Plant propagation systems, devices and methods

1 . A plant propagation system, including:

a container; and

a holder for holding at least two plants in relative spaced apart relation;

wherein the holder includes two or more trays stacked to form a stack of trays, wherein each tray has the same shape and configuration, and wherein each tray has a plurality of through openings, respective through openings of the trays in the stack of trays being aligned to form through passages through which the plants can grow; and

wherein,

(a) the plurality of through openings in each tray are all the same shape,

(b) the plurality of through openings in each tray are all the same size, and/or

(c) each tray has the same profile and pattern of openings; and

wherein the stack of trays is releasably receivable in the container and formed such that, when the stack of trays is removed from the container, a cutting mechanism can effect a lateral cutting operation on the plants between a respective pair of adjacent trays in the stack of trays.

2 . A plant propagation system according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of openings is configured to receive at least a portion of one of the at least two plants.

3 . A plant propagation system according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of openings in each tray are arranged in a regular array.

4 . A plant propagation system according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of openings in each tray are arranged in an irregular array.

5 . A plant propagation system according to claim 1 , further comprising the cutting mechanism, wherein the cutting mechanism includes a hand-held cutting tool for manual cutting of the at least two plants.

6 . A plant propagation system according to claim 1 , further comprising the cutting mechanism, wherein the cutting mechanism includes a cutting element adapted to be slidably received between the respective pair of adjacent trays to cause the lateral cutting operation on the at least two plants.

7 . A plant propagation system according to claim 1 , wherein the container has a base portion and an open top for releasably receiving the stack of trays therein, and a lid portion releasably attachable about the open top of the base, thereby to close the container.

8 . A plant propagation system according to claim 7 , including a media delivery system for selectively supplying a nutrient supply to the container.

9 . A plant propagation system according to claim 8 , wherein the media delivery system is a pressure feed system.

10 . A plant propagation system according to claim 8 , wherein the media delivery system includes a nutrient container for holding a predetermined volume of the nutrient supply; and

an activation mechanism operatively associated with the nutrient container, whereby operation of the activation mechanism causes at least a portion of the nutrient supply to flow from or to the nutrient container.

11 . A plant propagation system according to claim 10 , wherein the nutrient container is flexible, wherein the activation mechanism can selectively deform the nutrient container to cause the nutrient supply to flow from the nutrient container to the container via a supply line.

12 . A plant propagation system according to claim 1 , further including a carrier for aseptic handling of the stack of trays.

13 . A plant propagation system, including:

a container; and

a holder for holding at least two plants in relative spaced apart relation;

wherein the holder includes two or more trays stacked to form a stack of trays, wherein each tray has the same shape and configuration, and wherein each tray has a plurality of through openings, respective through openings of the trays in the stack of trays being aligned to form through passages through which the plants can grow;

wherein the stack of trays is releasably receivable in the container and formed such that, when the stack of trays is removed from the container, a cutting mechanism can effect a lateral cutting operation on the plants between a respective pair of adjacent trays in the stack of trays;

wherein each of the plurality of openings is configured to receive at least a portion of one of the at least two plants; and

wherein the plurality of openings in each tray are arranged in an irregular array.

14 . A plant propagation system, including:

a container;

a holder for holding at least two plants in relative spaced apart relation; and

a cutting mechanism;

wherein the holder includes two or more trays stacked to form a stack of trays, wherein each tray has the same shape and configuration, and wherein each tray has a plurality of through openings, respective through openings of the trays in the stack of trays being aligned to form through passages through which the plants can grow;

wherein the stack of trays is releasably receivable in the container and formed such that, when the stack of trays is removed from the container, a cutting mechanism can effect a lateral cutting operation on the plants between a respective pair of adjacent trays in the stack of trays; and

wherein the cutting mechanism includes at least one of: a hand-held cutting tool for manual cutting of the at least two plants or a cutting element adapted to be slidably received between the respective pair of adjacent trays to cause the lateral cutting operation on the at least two plants.