Methods and apparatuses for plant aeration
Plant-aeration systems, methods for plant aeration, plant-aeration cells, methods of environmental remediation, systems for algae cultivation, and apparatuses for algae aeration.
1. A plant-aeration system for aeration of one or more plants, comprising:
a plant-aeration cell comprising:
an air reservoir unit comprising material that is gas-impermeable and having an interior; and
a root holder unit connectable to the air reservoir unit and having an interior, the root holder unit comprising a first set of one or more openings and a second set of one or more openings;
the air reservoir unit and the root holder unit forming, when connected to each other, a reservoir bounded by the interiors from which gas cannot escape when the reservoir is occupied by liquid having a level that is above the openings in the first and second sets of openings, and one side of an opening of the second set faces the reservoir while another side of that opening of the second set faces away from the reservoir and the plant-aeration cell.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plant-growing cell configured to be disposed in operative relation with the plant-aeration cell, the plant-growing cell defining an open area in which one or more plants can grow, the plant-growing cell comprising mesh material.
3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
one or more additional plant-aeration cells, each comprising:
an air reservoir unit comprising material that is gas-impermeable; and
a root holder unit connectable to the air reservoir unit, the root holder unit comprising a first set of one or more openings and a second set of one or more openings;
the air reservoir unit and the root holder unit forming, when connected to each other, a reservoir from which gas cannot escape when the reservoir is occupied by liquid having a level that is above the openings in the first and second sets of openings; and
one or more additional plant-growing cells, each configured to be disposed in operative relation with one or more of the plant-aeration cells, each defining an open area in which one or more plants can grow, and each comprising mesh material.
4. The system of claim 1 , where the air reservoir and root holder units of each plant-aeration cell are integrally connected to each other.
5. The system of claim 1 , where the first set of openings comprises one opening.
6. The system of claim 1 , where the second set of openings comprises one opening.
7. The system of claim 1 , where the first set of openings comprises multiple openings.
8. The system of claim 1 , where the second set of openings comprises multiple openings.
9. The system of claim 1 , where each plant-aeration cell possesses a generally rectangular shape when viewed from above.
10. The system of claim 1 , where the root holder unit of each plant-aeration cell includes a first side in which the one or more openings in the first set are disposed, and a second side in which the one or more openings in the second set are disposed, and the second side is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the first side.
11. The system of claim 1 , where each plant-aeration cell possesses a generally hexagonal shape when viewed from above.
12. The system of claim 2 , where the root holder unit of each plant-aeration cell includes a first side in which the one or more openings in the first set are disposed, and a second side in which the one or more openings in the second set are disposed, and the second side is oriented at a non-zero angle relative to the first side.
13. The system of claim 1 , where the plant-aeration cell includes six sections connected to each other and defining a central open space bordered by the first set of one or more openings.
14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-mold agent disposed on at least a portion of an exterior surface of each plant-aeration cell.
15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-mold agent disposed on at least a portion of an interior surface of each plant-aeration cell.
16. The system of claim 1 , where each plant-aeration cell includes an exterior surface having a white or off-white color.
17. The system of claim 1 , where each plant-aeration cell includes an interior surface having a black or dark color.
18. A method for plant aeration comprising:
providing a plant-aeration cell comprising:
an air reservoir unit comprising material that is gas-impermeable; and
a root holder unit connected to the air reservoir unit, the root holder unit comprising a first set of one or more openings and a second set of one or more openings, the air reservoir unit and the root holder unit forming a reservoir from which gas cannot escape when the reservoir is occupied by liquid having a level that is above the openings in the first and second sets of openings;
disposing the cell in an environment that is exposed to liquid continuously or at least intermittently, such that:
a plant root extends through the one or more openings in the first set and into the reservoir; and
liquid can flow into the reservoir to a level above the openings in the first and second sets such that gas is trapped in the reservoir above the level of the liquid.