The present disclosure presents modular grow tower systems and related methods. One such system comprises a modular grow tower assembly having a plurality of body frames, a plurality of lift frames, and a plurality of rows extending in a longitudinal direction and stacked in a vertical direction; a plurality of carts for supporting crop material, one or more lowering lift mechanisms for vertically translating the carts between rows; one or more raising lift mechanisms for vertically translating the carts; a sustenance system for providing water and nutrients to the crop material; a lighting system including lighting elements mounted within the body frames; a drainage system comprising drainage troughs and drainage pipes for collecting and transporting excess water and nutrients; and/or a master controller for managing and controlling operations of the modular grow tower system.

The present invention includes a modular aeroponic garden system for growing plants. Through circulating an atomized fluid, nutrients and air through a conduit circuit the modular aeroponic garden system provides a closed-loop aeroponic system for growing plants. The closed-loop configuration allows the user to better control the internal environmental conditions of the modular aeroponic garden system, therein facilitating improved plant growth. Modular sections of conduit and modular joints allow the user to customize the aeroponic garden system to unique spaces and grow a variable quantity of plants. In doing so, the closed-loop system reduces time spent on maintenance, cleaning and monitoring of the plants grown within the modular aeroponic garden system and the system itself while better conserving resources such as water, electricity, and nutrients than comparable open-loop systems. In addition, novel open systems are provided, wherein fog generation devices are placed within the garden system.

Provided herein is a system for hydroponics growing of plants. An apparatus for a hydroponics system described herein includes: a tray configured to receive water from the hydroponic system, circulate the water through the tray, and return the water to the hydroponic system, where the tray includes one or more flow control features configured to regulate water flow through the tray, and a tray insert supported by the tray, where the tray insert includes a plurality of holes through a bottom surface of the tray insert, where the tray insert is configured to receive seeds on the bottom surface and maintain the seeds in a predefined depth of water. According to some embodiments, the one or more flow control features include one or more slots, where the one or more slots are each arranged to receive therein a barrier that blocks a portion of water flow out of the tray.

A hydroponic system for cultivation and harvesting of floating aquatic plants is provided. The hydroponic system includes an arrangement of a plurality of vertically-stacked cultivation trays, each tray containing an amount of fluent media on which floating aquatic plants are able to grow. The hydroponic system also includes a media reservoir in which fluent media is contained and subject to treatment before being circulated to the cultivation trays and a harvesting reservoir for receiving aquatic plants grown in the cultivation trays and harvested from the same. The hydroponic system further includes an automated control system that manages media flow into and from the trays and aquatic plant harvesting from the trays. A method of cultivating and harvesting floating aquatic plants is also provided.

A plant cultivation apparatus is disclosed. A plant cultivation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cabinet; a first cultivation unit which is provided inside the cabinet and has plants placed therein; a second cultivation unit which is provided inside the cabinet to be spaced apart from the first cultivation unit and has plants placed therein; a nutrient solution supply unit which is connected to a mixing tank in which a nutrient solution is stored and which supplies the nutrient solution to the first cultivation unit; a nutrient solution delivery unit which is provided in the first cultivation unit and delivers, to the second cultivation unit, the nutrient solution supplied to the first cultivation unit; and a nutrient solution recovery unit which is provided in the second cultivation unit and recovers, into the mixing tank, the nutrient solution supplied to the second cultivation unit.

Growing systems may include a number of modular growing chambers adapted to be configured in a stacked arrangement with each growing chamber surrounding a corresponding portion of the plant. The grow chambers may be selectively added or removed during plant growth, such that different sections of the growing plant may be influenced differently using aeroponic, hydroponic or other growing techniques. The grow chamber stack may be portable and provided with integrated or independent lifting devices to assist an operator in adding or removing chambers from the stack. Three growing processes may be facilitated using such systems. These include a process for producing assorted product from a single plant for simultaneous harvest, a process for producing an extended harvest of a desired size product from a single plant, and a process for extending the productive life of a plant and provide for multiple, continued, and perpetual harvest.

A method and apparatus for extracting power in a switch location, and in a load location for use in a pre-existing infrastructure of switching AC power to a lamp (or other load) via a two terminal switch device. The switch is replaced with a module including a first controlled switch (such as a triac or relay) and a first impedance (such as a capacitor) connected in parallel, and another module including a second controlled switch (such as a triac or relay) and a second impedance (such as a capacitor) connected in parallel, is installed at the load location. In an off state where the two controlled switches are in open state, current is flowing via the impedances, but not through the load, so that power extractor circuits in the modules, connected in series to the impedances, extract low power for DC powering logic and other loads in the modules.

A method of hydroponic growing of plants comprising hydroponically growing the plants in the presence of a controlled release hydroponic fertilizer composition. The hydroponic fertilizer composition comprises a polymerically coated controlled release fertilization nutrient formulation which further comprises micronutrients and optionally chelated iron.

A method and apparatus for extracting power in a switch location, and in a load location for use in a pre-existing infrastructure of switching AC power to a lamp (or other load) via a two terminal switch device. The switch is replaced with a module including a first controlled switch (such as a triac or relay) and a first impedance (such as a capacitor) connected in parallel, and another module including a second controlled switch (such as a triac or relay) and a second impedance (such as a capacitor) connected in parallel, is installed at the load location. In an off state where the two controlled switches are in open state, current is flowing via the impedances, but not through the load, so that power extractor circuits in the modules, connected in series to the impedances, extract low power for DC powering logic and other loads in the modules.

A closed loop system for growing vegetation is provided. The closed loop system includes at least a first transport conveyor and a second transport conveyor. Each of the first and second transport conveyors includes a front end opposite a rear end. The present invention further includes at least a first transfer conveyor. A lighting system is positioned to emit light towards the first transport conveyor and a second transport conveyor. The present invention further includes at least one terrace structure. The first transport conveyor transports at least one terrace structure from the front end to the rear end, the first transfer conveyor transfers the at least one terrace structure from rear end of the first transport conveyor to the front end of the second transport conveyor and the second transport conveyor transports the at least one terrace structure from the front end to the rear end.