Floating panel and method of growing plants therewith

A floating panel for cultivating plants, the panel comprising:

• a plurality of through-holes at a top side of the panel, each adapted for receiving therein a substrate and a plant or a precursor thereof, each through-hole extending through the panel from a first plane at said top side to a second plane parallel to and spaced apart from the first plane;
• and
• at least one air chamber at a lower side of the panel and which is arranged to allow therein the formation of air roots of plants or the precursors thereof supported in the substrate of one or more of said through-holes, each of said air chambers comprising a ceiling into which one or more of said through-holes debouch and a circumferential side wall delimiting said chamber, wherein the circumferential side wall is arranged substantially below the second plane and comprises a circumferential bottom edge arranged for extending into the water when the panel floats on the water;
• wherein around each of said through-holes one or more associated lower support surfaces are provided which are arranged below the first plane for at least partially supporting the substrate thereon at a location below the first plane;
• wherein the panel further comprises:
• a plurality of water-collecting surfaces, each associated with at least one of the through-holes and merging into the one or more lower support surfaces which are provided around said through-hole such that at least one flow path for water is formed from the water-collecting surface to and along the one or more lower support surfaces associated with the through-hole;
• and
• a plurality of water barriers, each arranged for substantially preventing flow of water from one of the water collecting surfaces into its associated through-hole along a flow path other than along the one of more lower support surfaces while allowing flow of water from said water collecting-surface along the one or more lower support surfaces.