HORTICULTURAL METHOD AND APPARATUS

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for optimizing the growth of a plant by taking a measurement of at least one property of a plant growing in a growing medium, calculating the optimal nutritional requirement of the plant based on the measurement, and then injecting an optimal amount of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of water, fertilizer and a combination of water and fertilizer into the container. A rotating drum apparatus is provided for the practice of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing the growth of a plant comprising the steps of: taking a measurement of at least one property of a plant growing in a growing medium; calculating the optimal nutritional requirement of said plant based on said measurement; and injecting an optimum amount of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of water, fertilizer, and a combination of water and fertilizer, into said container.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of taking measurement of at least one property of a plant growing in a growing medium comprises the step of measuring the moisture in said growing medium.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of taking measurement of at least one property of a plant growing in a growing medium comprises utilizing a probe inserted in said growing medium to measure said property.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of taking measurement of at least one property of a plant growing in a growing medium comprises the step of measuring the health of said plant utilizing non destructive testing.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said non destructive testing uses a camera to measure the health of foliar growth on said plant.

6. A method of claim 1 wherein the step of taking measurement of at least one property of a plant growing in a growing medium comprises the step of measuring multiple properties of said plant.

7. A horticultural apparatus comprising: a rotating drum having at least one ring, a drive system to rotatably drive said ring, a light source within said drum; a plurality of medium retaining members extending transversely of said ring; a detecting device mounted proximate to said ring for detecting a property of individual ones of said medium retaining members; a feeder associated with each of said medium retaining members to inject a substance into said medium retaining members.

8. The horticultural apparatus of claim 7 wherein said detecting device comprises a moisture detector.

9. The horticultural apparatus of claim 7 wherein said detecting device comprises a camera to detect the health of vegetation growing from said medium retaining members.

10. The horticultural apparatus of claim 7 wherein said light source within said drum includes light emitting diodes.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Having thus generally described the invention, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating embodiments thereof, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a horticultural apparatus according to the present invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective detailed view of the injector apparatus used in the horticultural apparatus of FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a side view of a portion of the feeding device;

[0025] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a transversely extending member, medium retaining device and blocking member;

[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates the individual lines and injectors;

[0027] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the medium retaining member;

[0028] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a further medium retaining member and transversely extending member; and

[0029] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a horticultural apparatus according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference characters thereto, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a horticultural apparatus which is generally designated by reference numeral 10.

[0031] Horticultural apparatus 10 includes a plurality of frame members including a first lower horizontal frame member 12 secured together with a pair of upwardly extending frame members 16, 18 and which have a vertical frame member 26 forming a part thereof. On the other side, there is also provided a lower horizontal frame member 14 secured together with upwardly extending frame members 20, 22. A longitudinally extending frame member 24 secures the two side frames. Extending inwardly over the feed apparatus is an upper feed arm 28.

[0032] Horticultural apparatus 10 includes a ring 30 to which are secured a plurality of transversely extending members 32. Located internally of ring 30 is a light housing 34 having a light 36 mounted therein. Power supply 38 supplies light 36. The light assembly is supported by a light support device 40.

[0033] Horticultural apparatus 10 includes a motor 42 and a drive member 44 which is operatively connected with ring 30 to rotatably drive the same. A drive belt 46 extends between drive member 44 and motor 42 in a conventional arrangement.

[0034] Horticultural apparatus 10 is supplied with, as previously mentioned, a plurality of transversely extending members 32 each of which is adapted to retain a plurality of growing medium devices. Each plant is grown in its own particular cell and is individually fed and watered. To this end, the feed arrangement comprises a housing 48 having a manifold line 50 and a feed line 52. A plurality of injectors 54 are provided, each for an individual cell. A main feed 56 is provided.

[0035] Each cell has a moisture sensor 58 associated therewith. The feeding device includes a sensor trigger 60 which is adapted to contact each moisture sensor 58 to receive information as to the status of the cell. A sensor trigger 60 works in conjunction with moisture sensor 58.

[0036] The arrangement will include a feed for water 62 and a fertilizer feed 64 which meet at a manifold 72. Each line will have filter 66, valve 68 and flow meters 70 associated therewith. A computer card 71 provides control thereover.

[0037] In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the horticultural apparatus is generally designated by reference numeral 110. It is similar to the previously described embodiment except that a plurality of solid pieces 190 will form the drum. Pieces 190 are preferably formed of an organic material such as coconut matting which in and by itself may function as a growth medium or alternatively, may have inter spaced areas which permit the germination and growing of a plant. This arrangement would provide for easy harvesting of young greens as a knife could sweep the surface and cut the plants in situ.