Abstract: Systems and methods for disturbing soil are described. The systems may include an elliptical motion mechanism, a shaft coupled to the elliptical motion mechanism, wherein the elliptical motion mechanism is configured to move the shaft in an elliptical path, and a hoe blade coupled to the shaft such that the hoe blade in an initial position is proximate to a soil surface, and wherein a face of the hoe blade is located in a plane intersecting the plane of the elliptical path, and wherein the soil-disturbing apparatus is configured to receive a signal to operate the elliptical motion mechanism, and in response to receiving the signal, operate the elliptical motion mechanism so the hoe blade is moved in an elliptical path, and whereby a portion of the hoe blade elliptical path falls below the soil surface to disturb the soil.

Abstract: Systems and methods for disturbing soil are described. The systems may include an elliptical motion mechanism, a shaft coupled to the elliptical motion mechanism, wherein the elliptical motion mechanism is configured to move the shaft in an elliptical path, and a hoe blade coupled to the shaft such that the hoe blade in an initial position is proximate to a soil surface, and wherein a face of the hoe blade is located in a plane intersecting the plane of the elliptical path, and wherein the soil-disturbing apparatus is configured to receive a signal to operate the elliptical motion mechanism, and in response to receiving the signal, operate the elliptical motion mechanism so the hoe blade is moved in an elliptical path, and whereby a portion of the hoe blade elliptical path falls below the soil surface to disturb the soil.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and method for automatically selecting viable seedlings or plants from a nursery tray for transplant into a field by an automatic transplant device. An automatic plant selector according to the present invention functions as an attachment to an automatic transplant device such as a rotary cup transplant machine. The plant selector eliminates the requirement of human labor while significantly reducing the percentage of non-viable or “blank” transplants when using an automatic transplant device to plant seedlings. This reduction is accomplished through use of primary and secondary nursery trays that are addressed by primary and secondary plant removal devices, or “plant pullers,” respectively, which automatically provide viable seedlings to the automatic transplant device.