A watering system including a receptacle including a fluid flow generator and a fluid flow generator controller which releasably couples to a fluid reservoir containing a fluid which can be transferred by operation of the fluid flow generator from the fluid reservoir to a plurality of fluid flow meters which can be disposed in spaced apart relation to correspondingly deliver the fluid to a plurality of spaced apart locations. In particular embodiments, a plurality of potted plants can be disposed in spaced apart relation and one more of the plurality of fluid flow meters can be correspondingly located to deliver the fluid to each of the plurality of potted plants.

The invention relates to a Novosphingobium sp. SJB007 and an application thereof in removal of phosphorus from wastewater, belonging to the technical field of environmental microorganisms. One aspect of the invention provides a Novosphingobium sp. SJB007 with an access number of CGMCC (China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center) No. 21177. Another aspect of the invention provides an application of the Novosphingobium sp. SJB007 in removal of phosphorus from wastewater. The efficient phosphorus-accumulating strain Novosphingobium sp. SJB007 provided by the invention has a high removal rate of more than 97% when the concentration of phosphorus in the wastewater is 10-30 mg/L under an appropriate condition.

The present disclosure is directed to improved vertical farming using autonomous systems and methods for growing edible plants, using improved stacking and shelving units configured to allow for gravity-based irrigation, gravity-based loading and unloading, along with a system for autonomous rotation, incorporating novel plant-growing pallets, while being photographed and recorded by camera systems incorporating three dimensional/multispectral cameras, with the images and data recorded automatically sent to a database for processing and for gauging plant health, pest and/or disease issues, and plant life cycle. The present disclosure is also directed to novel harvesting methods, novel modular lighting, novel light intensity management systems, real time vision analysis that allows for the dynamic adjustment and optimization of the plant growing environment, and a novel rack structure system that allows for simplified building and enlarging of vertical farming rack systems.

The invention disclosed herein relates to an automatic watering valve actuator assembly. The automatic watering valve actuator assembly comprises a bracket that can attach the assembly to a support member and a valve. In one embodiment, the bracket has an opening that can receive a hook from a hanging planter. When the hook is positioned in the bracket, an actuator button on a valve is engaged to allow fluid flow through an inlet opening to an outlet opening of the valve. In a different embodiment, the bracket also has a clip that can be an enclosed elongate rectangular shape. The clip can receive the hook from a hanging planter. When the hook is positioned on the clip, the actuator button of the valve is engaged allowing fluid flow there through.

A hydration system for an indoor gardening appliance includes a water supply that provides untreated water into a reverse osmosis filter that filters the water into treated water and wastewater. A wastewater conduit provides fluid communication between a wastewater outlet and a wastewater storage reservoir, and a wastewater valve selectively discharges the wastewater through the wastewater storage reservoir, e.g., when a water quality sensor determines that the total dissolved solids in the treated water exceeds a predetermined threshold.

An irrigation apparatus for dispersing liquid through a plant growing medium is disclosed. The apparatus includes a geometrically shaped container of variable size. The container has an outer wall with an inner surface, an open top, and a base portion configured to cover the plant growing medium. The base portion is configured with a plurality of holes for receiving liquid therethrough. The plurality of holes are configured as raised half-circles to block light and receive air, water, and nutrients. The container is configured with at least one center opening therethrough having an inner wall for receiving a plant. The center opening has at least one longitudinal opening extending therefrom to outer wall to allow placement of container on plant or to allow removal of container from plant. The container is configured with a plurality of geometrically shaped stakes of variable size extending therefrom the base portion for providing stability for apparatus to be secured in plant growing medium.

An aeroponic plant-growth system includes growth space and a control unit that may be assembled using factory made modules. The growth space includes layers at different heights, and each layer includes plant holders and misters positioned to apply a mist to roots of plants in the plant holders. The control unit employs a controller to execute a program that operates a liquid supply system to provide liquid flows to the misters in the layers. Each of the liquid flows may be regulated according to the height of the layers.

The disclosed technology includes hydroponics systems and methods of efficient, configurable nutrient solution grow reservoirs that utilize shared components while creating more space in grow facilities. The hydroponics systems include vertical and horizontal rows or layouts of connected reservoirs that may include movable reservoirs to allow for better user access and reduce aisles, which allows space for more reservoirs in a grow facility. Multiple reservoirs may be connected to one another by irrigation tubing (e.g., as shown in in vertical layouts) or by pipes or irrigation tubing (e.g., as shown in horizontal layouts) and share various multiple system components, such as water pumps, water chillers, air pumps, float valves, and drain out systems. In some implementations, incorporation of the 4″ pipes in the horizontal layouts provides for efficient water circulation in a closed loop configuration throughout the disclosed hydroponic systems.

A plant cultivation system includes: a first sensor configured to output a sensor signal corresponding to an amount of water in a plant; a second sensor configured to output a sensor signal corresponding to a measurement value of an environment condition; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to, by using a sensor signal from the first sensor obtained by the first sensor measuring a plant to be cultivated and a sensor signal from the second sensor obtained by the second sensor measuring an environment for cultivating the plant to be cultivated, control a specific environment parameter corresponding to the environment condition and measured by the second sensor, in a cultivation environment for the plant to be cultivated.

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.