A structural building unit, a form for making a structural building unit, and a method of forming a structure from structural building units are disclosed. A structural building unit comprising left, right, back, and front portions with the front portion extending inward and downward from the left and right front edges creates a void into which soil and plants may be placed, allowing plants to grow from any structure created with the structural building units. These structural building units are suitable for improving the aesthetic value of the structure and providing any structure built therefrom with shade and other methods of cooling, including evapotranspiration, reducing the contribution of the structure to any heat island effect. The plants also lead to improved air quality through conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen and carbohydrates.

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 simulated tree trunk planter, comprising: a simulated tree trunk such that the simulated tree trunk includes a natural appearance located on an outer surface of the tree trunk; wherein a lower end of the trunk includes a stabilizing plate operatively connected at one side to the lower end of the tree trunk and a tree anchor operatively connected at one end to the other side of the stabilizing plate; wherein the upper end of the trunk includes a simulated tree trunk planter receptacle having receptacle retainers, a receptacle lattice operatively connected to the receptacle retainers, and foliage such that the foliage is retained in place by the receptacle retainers and the receptacle lattice; and a plurality of attachment panel systems located on a section of the tree trunk, wherein a plurality of trunk attachments is secured to the tree trunk through the use of the attachment panel systems.

A dynamic grid system is disclosed having a plurality of connectable grid sections, each grid section formed of a plurality of grids, at least one protruding portion, and at least one socket-forming recess sized to receive the protruding portion, and an internal water system.

A system and method for cultivating plants is described. The system may include a tower structure having a vertical series of vessels for holding a netted pot or other container. The system may have a pressurized irrigation system in fluid communication with each vessel. The system may further include lamps to provide an adequate energy source. The system may also include sensors, monitors and controls to establish and maintain environmental conditions suitable for proper plant growth. The system may further be implemented as a scalable system in which multiple tower structures may be installed into a scaffold system. Sets of towers may be slidably affixed to a scaffold such that the towers may be slid along a track thereby creating easy access to the plants, vessels, lights and the irrigation system. The system may be expanded to include multiple scaffolds affixed to a skeletal frame or compartment interior.

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 future time period. The restricting may restrict a flow of liquid during the irrigation cycle or shorten the irrigation interval.

A modular growth unit for forming a three dimensional extendible structure, the modular growth unit including a top wall, a bottom wall and sidewalls to define a box like structure. The top and bottom walls include an interlocking feature to interlock modular growth units when placed in a stack. The bottom wall has a rim to define a growth tray for receiving a growth medium for living organisms. The top wall supports a lighting unit to radiate light within at least one spectral region associated with the growing living organisms. A sidewall window has an opening extending into an interior space of the box-like structure so that the interior space is accessible.

The invention relates to a planter forming part of a hydroponic system. The planter includes a longitudinal body defining at least two longitudinally extending liquid channels and at least two plant holders defined in the body, the plant holders spaced on the outer circumference of the longitudinal body, each one of the at least two plant holders in fluid flow communication with one of the at least two longitudinally extending liquid channels.

A plant growing systemfor growing vertically grown plants, particularly of the fruit bearing type. The system includes at least one track having at least two guides extending substantially parallel at a distance from each other, and a plurality of plant carriers each comprising a gutter for holding plants. The plant carriers extend transversally with respect to the track and are movable along the track. The plant carriers are suspended from the track. A plant carrier used in such a system. A method of growing vertically grown plants, in particular of the fruit bearing type, includes providing plants in gutters of plant carriers and moving the plant carriers along at least one track while suspending the plant carriers from the at least one track.

Plant holder for a hydroponic growth system, comprising a body having a top section, a middle section and a bottom section, where the plant holder comprises a first conduit having a rear wall and a front wall, where the plant holder comprises a plant hopper with a plant mouth arranged at the top section, where the first conduit comprises a sloping bottom wall having an outlet opening arranged at the bottom section, where the plant holder further comprises a lid arranged at the plant mouth, where the lid comprises a collector plate extending from the interior of the first conduit into the plant hopper, where the collector plate ends outside of the periphery of the plant holder.