PLANT GROWING SYSTEMS AND METHODS
A plant growing system comprising a growing panel and a porous air hose coupled to the growing panel. The growing panel includes a plurality of openings for receiving a plurality of plant receptacles. The plurality of openings are arranged in a plurality of parallel lines on the growing panel, and the porous air hose extends along the growing panel between at least two of the parallel lines.
1 .- 23 . (canceled)
24 . A method of refreshing a microclimate under a plant canopy, the method comprising:
arranging a plurality of plant receptacles on a growing panel in a plurality of parallel lines;
coupling a porous air hose to the growing panel, wherein the porous air hose extends along the growing panel between at least two of the parallel lines;
growing plants in the plurality of plant receptacles, wherein the plants define the plant canopy substantially above the porous air hose; and
pumping a volume of air through the porous air hose.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the at least two parallel lines are columns.
26 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising the step of amplifying the volume of air that is pumped through the porous air hose.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the volume of air comprises CO 2 .
28 . A plant growing system comprising:
a growing panel having a plurality of openings for receiving a plurality of plants, the plurality of openings arranged in a plurality of parallel lines on the growing panel; and
a porous air hose coupled to the growing panel;
wherein the porous air hose extends along the growing panel between at least two of the plurality of openings.
29 . The plant growing system of claim 28 , wherein the plurality of openings are arranged in a plurality of parallel lines on the growing panel, and the porous air hose extends along the growing panel between at least two of the parallel lines.
30 . The plant growing system of claim 28 , further comprising a plurality of plant receptacles in the plurality of openings.
31 . The plant growing system of claim 30 , further comprising a plurality of plants in the plurality of plant receptacles, wherein the plurality of plants define a plant canopy substantially above the porous air hose.
32 . The plant growing system of claim 28 , wherein the porous air hose has a porosity of about 1.5 to about 2 CFM/ft 2 at a static pressure of about 0.5 inch water column.
33 . The plant growing system of claim 28 , wherein the porous air hose comprises a polyester fabric.
34 . The plant growing system of claim 33 , wherein the polyester fabric comprises an active antimicrobial treatment.
35 . The plant growing system of claim 28 , further comprising an air source in air communication with the porous air hose, wherein the air source comprises a source of CO 2 .
36 . A canopy microclimate refreshing system in a plant growing system comprising:
a porous air hose arranged on a surface of a grow structure between a plurality of openings through the surface of the grow structure wherein each of the plurality of openings is configured to receive a plant such that a canopy of the plant is exposed over the surface of the grow structure.
37 . The canopy microclimate refreshing system of claim 36 further comprising:
an air amplifier in air communication with the porous air hose.
38 . The canopy of microclimate refreshing system of claim 36 further comprising:
an air pump in air communication with the air hose.
39 . The canopy microclimate refreshing system of claim 36 further comprising:
an air source in air communication with the air hose.
40 . The canopy microclimate refreshing system of claim 39 wherein the air source comprises a source of CO 2 .
41 . The canopy microclimate refreshing system of claim 36 wherein the air hose comprises a polyester fabric.
42 . The canopy microclimate refreshing system of claim 41 wherein the polyester fabric includes an antimicrobial treatment.
43 . The canopy microclimate refreshing system of claim 36 wherein the porous hose has a porosity in a range of about 1 CFM/ft 2 to about 5 CFM/ft 2 at a static pressure of about 0.5 inch of static water.
44 . The canopy microclimate refreshing system of claim 36 wherein the porous hose allows an airflow in a range of about 1.5 FPM to about 3 FPM at a static pressure of about 0.5 inch of static water.
45 . The canopy microclimate refreshing system of claim 36 wherein the growing structure includes a growing panel having a surface with the plurality of openings defined through the surface and the porous air hose is affixed to the grow panel between the plurality of openings.
46 . The canopy microclimate refreshing system of claim 45 where the plurality of openings are arranged on the surface of the growing panel in a plurality of parallel lines and the porous air hose extends between two of the plurality of parallel lines of openings on the surface of the growing panel.
47 . A method for refreshing a canopy microclimate in a grow system comprising:
pumping air into an area between a surface of a growing structure and a plant canopy defined by a plurality of plants where each of the plurality of plants protrudes out of one of a plurality of openings defined in the surface of the growing structure.
48 . The method of claim 47 wherein the pumping of the air is performed using a porous air hose arranged between the plurality of openings on the surface of the grow structure.
49 . The method of claim 48 wherein the porous air hose has a porosity in a range of about 1 CFM/ft 2 to about 5 CFM/ft 2 at a static pressure of about 0.5 inch of static water.
50 . The method of claim 47 wherein an airflow in a range of about 1.5 FPM to about 3 FPM at a static pressure of about 0.5 inch water column is generated by the pumping of air.
51 . The method of claim 47 wherein the pumping of air includes the pumping of CO 2 into the area.