AU2008203801A1

AU2008203801A1 - Mobile planter unit

Info

Publication number: AU2008203801A1
Application number: AU2008203801A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Tara Alderton; Mike Rose
Original assignee: HUNTER CORP AUST Pty Ltd
Current assignee: HUNTER Corp (AUST) Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2007-08-09
Filing date: 2008-08-11
Publication date: 2009-03-12

Description

Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

APPLICANT:

NUMBER:

FILING DATE: INVENTION TITLE: Hunter Corporation (Aust) Pty Ltd MOBILE PLANTER UNIT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 0 MOBILE PLANTER UNIT 0 0 o Field of the Invention This invention relates to horticultural devices for housing and growing plants, and in particular, to a mobile planter unit which provides a self-contained, height-adjustable mobile unit for housing and/or growing plants, and is designed to capture and recycle water and nutrients.

0 00 0'0 Whilst the invention may be applied to the housing and growing of any suitable plants O on any scale for varying purposes and environments, for convenience sake it shall be 00 described herein in terms of a mobile planter unit for housing and growing plants on a 0 O domestic scale appropriate for residential and similar uses.

Background to the Invention Plants are often grown in residences and other dwellings for ornamental purposes or for the purpose of having fresh culinary supplies. For many reasons, growing such plants in the ground is not a viable option, for example, in residences where ground soil is scarce or absent, or where a person has back problems and cannot tend to the plants at such a low level.

In these situations plants are often potted. However, potted plants can be very messy, especially at their base, and they often leak water rendering their use indoors somewhat limited, in addition to wasting valuable water. Furthermore, plant pots are typically not mobile in a convenient way. Also, a major flaw of pots is that they are limited in the types and quality of plants that can be effectively grown in them.

Planter boxes are sometimes used in place of pots and are able to provide a means of planting many similar or diverse plants in one box. However, as with pots they are not readily (if at all) mobile, untidy and waste run-off water and nutrients.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a mobile planter unit which provides a self-contained, height-adjustable mobile unit for housing and/or growing plants, and is designed to capture and recycle water and nutrients.

00 Summary of the Invention 0 0 N The present invention provides a mobile planter unit including: a body portion having a frame assembly with height adjustment and a mobility means; a cover; a modular planter tray having at least one aperture for receiving and holding a plant container therein; o at least one shelf and/or drip tray; O0 0 at least one water storage vessel for capturing and recycling excess water from the o plant containers; and 00 a manual and/or self-watering system connected to said water storage vessels for 0 O recycling collected water to water plants grown in the unit.

The frame assembly is preferably made of at least one elongated support member positioned in a vertical or horizontal direction to form the frame structure for the body portion. The frame assembly has provided at least one height-adjustable vertical post/leg to support the frame assembly.

The leg(s) are preferably formed having an upper portion and a lower portion whereby the diameter of the upper portion is slightly smaller than the diameter of the lower portion so that it can be received and be slideable therein to obtain the desired height. The vertical legs have at least two apertures provided at different heights along the leg and a locking mechanism which is adapted to lock the two portions of the leg at a particular position. The locking mechanism may preferably be in the form of a locking ring or pressing tab which can be received within the apertures of the leg to lock the leg at a specific height.

It is preferred that at least one wheel is attached to the base of the unit provides a mobility means for the unit.

The planter tray preferably includes an external frame to be integrated with and/or secured to the top of the frame assembly having at least one tray support member extending horizontally across the planter tray from one side of the external frame to the other side of the external frame. The support members have a connecting portion, in the form of a tongue portion or the like, which is adapted to be received 00 within an aperture provided on the external frame of the planter tray to lock the tray O support member in place at a desired location.

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(Ni Preferably, the plant container(s) is/are in the form of an open top tray having a bottom surface and side walls and at least one drainage hole provided on a bottom surface of the plant container.

A drip tray is preferably mounted to the frame assembly at a suitable angle for diverting any excess water into a water storage vessel via a drain hose. The drain 0 hose is fitted with an in-line water shut-off valve which is adapted to prevent water 00 M from flowing through when the hose has been removed from a water storage 0 C container.

00 O A first water storage vessel is preferably a water storage bottle having a hand spray pump which can be attached to the water storage bottle via a screw-on or snap-on connection and tubing to a neck of the water storage bottle for reusing the collected water.

A second water storage vessel is preferably a water storage container having an overflow device at least one outlet for re-directing water to a second water storage vessel and/or irrigation system. The irrigation system can be a drip hose or spray jet irrigation system. The irrigation system preferably has a programmable timer and/or rain sensor, where the rain sensor will stop the irrigation system upon the detection of rain.

It is preferred that the mobile planter unit may further include a lockable cabinet integrated with the frame assembly beneath the planter trays.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood we will describe by way of non-limiting examples specific embodiments thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawing Figures Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of the mobile planter unit according to an embodiment of the invention without the cover.

Figure 2 shows a front perspective view of the mobile planter unit according to an embodiment of the invention with the cover.

00 Figure 3 shows a front perspective view of the mobile planter unit according to O an embodiment of the invention having an irrigation system for

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cNK recycling collected water.

Figure 4 shows a rear view of the mobile planter unit according to an embodiment of the invention with the cover.

Figure 5 shows a bottom view of the mobile planter unit according to an o embodiment of the invention.

00 o Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the remote pump spray according to an CN1 00 embodiment of the invention.

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Description of a Preferred Embodiment of the Invention Figures 1 to 6 show the mobile planter unit and/or its components according to an embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, the invention provides a mobile planter unit 1 which provides a self-contained, height-adjustable mobile unit for housing and/or growing plants, and is designed to capture and recycle water and nutrients. The mobile planter unit 1 is ideally adapted to house and grow fresh vegetables, herbs, fruit or flowers giving a user access to a fresh supply of produce without having to purchase them from retailers and is adapted for indoor or outdoor use. The mobile planter unit 1 can ideally be used by the elderly, disabled people, and/or people with back injuries, as it is easy to use and height-adjustable to accommodate the requirements of different people and/or storage positions. Schools and other educational facilities would also benefit from use of the mobile planter unit for educational purposes, either inside or outside the facility. The invention would also ideally be suited to domestic applications in homes or small buildings, particularly where there are confined spaces. However, it could also be suitably applied to commercial applications such as a nursery, a commercial kitchen providing fresh produce for cooking purposes, and garden or flower stores. It is envisaged that the shape, size and dimensions of the mobile planter unit 1 and/or its components may also be varied to suit different applications.

0 The mobile planter unit 1 has provided a body portion 10. The body portion 10 is 0 preferably in the form of a frame assembly. The frame assembly 10 is adapted to

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N house and/or support the various components of the mobile planter unit 1. The frame assembly 10 is preferably made of a metal material that is powder-coated to protect the unit from damage which may arise as a result of exposure to water and plant chemicals, weather conditions and other external conditions as well as providing an aesthetic finish. However, it is envisaged that any other suitable material, such as a plastic material or the like, may also be adopted. The body portion 10 of the mobile o planter unit 1 is preferably rectangular in shape. However, it is envisaged that any

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other shape or dimensions may be employed to better suit the plants, storage area o and/or particular application. The frame assembly 10 is made of at least one CN1 O elongated support member. The elongated support members 11 are preferably

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O rectangular. However, it is envisaged that the elongated support members may be cylindrical or any other shape. The elongated support members 11 are positioned in a vertical or horizontal direction to form the frame structure for the body portion The support members 11 are preferably hollow. However, it is envisaged that solid support members 11 could also be employed. The support members 11 are preferably attached together via a suitable attachment means such as welding, screws, bolts or any other suitable fastening or attachment means. In an alternate embodiment, it in envisaged that the support members 11 may be integrally formed with each other.

The frame assembly 10 has provided, at least one vertical post 30 which also functions as the leg(s) to support the frame assembly. The mobile planter unit 1 has provided at least one handle member 12 which is adapted to be attached to a side/end of the frame assembly 10 of the mobile planter unit 1. The mobile planter unit 1 is adapted to be height-adjustable to provide better accessibility to the plants depending on the height of the user and/or storage area. The height adjustment means is provided on the legs 30 of the body portion 10 which have provided at least two apertures 31 which is adapted to provide different height options for the planter unit 1. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vertical legs 30 of the frame assembly 10 are adapted to slide vertically to adjust the height of the legs 30 and planter unit 1. The legs 30 are preferably formed having an upper portion 32 and a lower portion 33 whereby the diameter of the upper portion 32 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the lower portion 33 so that it can be received and be slideable therein to obtain the desired height. The vertical legs 30 preferably have provided a locking mechanism 34 which is adapted to lock the height in place. The locking 00 mechanism may preferably be in the form of a locking ring or pressing tab which can O be received within the apertures 31 of the leg 30 to lock the leg 30 at a specific

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C height. It is envisaged that any other suitable securing or locking mechanism 34 may Salso be adopted. An annular member may be provided and positioned between the upper 32 and lower 33 portions of the legs 13 and be tightened via rotation to further secure the position of the upper 32 and lower 33 leg portions in place.

The handle member 12 is preferably elongated, extending outwardly and along the O length of a side or end of the frame assembly. The handle member 12 can be welded 00 Sat either end to the frame assembly and/or secured using any other suitable means.

O The edges of the handle member 12 may preferably be curved so that there are no CN1 00 sharp edges which could cause injury.

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The mobile planter unit 1 has provided at least one shelf 20 which is adapted to be attached to the frame assembly 10 for holding the plants, water storage bottle/containers and/or any other components of the invention or other tools used in conjunction with the invention. The vertical posts 30, hereinafter referred to as legs, preferably have provided at least one protrusion which is adapted to allow the shelf to be placed thereon to hold it in place. The positioning of the protrusions may be predetermined or variable to allow the height of the shelving to be adjustable. The shelf(s) 20 may be made of the same material as the frame assembly or any other suitable material.

The mobile planter unit 1 preferably includes mobility means for enabling movement and transportation of the unit 1. The mobility means is preferably in the form of at least one wheel 40 which is adapted to allow the mobile planter unit 1 to be easily moved. In a preferred embodiment, the wheels 40 are secured to the base 15 of the frame assembly 10. However, in an alternate embodiment it is envisaged that the wheels 40 could also be secured to the base of the vertical legs 13 of the frame assembly 10 and/or be provided in any other suitable arrangement. Preferably, the wheel(s) 40 have provided a swivel action to enable easy movement in all directions and a locking mechanism 41 to enable movement to cease when desired, particularly when placed on an uneven or sloped surface. The wheel(s) 40 may be any suitable currently available product on the market or one which is specifically designed to suit the mobile planter unit 1. Preferably, the wheel(s) 40 is/are secured to the base portion 15 of the mobile planter unit 1 via a securing means, such as a nut/spring and washer/bolt means, or any other suitable securing or fastening means. Alternatively, 00 a threaded shaft connected to the wheel may be received within a threaded aperture 0 provided on the base for attachment of the wheels to the base of the unit.

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JThe mobile planter unit 1 has provided at least one modular planter tray. The planter tray 50 is preferably adapted to provide support for at least one plant container 51 containing the desired plants to be grown using the unit. The planter tray 50 includes an external frame made of an A-line material which is adapted to be integrated with and/or secured to the top of the frame assembly of the mobile planter unit 1. The o planter tray 50 has provided at least one tray support member 52. The tray support

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members 42 are adapted to extend horizontally across the planter tray from one side 0 of the external frame to the other side of the external frame and form apertures CN1 0 between adjacent support members for receiving a plant container therein. Located

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O at either end of the support members is preferably a connecting portion, in the form of a tongue portion or the like, which is adapted to lock the tray support member in place. The external frame of the planter tray 50 has provided at least one aperture in the form of a slot or the like which is adapted to receive the tongue portion of a tray support member 42 therein in order to secure the tray support members 42 to the external frame 10 of the planter tray 50. Preferably, the planter tray 50 is adjustable to suit various sizes of plant containers 51 and it is preferred that said adjustment is achieved via moving the tray support members 52 to a desired location and locking the tongues they have provided into one of the many slots provided along the external frame/frame assembly. Movement of the tray support members 52 will result in different sized apertures being provided to accommodate different sized plant containers.

The mobile planter unit 1 has provided at least one plant container 51. The plant container(s) 51 is/are adapted to hold soil, potting mix or the like and enable the desired plants to be planted and grow therein. Preferably, the plant container(s) 51 is/are in the form of open top trays substantially rectangular/square in shape having a bottom surface and side walls and at least one drainage hole provided on a bottom surface of the plant container 51 for allowing excess water to escape from the plant container and prevent the roots of the plant from rotting. The drainage holes are equally spaced apart across the bottom surface to provide an even removal of any excess water which cannot be immediately absorbed by the soil and/or plant. The plant container(s) 51 preferably have provided a lip/flange provided along the top edge of the tray 50 which is adapted to overhang the tray support members 52 when placed into the planter tray 50 and securely hold the plant container 51 within the 00 mobile planter unit 1. It is envisaged that the plant containers 51 may preferably O come in a variety of dimensions to provide flexibility for different plants/applications.

0 C In particular, it is preferably provided that the heights, width and depths of the Scontainers may vary to suit different plants and/or applications.

The mobile planter unit 1 has provided at least one drip tray 53 which is adapted to capture run-off water and nutrients from the plant containers 51 stationed in the mobile planter unit 1. The drip tray 53 is in the form of a rectangular tray/shelf or the O like which is adapted to be attached to the frame assembly 10 of the mobile planter 00 Sunit 1 via a tongue and slot arrangement and/or any other suitable securing means.

O In an alternate embodiment the drip tray 53 may be adapted to rest upon protrusions CN1 00 provided on the frame assembly 10 in a similar manner to the shelf(s) 20. The water

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O and nutrients captured by the drip tray 53 are intended to be drained into a water storage vessel 60 where they can be stored for further usage. Preferably, the drip tray 53 is adapted to be situated directly under the area where the plants are stationed such that after watering the excess water and nutrients fall through the drain holes to be captured by the drip tray 53. The drip tray 53 is adapted to funnel any water and nutrients captured on it to a single area of the drip tray 53, preferably achieved by the drip tray being mounted at an angle such that any water and nutrients will flow to one area of the drip tray 53. The drip tray 53 and/or frame assembly 10 may also preferably have provided at least one hook (not shown) or the like attached thereto where items, such as tools, may be conveniently stored.

The mobile planter unit 1 has provided at least one water storage vessel 60. Water and nutrients captured by the drip tray 53 are preferably drained into the water storage container 60 to enable the water and nutrients to be recycled by their reapplication to the plants during the next watering time. In a first embodiment, the vessel is a water storage bottle 60. Preferably, water captured by the drip tray 53 is delivered to the water storage bottle 60 via a plastic drain hose 61, which is preferably adapted to be attached to the drip tray 53 such that it collects water draining from the drip tray 53. The water storage bottle 60 may preferably be fitted with a hand spray pump 62. The hand spray pump 62 is preferably adapted to deliver water to a desired area via a manual pumping means. It is envisaged that the hand spray pump 52 may be one that is commonly available in the market or one specifically designed for the invention.

10 00 The hand spray pump 62 is attached to the water storage bottle 60 via a screw-on or 0 snap-on connection to the neck of the water storage bottle 60. In order to attach the

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N hand spray pump 62 to the water storage bottle 60, the drain hose 61 is removed from the water storage container 60 to allow the hand spray pump 62 to be attached.

The drain hose 62 is preferably fitted with an in-line water shut-off valve which is adapted to prevent water from flowing through when the hose 61 has been removed from a water storage container 60. It is envisaged that the hand spray pump 62 may also preferably be attached to the water storage bottle 60 via a plastic support and o tubing and thus, be adapted to provide a remote hand spray pump 62 so that the

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plants can be watered within a particular distance, dependent on the length of the o tubing, without having to lift the water container 60 which may be heavy depending CN1 0 on its sized and filled capacity.

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In a second aspect, a water storage container 65 may be provided. The water and nutrients captured by the drip tray 53 are preferably drained into a water storage container 65 via the drain hose 61 to enable the water and nutrients to be recycled.

Preferably, the water container 65 is a made of plastic and preferably has a suitable storage capacity for holding water without requiring highly regular emptying of the container. The water storage container preferably has provided an overflow device (not shown) and at least one outlet such that when the water storage container is full, the excess water is re-directed out of the bottle in an appropriate way, preferably by re-directing the excess water to the water storage bottle 60. Preferably, the water storage container is fitted with a covering lid to reduce water loss through evaporation.

The mobile planter unit 1 preferably has provided an irrigation system to automatically water the plants using any collected recycled water. The irrigation system is preferably in the form of a drip hose irrigation system whereby drip hoses are laid around the plants for optimum and efficient water use with little evaporation.

The drip hoses may be made of a plastic material with a plurality of apertures or porous material. However, it is envisaged that a spray jet irrigation system may also be used. In this embodiment, the jets of the jet irrigation system are preferably fitted about the of the planter tray 50 with the jets facing inwards to supply water and nutrients to the plants.

When there is an irrigation system provided, the water storage container 63 preferably has provided a pump. The pump is preferably a submersible pump, which 11 00 is adapted to be located inside the water vessel to pump water out from the vessel to O a second water storage vessel and/or the irrigation system. The pump is preferably

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CKI fitted with a filter to capture foreign objects and to reduce maintenance. A float valve 2 is preferably provided to control and regulate the water level of the water storage container. A suitable plumbing connection or hose connection or the like can be connected to the outlet of the container and/or irrigation system in order to provide a temporary or permanent supply of water when the recycled water is not available.

O Preferably, the irrigation system is controlled by a timer control unit 64. The timer 00 00control unit 64 is preferably powered using mains power, preferably using a O weatherproof power inlet connection. The timer control unit may preferably be one 00 that is presently available on the market, such as a daily or periodic Electronic Timer.

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O The timer is preferably adapted to switch the pump on and off at pre-set times, and thus control the operating times of the irrigation system. It is envisaged that the timed-irrigation system may preferably have provided at least one spare outlet so that the timing system can be used to control other devices connected to the mobile planter unit. In a particular embodiment, the timing system 64 may also be used to control lighting, such as growth or mood lighting, for the mobile planter unit 1 so that the lights are activated and de-activated at different times of the day. Preferably, the timer control unit 64 has provided a waterproof housing. The housing preferably encloses the timer control unit 64 when it is attached to mains power inlet and is preferably lockable to prevent accidents and unwanted tampering. Preferably the housing has provided at least one air vent, preferably on its underside, to dissipate any heat generated from electrical components within the housing and prevent any insects from getting in the housing and cause damage.

It is envisaged that the timer control unit 64 may be fitted with a rain sensor that is adapted to prevent the activation of the irrigation system when it is raining and thereby prevent water wastage. As can be appreciated, this aspect of the invention will only be useful when the invention is used in an outdoor setting.

The mobile planter unit 1 preferably further comprises at least one interconnecting means which is adapted to securely hold adjacent mobile planter units together.

Preferably the interconnecting means is in the form of a clip or the like which is adapted to be attached to the corners or sides of the assembly unit. However, it is acknowledged that any other suitable fastening/securing means could also be employed.

12- 00 O It is preferred that the mobile planter unit may include a hinged/removable cover

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N which is preferably adapted to cover the plants and provide protection from external elements. Preferably, the cover 70 uses shade cloth as its protective means. The cover 70 preferably has provided a frame to which the shade cloth is attached.

Where the cover 70 is removable, there is preferably provided a locking pin(s) securing means adapted to allow the cover to be removed or secured to the mobile planter unit with ease. Alternatively, the cover 70 may be made of a solid transparent o material such as plastic or the like. However, this would not be ideal unless

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ventilation is provided and/or the mobile planter unit is to be used as a hot house o application.

(Ni

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O The mobile planter unit 1 may preferably have provided a lockable cabinet (not shown). The lockable cabinet is preferably adapted to be able to be integrated with the mobile planter unit positioned beneath the planter tray to provide a closure for the storage space. Preferably, the cabinet is made from a light-weight alloy and has provided two doors fitted with child-proof locks. The doors are preferably attached to either side of the front of the frame assembly via a hinged bracket.

While we have described herein a particular embodiment of a mobile planter unit 1 for use in residences and the like, it is further envisaged that other embodiments of the invention could exhibit any number and combination of any one of the features previously described. However, it is to be understood that any variations and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Claims

13- 00 We claim: O0 0 NI 1. A mobile planter unit including: a body portion having a frame assembly with height adjustment and a mobility means; a cover; a planter tray having at least one aperture for receiving and holding a plant container therein; O at least one shelf and/or drip tray; O 0at least one water storage vessel for capturing and recycling excess water from o the plant containers; and 00 a manual and/or self-watering system connected to said water storage vessels 0 O for recycling collected water to water plants grown in the unit. 2. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame assembly is made of at least one elongated support member positioned in a vertical or horizontal direction to form the frame structure for the body portion. 3. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame assembly has provided at least one height-adjustable vertical post/leg to support the frame assembly. 4. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 3 wherein the leg(s) are formed having an upper portion and a lower portion whereby the diameter of the upper portion is slightly smaller than the diameter of the lower portion so that it can be received and be slideable therein to obtain the desired height. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the vertical legs have at least one aperture provided at different heights along the leg and a locking mechanism which is adapted to lock the height in place. 6. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 5 wherein the locking mechanism may preferably be in the form of a locking ring or pressing tab which can be received within the apertures of the leg to lock the leg at a specific height. 7. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one wheel attached to the base of the unit provides a mobility means for the unit.

14- 00 8. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the planter tray includes an O external frame to be secured to the top of the frame assembly having at least one O N tray support member extending horizontally across the planter tray from one side of the external frame to the other side of the external frame. 9. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support members have a connecting portion, in the form of a tongue portion or the like, which is adapted to be received within an aperture provided on the external frame of the planter tray to lock the tray support member in place at a desired location. 00 O OO 0 10. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plant container(s) is/are in 00 N the form of an open top tray having a bottom surface and side walls and at least OO o one drainage hole provided on a bottom surface of the plant container. 11. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein a drip tray is mounted to the frame assembly at a suitable angle for diverting any excess water into a water storage vessel via a drain hose. 12. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 11 wherein the drain hose is fitted with an in-line water shut-off valve which is adapted to prevent water from flowing through when the hose has been removed from a water storage container. 13. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein a first water storage vessel is a water storage bottle having a hand spray pump which can be attached to the water storage bottle via a screw-on or snap-on connection and tubing to a neck of the water storage bottle for reusing the collected water. 14. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein a second water storage vessel is a water storage container having an overflow device at least one outlet for re-directing water to a second water storage vessel and/or irrigation system. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 14 wherein the irrigation system can be a drip hose or spray jet irrigation system.

16. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 14 or claim 15 wherein the irrigation system has a programmable timer and/or rain sensor, where the rain sensor will stop the irrigation system upon the detection of rain.

17. A mobile planter unit as claimed in claim 1 which further includes a lockable cabinet integrated with the frame assembly beneath the planter trays. 00 o 18. A mobile planter unit as substantially described herein with reference to the O above examples and drawing figures. 0 O 0 0 0 001