A multilevel indoor mobile gutter system for growing vegetation including at least a first level and a second level is provided. Each level may include a first level conveyor and a second level conveyor respectively. A transfer conveyor is operable to convey from the first level to the second level. A plurality of lights are positioned to emit light towards the first level and the second level. At least one gutter is operable to support a plant within. The first level conveyor transports the at least one gutter from the front end to the rear end of the first level, the transfer conveyor transfers the at least one gutter from rear end of the first level to the front end of the second level, and the second level conveyor transports the at least one gutter from the front end to the rear end of the second level.

A crop production system (100) for a controlled plant growing environment is provided. A subassembly comprises a guide portion that includes passive guides (104, 504, 904, 1004) radiating outward from a central portion (102, 502, 520, 911). Each passive guide may be separated from two adjacent passive guides by respective angles. Each passive guide has a first end proximal to the central portion and a second end distal to the central portion. Each passive guide is configured to guide plant growth modules (210). The plant growth modules are movable between the first end and the second end of each passive guide. An active guide (406, 907, 1007) causes the plant growth modules to travel in a first direction along the passive guides as the active guide is moved.

A method and a system for growing plants on multilayer principle in mobile gutter farming is described, whereby, in the process of growing plants planted in cultivation gutters, said plants are conveyed in cultivation layers present on top of each other in a cultivation space in a longitudinal direction of the cultivation space in one or opposite directions. The cultivation gutters and the plants contained therein, are treated in the cultivation space by means of a processing arrangement in a cultivation layer-specific manner, whereby the cultivation gutters and the plants contained therein are first of all conveyed by motion elements in each cultivation layer of the cultivation space in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation space in opposite directions and are treated by processing elements in each cultivation layer of the cultivation space separately, in a manner substantially independent of the other cultivation layers.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for facilitating preparing plants for regrowing the plants using nutrient film technique, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the apparatus a conveyor, a harvesting device, a debris removing device, a microbiological control device, and a plant additive device. Further, the conveyor moves a plant through areas. Further, the harvesting device cuts a portion of the plant moved through a first area of the areas based on the moving. Further, the debris removing device removes debris attached to the plant moved through a second area of the areas after the cutting. Further, the microbiological control device removes harmful microorganism from the plant moved through a third area of the areas after the cleaning. Further, the plant additive device adds a plant health additive to the plant moved through a fourth area of the areas after the removing.

One variation of a method for automatically redistributing plants throughout an agricultural facility includes, at a mobile robotic system: delivering a first module—defining a first array of plant slots at a first density and loaded with a first set of plants in approximately a second growth stage—from a grow area within a facility to a transfer station within the facility; delivering a second module—located within the facility and defining a second array of plant slots at a second density less than the first density—to the transfer station; and following transfer of a first subset of plants from the first array of plant slots in the first module into the second array of plant slots in the second module at the transfer station, delivering the second module to the grow area in the facility.

A method and system for moving a plant growing container, wherein the method makes use of a system that includes a cultivation track, a conveying track, a lift and a guide assembly. The method includes the initially moving the plant growing container at the first level along a first direction from a first end of the cultivation track onto the lift next to the first end of the cultivation track. From there, the plant growing container is lowered from the first level to the second level onto the conveying track. To reduce blocking of the system, the guide is movable to a third level higher than the first level. Furthermore, the method further includes guiding the plant growing container by means of moving said guide to said third level once the container has been moved onto the lift.

A method and a system for growing plants on multilayer principle in mobile gutter farming is described, whereby, in the process of growing plants planted in cultivation gutters, said plants are conveyed in cultivation layers present on top of each other in a cultivation space in a longitudinal direction of the cultivation space in one or opposite directions. The cultivation gutters and the plants contained therein, are treated in the cultivation space by means of a processing arrangement in a cultivation layer-specific manner, whereby the cultivation gutters and the plants contained therein are first of all conveyed by motion elements in each cultivation layer of the cultivation space in the longitudinal direction of the cultivation space in opposite directions and are treated by processing elements in each cultivation layer of the cultivation space separately, in a manner substantially independent of the other cultivation layers.

An apparatus for growing plants comprises two towers located adjacent to each other and forming an outside perimeter surface, a tray located in the bottom of the outside perimeter surface; and a cable system configured to pull a plurality of pods along the outside perimeter, each pod having containers, the cable system configured to bring at least one pod in a contact with a liquid located in the tray. A plant growth monitoring system comprises a plurality of sensors, a plurality of distributors configured to distribute fertilizers in response to received commands, and a controller configured to receive a sensor data from the plurality of sensors, determine commands for a stage of growth of plants based on a sensor data received and transmit the commands to the distributors. A method of initiating a plant in preparation of its introduction into a vertical farm unit is also disclosed.

A gutter system for use in a hydroponic system for cultivating a crop includes a gutter and an upper surface. Arranged in the upper surface are a plurality of openings which are mutually separated in a longitudinal direction of the gutter, such that the gutter forms a channel in which substrates for having crop units of the crop grow therein are placeable via the openings. The upper surface is provided at the position of each of the plurality of openings with a flange which extends substantially perpendicularly relative to the upper surface from an edge of the opening and as such forms a stop for a respective substrate of the substrates.

The present invention relates to the technical field of indoor plant cultivation facilities for the cultivation of e.g., crops and/or herbs. Specifically, it relates to a system and method for cultivation of plants by means of a conveyor system.