Apparatus and Method for Constrained Plant Cultivation

Abstract

Method and system for cultivating angiosperms in a limited space in natural or artificial light by a dynamic growth constraint apparatus that limits vertical growth during the vegetation phase but allows vertical growth during the flowering phase, such that the flower or fruit may be optimally harvested. In various embodiments, the apparatus includes a mesh to constrain vertical growth of the cultivated plant and a mechanism for raising, lowering and rotating the plant or constraining mesh with respect to the other. In various embodiments, the mesh is moved with respect to the plant during the vegetation phase of the plant and immobile during the flowering phase of the plant. Plant phase and thus the mesh/plant motion may be controlled by artificial light timing, the detection of natural light, or by digitized image analysis of the plant during its growth phases.

1 . A system for dynamic control of a plant cultivation comprising:
 a light source;   a container wherein the plant grows in a growth medium contained in the container;   a constraining mesh positioned in proximity to the container, wherein the constraining mesh and plant are periodically moved with respect to each other during the growth of the plant;   whereby the plant growth is constrained under the mesh during periods when the motion is performed.   
     
     
         2 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein the movement of the mesh with respect to the plant is rotational. 
     
     
         3 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein the movement of the mesh with respect to the plant is linear. 
     
     
         4 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein the mesh openings are between ⅛″ and  5 ″ across. 
     
     
         5 . A system as in  claim 2  also comprising:
 a rotational motor wherein the rotational motor drives at least part of the motion and wherein at least part of the motion of the container with the respect to the constraining mesh is rotational. 
 
     
     
         6 . A system as in  claim 1  also comprising:
 a lift motor which periodically raises the constraining mesh relative to the plant and periodically lowers the constraining mesh relative to the plant. 
 
     
     
         7 . A system as in  claim 5  also comprising:
 a turntable supporting the container wherein the rotational motor drives the turntable. 
 
     
     
         8 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein the rotation of the constraining mesh relative to the plant is stopped when a reproductive phase of the plant begins. 
     
     
         9 . A system as in  claim 1  wherein the rotation of the mesh relative to the plant is stopped when a reproductive phase of the plant begins, wherein the beginning of the reproductive phase of the plant is triggered by timing of an artificial light. 
     
     
         10 . A system for dynamically constraining the growth of a plant comprising:
 a means for illuminating the plant;   a means for periodically constraining the growth of the plant.   
     
     
         11 . A system as in  claim 8  also comprising:
 a means for stopping the means for constraining the plant during the reproductive phase of the plant growth. 
 
     
     
         12 . A system for controlling growth of a plant in a growth medium, by constrained cultivation of the plant to limit vertical growth during a vegetative phase of growth and by allowing vertical growth during a reproductive phase comprising:
 a container containing growth medium having a plant planted in the growth medium, the growth medium being positioned relative to a light source, the light source being adapted to provide growth to the plant;   a constraining mesh in a position above the growth medium in a path of growth of the plant wherein;   means for implementing relative movement between the mesh and the plant in the following movement modes;
 a dynamic growth constraining mode during a vegetation phase of the plant in which the mesh is positioned in contact with the vegetation of the plant to constrain growth, thereby matting down the plant vegetation and allowing horizontal vegetation growth and controlling vertical growth periodically, and as the plant vegetation grows vertically protruding through the mesh, providing constraint relative movement by moving one or more of the mesh and the plant relative to the other, to restore constraint on the vegetation; and 
 a free growth mode during a reproduction phase of the plant in which the constraint relative movement is stopped and the reproduction portion of the plant is allowed to grow free of any inhibitions from the vegetation that has been constrained; 
   a periodically operated mechanism adapted to perform the movement modes.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising a programmable controller adapted to provide a timing operation that operates the light and the constraint relative movement according to selectee reproduction phase triggering timing and stopping the constraint relative movement during the reproduction phase. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the movement modes are done by the group consisting of:
 the mesh moving vertically relative to the plant, 
 the mesh moving both vertically and rotationally relative to the plant, 
 the plant moving rotationally relative to the mesh, 
 the mesh moving vertically and the plant moving rotationally, 
 both the plant and the mesh moving vertically 
 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising wherein the constraint relative movement is rotational and wherein the periodically operated mechanism comprises a rotational motor. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the constraint relative movement is linear along the direction of growth of the plant. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising a periodically operated lift apparatus and wherein the constraint relative movement comprises raising the mesh relative to the plant by the periodically operated lift apparatus and lowering the mesh relative to the plant by the periodically operated lift mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising a rotatable turntable underneath the container and the turntable is driven by the rotational motor. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the light is artificial and is positioned above the mesh thereby to provide light on the plant from above. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the motion of the mesh relative to the plant is stopped approximately timed to when the reproductive phase of the pant begins and further wherein the beginning of the reproductive phase of the plant is triggered by timing of the artificial light. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the light is artificial and wherein the light and the periodically operated mechanism are controlled by a programmable controller which is programmable to provide timing cycles for the light and the constraint relative movement wherein the timing cycles are selected for a vegetation phase and for a reproduction phase of the plant growth.