Rotating, soil filled internally irrigated geotropic response limiting growing apparatus for use in accomplishing water, space, labor, energy and nutrient efficient agricultural production

An apparatus for growing plants comprising:

• a cylinder that is bearing mounted on a fixed hollow perforated axle permitting the cylinder to rotate around said fixed axle;
• a mounting stand to support said axle at its ends to hold the cylinder in a substantially horizontal position;
• the axle being perforated along its length to allow the passage of liquids introduced to the hollow axle through an end of the axle to pass through the axle to an inner surface of the cylinder;
• the inner surface of the cylinder comprising two layers;
• the one layer being perforated;
• the other layer being a silt sleeve that is permeable to the liquids and impermeable to a plant growth medium;
• an outer surface of the cylinder being perforated with holes designed to accommodate insertion and fastening of at least one rooting basket to the outer surface of the cylinder;
• the rooting basket designed to contain a plant and fastened to the outer surface of the cylinder by an interlocking fastener;
• the inner and outer surfaces of the cylinder being held separate from each other by end caps that form flat end surfaces of the cylinder;
• the end caps comprising a central hole with a diameter smaller than that formed by the inner surface of the cylinder and larger than that of the axle such that the load of the cylinder is transferred to the axle by the end caps;
• an interior space between the inner and outer surfaces of the cylinder being substantially filled with the plant growth medium;
• the cylinder being communicably coupled with a drive source that causes the cylinder to rotate.