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Method and apparatus for growing plants includes an enclosed vessel having a growth medium containing a plant seed or seedling in the upper part thereof and a free space below into which plant roots can enter, a mechanism to feed water and nutrients to the vessel to saturate the growth medium, a mec

Method and apparatus for growing plants includes an enclosed vessel having a growth medium containing a plant seed or seedling in the upper part thereof and a free space below into which plant roots can enter, a mechanism to feed water and nutrients to the vessel to saturate the growth medium, a mechanism to remove excess water and nutrients after reaching saturation, and a mechanism to regulate the amounts, intervals and rates of water and nutrients being fed for optimum plant growth.

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What is claimed is: 1. A method for growing plants, which comprises: (a) providing a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays moveable together, each of said arrays comprising a series of members having a concave interior and a convex exterior, said concave interior carrying

What is claimed is: 1. A method for growing plants, which comprises: (a) providing a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays moveable together, each of said arrays comprising a series of members having a concave interior and a convex exterior, said concave interior carrying plants that grow towards a growth promoting light source at the center of each array which is operable during periods of plant growth and non-growth, the convex exterior surfaces of one array intermeshing with the convex exterior surfaces of adjacent contiguous arrays; (b) rotating one of said arrays thereby causing all of the intermeshing arrays to rotate together at the same speed; and (c) watering all the plants in an array at the same time while the arrays are rotating to maintain even weight distribution within each array for smooth, balanced rotation. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said series of members are segments of a sphere. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said plants are carried on a plurality of spaced porous needles pointing at the center of the array and water is delivered via said porous needles to the plants as they rotate. 4. Method of claim 1, wherein said carousel moves in a noncircular path. 5. A method for growing plant, which comprises: (a) providing a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays each comprising a series of members having a concave interior and a convex exterior, said concave interior carrying plants that grow towards a growth promoting light source at the center of each array which is operable during periods of plant growth and non-growth, the convex exterior surfaces of one array intermeshing with the convex exterior surfaces of adjacent contiguous arrays; (b) rotating one of said arrays thereby causing all of the intermeshing arrays in the carousel to rotate together at the same speed; and (c) moving the arrays in the carousel together from a drive position in which said one array is rotated to an unloading/loading position in which said one array is not rotated. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein all the plants in an array are watered at the same time while the arrays in the carousel are rotating to maintain even weight distribution within each array for smooth, balanced rotation. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein said series of members are segments of a sphere. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said plants are carried on a plurality of spaced porous needles pointing at the center of the array and water is delivered via said porous needles to the plants as they rotate. 9. Method of claim 5, wherein said carousel moves in a noncircular path. 10. An apparatus for growing plants, comprising: (a) a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays moveable together, each of said arrays comprising a series of members having a concave interior and a convex exterior, said concave interior carrying plants that grow towards a growth promoting light source at the center of each array which is operable during periods of plant growth and non-growth, the convex exterior surfaces of each array intermeshing with the exterior surface of adjacent contiguous array; (b) means to rotate one of said arrays thereby causing all of the contiguous intermeshing arrays in the carousel to rotate together at the same speed; and (c) means to water all the plants in an array at the same time while the arrays are rotated to maintain even weight distribution within each array for smooth, balanced rotation. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said convex surfaces have gear teeth which intermesh. 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said series of members are segments of a sphere. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said plants are carried on a plurality of spaced porous needles pointing at the center of the array and water is delivered via said porous needles to the plants as they rotate. 14. Method of claim 10, wherein said carousel moves in a noncircular path. 15. An apparatus for growing plants, comprising: (a) a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays each comprising a series of members having a concave interior and a convex exterior, said concave interior carrying plants that grow towards a growth promoting light source at the center of each array which is operable during periods of plant growth and non-growth, the convex exterior surfaces of each array intermeshing with the exterior surface of adjacent contiguous array; (b) means to rotate one of said arrays thereby causing all of the intermeshing arrays in the carousel to rotate together at the same speed; and (c) means to move the arrays in the carousel together from a drive position in which said means to rotate said one array is engaged to an unloading/loading position in which said means to rotate is disengaged. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, including means to water all the plants in an array at the same time while the arrays are rotated to maintain even weight distribution within each array for smooth, balanced rotation. 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said convex surfaces have gear teeth which intermesh. 18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said series of members are segments of a sphere. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said plants are carried on a plurality of spaced porous needles pointing at the center of the array and water is delivered via said porous needles to the plants as they rotate. 20. Method of claim 15, wherein said carousel moves in a noncircular path. 21. A method for growing plants, which comprises: (a) providing a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays moveable together, each of said arrays comprising a series of members having a concave interior and a convex exterior, said concave interior carrying plants that grow towards a growth promoting light source at the center of each array which is operable during periods of plant growth and non-growth, the convex exterior surfaces of one array intermeshing with the convex exterior surfaces of adjacent contiguous arrays; (b) rotating one of said arrays thereby causing all of the intermeshing arrays to rotate together at the same speed; (c) moving the arrays in the carousel together from a drive position in which said one array is rotated to an unloading/loading position in which said one array is not rotated; and (d) watering all the plants in an array at the same time while the arrays are rotating to maintain even weight distribution within each array for smooth, balanced rotation. 22. An apparatus for growing plants, comprising: (a) a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays moveable together, each of said arrays comprising a series of members having a concave interior and a convex exterior, said concave interior carrying plants that grow towards a growth promoting light source at the center of each array which is operable during periods of plant growth and non-growth, the convex exterior surfaces of each array intermeshing with the exterior surface of adjacent contiguous arrays; (b) means to rotate one of said arrays thereby causing all of the contiguous intermeshing arrays in the carousel to rotate together at the same speed; (c) means to move the arrays in the carousel together from a drive position in which said means to rotate said one array is engaged to an unloading/loading position in which said means to rotate is disengaged; and (d) means to water all the plants in an array at the same time while the arrays are rotated to maintain even weight distribution within each array for smooth, balanced rotation. 23. A method for growing plants, which comprises: (a) providing a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays moveable together, each of said arrays carrying plants on the interior thereof that grow towards a growth promoting light source at the center of each array which is operable during periods of plant growth and non-growth, the exterior surfaces of each array intermeshing with the exterior surface of adjacent contiguous arrays; (b) rotating one of said arrays thereby causing all of the intermeshing arrays to rotate together at the same speed; and (c) moving the arrays in the carousel together from a drive position in which said one array is rotated to an unloading/loading position in which said one array is not rotated. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein all the plants in an array are watered at the same time while the arrays are rotating to maintain even weight distribution within each array for smooth, balanced rotation. 25. An apparatus for growing plants, comprising: (a) a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays moveable together, each of said arrays carrying plants on the interior thereof that grow towards a growth promoting light source at the center of each array which is operable during periods of plant growth and non-growth, the exterior surfaces of each array intermeshing with the exterior surface of adjacent contiguous arrays; (b) means to rotate one of said arrays thereby causing all of the contiguous intermeshing arrays in the carousel to rotate together at the same speed; and (c) means to move the arrays in the carousel together from a drive position in which said means to rotate said one array is engaged to an unloading/loading position in which said means to rotate is disengaged. 26. The apparatus of claim 25, which includes means to water all the plants in an array at the same time while the arrays are rotated to maintain even weight distribution within each array for smooth, balanced rotation. 27. A method for growing plants, which comprises: (a) providing a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays moveable together, each of said arrays carrying plants on the interior thereof that grow towards a growth promoting light source at the center of each array which is operable during periods of plant growth and non-growth, the exterior surfaces of each array intermeshing with the exterior surface of adjacent contiguous arrays; (b) rotating one of said arrays thereby causing all of the intermeshing arrays to rotate together at the same speed; (c) moving the arrays in the carousel together from a drive position in which said one array is rotated to an unloading/loading position in which said one array is not rotated; and (d) watering all the plants in an array at the same time while the arrays are rotating to maintain even weight distribution within each array for smooth, balanced rotation. 28. An apparatus for growing plants, comprising: (a) a vertical carousel of contiguous, intermeshing horizontal arrays moveable together, each of said arrays carrying plants on the interior thereof that grow towards a growth promoting light source at the center of each array which is operable during periods of plant growth and non-growth, the exterior surfaces of each array intermeshing with the exterior surface of adjacent contiguous arrays; (b) means to rotate one of said arrays thereby causing all of the contiguous intermeshing arrays in the carousel to rotate together at the same speed; (c) means to move the arrays in the carousel together from a drive position in which said means to rotate said one array is engaged to an unloading/loading position in which said means to rotate is disengaged; and (d) means to water all the plants in an array at the same time while the arrays are rotated to maintain even weight distribution within each array for smooth, balanced rotation.