The present invention, in different embodiments, discloses a horticultural tray and a method of use thereof. The horticultural tray includes first and second elongate portions having one or more receptacles for growing medium, and a foldable elongate portion between the first and second elongate portions. The foldable elongate portion has a central hinge and sloped side portions that slope downward and away from the central hinge toward the first and second elongate portions. The foldable elongate portion also has side hinges disposed between the foldable elongate portion and the first and second elongate portions. The horticultural tray may also have a first locking tab and a second locking tab configured so that the first locking tab fits securely inside the second locking tab when the horticultural tray is in a collapsed configuration.

A hydroponic growing system is presented. The system can include multiple growing trays in a vertical arrangement, where a pump supplies the top-most tray and each lower tray is supplied by the overlying tray, and where the plumbing elements for supply and drainage are arranged to one side of the system. The system includes variations to support different crop types within the same system, including removable growing structures for root vegetable, microgreens and supports for vining crops. The system can monitor and adjust the nutrients and other features of the systems water profile to concurrently group multiple crops in differing developing stages.

An apparatus for cultivating plants may include a cabinet forming a space in which plants may be cultivated; a door connected to the cabinet to open or close the space; at least one bed disposed in the space; at least one seed package separably seated on the at least one bed and having a medium including seeds of plants and nutrient solution; and a light assembly to radiate light to the at least one seed package disposed on the at least one bed. The at least one bed may include an upper bed on which the at least one seed package may be seated and a bottom bed on which the upper bed may be seated and that forms a water collecting portion that stores water, and the at least one seed package may be supplied with the water stored in the water collecting portion.

Versions of the disclosure relate to multilayer structures for germinating seeds and growing plants in aeroponic or hydroponic farming. The multilayer structure can include a growth medium positioned in close proximity to a seeding tray. The seeding tray may be configured and dimensioned to at least partially retain a germinating seed. Optional grid tray may be positioned below the growth medium and configured and dimensioned to support the growth medium.

A container, such as a pot, strip or tray, comprising at least one accommodation for at least one specimen from a group, comprising: plants; seeds; seedlings; cuttings and the like, where the accommodation is configured to be filled with a substrate and the container exhibits at least a side wall, a bottom and a top surface to accommodate the substrate and the specimen in the substrate, of which at least a portion of the top surface is open to enable growth of the specimen there through in a longitudinal direction. The side wall includes a completely open passage which is dimensioned for inserting or extracting a block of substrate with essentially a full size of an interior of the accommodation into or from the interior through the passage in a sideways direction relative to the longitudinal direction, where at least the side wall includes a cutting edge alongside the passage.

A floating wetland structure including a plurality of floating connected modules, each module having a frame that is at least partially hollow and a support structure adapted to support a plurality of containers for growing plants in the wetland.

Panel for floating cultivation of plants on water, including parallel grooves at a top side extending longitudinally, adapted for receiving a substrate and a number of plants or precursors in the substrate, each groove extending through the panel from a first top plane to a second parallel plane. The panel includes air chambers at a lower side extending substantially below the second plane, each of the air chambers allowing therein formation of air roots of plants supported in the substrate of the grooves. At the second plane, each groove is spaced apart from the circumferential side wall of the air chamber it debouches in when projected onto a plane normal to the longitudinal direction, each of the grooves including at least two side support surfaces extending parallel to the groove and below the top side, the side support surfaces adapted for substantially completely supporting the substrate in the groove.

A plant-growing tray (102) comprises an array of cells (108) for containing stabilised media for propagating plants. The tray comprises a tray top (110), and each cell comprises a base (116) and an inclined side wall (114) extending from the base to the tray top. Each cell is configured to receive a stabilised medium, and comprises a plurality of projections (123), positioned around the side wall and facing into the cell, and a plurality of openings (125) defined in the side wall below the projections. The projections (123) are configured in use to support an upper portion of the stabilised medium. In a further aspect, a plant-growing tray for containing stabilised media for propagating plants is configurable in a nesting configuration with a similar tray, and comprises: a tray base configured to support a base portion of a stabilised medium; a support member, configured to support an upper portion of the stabilised medium; and an inclined tray wall connecting the support member to the tray base.

A plant-growing tray comprises a tray top and a plurality of cells extending downwardly from the tray top. Each cell is for containing a substrate for a plant, for the propagation or growth of the plant. Each cell is associated with a catchment area of the tray top, and each catchment area has a sloped surface which, during watering of the plants in the tray, directs water impinging or falling on the catchment area towards the cell.

A container for propagating or growing plants is configured to receive a substrate for propagating plants and comprises a drain hole, an inclined side wall, and a plurality of ribs positioned on the side wall and extending into the container. At least two ribs are arranged close to and parallel to one another, defining a channel therebetween through which air may flow, in use, when the container contains a substrate. In a plant tray comprising an array of cells, at least one cell comprises a rim, arranged around the drain hole on the underside of the cell, in which a thickness of the rim is greater than a thickness of the side wall. A plant tray comprising an array of cells having octagonal cell openings comprises a plurality of vents arranged between the cells and configured to allow air to flow through the tray top. A plant tray comprising vents in the tray top comprises vent rims arranged around the circumferences of the vents, the vent rims being configured to project downwards from the tray top.