An embodiment of a plant manipulator is disclosed, which may have a flexible cylindrical member that is bent to hold a plant in a particular configuration to train the plant. The plant manipulator may include a first end and a second end, a long edge of the flexible cylindrical member, a length of the long edge of the flexible cylindrical member, and a slit along the length of the longest edge of the flexible cylindrical member. The plant manipulator may also have a malleable rigid member with a first and second end, a long edge of the flexible cylindrical member, and a length of the long edge of the malleable rigid member. The length of the long edge of the flexible cylindrical member may be coupled along the length of the long edge of the flexible cylindrical member.

A solar-reactive agricultural mulch film including a sheet of heat-shrink material having one or more layers and uniform thickness, formed by a mechanical process. The process includes elongating the sheet, in a longitudinal direction, evenly across a width of the sheet, while the sheet is at a stretching temperature to pre-strain the sheet evenly across the width, and yields the solar-reactive agricultural mulch film having the uniform thickness throughout and being configured to, in operation, shrink when an exposure temperature of the material is elevated, by exposure to solar energy, to a shrinking temperature. The process may include elevating the sheet to an above-ambient stretching temperature for the elongating, or elongating the sheet at an ambient temperature.

A novel collapsible plant support includes a collapsible coil adapted to rest on a flat surface. In a particular embodiment, the collapsible plant support includes a plurality of vertical support structures coupled to the collapsible coil so as to provide additional support. In another particular embodiment, a collapsible plant support includes plant receptacle receiving element that supports both a collapsible coil and also a plant receptacle. In a more particular embodiment, the plant receptacle receiving element includes fluid ducts for connecting multiple plant receptacle receiving elements into a fluid network. In another embodiment, the coil is disposed within a helical sleeve coupled to a flexible, cylindrical mesh.

An irrigation drip emitter, and methods relating to same, are provided for delivering irrigation water from a supply tube to an emitter outlet at a reduced and relatively constant flow rate. The emitter having at least one movable member for compensating for fluctuations in supply line fluid pressure. In one form the movable member includes a tapered baffle section movable between a first position wherein fluid is allowed to flow over the tapered baffle section and a second position wherein fluid is prevented from flowing over at least a portion of the tapered baffle section and the tapered baffle section effectively lengthening the extent of a pressure reduction passage. In another form, first and second movable members are provided for compensating for such pressure fluctuations. In another form, a plurality of inputs are provided which are movable between first and second positions to compensate for such pressure fluctuations.

Various systems, methods and apparatus for locating emitters embedded in tubing are disclosed herein, as well as forming outlets in said tubing and confirming the placement accuracy of such outlets. In one form, an emitter locator is disclosed having: a housing defining a generally enclosed space and having an inlet located in a first side of the housing and an outlet located in a second side of the housing positioned opposite the inlet; a cutter positioned within the generally enclosed space between the inlet and outlet; a first optical instrument located proximate the inlet; a second optical instrument located proximate the outlet; and a controller connected to the cutter and first and second optical instruments, the controller configured to detect a tubing target area desired for placement of an outlet opening in tubing that passes through the inlet and cut the tubing target area to form the outlet opening therein.

A novel collapsible plant support includes a collapsible coil adapted to rest on a flat surface. In a particular embodiment, the collapsible plant support includes a plurality of vertical support structures coupled to the collapsible coil so as to provide additional support. In another particular embodiment, a collapsible plant support includes plant receptacle receiving element that supports both a collapsible coil and also a plant receptacle. In a more particular embodiment, the plant receptacle receiving element includes fluid ducts for connecting multiple plant receptacle receiving elements into a fluid network.

A fluid conveying apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a circular tubing. The circular tubing further comprises an internal surface and an external surface. The internal surface encloses a circular passage for conveying a fluid and the external surface is disposed concentric to the internal surface, and distal to the circular passage. Further, the circular tubing comprises a plurality of channels disposed along a periphery of the circular tubing sandwiched between the internal surface and the external surface.

A embossing tool consisting of a mandrel and embossing assembly.

An irrigation drip emitter, and methods relating to same, are provided for delivering irrigation water from a supply tube to an emitter outlet at a reduced and relatively constant flow rate. The emitter having at least one movable member for compensating for fluctuations in supply line fluid pressure. In one form the movable member includes a tapered baffle section movable between a first position wherein fluid is allowed to flow over the tapered baffle section and a second position wherein fluid is prevented from flowing over at least a portion of the tapered baffle section and the tapered baffle section effectively lengthening the extent of a pressure reduction passage. In another form, first and second movable members are provided for compensating for such pressure fluctuations. In another form, a plurality of inputs are provided which are movable between first and second positions to compensate for such pressure fluctuations.

Shelters for protecting and enhancing the growth of plants reinforced by receiving a retaining structure are provided. The shelters include an outer longitudinal tubular structure having a first-outer-longitudinal-tubular-structure end and a second-outer-longitudinal-tubular-structure end diametrically opposed to the first-outer-longitudinal-tubular-structure end; an inner longitudinal tubular structure positioned within the outer longitudinal tubular structure and having an inner wall, a first-inner-longitudinal-tubular-structure end, and a second-inner-longitudinal-tubular-structure end diametrically opposed to the first-inner-longitudinal-tubular-structure end; and a segmented annular portion positioned between the outer wall and the inner wall. The segmented annular portion may comprise a plurality of segmented annular divider walls defining a plurality of through channels extending from the first-outer-longitudinal-tubular-structure end to the second-outer-longitudinal-tubular-structure end. The plurality of through channels may be configured to receive at least one retaining structure.