Provided is an apparatus for growing a plant or a fungus, in which struts provided for hydroponic cultivation or the growth of a fungus are kept out of the way. An apparatus for growing a plant or a fungus according to the present invention is provided with: multiple struts 1; brackets 2 respectively fixed to the struts 1; top-opened water passages 3 which are suspended over the brackets 2 and in which a plant P is to be grown; and lids 4 which respectively cover the upper surfaces of the water passages 3 and each of which has, formed therein, multiple holes (pot insertion holes) 41. Each of the brackets 2 projects in opposite directions around each of the struts 1. Each of the struts 1 is arranged at the midpoint of each of the brackets 2, and multiple rows of the water passages 3 are arranged in parallel so as to pinch the struts 1 therebetween. Each of the lids 4 is made from a material that can reflect light from above and can prevent the penetration of the light through the water passages 3.

Provided is an apparatus for growing a plant or a fungus, in which struts provided for hydroponic cultivation or the growth of a fungus are kept out of the way. An apparatus for growing a plant or a fungus according to the present invention is provided with: multiple struts 1; brackets 2 respectively fixed to the struts 1; top-opened water passages 3 which are suspended over the brackets 2 and in which a plant P is to be grown; and lids 4 which respectively cover the upper surfaces of the water passages 3 and each of which has, formed therein, multiple holes (pot insertion holes) 41. Each of the brackets 2 projects in opposite directions around each of the struts 1. Each of the struts 1 is arranged at the midpoint of each of the brackets 2, and multiple rows of the water passages 3 are arranged in parallel so as to pinch the struts 1 therebetween. Each of the lids 4 is made from a material that can reflect light from above and can prevent the penetration of the light through the water passages 3.

A method for commercially growing mushrooms includes the steps of: placing a layer of compost in a bed; laying a polymer sheet over the layer of compost; placing a layer of peat over the sheet; growing a crop of mushrooms in the first layer of peat; harvesting the crop of mushrooms; removing the polymer sheet and the layer of peat from the sheet; placing a replacement polymer sheet and layer of peat over the sheet; and growing a replacement crop of mushrooms. Mushrooms grown according to the method are also disclosed.

A method for commercially growing mushrooms includes the steps of: placing a layer of compost in a bed; laying a polymer sheet over the layer of compost; placing a layer of peat over the sheet; growing a crop of mushrooms in the first layer of peat; harvesting the crop of mushrooms; removing the polymer sheet and the layer of peat from the sheet; placing a replacement polymer sheet and layer of peat over the sheet; and growing a replacement crop of mushrooms. Mushrooms grown according to the method are also disclosed.

A system for growing fungi, the system comprising a nutritive vehicle, a porous material, an administrable space, fungal tissue comprising fungal hyphae having a growth pattern, the fungal tissue connecting said nutritive vehicle to said porous material to said administrable space, wherein the fungal tissue within said space defines at least one successive fungal material layer; and a chemically or physically altered separated portion of fungal material, the separated portion separated from said fungal tissue.

A system for growing fungi, the system comprising a nutritive vehicle, a porous material, an administrable space, fungal tissue comprising fungal hyphae having a growth pattern, the fungal tissue connecting said nutritive vehicle to said porous material to said administrable space, wherein the fungal tissue within said space defines at least one successive fungal material layer; and a chemically or physically altered separated portion of fungal material, the separated portion separated from said fungal tissue.

An automated mushroom harvesting system for mounting to a vertical mushroom rack comprises a robot having a frame mounted to a vertical carriage assembly. A SCARA arm is slidably mounted to the vertical carriage assembly by a vertical stage, operable to move the SCARA arm along a vertical mast. The SCARA arm moves the end effector in a horizontal plane for harvesting mushrooms, above the surface of the mushroom bed and into and out of the confines of the mushroom rack, and the vertical stage moves the SCARA arm in a vertical direction so as to access the mushrooms in a bed and to access mushroom beds on different levels of the vertical mushroom rack. An end effector having a helically reinforced neck and a graduated elasticity modulus, with a lower elasticity modulus in the neck and a higher elasticity in the cup, is also provided.

An automated mushroom harvesting system for mounting to a vertical mushroom rack comprises a robot having a frame mounted to a vertical carriage assembly. A SCARA arm is slidably mounted to the vertical carriage assembly by a vertical stage, operable to move the SCARA arm along a vertical mast. The SCARA arm moves the end effector in a horizontal plane for harvesting mushrooms, above the surface of the mushroom bed and into and out of the confines of the mushroom rack, and the vertical stage moves the SCARA arm in a vertical direction so as to access the mushrooms in a bed and to access mushroom beds on different levels of the vertical mushroom rack. An end effector having a helically reinforced neck and a graduated elasticity modulus, with a lower elasticity modulus in the neck and a higher elasticity in the cup, is also provided.

A spiral growing system is configured to be housed in a vertically elongated silo growth chamber to grow an agricultural crop. The spiral growing system broadly includes a spiral growing assembly and a movable crop support. The spiral growing assembly extends along an assembly length to at least partly define a spiral growing space to receive and feed the agricultural crop therein. The spiral growing assembly includes a continuous track and a feeding system. The track extends continuously along the assembly length and is configured to direct the agricultural crop along a generally downward spiral path. The movable crop support is operably supported by the track and is configured to be advanced downwardly along the assembly length to thereby direct the agricultural crop through the growing space with the feeding system providing direct root application of a supply of water and/or nutrients to the agricultural crop along the track.

A spiral growing system is configured to be housed in a vertically elongated silo growth chamber to grow an agricultural crop. The spiral growing system broadly includes a spiral growing assembly and a movable crop support. The spiral growing assembly extends along an assembly length to at least partly define a spiral growing space to receive and feed the agricultural crop therein. The spiral growing assembly includes a continuous track and a feeding system. The track extends continuously along the assembly length and is configured to direct the agricultural crop along a generally downward spiral path. The movable crop support is operably supported by the track and is configured to be advanced downwardly along the assembly length to thereby direct the agricultural crop through the growing space with the feeding system providing direct root application of a supply of water and/or nutrients to the agricultural crop along the track.