It is well known in the art to use to use a rotary plant growing apparatus to grow plants in either indoor or outdoor environments. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,007, issued to Leduc et al. on Jan. 11, 2005, teaches such an apparatus in which a cylindrical structure, comprising a plurality of baskets connected to two generally opposed circular rims in a circumferentially spaced apart configuration, mounted on a support base and which is rotated on the support base about a rotational axis by a wheel in abutting contact therewith and which is rotated by a motor connected thereto by chains, sprockets, and the like. The baskets contain a growing medium which supports growth of the plants and which allows absorption of a liquid nutrient for feeding the plants during growth. The liquid nutrient is stored in a reservoir of liquid disposed on the support base and which is positioned thereon relative the cylindrical structure such that the rotation of the cylindrical structure at least partially immerses each basket in the liquid nutrient in the reservoir as the basket is rotated therethrough with the cylindrical structure. Nutrient apertures in the basket allow for passage of the liquid nutrient therethrough into the growing medium during immersion of the basket therein in the reservoir, thereby providing and refreshing the liquid nutrient to the plants in each basket during each rotation of the cylindrical structure. A light source extending at least partially through the cylindrical structure provides light required for growth of the plants.
Unfortunately, the design of the apparatus of Leduc et al. described above has a number of deficiencies and disadvantages. For example, the cylindrical structure, and notably the bottom walls of the baskets where the nutrient apertures are situated, extend beyond the edges of the nutrient reservoir, i.e. the surface area covered by the reservoir underlying the cylindrical structure is less than the area over which the structure extends. Therefore, there is a significant risk that liquid nutrient may leak out or escape from the basket during rotation and that the escaped liquid nutrient will not fall back into the reservoir. Further, the chain and wheel combination connected to the motor used to drive the rotation of the cylindrical structure is subject to excessive wear, which reduces efficiency of the motor. Further, the cylindrical structure is mounted on a plurality of wheels upon which the rims of the structure vertically rest, with one of the wheels being rotated by the motor to provide rotation of the structure. Finally, the baskets are connected to each rim by pins which extend from ends of the baskets and which are inserted through slots or apertures in the rims, with the pins lying freely within the slots or apertures. Unfortunately, as the pins lie freely in the slots, they are prone to slippage during rotation of the cylindrical structure, which may cause the baskets to wobble or to become detached from the rims.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved rotary plant growing apparatus that circumvents the aforementioned difficulties.