The invention relates to a method for the cultivation of a number of plants (9), comprising providing a carrier with apertures for said plants (3, 13) and providing a water supply (8), wherein said carrier can be provided on said water supply in a floating manner and wherein a growth medium containing the roots of said plant or the precursor thereof are placed in an air-containing intermediate space (10) in the apertures in said carrier at such a distance from said water supply that said roots of said plant or the precursor thereof are situated at a vertical distance (a) from said water supply, wherein at least two horizontally opposing sides of an upper part of the growth medium are sideways supported along a height (h) by corresponding sides of a removable side support structure (18), removably arranged on top of the carrier.

There is provided a seedbed holding unit capable of reliably and firmly holding a seedbed with a simple structure, causing no damage to a plant. A seedbed holding unit 160 that holds a seedbed B used in plant cultivation includes a first holding member 170 and a second holding member 180 that are rotatable relative to each other about a predetermined rotation axis A, the first holding member 170 is provided with a first claw part 173 in a fixed state, the second holding member 180 is provided with a second claw part 183 in a fixed state, and the seedbed B is held between the first claw part 173 and the second claw part 183 by rotating the first holding member 170 and the second holding member 180 relative to each other.

In an embodiment, a water recapture system comprises one or more trays having a bottom surface and one or more sidewalls extending upward from the bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface has at least one aperture extending therethrough. A platform configured to engage a top side of the one or more sidewalls, wherein the platform has a first tab and a second tab, wherein the first tab and the second tab extend outwardly from the platform. A coupler extending through the at least one aperture of the bottom surface, wherein one end of the coupler is exterior to the tray, and wherein a hose attached to the one end of the coupler, wherein the bottom surface of the tray is contoured, and wherein the contour of the bottom surface is biased towards the at least one aperture.

A method of increasing interspace among plant containers. The method comprises: providing a set of plant containers, the set comprising first and second plant containers; arranging the first plant containers in a first structured grid formation along a horizontal plane; and arranging the second plant containers in a second structured grid formation along said horizontal plane, whereby when viewed from above the first and second plant containers are alternatingly arranged in a joint structured grid formation in a first area. The method comprises, for increasing the interspace among the plant containers, mutually simultaneously moving the second plant containers in their second grid formation away from the first plant containers in a vertical direction and subsequently placing the second plant containers in a second area.

A harvest tray for carrying potted herbs, the harvest tray including a rectangular base portion, having two parallel long sides and two parallel short sides, wherein an extension direction of the two long sides defines a longitudinal direction of the harvest tray, a pair of side walls, each side wall arranged in the direction of the long sides of the base portion, respectively, and extending in a vertical direction from the base portion, said side walls defining two sides of a reception cavity, dividing elements, arranged in a row in said reception cavity, said dividing elements being distanced from the side walls defining the reception cavity, at least along a portion of their height, such that an open passage is formed on each side of the row of dividing elements along a portion of the height of the reception cavity in the longitudinal direction of said harvest tray.

A support platform for holding bucketed plants includes a top and an opposed bottom, a sidewall extending therebetween, and a reservoir bounded by the sidewall. Seats formed into the top, the seats defining depressions shallowly recessed below a top surface. A channel extends between the seats, the channel shallowly recessed below the top surface, and the channel joining the seats in fluid communication with each other. A drain is in the channel and is configured to drain fluid from the channel into the reservoir bounded by the sidewall.

A tray for a vertical growing system for growing plants having opposed first and second side walls, a first open end and second open end opposed to the first end defining a perimeter of the tray; and a raised region disposed within the perimeter of the tray wherein at least one side wall is configured with a downward sloping outer face to direct fluid from the tray to an adjacent gutter. The tray forms one side of an enclosed plenum which directs forced air to growing mediums supported by each tray via holes formed in each tray. A bottom side of the tray includes ribs and valleys exposed to an interior of the plenum where such ribs and valleys contribute to substantially constant air velocities emanating from each hole in each tray along an entire length of the plenum.

A plant pot and tray system, the system comprising: a plurality of plant pots, each plant pot comprising a bottom, which includes a plurality of apertures, a lower step extending outwardly and upwardly from the bottom, four sides extending upwardly from the lower step, an upper step extending outwardly from the sides, a rim extending outwardly from the upper step, a slot in opposing sides of the rim and a reinforcing block on the upper step adjacent to each slot; and a tray, the tray comprising a plurality of receptacles, the plurality of receptacles defined by a base, a raised lip above the base, which defines a central aperture in each receptacle, at least one of four sides that extend upwardly from the base, and a central divider that extends upwardly from the base.

An extendable plant tray assembly comprising a plurality of plant holders in a grid structure, wherein in a first direction said plant holders are movably connected through an extension system arranged to move said assembly between a retracted position and an extended position, the assembly including at least one grid structure element holding a plurality of plant holders in a second direction transverse to said first direction, wherein the plurality of plant holders are arranged on the at least one grid structure element in a staggered manner, alternating a plant holder with a plant holder receiving space, wherein the extension system comprises extendable connection members which are configured to connect at least two grid structure elements, and wherein the extendable connection members are detachably connected to said at least two grid structure elements.

Mechanisms that facilitate location and alignment of grow towers for one or more processing operations. In one implementation, the alignment mechanism comprises a track including an alignment feature and one or more engagement actuators. The alignment feature is configured to engage features of a track-contacting face of a grow tower. The engagement actuators press the grow tower against the track, causing the alignment feature to engage the grow tower and align it along the track to facilitate processing operations.