CA2080280A1 - Plant watering system - Google Patents

Plant watering system

Info

Publication number
CA2080280A1
CA2080280A1 CA002080280A CA2080280A CA2080280A1 CA 2080280 A1 CA2080280 A1 CA 2080280A1 CA 002080280 A CA002080280 A CA 002080280A CA 2080280 A CA2080280 A CA 2080280A CA 2080280 A1 CA2080280 A1 CA 2080280A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
plant
water
container
agricultural chemical
composition
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002080280A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Donald James Morrison
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA002080280A priority Critical patent/CA2080280A1/en
Publication of CA2080280A1 publication Critical patent/CA2080280A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01NPRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF; BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES; PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS
    • A01N25/00Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators, characterised by their forms, or by their non-active ingredients or by their methods of application, e.g. seed treatment or sequential application; Substances for reducing the noxious effect of the active ingredients to organisms other than pests
    • A01N25/02Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators, characterised by their forms, or by their non-active ingredients or by their methods of application, e.g. seed treatment or sequential application; Substances for reducing the noxious effect of the active ingredients to organisms other than pests containing liquids as carriers, diluents or solvents
    • A01N25/04Dispersions, emulsions, suspoemulsions, suspension concentrates or gels
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C05FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
    • C05GMIXTURES OF FERTILISERS COVERED INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENT SUBCLASSES OF CLASS C05; MIXTURES OF ONE OR MORE FERTILISERS WITH MATERIALS NOT HAVING A SPECIFIC FERTILISING ACTIVITY, e.g. PESTICIDES, SOIL-CONDITIONERS, WETTING AGENTS; FERTILISERS CHARACTERISED BY THEIR FORM
    • C05G5/00Fertilisers characterised by their form
    • C05G5/10Solid or semi-solid fertilisers, e.g. powders
    • C05G5/18Semi-solid fertilisers, e.g. foams or gels
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C05FERTILISERS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF
    • C05GMIXTURES OF FERTILISERS COVERED INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENT SUBCLASSES OF CLASS C05; MIXTURES OF ONE OR MORE FERTILISERS WITH MATERIALS NOT HAVING A SPECIFIC FERTILISING ACTIVITY, e.g. PESTICIDES, SOIL-CONDITIONERS, WETTING AGENTS; FERTILISERS CHARACTERISED BY THEIR FORM
    • C05G5/00Fertilisers characterised by their form
    • C05G5/40Fertilisers incorporated into a matrix

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Pest Control & Pesticides (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Plant Pathology (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Dentistry (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Agronomy & Crop Science (AREA)
  • Fertilizers (AREA)
  • Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT
PLANT WATERING SYSTEM

A long-term plant watering system comprising a gelled mixture of water and carboxymethyl cellulose into which an agricultural chemical, such as a fertilizer, has been inserted, or dissolved. The gelled structure of the water/carboxymethyl cellulose is broken down by bacteria normally present on the soil, so as to release a slow, steady supply of water and nutrients to the plant.

Description

2û80280 :. .
. .
Plant Waterina System Field of the Invention This invention relates to the use of a thickened water composition for long-term watering of plants.

Descri~tion of the Related Art A common problem for the amateur gardener is to ensure that his plants will receive adequate watering over long-term periods, such as a week or up to about a one month vacation, when the gardener is unavailable to water. One proposed solution to this problem is the use of a thickened water composition, as described in U.S.
Patent No. 4,865,690, which has a structure which will ~reak-down over ti~e to release bound water into the soil of the plant.
A further problem is to provide a slow application of fertilizer to the plant so as to promote plant growth, but avoid excessive, and damaging, applications of fertilizer. In U.S. Patent No. 5,009,710, a system for applying agricultural chemicals such as herbicides, fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides and the like, to a plant locus is described, by formulating the agricultural chemical in a thixotropic aqueous solution. The thixotropic solution may be formed by the addition of a -i25 small amount of an alginate material to water so as to form a gelled material.
.~ .
Summary of the Invention According to the present invention, there is provideda composition for application to the soil of a plant which comprises a major amount of water, a minor amount j~of carboxymethyl cellulose to provide a gelled aqueous material, and an effective amount of an agricultural .` .
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20~0280 chemical.
In operation, the gelled structure of the composition of the present invention is formed in a container. The container is then inverted so that the open end of the container rests on the soil, and thus bring the gelled material in contact with the plant soil. The gelled structure of the composition is subsequently degraded, broken-down, or consumed by the action of the normal, natural bacteria present in the soil, on the carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). When the bacteria acts on the CMC, water and the agricultural chemical are released into the soil. Thus, the time for the complete release of water and agricultural chemical is dependent, inter alia, on the level of CMC, and on the level of bacteria present in the soil.
The level of CMC is generally less than 5%, by weight of the composition, and preferably is less than 3%, and more preferably less than 2%. However, the level of CMC
must be sufficient to form an essential solid gel so that the aqueous material will not pour out of the container as the container is inverted.
The agricultural chemical used is preferably a fertilizer, but may be any material such as a herbicide, pesticide or fungicide, or a mixture of various agricultural chemicals which can applied to the plant through the soil. The agricultural chemical may be dissolved in the water used to make the gelled aqueous -~
material, or may be mixed as a solid particulate material which slowly dissolves into the water as the water is released from the gel. However, having the fertilizer present in the gal may promote the growth of any contaminant bacteria which may result in premature break-down of the gel structure. Accordingly, a most preferred composition comprises a gelled aqueous material in to which an agricultural chemical, such as a solid fertilizer "stick" or fertilizer tablet may be inserted.
Such fertilizer sticks or tablets are known in the industry, and are generally a fertilizer mixture, such as NPK mixture, contained in an essentially solid core which will dissolve, or break down in the soil. The sticks, in the application of the present invention, may be any -length suitable for the container used, but are preferably about 3 to 6 cm. in length.
The container used to hold the composition of the present invention may be any suitable shape which will ;
allow contact of the composition with the soil, and will allow the released water and agricultural chemical to drain from the container into the soil. In this regard, a cup shaped container is adequate for most purposes.
A preferred container for the composition, however, -is a container which can be fitted around the stem of the plant so that water and agricultural chemical are released in the immediate area of all of the roots of the plants. This may be achieved by a slotted container which slot is wide enough to allow the stem of the plant to pass through to the central area of the container.
Alternatively, the container used may be a container system which comprises two or more containers which containers are adapted to be fitted around the stem of the plant. Accordingly, a preferred container system comprises two containers, each of which comprises a 25 mating surface which is formed so as to correspond with the corresponding surface of the opposite container, in which each container has a groove adapted to be fitted around a portion of the plant stem.
Accordingly, the present invention also provides a i 30 container system for use in the long-term~ watering of a plant comprising at least two containers for holding a composition as described hereinabove with reference to the present invention, wherein said containers are open `I at one end so that said composition can contact the soil 35 of the plant, and wherein said containers may be --t assembled around said plant so as to essentially completely surround the stem of the plant, and form a ICICAN 805 208 ~28o hole in the centre of the container system through which said stem passes.
In a preferred version of this container system, each of two containers is a mirror image of each other, and the mating surface is essentially flat. The groove is located in the centre of the mating surface so that the grooves of the containers, when combined, form a hole for the plant ~tem. The hole formed runs along the axis of the container system. Thus, the present invention also provides a container system as described hereinabove comprising two mirror image containers, each container having an essentially flat surface on one side of the container and a longitudinal groove running through the centre of said flat surface.
In a further aspect, the present invention also provides a long-term plant watering system, wherein plants may be supplied with a slow, steady supply of water for preferably about 1 month or more, comprising a container system filled with a gelled aqueous material comprising water and carboxymethyl cellulose, and a solid, water-dissolvable agricultural chemical, which agricultural chemical may be inserted into said gelled aqueous material.
A further use of the composition of the present in~ention is the watering and fertilization of compost.
In this application, the gelled aqueous material is added to the compost in a water permeable container, such as a burlap sack, for example or added in layers throughout the compost pile. As the gelled material breaks down, 30 water and nutrients are released into the compost to ~ ~`
stimulate and promote decomposition.
~ hus, in a yet still further aspect, the present invention also provides a compost watering system comprising a gelled aqueous material comprising water, carboxymethyl cellulose, and an agricultural chemical, which is contained in a water-permeable container. In this application, the term agricultural chemical may '.

.... . . . . . . . . . .................. . . .......... .

.. .. . . . . . . . . . . .

:

2og~128o include a composter concentrate designed to improve or initiate the composting process. These concentrates preferably contain a bacterial agent to effect the composting process.

Brief Description of the Drawinq The invention will now be described by way of example only, by reference to the following drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective drawing of a preferred 10 container system for the aqueous gelled material; and Figure 2 is a planar end view of the container system shown in Figure 1. ~-In Figures 1 and 2 a container system 10 having two separate containers 12 and 14, is shown. Each container ~ 15 12 and 14 is filled with a gelled aqueous material in 3 accordance with the present invention. Both containers , are open on the bottom (not shown) so that the gell~d i; aqueous material may come in contact with the plant soil.
Each of containers 12 and 14 have an essential flat 20 surface on one side, designated as 16 and 18, `` respectively. In the centre of surfaces 16 and 18, each container has a groove, designated as 20 and 22. When containers 12 and 14 are brought together to form container system 10, grooves 20 and 22 align so as to ~ -~
25 form a hole 30 ~unning through container system 10.
In operation, containers 12 and 14 are positioned ; around the stem of a plant so that the stem of the plantis located in hole 30. With plants having a stem with a `j~ larger diameter than hole 30, containers 12 and 14 can be ~i 30 slightly separated so as to allow a larger area around hole 30 for the plant stem.

Example , ~, . - . .
~ The utility of the aqueous solution of the present .. . . .
.~ ~
., .

: : :::- : : :: :- : - , . ~ , 2o8~28o invention will now be demonstrated by reference to the following, non-limiting example.
Four tuberous begonia plants were selected for - uniformity of plants and pot size. The four were provided with different watering schedules for a 30 day trial period, as follows:

Plant No. Waterina Schedule 1 Received no water for the 30 day test period
2 Received hand watering, and fertilization as needed
3 Watered by a one piece container of gelled aqueous material
4 Received excessive water to the point where water remained in the pot at all times : . :
The container used for plant 3 had a total volume of 250 ml. The aqueous gelled material had a composition of water, 0.15% alum, and 3% carboxymethyl cellulose, which had set to a jelly-like consistency. Into the gelled material, three fertilizer tablets comprising 2 grams of an 11-15-20 NPK as fertilizer were inserted.
After the 30 day trial period, each plant was hand watered to test the recovery of the plant. The results -were as follows:

Plant No. Result 1 Failed to respond to hand watering 2 Plant remained in excellent condition 3 Plant remained in excellent condition 4 Plant was slow to recover -evidence of root rot .~
. .
:; , : , ... . . :. .. - . ....... . . . . . .

.

20~0280 The container of gelled aqueous material was essential empty, having released most of the water contained in the gelled structure. All of the fertilizer in the fertilizer sticks had been dissolved.

This example demonstrates that the aqueous gelled material of the present invention has useful properties for the long-term watering and fertilization of plants.
Having described specific embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that modifications thereof may be suggested to those skilled in the art, and it is intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

:
.; ~. : .. , ~

Claims (8)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A composition for application to a plant locus which comprises a major amount of water, a minor amount of carboxymethyl cellulose to provide a gelled aqueous material, and an effective amount of an agricultural chemical.
2. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 comprising greater than 90% water, 205% carboxymethyl cellulose, and 0.1 to 1% of an agricultural chemical.
3. A composition as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said agricultural chemical is a herbicide, a fertilizer, an insecticide, or a fungicide.
4. A composition as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said agricultural chemical is a fertilizer.
5. A container system for use in the long-term watering of a plant comprising at least two containers for holding a composition as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said containers are open at one end so that said composition can contact the soil of the plant, and wherein said containers may be assembled around said plant so as to essentially completely surround the stem of the plant, and form a hole in the centre of the container system through which said stem passes.
6. A container system as claimed in Claim 5 comprising two mirror image containers, each container having an essentially flat surface on one side of the container and a longitudinal groove running through the centre of said flat surface.
7. A long-term plant watering system comprising a container system filled with a gelled aqueous material comprising water and carboxymethyl cellulose, and a solid, water-dissolvable agricultural chemical, which agricultural chemical may be inserted into said gelled aqueous material.
8. A compost watering system comprising a gelled aqueous material comprising water, carboxymethyl cellulose, and an agricultural chemical, which is contained in a water-permeable container.
CA002080280A 1992-10-09 1992-10-09 Plant watering system Abandoned CA2080280A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002080280A CA2080280A1 (en) 1992-10-09 1992-10-09 Plant watering system

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002080280A CA2080280A1 (en) 1992-10-09 1992-10-09 Plant watering system

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2080280A1 true CA2080280A1 (en) 1994-04-10

Family

ID=4150525

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002080280A Abandoned CA2080280A1 (en) 1992-10-09 1992-10-09 Plant watering system

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2080280A1 (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2289912A1 (en) * 2005-09-28 2008-02-01 Nuria Nuria Sarda Cortes, S.L. Gel used for moisturizing plants or parts thereof
GB2500272A (en) * 2012-04-05 2013-09-18 Malcolm O'shea Formulations for the preparation of a hydrogel for watering plants
CN111960887A (en) * 2020-08-21 2020-11-20 浙江树人学院(浙江树人大学) Compound fertilizer suitable for salix integra and preparation method thereof

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2289912A1 (en) * 2005-09-28 2008-02-01 Nuria Nuria Sarda Cortes, S.L. Gel used for moisturizing plants or parts thereof
GB2500272A (en) * 2012-04-05 2013-09-18 Malcolm O'shea Formulations for the preparation of a hydrogel for watering plants
EP2647658A1 (en) * 2012-04-05 2013-10-09 O'Shea, Malcolm Formulations for watering plants
GB2500272B (en) * 2012-04-05 2014-02-19 Malcolm O'shea Formulations for watering plants
CN111960887A (en) * 2020-08-21 2020-11-20 浙江树人学院(浙江树人大学) Compound fertilizer suitable for salix integra and preparation method thereof

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