analysis of the outgoing air after photosynthetic interaction with the plant canopy. A vent communicates the first region of the chamber to an ambient environment outside the chamber. A resulting pressurized state of the second region is used to exhaust air from the first region through the vent in order to isolate this exhausted air from the analyzed canopy air.

An agricultural water retention system including a subsurface water retention barrier positioned in soil below a root zone of one or more plants; wherein the subsurface water retention barrier consists of a plurality of hydrophobic beads layered in a loosely packed manner; and wherein the subsurface water retention barrier is air permeable. Optionally, there is also included a surface evaporation barrier positioned proximate a surface of the soil, such that the surface evaporation barrier includes at least one layer of hydrophobic beads.

The facility has a pair of side bars (1,1) acting as inclined supports for an upper sheet (2) with openings (8) for inserting the plants, a closed lower sheet (4) acting as a collector, and at least one intermediate sheet (3) with openings determining a cascade trajectory for the water with the nutrients. The multi-layer upper sheet (2) preferably includes four layers (2a, 2b, 2e and 2d), which together define narrow channels (7) such that at insertion, the root of each plant is placed in a channel (7) different from that used by the adjacent plants. The openings (8) for the insertion of the plants form two marginal and longitudinal lines, so than the roots of adjacent plants can be completely isolated during the first growth phase thereof, preventing interference therebetween and allowing plants with different growth rates and even different types of plants to be arranged on the facility, generating, in turn, continuous production and an improved yield from the facility.

A plant growing device includes an envelope made of a vacuum formed film and having substantially planar first and second walls interconnected by a surrounding wall. A plant growing medium is enclosed by the envelope. The first and second walls each has a plurality of micro-holes, and a network of interconnected ribs that are indented from an outer surface of the first or second wall to define a plurality of flow guide channels. The second wall further has openings to receive plants. The first wall further has drain holes. The envelope has high air permeability due to the micro-holes while still possessing a relative high strength due to the network of ribs.

The invention provides highly nutritious microgreens in a manner that is highly efficient and easy-to-use even for consumers who are unfamiliar with growing plants. The invention provides plant growing apparatus, plant growing systems including water and plants, plant growing kits, and methods of growing plants. The invention reduces the frequency of watering and produces microgreen yields with surprisingly little water.

An absorption medium includes compressed coir particles having been compressed from an uncompressed state at a volume to volume ratio of greater than 3:1, but less than 15:1, and having been ground to a grind size of 1/25 inches to inch.