EP0197929A1

EP0197929A1 - Grass mat

Info

Publication number: EP0197929A1
Application number: EP84904136A
Authority: EP
Inventors: André THIEN AH KOON
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-10-22
Filing date: 1984-11-05
Publication date: 1986-10-22
Also published as: AU3555084A; WO1986002522A1; MY102699A

Abstract

Production de gazon par plaques ou en tapis permettant la création de pelouses par transplantation de plaques ou bandes. Il comprend un film de plastique déposé sur le sol (3), un support de culture composé d'écume de canne à sucre ou tourteau à l'état pur (4) ou mélangée à des déchets issus du cycle de production de sucre de canne, contenant des graines de gazon ou des rhizomes (4) et d'un filet plastique ou autres à mailles (6) maintenu au sol par des matériaux divers à savoir tringles de bois, pierres. Parmi les applications les plus intéressantes de l'invention, on peut citer la réalisation rapide de pelouses par transplantation des plaques de gazon.Production of turf by plates or mats allowing the creation of lawns by transplanting plates or strips. It includes a plastic film deposited on the ground (3), a culture support composed of cane foam or oil cake in the pure state (4) or mixed with waste from the cane sugar production cycle. , containing grass seeds or rhizomes (4) and a plastic or other mesh net (6) held on the ground by various materials, namely wooden rods, stones. Among the most interesting applications of the invention, mention may be made of the rapid production of lawns by transplanting turf patches.

Description

Method of manufacturing a turf mat, the growing medium of which mainly consists of sugar cane foam or cake. The interest of using a turf when creating green spaces or creating sports fields has always been faced with transport costs, handling and psychological brakes inherent in the degradation natural environment (clod turf).

To do this, various systems are used to produce turf by plates or carpets: - Either by removal from the wild by transplanting clods;

- Either by culture in substrate;

- Or in a support of polystyrene beads in suspension - French patent No 72 03670 from Stuart Goodall Ltd. ;

- Either by cultivation in crushed tree bark - French patent No 76 36574;

- Or again by using a support of biodegradable material such as expanded flexible polyurethane in which the grass is placed in two layers and deposited directly on the natural ground to obtain a carpet - Westmill system (GB); - Or finally the use of a support obtained from flax yarn in which the seeds are sandwiched and deposited on an impermeable soil for cultivation - see in particular European patent No 35953 filed by FITEXA corresponding to. French patent 2,477,830. These methods are not economically suitable for countries far from industrial centers producing raw materials.

Concerning more particularly the hot producing countries of sugar cane where the by-product can constitute an element of valorization of this culture. In the context of the present claims, a carpet has been discovered which is favorable for the germination of turf seeds or for the development of turf rhizomes, the essential qualities of which are to provide a turf mat, the support of which used pure or as a mixture with a organic waste would constitute the mechanical structure of the soil by using cane scum or meal by-product obtained during the manufacture of cane sugar. In the context of the present invention, it should be remembered that a turf carpet consists of a support in which grass seeds are sown (or rhizomes are placed) and for which favorable conditions for good germination or good recovery tending to good vegetative development are combined and a carpet has formed on the surface. The support or the tablecloth consists of foam from sugar cane or cake, recovered at the factory possibly supplemented with organic waste and is used after possible indebtedness in the event of formation of clods caused

-fU E-Λ by storage.

The dimensions of the cane or meal foam particles are those derived from the sugar production cycle. The support is placed on a previously leveled and compacted soil and coated with a flexible plastic film.

The thickness of the support of the cane or oil cake is 2 to 6 cm, the weight is 2 Kgs / m2. Waste from the cane sugar production cycle can be added to the cane or meal. The foam is taken from the sugar factory and is stored either for use if the natural decomposition is sufficient or either by decomposition which would be caused by the use of a chemical gen¬ re ACTILEX, product known to gardeners. If the neutral pH is not reached pH correction rate may be ^'performed by liming calcai¬ re. When the support is deposited on the ground either manually or mechanically at a thickness varying between 2 to 6 cm, the seeds of lawn are deposited uniformly by means of a pneumatic or mechanical seed drill in a proportion of 20 to 100 grams. per m2 according to the chosen varieties of grass. In the case of rhizomes, the latter are pricked manually or mechanically in the support at the rate of 50 to 100 cuttings / m2. In windy regions, in order to trap the seeds or rhizomes of gas and cane scum or cake, and in order to make the seedlings more united, it is placed on the support of cane scum or cake a net made of biodegradable polyetilene or not whose meshes will have a dimension of 5 mm to 20 mm on a side (optional operation) or projection of bitumen emulsion at a density allowing the mass of scum particles or cake to be united.

The germination of the seeds as well as the growth of young plants will be done under optimum conditions due to ~ s favorable conditions which are met because the foam of cane or oil cake is very light, its capacity of water retention being relatively large and the nutrient in suspension provided by irrigation or in solid form constitutes ideal conditions for plant growth.

Concerning the turf carpet obtained by sowing, as soon as the fertilizers in liquid or solid forms are made at the rate of 5 to 40 g of nutritive materials evaluated in the dry state are made monthly, the first mowing grass can be made at around 4 weeks; marketing can take place after 5 to 6 mowing, or between 3 to 5 months depending on the intensity of sunshine or ambient temperature. On the other hand, the culture by rhizomes implies a culture of 16 to 24 weeks. The lawn is removed without the plastic lèse separating the crop from the soil natural and cut either into strips or squares, is ready to be transported and stored for 8 days without compromising its growth. To maintain solidarity between the cane or oil cake support and the net: it is placed on the net, either pebbles or wooden rods or metal sheets which prevent the net from being moved by the wind. Then, the above materials are removed as soon as the grass has crossed the net. The latter will therefore be placed above the cul¬ ture support and below the grass shoots, that is to say at the level of the plant collar, or by a projection of ¹ bitumen emulsion at a density allowing the particles of scum or cake to be maintained between them. These ways of proceeding will prevent the seeds, rhizomes and particles of cane or oil cake from being carried away by the wind and will make the mass of the carpet more united at the start of the vegetation. The grass carpet thus formed based on foam or cake will have the advantage of forming a solid carpet and will have the qualities of sufficient mechanical resistance to withstand handling and transplanting. The bio¬ degradation of the scum or oil cake occurring over a period of around 2 years will release the elements favorable to the growth of plants. When the operations of setting up the support are finished, regular watering in order to maintain a constant humidity there will follow as well as a supply of nutritive elements to ensure a good recovery of the seedlings and rhizomes as well as good vegetation; it will be used either of soluble or liquid fertilizer which one finds in the specialized Establishments. Watering will be done in such a way that constant humidity is maintained without drowning the mass in the water.

Given the low weight per m2 of the carpet, which weighs around 6 kg per m2, appreciable economic advantages are observed in terms of transport, which can be done without any particular disadvantage. With this advantage in relation to the volume and resistance of the product produced, the mechanical conditions are met to handle the product in the normal way.

The laying of the carpet will be done under the same conditions required for laying the turf by plates taken from the wild or produced by any other plating process. The leveling of the plates will be done according to the cutting system which will be chosen during the removal from the cultivation field either in squares or in strips. The carpet can be used on flat or inclined floors. The retention of water and fertilizing solution will allow the mat to ensure its transplant mutation in complete safety as soon as the water and nutrient solutions are provided more particularly during the 4/5 pre-migrated weeks. » ^U

Claims

CLAIMS - Turf by plates or carpet (1) characterized in that the cul¬ ture support consists essentially of foam from sugar cane or oil cake in the pure state (4) or mixed with waste from the cycle of cane sugar production. - Grass cultivated in a foam of sugar cane or oil cake (6) containing grass seeds or rhizomes. - Turf by plates cultivated in a scum of cane sugar or cake mixed with waste from the cane sugar manufacturing cycle, containing grass seeds or rhizomes. - Turf by plates according to claim 1 characterized by the use of bitumen emulsion used to make the grass seeds or rhizomes and the support integral during the cultivation period.