The fully automated growing system is optimized for growing cut leafy greens, herbs and small head lettuces, that are to be sold cut. From substrate filling and sowing to harvesting and mixing, the plants are not touched by any human hands.
A fully automated system for the cleanest, safest and freshest leafy greens.
1. Medium Filling
2. Sowing
Gutter Management
3. Germination
4. Growing
Gutter Management
5. Harvest
6. Removal + Cleaning
7. Buffer
8. Additional Processes
The production of lettuces and herbs starts with substrate or medium filling. Unique patented open gutters are automatically filled with a continuous strip of growing substrate. Typically, our systems use peat or rockwool as a growing substrate. We are continuously researching alternative substrates which Offer advantages to the grower. There are several system versions available depending on the use of a solid growing medium such as rockwool or a loose growing medium such as peat.
After medium filling, the sowing machine seeds directly into the gutters. The plants will
stay in the same growing gutter throughout the entire growing process—transplanting is
not needed. A typical sowing line consists of multiple drum seeders which are usually
optimized for the use of pelletized seeds as well as band seeders for raw seed. These
drum seeders are designed for the unique application in conjunction with our gutters,
allowing for precise placement inside the gutter. The continuous strip of growing medium
allows for customized spacing of the seeds per gutter, specific spacing for each variety or
even for each growing line.
Once sowing is complete, the gutter is transported into the greenhouse and placed on the
germination area of the growing system. For this, a variety of tools such as conveyor belts,
pushers, elevators and turntables are typically used.
During the initial phase of the growing system, the gutters will be moved through the
germination area. In order to maximize the growing space, we have developed a lower
level for the germination phase, located beneath the main growing line. After germination,
an automatic elevator lift moves each gutter from the lower level and places it on the
upper growing line. Depending on the greenhouse layout and system specifications, the
germination area might be at the same level as the main growing line. In any case, the
germination area typically is enclosed and has the ability to control temperature and
humidity.
Our growing gutters with continuous growing medium enable free positioning of seeds in
gutters. The distance between plants can therefore be precisely optimized to your specific
growing needs and ensures effective use of the greenhouse. As the plants grow, the
gutters move automatically through the greenhouse toward the harvesting area. During
that process, the distance between the gutters is adjusted according to the space
requirements of the plants in each growing phase. The automatic adjustment and
movement of the gutters give the plants as much space as necessary, but as little as
possible, thus ensuring maximal usage of the greenhouse. The plant density achieved
with the adjusting gutters is unmatched and a key component in efficient growing.
Gutters with the harvest-ready plants are automatically moved from the growing area
(“under glass”) to the processing area. Depending on system layout, a variety of tools
such as conveyor belts, pushers and turntables are typically used.
At the harvesting station, the gutter will be guided into the fully automated
harvesting/cutting station, which features rotating cutting blades, a variable frequency
controlled blower motor function which blows the leaves up, as well as the ability to
adjust cutting height and various speeds. A large number of parameters can be selected
by the operator to achieve optimum cutting yields. The harvested gutter is sent forward to
the removal station (Step 6) and the cut baby leaf lettuce is transferred further for
optional mixing and packaging. All this can be done in a fully automated process without
any need for manual labor.
After harvesting, used growing substrate and plant roots are removed from gutters.
Automated waste management is available (Waste removal-additional process steps).
Next, the gutter is washed and typically disinfected with only hot water by the automatic
gutter washer. The clean gutter is then automatically moved to the buffer.
After harvesting, used growing substrate and plant roots are removed from gutters. Automated waste management is available (Waste removal-additional process steps). Next, the gutter is washed and typically disinfected with only hot water by the automatic gutter washer. The clean gutter is then automatically moved to the buffer.
The system can be equipped with an integrated crop mixing system physically located
after the cutting machine. The mixing station can handle several different mixing
configurations and gently mixes the plant varieties according to the pre-programmed
mixing settings. The system harvests plants in a pre-programmed pattern, ensuring that
just the right number of gutters are harvested for your mix and that no lines are under- or
over-harvested. The mixing configurations can easily be set up and changed during daily
operations, making it possible to offer a wide portfolio of different blends. The mixing
station is equipped with conveyors for moving the harvested crop to the packing area.
For a rockwool system the supply of growing medium is achieved by periodically loading
pre-cut slabs into the medium filling machine. In the case of loose medium, the system features a bale breaker which is re-filled with large bales.
The standard system is equipped with a single conveyor which takes the waste substrate
stream from the removal machine to a mobile dumpster. Alternative solutions are
available.
Plants are irrigated and fertigated automatically by our control system. In the irrigation
system the water is dosed to the gutters from drip emitters. Excess water flows from the gutters to the return water tanks, which can efficiently be placed under the growing lines.
By using this smart irrigation system, we make certain that plants get the correct amount of both water and nutrients. Water that is not consumed by plants is cleaned, returned to
water tanks and then reused for irrigation. A powerful and robust filtration system
ensures highest water quality for your leafy greens. Using a hydroponic NFT system and
re-circulating the unused irrigation water reduces water consumption by up to 95%
compared to open-field farming.
