A fodder machine. The fodder machine includes one or more beds. The one or more beds are vertical relative to one another and each of one or more beds is offset to every other bed in both horizontal directions. Each of one or more beds is tilted approximately two degrees from horizontal. The fodder machine also includes one or more belts, where the one or more belts are configured to be a surface for the growth of fodder.

A system for automated plant condition notification, detection, and watering to improve plant growth and maintenance including a computing unit, an optical sensor, a soil moisture sensor, a water tank level sensor, a pump, and a computing unit. The computing unit includes a memory and a processor that receives a first input indicative of a user identifier and a communication type, a second input indicative of a plant type, a soil moisture input, a water level input, and an optical sensor input. The processor also determines a water pump initiation threshold and a water pump completion threshold based on one or more of the plant type, the optical sensor input, or the soil moisture input and determines a plant maturity optical value based on the plant type. Additionally, the processor transmits a water pump initiation, a water pump completion signal, and a notification via a selected communication method.

A gravity-driven plant cultivation system includes: (a) a frame; (b) a plurality of stacked conveyor assemblies mounted to the frame, each conveyor assembly including at least one gravity conveyor extending along a sloped conveyor axis; and (c) a plurality of plant cultivation trays rollingly supported on each gravity conveyor and urged to translate along a corresponding conveyor axis via gravitational force. Each tray includes: (i) a tray body having at least one underside surface parallel and in engagement with the gravity conveyor for supporting the tray thereon; (ii) a plurality of plant cavities in the tray body for holding plants; and (iii) a nutrient chamber internal the tray body for holding plant nutrient solution for the plants. The nutrient chamber is bounded from below by a nutrient chamber bottom wall lying in a horizontal plane for maintaining a constant depth of the plant nutrient solution.

A plant cultivation tray for a gravity-driven plant cultivation system includes: (a) a tray body; (b) a plurality of plant cavities in and open to a top of the tray body for holding plants; (c) a nutrient chamber internal the tray body and in fluid communication with the plant cavities for holding plant nutrient solution. The nutrient chamber is bounded from below by a nutrient chamber bottom wall lying in a horizontal plane. The tray body has at least one underside surface for engagement with a sloped gravity conveyor to rollingly support the plant cultivation tray thereon. The at least one underside surface slopes downwards relative to the horizontal plane from a rear to a front of the tray body for maintaining a generally constant depth of the plant nutrient solution across the nutrient chamber bottom wall when the tray is supported on the gravity conveyor.

A vertical farming apparatus comprises a frame for supporting plant troughs or pots, a base for supporting the frame, and an array of gutters supported by the frame. The array of gutters comprises an upper formation of gutters above a lower formation of gutters. Containers for housing plants are supported by and arranged to drain into a gutter in the array of gutters. An irrigation system is arranged to irrigate the containers. The lower formation of gutters is arranged in a tiered configuration such that each gutter in the lower formation is at least partially offset in a first horizontal direction from the other gutters in the lower formation and is at least partially offset in a first horizontal direction from the gutters in the upper formation. A supply system is arranged to supply gaseous carbon dioxide, air and mixtures of carbon dioxide and air to the containers interchangeably.

A self-watering tray device having an integral internal irrigation system, and a method of watering allowing water to be supplied by a garden water hose and a water faucet. A plurality of said self-watering trays capable of being daisy-chained in a serial configuration to allow a single source of water from a water faucet and a plurality of garden water hoses to provide irrigation water to all of said plurality of self-watering trays and non-self-watering planters positioned thereon.

The specification discloses a DWC hydroponic system that includes a plurality of grow tanks, a circulation pump, a nutrient supply line fluidly connecting the outlet of the circulation pump to the grow tanks, and a tank drain line fluidly connected to the grow tanks. Each of the grow tanks is fluidly connected in parallel between the nutrient supply line and the tank drain line. The system further includes a pump suction line fluidly connected to the inlet of the circulation pump, and a plurality of bridge connectors each fluidly connecting the tank drain line to the pump suction line in accordance with a defined pattern. The DWC system may further include a nutrient supply fluidly connected to the circulation pump intake through a valve arrangement.

The specification discloses a DWC hydroponic system that includes a plurality of grow tanks, a circulation pump, a nutrient supply line fluidly connecting the outlet of the circulation pump to the grow tanks, and a tank drain line fluidly connected to the grow tanks. Each of the grow tanks is fluidly connected in parallel between the nutrient supply line and the tank drain line. The system further includes a pump suction line fluidly connected to the inlet of the circulation pump, and a plurality of bridge connectors each fluidly connecting the tank drain line to the pump suction line in accordance with a defined pattern. The DWC system may further include a nutrient supply fluidly connected to the circulation pump intake through a valve arrangement.

An automated outdoor modular vertical plant cultivation system forming a vertical structure is provided. The system includes a plurality of shelves, each shelf having a web and flanges; two posts, each post having a web and flanges. Each shelf of the plurality of shelves is mounted between the two posts with incremental spacing between each adjacent shelf along a vertical length of the two posts. The web of each shelf includes a plurality of openings for retaining planter vessels. The flanges of each shelf retain an embedded structural member. The system includes a fluid circulatory system including shelf irrigation piping extending longitudinally above the web of each shelf; and power or power and data and fluid members for the system distributed from vertical risers located in proximity to the web of the posts, wherein the flanges of the shelves have provisions to retain the fluid circulatory system.

A plant propagation system is provided that includes a holder for holding at least two plants in relative spaced apart relation to enable a predetermined operation (such as, for example, a cutting operation) to be performed on each of the plants within the holder during a single pass.