Patents?!?!
 

Hello all.

I had a great idea thatIi would revolutionize my county with vertical hydroponic systems in schools, rooftops, private gardens ect, because I would be the first in my country. All the benefits of growing vertically and with hydroponics are too good for the public to miss.

How hard can it be? Its just plastic and pumps. I will find a design I like via my travels to the USA and take my thoughts back to my country. But with my research I stumbled upon Tower Garden . They have patented their idea. Thats all great, but... What are my options now? Can you really patent some holes in a plastic tube? What if i build my own and modernize it? How close can i come to the original design, or how far from it do i have to be... Freaking hate patents, they ruin the prosperity of the world.

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

with love, Billy

Hello Billy,
Unless your trying to build it exactly the same and sell it for profit, you don't need to worry about patents. There are 1,000 ways to customize a design, and frankly I don't like that tower system design and would never buy it. I have my own vertical tower design.

P.S.
It's not the whole system that is patented it's the stackable rings that are patented. Often times it's only a specific (unique) part of something that has a patent. You cant patent common things, only unique things. Patents don't ruin the prosperity of the world, they protect it.