Systems, methods and computer-readable media are provided for fluid flow measurement in a controlled agricultural environment. A digital flow sensor comprises a flow sensor element including a first digital thermometer for providing a first output and a heating element thermally coupled to the first digital thermometer. The flow sensor may also include a second digital thermometer for providing a second output, and logic for providing a flow measurement based at least in part upon the first and second outputs. A flow sensor network may include multiple digital flow sensors, where data lines of the flow sensors are all coupled to the same network bus for communicating data.

Disclosed herein are control systems and methods for managing and controlling the localized environment for growing plants in an indoor organic environment. The methods and systems provide for optimizing the climate at the localized level beneath the plant canopy to ensure the climate promotes plant growth. The control system controls the environment by monitoring, adjusting, and managing various systems within the indoor growing environment such as an air circulation system, a temperature control system, an irrigation system, a nutrition delivery system, a lighting system, and a sensor system, either individually or in various combinations.

There is presented an irrigation system for use in a vertical growth tower, the irrigation system comprising a watering head mounted on the lift mechanism of the vertical growth tower such that the lift mechanism is configured to transfer a growth tray from a stack of growth trays from a storage position to a management position and to move the watering head into position to water a growth tray within the vertical growth tower.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided for controlling irrigation of plant media in a grow space in response to measurement of condensed water from air in the grow space. Irrigation supply volume may be set in response to a volume based on the measurement of the condensed water. The condensed water may result from evaporation and transpiration in the grow space.

A gardening appliance includes a liner positioned within a cabinet and defining a grow chamber, and a grow tower is positioned within the grow chamber and includes a module support frame including a plurality of vertical support members a plurality of mounting slots. A grow module defines a support body defining a plurality of apertures for receiving one or more plant pods, the grow module further including a plurality of mounting tabs configured for receipt within the plurality of mounting slots to removably mount the grow module to the module support frame.

An apparatus for controlling conditions in a plant cultivation facility includes a lighting system arranged in connection with plants present in an environmentally sealable and closable cultivation facility; a hydronic cooling arrangement for lowering or impeding the rise of temperature in the cultivation facility, the cooling arrangement comprising a cooling manifold present in connection with plants in the cultivation facility and a heat recovery arrangement for utilizing excess heat generated in the cultivation facility. The heat recovery arrangement includes a heat storing system. The heat recovery arrangement includes one or more condenser dryers/coolers for collecting water and/or heat absorbed in the indoor air of a cultivation facility and a heat pump assembly for transferring the heat, accumulated in the heat storing system by way of the cooling arrangement's circulation water and/or the condenser dryer's/cooler's circulation water, into an independent secondary circuit.

The present invention relates to an assembly with multiple layers allowing a closed loop automated process of growing plants in the air with assistance of a nutrient rich mist environment. The proposed method doesn’t require soil or aggregate medium. The proposed method allows vertical growth with small land footprint requirement. It further allows to grow any type of plant all the year around.

System, methods, and devices may control air flow, temperature, relative humidity, substrate temperature, substrate moisture, carbon dioxide concentration, photoperiod, irrigation, light intensity, spectrum, and vapor pressure deficit. The system may comprise water and air pumps, sensors, air and water distribution apparatus, lights, heaters, foggers, sensors, and electronic system control dedicated to control the environment on individual or multiple growing platforms. The present disclosure provides the ability to provide microclimate control to optimize the environment at the plant or shelf level to optimize plant yields and production resources. The present disclosure may utilize an open or closed plant production configuration depending on the desired plant outcome and plant species.

An indoor gardening appliance includes a liner defining a grow chamber and a grow tower mounted within the grow chamber for receiving a plurality of plant pods. A hydration assembly is positioned within a root chamber and includes an upper nozzle mounted to a top wall of the root chamber, an inverted tripod mounted to the top wall of the root chamber for supporting a lower fluid conduit, a lower nozzle mounted on the lower fluid conduit proximate a bottom of the root chamber, and a valve assembly for selectively and independently regulating the flow of fluid through the upper nozzle and the lower nozzle.

An apparatus and system for growing plants in a controlled environment comprises an enclosure, at least one basket for receiving plant material to be grown in the apparatus, and at least one cassette for receiving a basket therein. The apparatus further comprises a drive mechanism, said drive mechanism operatively coupled to the at least one basket and/or the at least one cassette, that imparts a drive force to cause the at least one basket to rotate in the at least one cassette and in the enclosure. The apparatus and system also include a climate-control mechanism that may include a light source, a fan, a ventilation system, an air passage, and ductwork. The apparatus and system also include a trough with a sump for drainage of the trough, an intake aperture, a baffle, a closure, an air intake sleeve, and an intake fan.