The Solution
To combat this particular challenge, we created The Root Hog Harvesting System—a harvesting system that digs and cleans nursery stock grown on plant beds inside greenhouses.
The Root Hog system utilizes a unique walking platen concept located under the pick up head; this concept cleans the soil from the roots, while elevating the plants to a conveyer. Simplistic in nature, yet highly effective in functionality, the Root Hog’s mechanical components do not make contact with the soil; and because the plants are lifted and dropped back onto the pick up head, there is a more thorough cleaning effect on the roots.
In addition, the lift, carry, and drop method of The Root Hog has drastically minimized plant root entanglement to the moving parts.
In addition to The Root Hog is The Baby Root Hog. Smaller in stature—but not in functionality—the Baby Root Hog was designed as a “helpful side-kick” to the original. It features a smaller digger that seamlessly opens the ends of greenhouses so the bigger harvester has room to maneuver. Additionally, it harvests segments of rows that have different varieties in that row. Last but certainly not least, the Baby Root Hog is perfect for cleaning greenhouses that are too small for the original Root Hog. See the Root Hog in action in the clip below.
The Accomplishments
Highly-innovative in design, as well as highly-effective in the field, The Root Hog and Baby Root Hog Harvesting Systems were named 2003 & 2005 AE50 Winners and have the potential to disrupt the entire industry.
The Background
When nursery stock reaches a certain size and maturity, naturally they need to be harvested. The old method was to harvest the mature plants with forks and spades, shake off the dirt from the roots, and then load them into boxes. However, the roots tend to be quite large, and cuttings are planted using virtually every square inch of the greenhouse floor, including tight corners, Thus creating a very difficult harvesting scenario with great root entanglement that creates more work for manual harvesting; the old way was, simply put, too labor intensive.
The Challenge
To create a harvesting system that can thoroughly clean soil from the roots of plants.