MULTIPLE-STAGE PLANT CULTIVATION METHOD AND APPARATUS Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: agriculture, in particular, cultivation of vegetable crops and other plants in greenhouses. SUBSTANCE: method involves alternatively moving cultivation beds, having growing substrate in growing containers and plant sprouts, from top stage to bottom stage, with plants being grown at each stage for predetermined time; upon harvesting of yield, removing growing bed from bottom stage and placing new growing bed with sprouts to empty top stage; repeating this sequence. Growing containers have predetermined length and rest upon multiple supports positioned at different heights. Growing container lifting units have holders movable to and away from growing containers and capable of holding containers and moving them upward or downward for facilitating displacement of growing containers between different stages. Method allows yield harvesting to be effectuated in interrupted mode with increased output. Besides, growing plants receive increased quantity of sun light, particularly, at bottom stages. EFFECT: increased efficiency by automatic cultivation of crops, reduced manual control and provision for large scale cultivation. 12 cl, 5 dwg