GB2532467A

GB2532467A - Vertical soilless growing system

Info

Publication number: GB2532467A
Application number: GB1420578.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Hawkins-Row Jason
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-11-19
Filing date: 2014-11-19
Publication date: 2016-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2034-11-19
Also published as: GB201420578D0; GB2532467B

Abstract

A vertical hydroponic growing system comprises an elongate housing 10 having a tubular outer wall 2 with a longitudinally extending slot 20 leading to an interior of the housing for holding hydroponic growing medium material. A plant held by the growing medium material grows out through the slot. The housing has an upper fluid inlet 36 for supplying a nutrient solution to the growing medium and a lower fluid outlet 38 for recovering unused nutrient solution. Within said housing interior is at least one transversely facing abutment 81 which sub-divides said interior volume into at least two longitudinally extending contiguous portions, including a first hydroponic growing portion and an aeroponic growing portion, the hydroponic growing portion being between the slot and the aeroponic growing portion. The housing has at least one removable panel for providing access to the interior volume of the housing for the loading of the hydroponic growing medium.

Description

Vertical Soilless Growing System

BACKGROUND

a. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vertical soilless growing system, and particularly to an elongate housing for a vertical hydroponic growing system, and to a vertical hydroponic apparatus for plant growing using such a housing and to a method of growing plants using such an apparatus.

b. Related Art US 2011/0023361 Al is an example of a prior art vertical hydroponic plant production apparatus having a vertical grow tube with a slot through the tube extending lengthwise over some or all of the tube length. A media material for supporting growing roots is inserted into the grow tube such that the media material fills the interior volume of the grow tube. A nutrient solution carrying essential plant nutrients is then trickled down through the growing medium material to provide water and nutrients to the growing plant.

Such an apparatus may be used with any suitable nutrient fluid. One known way of providing nutrient for such fluid is to use water from a fish tank holding live, growing fish. This technique is called "aquaponics'', which is the cultivation of fish and plants together in a constructed ecosystem utilizing natural bacterial cycles, mainly in the growing medium material, to convert fish wastes to plant nutrients. Unused water is then returned to the fish tank, substantially cleaned and oxygenated. Such a re-circulating culture method harnesses the best attributes of aquaculture and hydroponics without the need to discard any water or filtrate or add chemical fertilizers. The aquaponics technique is therefore a form of hydroponics, and the term "hydroponics" will therefore be used herinafter to refer both to traditional hydroponics without aquaculture and also to the more specific technique of aquaponics. -2 -

The growing medium material is usually very porous, for example an inert, low density solid foam, often referred to as reticulated foam. 'Reticulated' means like a net. Reticulated foams are extremely open foams having few, if any, intact bubbles or cell windows. The solid component of reticulated foam may be an organic polymer like polyurethane, a ceramic or a metal.

Research into the technique of aquaponics to grow produce shows that it is more productive than traditional hydroponic methods because it introduces organic substances and enzymes into the fluid nutrient. This greatly benefits the gas exchange at plant root, especially when mixed with vermiculture in which a few earthworms are added to the growing medium material in to the grow tubes. In particular, the waste products from fish provide ammonia which is turned into nitrate by the naturally occurring bacteria. The nitrate is used by the plants, along with the water to grow.

Aquaponic growing uses just 10% of the water usually used in agriculture (growing in soil) and the crop grows faster and more abundantly as the plants get everything they need without relying on rainfall or wasteful watering regimes. The plants grow a smaller root-ball as they are being continuously and generously nourished by the water in the system. Consequently, they put more growth energy into its foliage or fruit. The water in the system can be constantly recycled and is only topped up to replace the exact amount of water used by the plants themselves plus a little evaporation.

A related known soilless growing technique is aeroponics. In most instances the plants are held in such a way that the roots protrude into a chamber where a spray or mist of nutrient solution is circulated through the roots to feed the plant growth.

Prior art vertical soilless growing systems tend to be optimised for one of these various growing techniques. Although aeroponics provides the benefit of giving the maximum freedom for roots to grow, while also maximising the oxygen available to the roots, this can be a difficult technique for home users or small growers to -3 -master. Similarly, aquaponic systems tend to be specialised. A home user or a small grower may need to invest in several different sets of equipment, one for each technique, which is expensive and inconvenient.

It is an object of the present invention to address these issues and to provide a more convenient and flexible vertical soilless growing system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an elongate housing for a vertical hydroponic growing system, said housing comprising: - a tubular outer wall, said wall extending in a longitudinal direction between opposite upper and lower ends of said housing when said housing is oriented to extend in a vertical direction, and the outer wall comprising a longitudinally extending slot through the wall leading to an interior volume of the housing for holding at least one block of hydroponic growing medium material such that, in use, a plant held by said growing medium material grows out through said slot; - a fluid inlet for supplying a nutrient solution to said growing medium material proximate said upper end; - a fluid outlet for recovering unused nutrient solution from said growing medium material proximate said lower end; - within said housing interior at least one transversely facing abutment configured to sub-divide said interior volume into at least two longitudinally extending contiguous portions, including a first hydroponic growing portion of the interior volume and an aeroponic growing portion of the interior volume, said hydroponic growing portion being between said slot and said aeroponic growing portion, and said abutment being configured to locate and retain a first block of hydroponic growing medium material in said first hydroponic growing portion; and - at least one removable panel for providing access to said interior volume and through which said first block of hydroponic growing medium material is, in use, loaded into the first hydroponic growing portion of the interior volume, whilst leaving open the aeroponic growing portion of the interior volume.

The first block may have a slit therein to hold the growing plant. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first block is formed from two block halves which are initially separate but held together by contact with internal surfaces of the housing to provide the first block of hydroponic growing medium material.

The plant or seed may therefore be planted in the first block of hydroponic growing medium material, which is simple for an end user to do, and which provides early support to the roots of the growing plant. The growing roots may then reach the aeroponic portion, and extend out from the first block freely into the open portion of the housing internal volume to form a growing root ball.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided within the housing interior at least two transversely facing abutments configured to sub-divide the interior volume into at least three longitudinally extending contiguous portions, including additionally a second hydroponic growing portion of the interior volume.

One or more of the removable panels then provides access to the interior volume so that a second block of hydroponic growing medium material may, in use, be loaded into the second hydroponic growing portion of the interior volume, whilst leaving open the aeroponic growing portion of the interior volume. The aeroponic growing portion is located between the first and second hydroponic growing portions.

The second block of hydroponic growing medium material is initially root free, but is particularly useful in an aquaponic system as this block will provide additional surface area in which bacteria may convert fish waste into useful nutrients. The roots of the growing plant will then grow across the aeroponic portion of the internal volume until these reach the second block of hydroponic growing medium material, whereupon the roots will most often grow into the second block. The first and second blocks of material are most preferably reticulated foam. Roots can then extract nutrients held by the two blocks of growing material. The second block also provides the benefit of helping to support the weight of the roots as these grow so that the roots remain well separated and well exposed to the air within the housing. -5 -

The second hydroponic growing portion may therefore be used as an aquaponic growing portion.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is at least one opposed pair of the transversely facing abutments. Each of the abutments is then provided on opposite first and second internal surfaces or faces of the tubular outer wall. The abutment may be provided by any suitable abutting feature inside the housing, but is preferably a step-like feature provided on an internal wall surface of the housing tubular outer wall.

The tubular outer wall may define a longitudinal axis of the housing. Each abutment is then parallel with the housing axis and with each other.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the abutments may be a ridge, for example, provided by one side of a flange or tongue which projects away from the corresponding internal face of the tubular outer wall.

Each of the longitudinally extending contiguous growing portions is preferably substantially square or rectangular in a transverse cross-section.

The outer wall is preferably composed of a plurality of longitudinally extending wall panels. For example, the housing may have a plurality of longitudinally extending sides provided by the plurality of wall panels, the sides comprising a front side in which the slot is provided.

The front side is preferably provided by a pair of front wall panels, these panels extending laterally away from opposite sides of the slot. Each of the front wall panels may then be removably engaged with a corresponding adjacent wall panel so that the front wall panels can be removed in order to load or unload the first block of hydroponic growing medium material from the hydroponic growing portion.

The adjacent wall panels are preferably opposite side wall panels of the housing. -6 -

The housing is preferably substantially square or rectangular in cross-section. The sides of the housing may then comprise adjacent the front side, opposite left and right sides. Opposite the front side is then a rear side, the rear side comprising an upper mount proximate the upper end of the housing and a lower mount proximate the lower end of the housing.

The housing may comprise a top end cap and a base end cap, the caps covering opposite upper and lower ends of the interior volume. One or both of the caps may 10 be removable so as to provide one of said removable panels, which may be in addition to the front removable panels described above.

The fluid inlet is most conveniently provided in the top end cap and similarly the fluid outlet may be provided in the base end cap. Each cap is preferably substantially cup shaped.

The top end cap preferably has a downwardly depending side wall. The top end cap side wall preferably extends across at least a front side of the top end cap, and preferably also over two adjacent sides. In a preferred embodiment of the invention a rear side of the top end cap is a mounting plate for mounting to a supporting structure.

Alternatively or additionally, the base end cap may have an upwardly extending side wall. The base end cap side wall preferably extends across at least a front side of the base end cap, and preferably also over two adjacent sides. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a rear side of the base end cap is a mounting plate for mounting to a supporting structure.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a vertical hydroponic apparatus for plant growing, comprising: - at least one elongate housing, the housing being according to the first aspect of the invention; - a first block of hydroponic growing medium material held and retained in the -7 -first hydroponic growing portion by the abutment; and a reservoir containing a nutrient fluid and a pump for pumping the nutrient fluid, the reservoir being connected to the fluid inlet and to the fluid outlet, and the pump being configured to circulate the fluid nutrient in a circuit from the reservoir to the fluid inlet and from the fluid outlet back to the reservoir; wherein the fluid inlet is configured to deliver the nutrient fluid to the first block of hydroponic growing medium material.

The fluid inlet may then be configured to deliver a first portion of the nutrient fluid to the first block of hydroponic growing medium material and a second portion of the nutrient fluid as a spray or mist to the aeroponic growing portion.

When there are three side-by-side portions of the internal volume as described above, the fluid inlet may be configured to deliver a first portion of the nutrient fluid to the first block of hydroponic growing medium material and a second portion of the nutrient fluid to the second block of hydroponic growing medium material.

Preferably then, the fluid inlet is configured to deliver a third portion of the nutrient fluid as a spray or mist to the aeroponic growing portion between the two hydroponic growing portions.

In an aquaponic system in which the reservoir contains live fish, waste from the fish is used to provide the source of the nutrient fluid.

The first and/or second hydroponic growing medium materials may then provide an aquaponic growing medium material in which the waste from the fish is converted into nutrients for plant growth.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of growing plants using a vertical hydroponic apparatus, said apparatus being according to the second aspect of the invention, in which the method comprises the steps of: planting at least one plant or plant seed in the first hydroponic growing portion; -8 - - removing said at least one removable panel to provide access to said interior volume; - using said access to load said first block of hydroponic growing medium material with said planted plant or plant seed into the interior volume of the 5 housing; - using said at least one abutment to locate said first block of hydroponic growing medium material in the first hydroponic growing portion of the interior volume, whilst leaving open the aeroponic growing portion of the interior volume; - replacing said at least one removable panel to close said access to said interior volume; - securing said housing to a supporting structure such that said tubular outer wall extends substantially vertically; - using the pump to circulate said fluid nutrient such that the fluid nutrient flows from the reservoir to the fluid inlet and such that unused fluid nutrient flows from the outlet back to the reservoir; - dispensing the nutrient fluid from the fluid inlet such that at least some of said nutrient fluid is delivered to the first block of hydroponic growing medium material; and - growing said plant or plant seed such that a stem of said plant grows outwards from said slot and roots from said growing plant extend through said first block of hydroponic growing medium material and into the interior volume of the housing.

The method may comprise the step of dispensing the nutrient fluid from the fluid inlet such that some of said nutrient fluid is delivered as a spray or mist to the aeroponic growing portion of the interior volume.

The method may further comprise the step of dispensing nutrient fluid from the fluid inlet such that at least some of said nutrient fluid is delivered to the first and/or second hydroponic growing medium materials.

The method may comprise the step of using the access provided by the removable panel or panels to load a second block of hydroponic growing medium material not -9 -having any planted plant or plant seed into the interior volume of the housing. The second block is then separated by a longitudinally extending void within the internal volume between the first and second blocks of hydroponic growing medium material. This second block may be loaded either before or after the first block. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first block is loaded through an open front side of the elongate housing and the second block is loaded through an open end of the housing, a removable end cap then providing one of the removable panels for providing access to the housing interior volume.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vertical hydroponic apparatus for plant growing in a first preferred embodiment of the invention, comprising a plurality of elongate housings, each one having a tubular outer wall that extends vertically between top and base end caps with corresponding inlet and outlet connections for circulated nutrient fluid from a fish tank; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an underside of the top end cap of Figure 1, showing an end of the inlet; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a top side of the base end cap of Figure 1, showing a drain hose from the outlet; Figure 4 is a partially cut away front view of the housing of Figure 1 showing how nutrient fluid is dispensed by a spray head at the end of the inlet onto a block of hydroponic growing medium material behind a growing slit in a front face of the housing; Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view through the housing, taken along lines IV-IV of Figure 4, showing how there is an empty aeroponic growing portion inside the housing behind the first block of growing medium material, and also how there may, optionally, be a second block of hydroponic growing medium material in a rear portion of the housing interior; Figure 6 shows the first step in using the apparatus of Figure 1 to grow plants, in which seedlings with exposed roots are placed between two similar sections or blocks of hydroponic growing medium material; Figure 7 shows the next step in using the apparatus of Figure 1 to grow plants, in which the two sections of growing medium material are held together to form a first block of the material which is then loaded into an open front side of the housing; Figure 8 shows how two removable panels forming the front side of the housing are slid into place longitudinally without disturbing the seedlings and in such a way as to provide a slot in the front of the housing through which the plants may then grow; Figure 9 shows how an optional second block of growing medium material may be loaded into a rear portion of the housing through an open end of the housing tubular outer wall; Figure 10 shows the first step in loading the assembled tubular outer wall and blocks of growing medium material into mounted top and base end caps, in which a top end of the tubular outer wall is moved fully upwards into a downwardly extending cup-like receptacle of the top end cap; Figure 11 shows the final step in this loading into the top and base end caps, in which a bottom end of the tubular outer wall is moved fully downwards into an upwardly extending cup-like receptacle of the base end cap, the overlap between the caps being sufficient so that top end of the tubular outer wall remains inside the receptacle of the top end cap; Figure 12 shows the steps in removing the assembled tubular outer wall and blocks of growing medium material from the mounted top and base end caps, when the plants are fully grown, in which the tubular outer wall is moved fully upwards to release the lower end, which is then rotated forwards and then lowered to disengage the ends of the tubular outer wall from both end caps; and Figure 13 is a perspective view of a vertical hydroponic apparatus for plant growing in a second preferred embodiment of the invention, comprising an array of the elongate housings of Figures 2 to 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a vertical hydroponic apparatus 1 for plant growing. The apparatus comprises a plurality of elongate housings 10, each of which has a tubular outer wall 2 that extends vertically along a housing axis 3 between upper and lower ends 6, 8 of the housing at which the housing has top and base end caps 16, 18. The end caps are each mounted to a supporting frame 4 on a wall 5 to provide respective upper and lower mounts for the tubular outer wall 2, with the top end cap 6 being directly above the base end cap 8.

The apparatus also comprises a nutrient reservoir 12 which can be any suitable tank for holding a water solution 15, but in this example is a cylindrical pop-up water butt that is 500 mm in diameter and 800 mm high. A mains powered water pump 14 is submerged in the reservoir and is connected by flow and return pipes 26, 28 to, respectively a fluid inlet 36 in the top end cap 16 and a fluid outlet 38 in the base end cap 18. In this example, the fluid outlet is a cylindrical tube 38.

When the apparatus 1 is used in an aquaponic mode, the reservoir 12 will contain live fish 9.

Figures 2 to 5 show in more detail the various components of the elongate housing 10, and Figures 6 to 12 show how components of the apparatus 1 are assembled when being used to grow plants.

As shown in Figure 5, the housing 10 is substantially rectangular in cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the housing axis 3. The tubular outer wall 2 has four sides or faces, namely a front face 21. Adjacent opposite left and right edges 26, 27 of the front face are left and right side faces 22, 23 of the tubular outer wall 2. Between the side faces extends a rear face 24.

The tubular outer wall 2 comprises a longitudinally extending slot 20 in the front face 21 which extends to an interior volume 25 of the housing which, in use, holds at least one block 30 of hydroponic growing medium material. This block 30 is positioned directly behind the slot 20. As shown most clearly in Figures 5 and 6, the block is formed of two longitudinally extending halves 31, 32 which when placed together around young plants 33 provide a slit 34. In use, the slit 34 extends vertically, centered in the slot 20 so that plants held in the slit of the block 30 grow laterally outwards through the slot.

The top and base end caps 16, 18 make a sliding fit over the four faces 21-24 of the outer wall 2 and so these are also substantially rectangular in a cross-section perpendicular to the housing axis 3. The top end cap 16 therefore has a front face 41 and adjacent opposite left and right edges 46, 47 of the front face there are left and right side faces 42, 43. Between the side faces 42 extends a rear face 44. The front and side faces 41-43 of the top end cap are provided by a side wall 45 that is downwardly depending from a top wall 48 of the top end cap, which is also a top wall at the top end 6 of the housing 10. The side and top walls 45, 48 extend transversely from, and are supported by a back wall 49 of the cap which also provides the rear face 44 of the top end cap 16 for receiving the tubular housing 2.

A nozzle 50 for dispensing a spray or mist 90 of nutrient fluid, is provided at the inlet 36 inside a downwardly facing cup-like receptacle or recess 17 formed by the side and back walls 45, 49 of the top end cap. The nozzle is therefore recessed within the bounds of the side wall 45 of the top end cap.

The base end cap 18 similarly has a front face 51 and adjacent opposite left and right edges 56, 57 of the front face also left and right side faces 52, 53. Between the side faces 52 extends a rear face 54. The front and side faces 51-53 of the base end cap are provided by a side wall 55 that is upwardly extending from a bottom wall 58 of the cap, which is also a bottom wall of the housing. The side and bottom walls 55, 58 extend transversely from, and are supported by a back wall 59 of the cap which also provides the rear face 54 of the base end cap 18.

The weight of the tubular outer wall 2 of the housing is born fully by the base end cap 18, and the side wall 55 of the base end cap provides some bracing owing to its connection to the back wall 54. Further bracing is provided by a web of material 37 extending downwards from the bottom wall 58, this web 37 also spanning between the cylindrical outlet 38 and the back wall 54.

The rear and side walls 54, 55 of the bottom end cap 18 also provide an upwardly facing cup-like receptacle or recess 19 for receiving the tubular housing 2.

The back walls 49, 59 of the top and base end caps 16, 18 each have portions that 20 extend above and blow the supported walls 45, 48, 55, 58 and through which holes 61, 62 are provided by which the end caps may be mounted to the framework 4, for example by screws 63.

As shown most clearly in Figures 5 and 8, the housing outer wall 2 across the front face 21 of the housing 10 is composed of left and right front wall panels 71, 71' which are separated by the slot 20. Each front panel 71, 71' extends laterally to the corresponding left or right edges 26, 27 where a joint 70 is provided between each front wall panel 71, 71' and a corresponding left or right side wall panel 72, 73 of the housing outer wall 2. The joints 70 permit the left and right front wall panels each to be removably joined to the corresponding left or right side wall panel.

A rear wall panel 74 extends laterally between the left and right side wall panels.

The side wall panels and the rear wall panel are preferably a one-piece component, for example an extruded plastic component in polypropylene or PVC material. The removable left and right side wall panels are preferably formed in the same material as the remainder of the housing outer wall 2.

In this example, the front to back transverse dimension of the outer wall 2 is 150 mm and the left to right transverse dimension is 120 mm, and the length of the outer wall in the axial direction is 600 mm.

The joint 70 is preferably a tongue and groove joint. The tongue and groove joint may comprise a longitudinally extending tongue 75 and a longitudinally extending groove 76. The tongue has a projection 77 that is laterally directed towards one side of the groove and the groove has a laterally inwardly directed lip 78 which wraps partly around the projection. The projection therefore is retained by the lip when the tongue is received by the groove. The groove may then have at one or both longitudinal ends 79 of the groove an opening 80 for receiving in a longitudinal direction the tongue 75 so that the front wall panel 71, 71' may be removably engaged and disengaged by relative movement between the front wall panel and adjacent wall panel along a longitudinal direction 82. As shown in Figure 8, the tongue may then be slotted into the opening at one longitudinal end of the groove.

As shown in Figure 6, prior to joining the front wall panels 71, 71' to the side wall panels 72, 73, young plants 33 are placed in between the hydroponic block halves with a stem or leaves 35 protruding from the slit 34 in one direction. Optionally roots 39, if any, may project from the slit in an opposite direction. The block halves 31, 32 are manually held together and then placed inside a forwards part of the housing internal volume 25, as shown in Figure 7, access to this internal volume being conveniently provided by the prior removal of the left and right front wall panels 71, 71'. This affords maximum protection to the young plants, which are then not at risk of hitting any part of the housing outer wall, which might be the case if the front panel were not removable and if the hydroponic block 30 were then inserted only through an end opening provided by the removal of a top or bottom end panel of the housing.

Within the housing interior volume 25 there is a first pair of transversely facing abutments 81, 81'. In this context, the term "transversely' means at an angle to the longitudinal axis 3, and preferably perpendicular to this axis. Optionally, there is also a second pair of transversely facing abutments 82, 82'. When there is just one pair, these abutments sub-divide the housing interior volume into two longitudinally extending contiguous (i.e. open) compartments or portions, including a first hydroponic growing portion 83 of the interior volume and an aeroponic growing portion 84 of the interior volume. When there are two pairs, these abutments sub-divide the housing interior volume into three longitudinally extending contiguous portions, including the first hydroponic growing portion 83 and the aeroponic growing portion 84, and also a second hydroponic growing portion 85 of the interior volume.

In both cases, the first hydroponic growing portion 83 is between the slot 20 and the aeroponic growing portion 84. In the case of two pairs of abutments, the aeroponic growing portion 84 is between the first and second hydroponic growing portions 83, 85.

Each abutment 81, 81', 82, 82' may be provided by any suitable abutting feature inside the housing, but is preferably a step-like feature provided on left and right internal wall surfaces 11, 11' of the housing tubular outer wall. In this example, each of the abutments is provided by a longitudinally extending ridge on the corresponding internal face or surface 11, 11' of the tubular outer wall. Here, there is a pair of ridges providing the pair of transversely facing abutments. Each ridge is provided by a longitudinally extending lip or flange 86, one forwardly facing side 81, 81' or rearwardly facing side 82, 82' of each flange providing the abutment.

The first pair of abutments 81, 81' is configured to locate and retain the first block of hydroponic growing medium material 30 in the first hydroponic growing portion 83. The first block of hydroponic growing medium material 30 is held snugly between the first pair of abutments and the left and right front wall panels 71, 71, preferably such that the block will not side down under its own weight when vertically oriented, even when saturated with nutrient solution. This permits the first block of hydroponic growing medium material, which is up to 500 mm long, to be positioned with a gap at one or both ends of the first hydroponic growing portion 83. Preferably, a gap 96 is provided between a top end 87 of the first block 30 and a top edge 88 of the housing tubular walls to provide space for the spray or mist 90 to spread out prior to striking the top surface 87 of the first block 30 of hydroponic growing medium material 30. In this example, this gap 96 is between about 55 mm and 65 mm.

The block 30 may be flush with a bottom edge 89 of the housing tubular walls, as shown in Figure 9, or a small gap 97, for example of about 5 mm to 10 mm may optionally be provided, as shown by a dashed line in Figure 4, sufficient to aid drainage of unused nutrient fluid from the first block 30 towards the outlet 38 in the base end cap 18.

A second block hydroponic growing medium material 30' may be loaded into the second hydroponic growing portion 85 either before or after the first block 30. The second block 85 does not contain any fragile plant material, and so can be loaded into the second hydroponic growing portion in a longitudinal direction 91, as shown in Figure 9. In this case, the removable panel of the housing is provided by either the top end cap 16 or the base end cap 18. Preferably the same gap 86 is provided between the second block and the upper edge of the housing tubular walls, to provide space for the spray or mist 90 to spread out as mentioned above.

Optionally, the first block of hydroponic growing medium material 30, instead of being made up of just two side-by-side block halves 31, 32, for example of 500 mm length, may be made up of several shorter lengths of block. For example, as shown in Figure 8, there are four 250 mm lengths of hydroponic growing material 31, 31', 32, 32', with two longitudinally adjacent lengths of material along behind each of the left and right front panels 71, 71'.

In these examples, the first and second blocks of medium material are each formed from a reticulated foam having few, if any, intact bubbles or cell windows. It is not necessary when there are two or more lengths that each of these lengths is in abutting contact with an adjacent length, as nutrient fluid will naturally drip downwards through the material of the blocks.

Once the blocks 30, 30' are assembled into their respective compartments 83, 85 within the tubular walls 2, the assembly is joined to the mounted top and base end caps 16, 18 as shown in Figures 10 and 11.

The end cap side walls 45, 55 are each sized to overlap outer surfaces of the corresponding ends of the tubular outer wall when a cap covers a corresponding end of the interior volume 25. Therefore, each cap side wall has left and right rabbets 92, 93 which follow the outside line of the joint 70 between the front 71, 71' panels and adjacent side panels 72, 73 of the housing tubular wall 2.

Preferably the end cap side walls 45, 55 each make a sliding fit with outer surfaces of a corresponding end 88, 89 of the tubular outer wall 2. The top edge 88 of the tubular outer wall 2 of the housing is first inserted inside the downwardly facing recess 17 of the top end cap 16. To aid this, the front face 41 is angled outwards towards a lower end 94 of the top end cap to receive the upper end 88 of the front panels 71, 71'. The tubular housing walls are then received in the recess 17 of the top end cap as the tubular housing wall 2 is moved upwardly 98.

The lower end 89 of the tubular housing outer wall 2 is then tilted backwards 99 until the lower end is aligned with the base end cap 18 whereupon the tubular outer wall 2 of the housing is lowered until the lower end of the tubular outer wall is fully received by the recess 19 of the lower end cap 18.

The pump 14 is then activated to circulate nutrient fluid 15 through the housing 10.

When the plants 33' are fully grown and ready for harvest, this process is reversed. The pump circulation is deactivated, and the tubular outer wall 2 of the housing is first raised 104, the lower end 89 pivoted outwards 106 to disengage from the lower end cap, and then the tubular housing wall lowered 108 to disengage with the upper end 88 of the tubular outer wall 2 from the top end cap 16.

From this, it can be seen that the side walls 45, 55 of the caps 16, 18 each overlap corresponding outer surfaces of the upper and lower ends 88, 89 of the tubular outer wall 2. The vertical spacing between the upper mount 16 and the lower mount 18 and the vertical extent of the tubular outer wall is such that the combined vertical extent of the recesses 17, 19 inside the cap side walls 45, 55 is greater than the combined vertical extent of the overlap such that the tubular outer wall can, in use, be connected to the end caps and disconnected from the end caps by first lifting the tubular part of the housing 2 to increase the overlap between the side wall of the top end cap and the outer surface of the upper end of the tubular outer wall until the lower end of the tubular outer wall is free from the side wall of the base end cap.

An advantage of providing two or more lengths 31, 32, 31', 32' of hydroponic material along the length of the hydroponic growing portion 83 is that plants can be started at different times in adjacent lengths of block, meaning that different adjacent lengths of the block material are then unloaded at different times as the plants come ready for harvest, giving a more continuous harvest.

When the invention is used in an aquaponic mode with fish 9 in the tank 12, although the second block second block of hydroponic growing medium material 30' is initially root free, this block is particularly useful as this provides additional surface area in which bacteria may convert fish waste into useful nutrients. The roots 39 of the growing plant will then grow across the aeroponic portion 84 of the internal volume 25 forming a root ball. Sometimes, these roots will reach the second block of hydroponic growing medium material 30', whereupon the roots will grow into this second block.

As shown in Figure 12, the apparatus 1 described above may be scaled up to provide a vertical hydroponic apparatus 101 for plant growing on a larger scale, comprising an array of the elongate housings 10 supported on a framework 105. A larger capacity tank 12 will of course be necessary, but the principles of operation are the same as described above, and so will not be repeated.

The vertical hydroponic apparatus described above can be arranged in differing formats to accommodate environments varying from a domestic system for a small family, up to commercial farming. The housings 10 may be attached to a wall 5 or a freestanding frame 105. In home use, the wall can be an outside wall, a convenient plot in the garden or a warm wall in a conservatory or atrium.

The apparatus described above may be used in several different modes, including an aquaponic mode if live fish 9 are kept in the tank 12.

The invention therefore provides a convenient and flexible vertical soilless growing system.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An elongate housing for a vertical hydroponic growing system, said housing comprising: - a tubular outer wall, said wall extending in a longitudinal direction between opposite upper and lower ends of said housing when said housing is oriented to extend in a vertical direction, and the outer wall comprising a longitudinally extending slot through the wall leading to an interior volume of the housing for holding at least one block of hydroponic growing medium material such that, in use, a plant held by said growing medium material grows out through said slot; - a fluid inlet for supplying a nutrient solution to said growing medium material proximate said upper end; - a fluid outlet for recovering unused nutrient solution from said growing medium material proximate said lower end; - within said housing interior at least one transversely facing abutment configured to sub-divide said interior volume into at least two longitudinally extending contiguous portions, including a first hydroponic growing portion of the interior volume and an aeroponic growing portion of the interior volume, said hydroponic growing portion being between said slot and said aeroponic growing portion, and said abutment being configured to locate and retain a first block of hydroponic growing medium material in said first hydroponic growing portion; and - at least one removable panel for providing access to said interior volume and through which said first block of hydroponic growing medium material is, in use, loaded into the first hydroponic growing portion of the interior volume, whilst leaving open the aeroponic growing portion of the interior volume.
2. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 1, in which there is within said housing interior at least two transversely facing abutments configured to subdivide said interior volume into at least three longitudinally extending contiguous portions, including additionally a second hydroponic growing portion of the interior volume, said at least one removable panel for providing access to said interior volume and through which a second block of hydroponic growing medium material is, in use, loaded into the second hydroponic growing portion of the interior -21 -volume, whilst leaving open the aeroponic growing portion of the interior volume, said aeroponic growing portion being between said first and second hydroponic growing portions.
3. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 1, or Claim 2, in which there is at least one opposed pair of said transversely facing abutments each of said abutments being provided on opposite first and second internal faces of the tubular outer wall.
4. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 3, in which each of said abutments is a provided by a longitudinally extending ridge on a corresponding internal face of the tubular outer wall.
5. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 4, in which there is a pair of said ridges providing said pair of transversely facing abutments.
6. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 5, in which the tubular outer wall defines a longitudinal axis of the housing, and each ridge of said pair of ridges are each parallel with said axis and with each other.
7. An elongate housing as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 5, in which each of said ridges is on a tongue which projects away from the corresponding internal face of the tubular outer wall.
8. An elongate housing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which each of the longitudinally extending contiguous portions is substantially square or rectangular in a transverse cross-section.
9. An elongate housing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said outer wall is composed of a plurality of longitudinally extending wall panels.
10. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 9, in which the housing has a plurality of longitudinally extending sides provided by said plurality of wall panels, said sides comprising a front side in which said slot is provided.
11. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 10, in which said front side is provided by a pair of front wall panels, said panels extending laterally away from opposite sides of said slot, and each of said front wall panels each being removably engaged with a corresponding adjacent wall panel, whereby, in use, said front wall panels are removed in order to load or unload said first block of hydroponic growing medium material from hydroponic growing portion.
12. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 11, in which said adjacent wall panels are opposite side wall panels of the housing.
13. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 11 or Claim 12, in which one or both of said front wall panels are removably engaged with said corresponding adjacent wall panel by a tongue and groove joint.
14. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 13, in which said tongue and groove joint comprises: a longitudinally extending tongue with a laterally directed projection; and - a longitudinally extending groove with a laterally inwardly directed lip, said projection being retained by said lip when the tongue is received by the groove and the groove having at a longitudinal end of the groove an opening for receiving in a longitudinal direction the tongue so that said front wall panel may be removably engaged and disengaged by relative movement between said front wall panel and adjacent wall panel along a longitudinal direction.
15. An elongate housing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the housing is substantially square or rectangular in cross-section and said sides comprise adjacent said front side opposite left and right sides and opposite said front side a rear side, said rear side comprising an upper mount proximate the upper end of the housing and a lower mount proximate the lower end of the housing.
16. An elongate housing as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the housing comprises a top end cap and a base end cap, said caps covering opposite upper and lower ends of said interior volume.
17. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 16, in which the fluid inlet is provided in the top end cap and the fluid outlet is provided in the base end cap.
18. An elongate housing as claimed in Claim 16 or Claim 17, in which the top end cap has a downwardly depending side wall and the base end cap has an upwardly extending side wall, said side walls each overlapping outer surfaces of a corresponding end of the tubular outer wall when each of said caps covers a corresponding end of said interior volume.
19. An elongate housing as claimed in Claims 18, in which said caps are mounted to a vertically extending support and said side walls of said caps each overlap corresponding outer surfaces of said upper and lower ends of the tubular outer wall, the vertical spacing between the upper mount and the lower mount and the vertical extent of the tubular outer wall being such that the combined vertical extent of said side walls of said caps is greater than the combined vertical extent of said overlap such that the tubular outer wall can, in use, be connected to said caps and disconnected from said caps by first lifting the tubular housing to increase the overlap between the side wall of the top end cap and the outer surface of said upper end of the tubular outer wall until the lower end of the tubular outer wall is free from said side wall of the base end cap.
20. A vertical hydroponic apparatus for plant growing, comprising: at least one elongate housing, said housing being as claimed in any preceding claim; - a first block of hydroponic growing medium material held and retained in said first hydroponic growing portion by said abutment; and - a reservoir containing a nutrient fluid and a pump for pumping said nutrient fluid, the reservoir being connected to the fluid inlet and to the fluid outlet, and the pump being configured to circulate said fluid nutrient in a circuit from the reservoir to the fluid inlet and from the fluid outlet back to the reservoir; wherein the fluid inlet is configured to deliver said nutrient fluid to said first block of hydroponic growing medium material.
21. A vertical hydroponic apparatus as claimed in Claim 20, in which the fluid inlet is configured to deliver a first portion of said nutrient fluid to said first block of hydroponic growing medium material and a second portion of said nutrient fluid as a spray or mist to said aeroponic growing portion.
22. A vertical hydroponic apparatus as claimed in Claim 20, when dependent from Claim 2, in which the fluid inlet is configured to deliver a first portion of said nutrient fluid to said first block of hydroponic growing medium material and a second portion of said nutrient fluid to said second block of hydroponic growing medium material.
23. A vertical hydroponic apparatus as claimed in Claim 22, in which the fluid inlet is configured to deliver a third portion of said nutrient fluid as a stray or mist to said aeroponic growing portion.
24. A vertical hydroponic apparatus as claimed in Claim 22 or Claim 23, in which said reservoir contains live fish, waste from said fish providing the source of said nutrient fluid.
25. A vertical hydroponic apparatus as claimed in Claim 24, in which the first and/or second hydroponic growing medium materials provide an aquaponic growing medium material in which said waste from said fish is converted into nutrients for plant growth.
26. A method of growing plants using a vertical hydroponic apparatus, said apparatus being as claimed in any one of Claims 20 to 25, in which the method comprises the steps of: planting at least one plant or plant seed in the first hydroponic growing portion; - removing said at least one removable panel to provide access to said interior volume; - using said access to load said first block of hydroponic growing medium material with said planted plant or plant seed into the interior volume of the 5 housing; - using said at least one abutment to locate said first block of hydroponic growing medium material in the first hydroponic growing portion of the interior volume, whilst leaving open the aeroponic growing portion of the interior volume; - replacing said at least one removable panel to close said access to said interior volume; - securing said housing to a supporting structure such that said tubular outer wall extends substantially vertically; - using the pump to circulate said fluid nutrient such that the fluid nutrient flows from the reservoir to the fluid inlet and such that unused fluid nutrient flows from the outlet back to the reservoir; - dispensing the nutrient fluid from the fluid inlet such that at least some of said nutrient fluid is delivered to the first block of hydroponic growing medium material; and - growing said plant or plant seed such that a stem of said plant grows outwards from said slot and roots from said growing plant extend through said first block of hydroponic growing medium material and into the interior volume of the housing.
27. A method of growing plants as claimed in Claim 26, in which the method comprises the step of dispensing the nutrient fluid from the fluid inlet such that some of said nutrient fluid is delivered as a spray or mist to the aeroponic growing portion of the interior volume.
28. A method of growing plants as claimed in Claim 26 or Claim 27, in which the vertical hydroponic apparatus is as claimed in Claim 24 or Claim 25, in which the method comprises the step of dispensing nutrient fluid from the fluid inlet such that at least some of said nutrient fluid is delivered to the first and/or second hydroponic growing medium materials.
29 A method of growing plants as claimed in any one of Claims 26 to 28, in which the method comprises the step of using said access to load a second block of hydroponic growing medium material not having any planted plant or plant seed into the interior volume of the housing, said second block being separated by a longitudinally extending void within said internal volume between the first and second blocks of hydroponic growing medium material.
30. An elongate housing for a vertical hydroponic growing system, substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in the accompanying drawings.
31. A vertical hydroponic apparatus for plant growing, comprising at least one elongate housing vertically mounted on a supporting structure, said apparatus being substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in Figures 1 or 13 of the accompanying drawings.
32. A method of growing plants using a vertical hydroponic apparatus, substantially as herein described, with reference to or as shown in Figures 1 or 13 of the accompanying drawings.