Systems, methods, and devices for growing plants may include a first cup having a first lip disposed about a first opening. A ring may have a first channel defined about an inner diameter of the ring and a second channel defined about the inner diameter of the ring. The ring may retain the first lip in the first channel. Soil and plant material may be disposed in the first cup. A second cup may have a second lip disposed about a second opening. The second cup may be disposed over the first cup with the second lip adjacent the first lip. The ring may retain the second lip in the second channel.

A tray system for use in horticultural or agricultural operations comprising a ducting assembly for de-stratification and a drainage system for consolidating excess water and nutrients.

Block storage element and method for supplying liquid to a block storage element. The block storage clement has an overflow and the method includes introducing the liquid into an overflow distributor with a distributor limit. The liquid is throttled by at least one passageway arranged in the distributor limit and gets into a tub area of the block storage element, and the liquid that is not drained by way of the at least one passageway is discharged via. the overflow.

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.

A tray system for use in horticultural or agricultural operations comprising a ducting assembly for de-stratification and a drainage system for consolidating excess water and nutrients.

The present invention provides a plant pot tray and irrigation system that improves the efficiency of installation and removal of growing pots from the tray. The present invention includes a plant pot tray that includes an integrated irrigation system that does not install into the individual pots but may be installed into the tray itself outside of the pots. The integrated irrigation system allows for the pots to be installed and removed from the plant pot tray without disturbing the integrated irrigation system, thus making the installation and removal of the pots efficient and operable to be automated.

The disclosure relates to technology for hydroponics. An aspect includes a hydroponic system comprising a tray having a drain opening in a bottom of the tray. The hydroponic system comprises a water re-circulation system configured to re-circulate water containing plant nutrients through the hydroponic system. The water re-circulation system is configured to provide the water containing the plant nutrients to the tray. The tray is configured to convey the water along the bottom the tray to the drain opening, the drain opening configured to drain the water from the tray. The hydroponic system comprises different types of removable growing structures that are configured to provide corresponding different vertical distances between a top of a hydroponic growing medium and the bottom of the tray.

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.

The invention disclosed herein is directed to a table and tray assembly that can be used for housing plants. The table can be constructed with optional legs. The legs can be foldable and/or removable. The table has a frame that extends the perimeter of the table. The frame has a top flange that is configured to secure a tray in the table. The table has corner brackets that are configured to allow a first table to be securely stacked on a second table. The brackets have a lower vertical flange that engages with an upper flange of a second bracket in stacked form. The tray has a fluid trap and at least one flow channel extending from the fluid trap. The fluid trap has a connection member that can connect the tray to an external fluid source via tubing. The fluid trap can also have an insertable debris trap.

A plant-growing tray comprises a plurality of cells, each cell for containing in use a substrate for a plant or a cylindrical stabilised medium for propagating a plant. Each cell is formed from injection-moulded plastic and comprises a cell base and eight inclined side walls extending upwardly from the cell base, and each cell comprises four corner side walls having a corner wall gradient, and four stepped side walls which comprise an upper portion having an upper gradient, a lower portion having a lower gradient, and a step having a step gradient. The step is positioned between the upper portion and the lower portion, and the step gradient is less steep than the gradients of the upper portion and the lower portion of the side wall. Each cell comprises a pair of ribs on each of the four stepped walls, the ribs extending upwards from the cell base. At least a lower portion of the ribs have a rib gradient which is steeper than the gradients of the inclined side walls, and the gradient of the corner side walls is less steep than the upper portion or the lower portion of the stepped walls.