Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
  • A01G9/02—Receptacles, e.g. flower-pots or boxes; Glasses for cultivating flowers
  • A01G9/029—Receptacles for seedlings
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G22/00—Cultivation of specific crops or plants not otherwise provided for
  • A01G22/60—Flowers; Ornamental plants
  • A01G22/67—Dwarf trees, e.g. bonsai

Definitions

• the present invention relates to plant pots for the cultivation of plants with a dwarfed habit, comprising a plant vessel defining a plant cavity having a volume that is smaller than that required for accommodating nutrient substrate as needed for full growth of the plant.
• a plant vessel defining a plant cavity having a volume that is smaller than that required for accommodating nutrient substrate as needed for full growth of the plant.
• U.S. Patent No. 4,098,021 which relates to a method of limiting the growth of plants by cultivation in very small vessels while preventing convoluted root growth, that is to say, persistent tangential root growth without the formation of sufficiently numerous further fine roots.
• This patent teaches that such prevention of convoluted root growth is effected by having openings in the wall of the container of such a small size, i.e.
• One approach to solving this problem is to provide a plant pot which has a special internal slotted contour that allows one to cultivate plants with a permanent dwarfed habit, such as so-called bonsai trees.
• the plant forms roots in a suitable substrate like earth that is provided with water and nutrient substances.
• the plant vessel made of porous material such as fired clay for instance, is so placed in an outer receiving vessel for the plant pot that a certain amount of intermediate space is left between the outer surface of the plant vessel and the inner surface of the receiving vessel so that water, with or without dissolved nutrient substances, is filled into the space and penetrates the porous material of the plant vessel to supply moisture to the substrate on the inside of the vessel.
• the space between the outer surface of the plant vessel and the inner surface of the outer receiving vessel then serves to supply and store moisture and any nutrient substances dissolved therein.
• Another previously proposed plant pot system includes a plant vessel which was employed without a receiving vessel, and with a liquid-proof and preferably diffusion-proof cover layer on its outer side surface. Preferably, on its outer bottom face, there is no gap between such cover layer and the wall of the vessel.
• Such cover layer which can be in the form of a glaze, makes it possible for plants with a low moisture requirement, such as cactuses or the like, to be grown satisfactorily, since the moisture, in the form of nutrient substance solution, is supplied directly from above into the particulate substrate.
• slotted clay vessels or the like involves a certain complexity in the manufacturing operation if the wall thickness is to be kept small in the area of the slots. It is simplest to produce slots in the material of suitably thick walls that do not follow the slot contour, e.g., with the slots within the thickness of the wall, but this again calls for substantial wall thickness so that in addition to the container, being heavy, a large amount of material is needed for producing it.
• one object of the present invention is to devise a plant pot of the type specified herein which is well suited to mass production.
• a further object of the present invention is to design such a plant pot that is light in weight.
• the plant vessel is furnished with a soft, elastic material, such as soft foam, rubber, or the like.
• a soft, elastic material such as soft foam, rubber, or the like.
• Extensive trials have shown that such a soft, elastic material has an effect on the root spread of the plant to be grown which is similar to the slot-like root traps, so that a convoluted or gyrating growth of the roots is successfully prevented and the plant to be cultivated assumes a permanently dwarfed. habit.
• the plant vessel may be made entirely of soft, elastic material as a mass produced article at extremely low cost, for instance, with conventional foam molding equipment. Further, the weight of the plant vessel may be kept very low but may be increased to some degree, if desired, to enhance the strength of the plant vessel.
• German Published Patent Specification No. 2,434,538 to use a plant pot with a lining, of elastic material, as, for example, in the form of an open-celled foam
• the intention in that publication is to use a thin, soft foam layer as a lining on the inner face of the plant pot to obtain the fastest and most Sturdy growth of a plant to be cultivated with a normal size.
• the soft foam layer stores water and oxygen as well so that it acts as a reservoir for moisture and oxygen.
• This German published patent specification teaches this layer to cause the root ends to come to a halt and not grow in convolutions, taking up moisture and oxygen on reaching the open-celled soft foam.
• the storage capacity of the soft, elastic material is not important and it may even be water-impermeable.
• a plant cavity which is substantially too small for normal plant growth and which is surrounded by a wall of soft, elastic substance that is generally not penetrable by the root hairs, while, at the same time, yielding to them, is provided. Root hairs reaching the soft wall are "confused" by the initial giving way of the soft wall surface and are not caused to move to the aide as they would if the wall were firm and non-yielding. Thick roots may possibly penetrate the soft surface without, developing root hairs to any great extent but are then trapped in the soft material.
• the storage capacity of the open-celled soft foam is not used for storing water and oxygen.
• the soft, elastic, generally non-water penetrable lining is used for the mechanical property of providing a soft, elastic surface of a peripheral wall of a plant cavity which is not large enough for normal growth of the plant.
• the soft, elastic material may be at least substantially impermeable to water so that no special measures have to be taken to avoid loss of water; however, the material can have some water storage capability and still provide the "giving way" function.
• the soft, elastic material is best located in an impermeable receiving vessel so that the plant pot is surrounded by a robust outer casing and it is possible to have a gap or intermediate space between them able to function as a liquid reservoir, making it possible for the plant to be watered less often.
• the means providing the rate adjusted supply of water may take the form or a porous body extending through the wall of the plant vessel and sealingly engaging same. Water from the gap between the receiving vessel and the plant vessel then makes its way into the porous body, soaks through the porous material thereof, and is released into the substrate of the plant cavity, slowly and continuously.
• the rate of flow of water through the porous body will depend on the absorbent capacity of the substrate in the plant cavity; this means that there is a faster release of moisture from the porous body when the substrate, in which the plant is rooted, is relatively dry and a slower release of moisture from the porous body when the substrate is relatively moist.
• the porous body projects from an inner surface of the receiving plant vessel, preferably at its bottom, and may be molded integrally with the receiving vessel.
• This integral construction of the porous body and the receiving vessel leads to manufacturing advantages, while, on the other hand, the formation of the porous body as a projection involves an increase in the size of the water releasing surface.
• the arrangement of the projection on the surface of the bottom is advantageous insofar as the water level in the gap creates a liquid head or head pressure effect at the porous body and enhances the penetration of water into the substrate.
• porous body in the form of the frustum of a circular cone, this also offering manufacturing advantages, especially with respect to removal of the body from a mold as part of mass production.
• this design in the form of a frustum of a circular cone facilitates insertion of the plant vessel into the receiving vessel and causes a more reliable seal to be formed between the wall of the plant vessel and the porous body extending through it.
• spacers between the bottom of the receiving vessel and the bottom of the plant vessel so that there is a second gap between the two, this gap also being filled with water so that a part of the peripheral surface of the porous body is constantly surrounded by water, again contributing to an enhanced supply of water to the substrate. This benefit ia most appreciated in the case of potted plants with a relatively high moisture requirement.
• the receiving vessel may be made of a porous material, more particularly fired clay. This is especially useful if there are no spacers since in such a case, the movement of water from the gap into the porous body may take place only through the porous material of the receiving vessel. It would also be possible for the receiving vessel to be manufactured of resin, this offering advantages with respect to manufacturing costs and weight. Further details, features and advantges of the plant pot of the present invention will be described in the ensuring description of various embodiments of the plant pot of the present invention in conjunction with the plant pot shown in the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG 1. is a sectional view taken on the line I-I of
• FIG. 3 shows a plant pot made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention viewing the plant pot from the side, the left and right sides of the Figure being different to indicate possible modifications of the plant pot.
• FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the bottom center section of the plant pot shown in FIG. 1 and which is circled in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a plant pot made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 1 one embodiment of a plant ot 2 is shown therein and has as its main parts a receiving vessel 4 and a plant vessel 6.
• the plant vessel 6 is adapted to be so inserted into the receiving vessel 4 that there is a gap or intermediate space 12 between an outer peripheral wall surface 8 of the plant vessel 6 and an inner peripheral wall surface 10 of the receiving vessel 4.
• This gap 12 provides a space for storing water that is supplied via water supply means 14, which will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, for a plant 16 to be cultivated.
• the material of the plant vessel 6, whose properties significant for the invention will be described later, is permeable to water, it is possible to prevent undesired passage of moisture by having a coating 8', if needed, applied on the side wall surface 8.
• This coating 8" may be made mechanically strong to form a peripheral wall and a covering for the floor of the pot as well.
• a coating 8' in the form of a paint or lacquer film will be sufficient.
• the gap 12 is then not needed if the material of the plant vessel 6 is able to absorb sufficient water and store it; in the simplest case, as, for example, for commercial horticulture, it is sufficient to have the plant vessel 6 alone made of a material that is sufficiently water tight or has a water tight coating thereon.
• the plant 16 is rooted in a plant cavity 18, which in the present example, is formed in the middle of the plant vessel 6 and is filled with a suitable solid substrate, such as, for example, clay granules, volcanic ash, sand or the like, in which the plant 16 forms a root cluster 20.
• the volume of the plant cavity 18 depends on the ultimate size which the plant 16 is to reach and will normally be in the range of 20 to 100 cubic centimeters.
• the plant pot is shown by way of example in its natural size.
• FIG. 1 shows two possible modifications of the plant vessel 6 by way of example. In the left hand part of FIG. 1, one side wall 22 of the plant vessel 6 has a generally constant cross section. In the right hand side of FIG.
• the side wall has a step 24 at its top end part, it being possible for this step 24 also to be covered with a substrate from the plant cavity 18 so that only a relatively narrow portion 26 of the side wall 22 is visible.
• This working example of the plant vessel 6 has a pleasing appearance, especially if the thickness of the side wall 22 is relatively great.
• the material used for the manufacture of the receiving vessel 4 will, as a rule, be fired clay, the vessel 4 being provided with a. liquid tight or impermeable coating, such as, for example, in the form of a glaze 28. in addition to fired clay, it is possible to use other porous materials, such as, for example, pumice.
• the receiving vessel 4 may be fashioned of resin or another non-porous material; however, it is to be borne in mind in this connection that it is then not possibla for water to move through such material. If desired, or if necessary, support legs 32 and 34 may be provided on the bottom surface 30 of the receiving vessel 4.
• the roots of the root cluster 20 stop growing in the course of the radial growth process as soon as the root tips reach the wall of the plant cavity 18, i.e., there is no convoluted growth of the roots, and, it is rather a case of the root cluster 20 forming a mass of fine root hairs on the side wall of the plant cavity 18, such fine root hairs being closely adjacent to the material of the plant vessel 6.
• This interruption of the growth of the root cluster 20 leads to a permanently dwarfed habit of the plant 16. The reason or reasons for the interruption in the growth of the roots as soon as they come into contact with the.material of the plant vessel 6 is not completely clear.
• the soft, elastic material is provided with an exterior impenetrable coating which is applied without any intervening gap, this growth will also halt at the inner side thereof.
• the tip of the thick root may emerge at the peripheral or side surface 8 and will grow some distance into the surrounding water before the growth is halted. Root hairs will likewise not be formed at the tip, which has penetrated, to any substantial extent, as long as the tip does not come across any nutrient substances but only tap water, for example. The uptake of nutrient substance via root hairs may therefore be limited to the plant cavity 18 and it is possible to ensure that the growth of the plant 16 is limited.
• the material of the plant vessel 6 prefferably be able to take up and release water, but for water not to be able to flow through it due to the presence of the coating 8', and in this way prevent any overwatering of the plant.
• a component 36 of porous material such as, for example, fired clay, is applied to a bottom surface 38 of the receiving vessel 4,
• the arrangement of the component 36 on the bottom surface 38 may be one in which the component 36 is formed integral with the receiving vessel 4 at its bottom surface 38.
• the component 36 may be separate and rest on the bottom surface 38 of the receiving vessel 4.
• the componment 36 extends through the plant vessel 6 in such a way that an upper end part 40 of the component 36 extends into the plant cavity 18.
• the component 36 has the form of a frustum of a circular cone or the contour thereof, and a receiving passage opening 42 in the plant vessel 6 has a cylindrical contour so that on insertion of the plant vessel 6 into the receiving vessel 4 (with motion of the component 36 moving through the plant vessel 6 at. the passage opening 42) there will be a deformation of the passage opening 42 and therefore a liquid tight engagement of the plant vessel 6 at the passage opening 42 on the component 36. Still referring to the drawing an account will now be given of the effect of the component 36 in connection with the plant vessel 6 in more detail.
• the plant vessel 6 is inserted into the porous receiving vessel 4 so that the component 36 extends through the plant vessel 6 by way of passage opening 42.
• the plant 16 is put in place and the plant cavity 18 is filled with some suitable substrate.
• the gap or intermediate space 12 between the side wall 8 of the plant vessel 4 and the side wall 10 of the receiving vessel 4 is filled with water, the gap 12 serving as a reservoir for moisture, which may readily be checked by eye. and only occasionally has to be topped off with water.
• the plant vessel 6 is made with a recess at one edge so that, as shown in FIG. 3, there is a filling opening 44, in which a water level indicator can be mounted and which is used for topping off the gap 12 with water.
• bosses or formations 46 are formed on the bottom surface 38 of the receiving vessel 4.
• spacers 46 are formed on the bottom surface 38 of the receiving vessel 4. The presence of these spacers 46 results in a gap 12' being formed under the plant vessel 6 as well, such gap 12' also being kept full of water.
• the material of the plant vessel 6 is, in the case of the present example, either completely or substantially impermeable to water in order to keep the plant cavity 18 from being swamped with water if there is an overly high water level in the gap 12, from it and through the material of the plant vessel 6,
• the supply of liquid from the gap 12 or 12' to the plant cavity 18 is by way of the component 36 in such a way that the water coming from the gap 12' penetrates the porous material of the component 36, rises by capillary action or the like in the component 36 and then is discharged from the end part 40 of the component 36 to the substrate in the plant cavity 18 of the root cluster 20', as is diagrammatically indicated in FIG. 2 by the arrows denoting the directions of flow.
• the water supply through the component 36 into the plant cavity 18 depends on the moisture content of the substrate in the plant cavity 18, that is to say, the drier the substrate in-the plant cavity 18,. the greater the supply of water through the component 36 due to a suction effect of the substrate, and vice versa. Desiccation or overwatering of the plant 16 is thus practically eliminated since the plant 16 is able to draw its water as needed automatically from the gap 12.
• the supply of nutrient substances is directly from above, i.e., by the introduction of nutrient substances into the plant cavity 18.
• slow acting manures with an ion-exchange action have proved to be particularly satisfactory, from which the respective nutrient substances are dissolved out by the root secretion of the plant and then absorbed.
• the plant 16 to be grown has only a low water requirement, it would be possible to dispense with the spacers 46 so that the plant vessel 6 would rest directly on the bottom surface 38 of the receiving vessel 4. The supply of moisture from the gap 12 to the component 36 would then be through the porous material of the receiving vessel 4 in the zone between its bottom surface 38 and the bottom surface 30.
• the component 36 not to be made integral with the bottom surface 38 of the receiving vessel 4 so that there could be provided a number of components 36, which would have differing degrees of porosity for the purpose of adapting the release of water from the gap 12 or 12' to the plant cavity 18 to meet the respective requirements.
• the receiving vessel. 4 it is also possible for the receiving vessel. 4 to be fashioned of a non-porous material, such as, for example, resin.
• the spacers 46 must be provided in order to make it possible for the water in the gap 12 to make its way through the gap 12' and the component 36 to the plant cavity 18.
• the shape of the receiving vessel 4 and of the plant vessel 6, respectively may be other than rectangular as shown in FIG. 3.
• the receiving vessel 4 may also be circular, oval or have some other form pleasing to the eye.
• the receiving vessel 4 is formed of a resin, by e.g. injection molding, the component 36 may be formed integral with the bottom surface 38.
• the resin material used is not a porous material, some sort of passageways, e.g. in the form of ax ially extending slits or grooves can be formed e.g. on the outer circumferential surface of the component 36 in order to open a passage for the water from gap 12 or 12' into the plant cavity 18.
• the plant pot 2 makes possible the cultivation of plants with a permanently dwarfed habit in an extremely facile and troublefree manner, it only being necessary to keep an eye on the water level in the gap 12 and, if appropriate, to replenish water or the alow acting manure in the plant cavity 18 occasionally.
• the supply of the plant with the moisture in the form of water as needed for it from the gap 12 is something that takes place continuously and at a controlled rate through the component 36, the supply rate of water to the substrate and the root cluster 20 at any given time being governed by the requirements of the plant in an optimum manner.
• the use of the soft and elastic material for the plant vessel 6 prevents convoluting growth of the roots at a minimum of expense, so that the plant may be kept in a healthy state despite the permanently dwarfed habit.

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=25830640

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (11)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 1986
  • 1986-03-07 WO PCT/EP1986/000119 patent/WO1986005355A1/en unknown
  • 1986-03-07 EP EP86902360A patent/EP0250435A1/de active Pending
  • 1986-03-07 AU AU57783/86A patent/AU5778386A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1986-03-14 IL IL78151A patent/IL78151A0/xx unknown
  • 1986-03-21 CN CN198686102735A patent/CN86102735A/zh active Pending

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events