Push-pull root air-prunting tray and container systems

Abstract

The present invention entails a plant/seedling/cutting/plug growing tray and container system that includes a tray with a plurality of individual plant cells and container with each cell and container having an open top and bottom and a detachable screen bottom, and that allows plant removal either from the open bottom of the tray/container or open top of the tray/container. As plant roots emerge through an open-bottom tray or container supported above ground, the roots shrivel due to contacting dry air and temporarily suspend their growth. This bare-root growth phenomenon is known as air pruning. Proper application of root air-pruning process in conjunction with the use of properly shaped tray-cells and containers (small at the top and gradually getting larger at the bottom) significantly increases plant production, improves crop quality and promotes mechanization. Air pruning alone without the right tray and container will not provide these benefits. The present invention which utilizes computer optimization techniques to determine the proper inner sidewall angle of tray-cells and containers also allows air-pruned plants to be manually or automatically removed from the open tops of tray-cells and containers. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the plant container consists of more than one piece of sidewalls which can be put together to form a plant container. In addition, the detachable screen is provided with a series of projecting legs designed for self-supporting so as to detachably secure the screen into the plant tray and container structure to facilitate root air pruning.