The system includes a pre-fabricated garden seedsheet, with seeds and soil embedded in water-soluble pods within a weed barrier fabric. Each water-soluble pod is fabricated from dissolvable material, which are affixed together to form cavities in which seeds and soil are applied. The pods are then affixed to the weed barrier matrix in an arrangement dictated by the plant algorithm. Upon contact with water, the pods rapidly dissolve, thereby beginning the germination process in which the seeds sprout and emerge through the aligned openings in the weed barrier fabric. The selection of plants and their physical arrangement within each seedsheet may be determined by a software-driven plant algorithm that extrapolates plant characteristics, environmental requirements, and companion benefits. The algorithm may be used both on the customer-facing software program, as well as the in-house design process to create pre-designed seed sheets.

Disclosed is a growing mat for use in a hydroponic system, the growing mat including a mat of pressed and dried natural fibres having a top face and a bottom face, a plurality of discrete depressions incorporated into the top face of the mat, the space between adjacent depressions being between 1 mm-30 mm, one or more seeds disposed within the depressions in the top face of the seed mat and at least one binding agent to aid in retention of seeds in position within the depressions.

A long base sheet is a thin paper like toilet paper, made of water-decomposable paper, and is supplied from a base sheet supply section. A water-soluble adhesive is applied to a surface of the sheet at a predetermined interval in an adhesive applying section. Multiple seeds are placed on the surface of the sheet, and then the sheet is put up to non-adhering remove seeds. Thereafter, in a base sheet transportation/seed pressing section, the sheet is pressed by a pair of rollers and softer than the seed, producing a seeded paper. In the seeded paper, concave portions are on the long base sheet, and have a plane shape approximately equal to a shape of the target seed and depth of one tenth to equal to a height of the target seed, and the target seed adheres to an inside area of each of the concave portions by the water-soluble adhesive.

A method of categorising microgreens, the method comprising the steps of establishing a growing protocol for specific species of microgreen that is replicatable to deliver reliable consistent cropping and maximise vitamin and mineral availability of the species; nutritionally mapping said species through its growing cycle; calculating the nutritional content of said species for a given crop; and categorising a plurality of species of microgreen based on their nutritional load; calculating the amount of crop of the species which, on its own or in combination with a crop of a different species delivers a pre-defined vitamin or mineral load and preparing and delivering to the end user a growing media pre-seeded with the calculated amount of crop of the or each species.

A method and apparatus for cultivating vegetation at an arid location includes rooting immature vegetation in a mat combined with a super absorbent polymer (SAP) and, in embodiments, fertilizer, sand, and/or soil; placing the mat at the arid location; and covering the mat with a perforated, transparent or semi-transparent cover. Most or all of the apparatus can be biodegradable or removable, and the sand or soil can be similar to indigenous sand or soil. A water barrier can be placed below the mat. The cover can be placed on or suspended above the mat. SAP, seeds, and/or additional water barriers can be placed between mats in a stack. The opacity of the cover can be increased to emulate shade from natural vegetation. A water distribution system can be included for continued support of the vegetation, and can include a water reservoir and/or at least one solar still.

A system for growing plants, the system may include a substrate having one or more weakened areas or openings: one or more grow portions coupled to the substrate and situated at the one or more weakened areas or openings and having at least one seed or plant; and/or a fluid distribution portion coupled to the substrate and configured to provide fluid to the one or more grow portions. The system may further include a method of operation including one or more acts of: obtaining a weather forecast for a future time period; determining whether rain is expected during the future time period; and preventing, terminating, or restricting an irrigation cycle when it is determined that rain is expected during the fare time period. The restricting may restrict a flow of liquid during the irrigation cycle or shorten the irrigation interval.

A method and apparatus for cultivating vegetation at an arid location includes rooting immature vegetation in a mat combined with a super absorbent polymer (SAP) and, in embodiments, fertilizer, sand, and/or soil; placing the mat at the arid location; covering the mat with a perforated, transparent or semi-transparent cover; collecting urine in a water purification system; and providing purified water extracted from the urine to the mat. A water barrier can be placed below the mat. The cover can be placed on or suspended above the mat. SAP, seeds, and/or additional water barriers can be placed between mats in a stack. The opacity of the cover can be increased to emulate shade from natural vegetation. A water distribution system can be included for continued support of the vegetation, and can include a water reservoir and/or at least one solar still.

A method and apparatus for cultivating vegetation at an arid location includes rooting immature vegetation in a mat combined with a super absorbent polymer (SAP) and, in embodiments, fertilizer, sand, and/or soil; placing the mat at the arid location; and covering the mat with a perforated, transparent or semi-transparent cover. Most or all of the apparatus can be biodegradable or removable, and the sand or soil can be similar to indigenous sand or soil. A water barrier can be placed below the mat. The cover can be placed on or suspended above the mat. SAP, seeds, and/or additional water barriers can be placed between mats in a stack. The opacity of the cover can be increased to emulate shade from natural vegetation. A water distribution system can be included for continued support of the vegetation, and can include a water reservoir and/or at least one solar still.

A system for growing plants, the system may include a substrate having one or more weakened areas or openings: one or more grow portions coupled to the substrate and situated at the one or more weakened areas or openings and having at least one seed or plant; and/or a fluid distribution portion coupled to the substrate and configured to provide fluid to the one or more grow portions. The system may further include a method of operation including one or more acts of: obtaining a weather forecast for a future time period; determining whether rain is expected during the future time period; and preventing, terminating, or restricting an irrigation cycle when it is determined that rain is expected during the fare time period. The restricting may restrict a flow of liquid during the irrigation cycle or shorten the irrigation interval.

Methods and systems, including computer programs encoded on computer-storage media, for controlling a system for growing seaweed are described. Some implementations of a method include forming a substrate loop inoculated with seaweed spores; arranging the substrate loop about a pulley; submerging the substrate loop to grow the seaweed; determining, using a seaweed farm controller, that the seaweed has grown to a pre-determined size; and based on the determination that the seaweed has grown to a pre-determined size: providing instructions to the pulley to feed a section of the substrate loop to a harvesting unit; providing instructions to the harvesting unit to separate the seaweed attached to the section of the substrate loop; providing instructions to a cleaning unit to clean the section of the substrate loop that is freed from seaweed; and providing instructions to a seeding unit to inoculate the cleaned section of substrate loop with seaweed spores.