EP2268124A2

EP2268124A2 - Method for making a plant wall

Info

Publication number: EP2268124A2
Application number: EP09745951A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Daniel Soupe
Original assignee: Sinnoveg (sarl)
Current assignee: Sinnoveg (sarl)
Priority date: 2008-04-16
Filing date: 2009-04-16
Publication date: 2011-01-05
Also published as: WO2009138632A2; MA32227B1; FR2930111B1; US20110030273A1; CN102046000A; FR2930111A1; WO2009138632A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for making a plant wall (1) that comprises: preparing rooted trees (2) having one or more trunks (20); planting the trees (2) very close to each other; and guiding and maintaining the trees (2) by mechanical means while they sprout in order to make them fuse together or graft onto each other, side by side, on practically the entire length of the trunks thereof so as to form, along the planting line, a juxtaposition of vertical live trunks (20) fused to each other to form a full wall.

Description

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A VEGETABLE WALL

The present invention relates to a method for producing a plant wall.

A plant wall obtained by the method of the present invention will find a particularly advantageous application in the field of the fight against noise, visual and security.

Noise barriers are already known built especially on the edges of roads near the residential areas. These noise barriers are generally masonry constructions, which generally have, on the side exposed to sound emissions, a rough surface capable of reflecting the sound, possibly several times in different directions so as to attenuate them.

These noise barriers are effective, but have the disadvantage of a questionable aesthetic. In addition, this efficiency is restricted because of the limiting heights imposed by the environmental and / or mechanical constraints.

To overcome this disadvantage, some propose to replace these noise barriers by plant masses. However, these masses are essentially composed of empty space, so that they are effective against noise, they must be of great width.

If this is possible on the edge of many highways, it is not the same in the agglomeration or near them, where we can not have sufficient space.

Plant hedges described in documents CH 157855, BE 584804, FR 2133242 and DE 19502051 are thus known. The document CH 157855 describes holding means designed to keep two living limbs sufficiently close together, so that they can be welded together while leaving them the possibility of growing, and thus be able to produce a plant hedge where the branches of the plants are 'intersect.

BE 584804 discloses a method of producing a fruit hedge composed of grafted plants.

The document FR 2133242 describes a culture method, consisting in grafting several plants together at their apices to form vaults, so as to be able to overcome stakes.

DE 19502051 discloses a plant wall for use in delineating residential areas, sports facilities and play areas, which has two parallel vertical walls each consisting of interwoven branches, while the space defined by said walls are filled with an optionally organic absorbent material such as compost for example.

All the plant hedges proposed in these documents call upon the usual knowledge of the person skilled in the art and are based on the principle of assembling two subjects side by side or a fragment of one subject against another so that they are bonded to one another, for example by the method of grafting veneer.

This method implies obligatory weaning of the two opposite parts of each subject, or at least of one of them, that is to say that to graft two subjects, one cuts the roots of the one and one cut the aerial part of the other. Such a method can not allow to obtain a continuous wall may constitute a noise barrier. The object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a method of producing a plant wall capable of constituting a sound barrier wall.

The method of producing a plant wall according to the invention is essentially characterized in that it consists in preparing root trees provided with one or more trunks, in planting said trees very close to each other, to be guided and maintaining, by mechanical means, said trees during their growth to force them to weld or graft to each other, side by side, as they grow, over virtually the entire height of their trunk, to form, along the planting line, a juxtaposition of living vertical trunks, welded to each other to form a solid wall.

The method used is different from those used for the grafting, the subjects keep their roots and their aerial part, and they are obliged, by the maintenance and guidance, to push and to weld on practically the whole height of the trunk, to to make Siamese twin subjects in large numbers.

Moreover, in the aforementioned documents the plants intercross to form a plant hedge, which does not provide a solid wall, and which requires, as in DE 19502051, to use the filling material in large quantity .

According to an additional characteristic of the process according to the invention, the soil intended for receiving the trees is prepared by decomposing it very deeply so as to promote deep rooting.

According to another additional feature of the method according to the invention, the mechanical means consist of a lattice, and / or in rigid elements arranged transversely, secured to the trunks.

The lattice or the rigid elements may be made of different materials, metal for example. They are intended to keep the trunks in contact with each other so as to eliminate the effects of friction between them generated for example by the wind, and thus accelerate the process of welding or grafting. The trellis and / or the rigid elements may be temporarily fixed, or leave to remain until being enveloped by the plant material, and incorporated therein.

According to another additional feature of the method according to the invention, the mechanical means consist of stakes, driven deep into the ground, and to which are secured the trees.

As for the lattice and the rigid elements, the stakes make it possible to keep the trunks motionless relative to each other, and to avoid the frictional movements generated for example by the wind. They can be of temporary use, the time to obtain the joining of the trunks between them.

According to a variant of the process according to the invention, recoped trees are used, on which only the aligned trunks are kept, so as to form candles.

According to another variant, trees of the willow or poplar type are used, the trunks of which are associated with each other by the so-called plating grafting technique.

The so-called plating grafting technique involves planing a strip of bark on the side of a trunk in the lengthwise direction thereof, so as to obtain a flat part of a width of a few centimeters, depending on the size of the trunk, and on all or part of the length of the trunk, and to repeat the operation on the trunk of the other tree to be grafted, then assemble the two trunks one against the other by adjusting the bark of a trunk with the bark of the neighboring trunk, and by plating the planed areas against each other, then to maintain the two trunks with a slight pressure by any mechanical means of maintenance, and this during a sufficient period, which can be of the order of six to twelve months, to allow welding or grafting.

According to another additional feature of the method according to the invention, at the top of the trees, a special size of destructuring of the branches is carried out, so as to be able to knot the branches from one trunk to the other, and to obtain a solidarity between them of the tops of the trees.

According to another additional feature of the method according to the invention, the nursery method is carried out for sets of a few trees, so as to obtain, for each of its assemblies, after said trees are welded or grafted to each other. As they grew, a root panel was then transplanted to the final receiving site of the wall, juxtaposing and aligning them, and guiding and maintaining them through mechanical means.

This variant of the process has many advantages. Indeed, in nurseries it is easier to control the friction problems between the trunks, and in particular to shelter the wind plantations, so as to obtain more quickly engraftment.

According to another additional characteristic of the method according to the invention, in the nursery the assembly of the shafts of a set of shafts is carried out using a frame with dimensions adapted to the desired root panel, on which said trees are attached.

The frame used for the growth of the trees of a set of trees can be maintained on it during the transplantation, in order to constitute the mechanical means for maintaining the panels between them.

Advantageously, in the case in particular of the production of a noise barrier, plant materials such as foams, for example, are implanted on the wall, so as on the one hand to fill some spaces remained empty despite the development of trees and on the other hand to enhance the sound absorption capacity.

It will be noted that the use of foams for filling spaces can be replaced by synthetic or natural products.

The advantages and characteristics of the method according to the invention will become more clearly apparent from the description which follows and which refers to the appended drawing, which represents a non-limiting embodiment thereof.

In the attached drawing:

Figures la and Ib are partial schematic views in elevation and in section illustrating two steps of the method of producing a plant wall according to the invention.

- Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view in section of a plant wall obtained by the method according to the invention.

FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d show partial diagrammatic views in elevation and in section illustrating successive steps of a variant of the method for producing a plant wall according to the invention.

- Figure 4 shows a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a variant of a plant wall in progress by the method according to the invention.

FIG. 5 represents a diagrammatic elevation and sectional view illustrating a step of the same method according to the invention.

- Figure 6 shows an elevational view in section illustrating a step of a variant of the same process.

With reference to FIG. 1a, one can see a step of producing a plant wall 1. According to the invention, trees 2 have been planted very close to one another, these trees 2 being recessed trees on which no keep that the trunks 20 aligned so as to form candles.

The soil S has been previously worked in depth in order to promote the deep expansion of the roots 21 of the trees 2.

With reference to FIG. 1b, it can be seen that during a next step of the method according to the invention, the branches 22 of the top of the shafts 2 are cut and arranged so as to allow them to be knotted 23 .

In Figure 3, we can see a plant wall 1 according to the invention, obtained by planting trees 2.

Referring now to Figures 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d, we can see several stages of the evolution of a plant wall 1 made according to the method of the invention, in which are incorporated mechanical means for guiding and holding . Thus, as can be seen in FIG. 3a, the vegetal wall 1 is composed of recessed trees 2, planted side by side, and connected by a mesh 3 which can be made of different materials, metal or plastic. The mesh 3 is fixed on each of the trunks 20, by means of staples 30 for example.

On the vegetal wall 1 of FIG. 3b, tying of the branches 22 was performed in a bun, while the mesh 3 began to be absorbed by the trunks 20.

In FIGS. 3c and 3d, it can be seen that later on the mesh 3 is completely absorbed, and that in their development the trunks 20 have approached each other until they touch each other.

Furthermore, the method according to the invention makes it possible to create a vegetal wall 1 either by installing it directly on the place to be protected and by making it develop there, or by carrying out, according to the same method, in a nursery, panels of several trees intended, after they have reached at least a certain level of growth, to be transplanted to the place of creation of a wall.

The plant walls 1 as shown in Figures 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d, consist of bringing together four shafts 2, each comprising 3, trunks 20, which may constitute a panel 4 according to the invention.

It will thus be noted that the mesh 3 used to hold and guide the trunks 20, of a panel 4, comprises a portion 31 which protrudes laterally from the end trunks of the two end shafts 2 of the panel 4. These portions 31 of the trellis 3 are intended to after transplanting the panels 4, to be joined together and thus bring together two abutting panels 4. Referring now to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, there can be seen a variant of the process according to the invention, whose implementation characteristics are more particularly related to the species used, and to the grafting properties thereof, the willows for example .

The method consists in using trunks 5 of willows, initially planing them longitudinally on two sides to obtain two plane faces 50, then to abut and maintain the trunks contiguous two by two, faces 50 against each other while abutting also the cut lines of the barks 51.

In parallel, the trunks 5 are planted in the soil S so that they develop roots therein.

This variant of the method according to the invention requires the use on the one hand to allow grafting, holding means such as bars 6 arranged transversely and nailed in the trunks 5, or threaded rods 60 through the trunks diametrically, and secondly the time of rooting, stakes 61 planted deep in the soil S.

Note that advantageously, the flat faces 50 may not be diametrically opposed, thus creating angles.

This variant of the process according to the invention can also allow the realization in nurseries of transplantable panels.

It will also be noted that the method according to the invention can incorporate, in addition to operations for producing a wall 1 or panels 4, operations of a more aesthetic nature, but which can also lead to a reinforcement, as example the inclination, bending or twisting of the trunks, or part of them.

Whatever the version of the production method according to the invention, it is possible to complete the development of the trees by adding materials likely to plug holes that would remain in or on the plant wall 1. These materials can be different natures, they can be of vegetal order or of synthetic order.

Among the plant materials, foams may be used which, in addition to their ability to fill openings, have the advantage of great sound absorption.

Among the synthetic materials, it is possible to use products such as silicone.

It should also be noted that the choice of species is of great importance. In addition to the faculties for certain species, a facility of malleability, some may be chosen for their sound absorption quality, particularly in the case of the realization of a sound barrier. Thus, for example, may be preferably chosen species developing the most cork.

The method according to the invention makes it possible to create a plant wall that provides protection against nuisances, whether they be sound or visual, but also to prohibit access while meeting environmental requirements.

Moreover, a plant wall obtained by the method according to the invention can reach great heights, without the need for anchoring means or concrete, as is currently the case for the walls noise.

Claims

1) Process for producing a plant wall (1) characterized in that it consists of:

- to prepare root trees (2) provided with one or more trunks (20, 5), - to plant said trees (2) very close to each other, to guide and maintain, through means mechanical (3, 6, 60, 61), said trees (2) during their growth to force them to weld or graft to each other, side by side, as they grow, over virtually the entire height of their trunk, to form, along the planting line, a juxtaposition of living vertical trunks (20, 5), welded to each other to form a solid wall.

2) A method of producing a plant wall (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that prepares the soil (S) for receiving the trees (2), decompacting very deeply so as to promote deep rooting .

3) A method of producing a plant wall (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the mechanical means consist of a lattice (3), and / or rigid elements (6, 60) arranged transversely, secured to the trunks (20, 5).

4) A method of producing a plant wall (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the mechanical means consist of stakes (61), driven deep into the ground (S), and to which are joined trees (2). 5) A method of producing a plant wall (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that using trees (2) recépés, on which one keeps only the trunks (20) aligned, in kind of forming candles.

6) Process for producing a plant wall (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that trees (2) of the willow or poplar type, whose trunks (5) are associated with each other, are used. to others by the so-called plating grafting technique.

7) A method of producing a plant wall (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, at the top of the shafts (2), a special size of destructuring of the branches (22), in sort of able to tie in a bun (23) branches (22) of a trunk (20) to the other, and get a connection between them of the tops of the trees (2).

8) Process for producing a plant wall (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the nursery method is carried out for sets of a few trees (2), so as to obtain, for each of its assemblies, after said trees (2) have welded or grafted to each other as they grow, a panel (4) root, then transplanted panels (4) obtained at the final site of reception of the wall (1), by juxtaposing and aligning them, and guiding and maintaining them by mechanical means (3; 6, 60, 61).

9) A method of producing a plant wall (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that in the nursery the assembly of the shafts (2) of a set of shafts, is carried out using a frame dimensions adapted to the desired root panel (4), on which said shafts (2) are fixed. 10) A method of producing a plant wall (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that fills the spaces between the trunks (20) with foam or other plant material that is grown there, or with synthetic materials that are deposited there.