FI60631B - PLANTBEHAOLLARE - Google Patents

Description

Γηΐ NOTICE / rt / 7 4 J9lA (11) UTLÄGGININOSSKRIFT «UO 0 1

C Patent (issued 10 03 192C

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Patent-och regiaterstyralaan '' Aiwftkan utla * do «h utl ^ krlftan publicarad 30.ll.8l (32) (33) (31) atuoikaua —Begird prloritat (71) (72) Henry Anderson Spencer, 8005-137 Street, Edmonton , Alberta,

Canada (CA) (7h) Berggren Oy Ab (5 * 0 Seedling tank - Plantbehällare This invention relates to tanks for training seedlings and in particular to improvements in tanks which guarantee a better tank planting system than other known systems and which guarantee an adaptability which is not present in other seedling tank systems.

The technology of gardening and forestry methods has changed recently. Industrial ideas have been applied to these methods to make these two branches of information more efficient than before. Standardization of the product, pulp handling systems and the application of production techniques to growing seedlings have yielded results. One of the systems used today is known as "tank planting", where the seedlings are kept in a standard container like a flowerpot and protected as critical stages of its early growth. this includes sowing and / or placing the seat cotter in the tank.

2 60631

Man has long been aware of the need to replace forests, and large-scale afforestation has been practiced in many areas. Afforestation sn has been performed by a variety of methods, including: 1) a natural method that allows the wooded area to regenerate on its own; 2) nursery method.

The natural afforestation method is estimated to be a trade of fortune.

Nurseries were the first step in meeting the demand for new trees. In the afforestation nursery method, the seed is collected, prepared, sown in long, narrow benches as densely as possible and covered with compost soil; the benches are watered and as the seedlings germinate they are maintained, they sprout and begin to grow. Two years later, when the plants are about 12.5 cm tall, they are dug out of the ground, low-promising individuals are pruned and the seedlings are mechanically planted on other benches and thinned to promote further growth. Again after two years, the seedlings are considered strong enough to withstand replanting in their final locations and are therefore dug up again and transferred to the forest. This method is still used; however, at least in part, a newer method, tank planting, has supplanted this.

Largely due to the need for afforestation programs, much work has been done in recent years to develop better methods and equipment for growing and planting seedlings. One promising method referred to in this invention is known as tank implantation, and this invention has become a useful addition to the procedures of a nursery caretaker. The old and venerable method of growing seedlings on a nursery bench has a few disadvantages, especially a lack of control over disease, plague, and weather damage to seedlings, and the tendency of certain tree species to spread their roots widely, which must be cut before the tree can be moved, transported, and replanted. Such pruning has often halted trout growth or caused root deformity and weakening.

The tank method involves the acquisition of a large number of tanks divided into cells. The containers are filled with growth medium, such as peat pellets, and seedlings are planted in each cell. After the seedlings are covered with sand or compost soil, they are allowed to germinate and when they begin to grow, young seedlings are kept in a greenhouse for 4 to 8 months, depending on the species and available environmental controls. At this point, the seedlings can be placed in a shady place to acclimatize to normal conditions before replanting. In some cases, dormancy is required for training and young seedlings are treated with a special fertilizer or, in addition, they can be slowly cooled. During planting, the seedlings are transported to the planting site directly in their containers and kept there for as long as possible. Usually the planting is carried out by a group of three people. One group carries the tanks and divides them into two others; each of these planters digs a hole in the ground with a planting stick, removes the seedlings with their associated root clumps from the cells and clogs them into the holes.

A good tank is the key to the success of this method. In the greenhouse stage, the tanks should have cells that promote the development of a thick root system. Usually the seedling will not survive in the ground without good root system. For planting purposes, the container should be a sturdy object that is easy for planters to handle and suitable for the effective removal of trout and its root clump from the cell without damage.

The benefits of planting are as follows: 1. Each seedling gets a unique, protected, controlled environment to grow and develop.

2. Seedling production - sowing, thinning, germination, air, fertilization, light monitoring, temperature control and, above all, treatment - can be mechanized.

3- Seedlings are not "shocked" by replanting because they are in individual "pots" and the roots are not damaged during this mechanical operation.

4. Because the seedlings are not "upset", they can be replanted during the summer months at regular intervals of the week or day. High productivity of work and equipment, high survival rate and apparently good results are achieved.

Reservoirs previously used in afforestation plans can be classified into two broad groups. The first group comprises plastic trays or slabs of about 60631 in which separate, tapered cells are formed. To detach the seedling and the root clump from such a cell, the seedling is grabbed after just tying the peat litter and just pulling the seedling out. The problem with this type of trough is that the time at which the lump has just bound determines the time of planting. Another drawback is that the trays are very large and use relatively large amounts of plastic to make them. The second group of containers comprises a single cell unit, such as a paper or plastic cylinder. Many of these types of tanks are buried in the ground along with the root clump and trout. Since the only possibility for the roots to exit is directly downwards through the open end of the container, there is initially only a slight increase in branching of the roots. It follows that the seedling during its early development is not properly attached; this causes poor growth and a high mortality rate for reasons such as pak-pakohoomas. Another disadvantage of this type of tank is that the amount of work required to handle a large number of individual, discrete cells is greater than in multiple cell units.

A clear downside to using dispersal planting tanks of the above type, which are therefore left in the ground, is that the bacteria, temperature and climate in the soil usually have to be just right or else the tank will disperse too slowly, causing problems with root water uptake and re-seeding.

Tank planting involves the use of environmental control during germination and early growth, it produces healthy seedlings that have a good chance of survival after training and especially tree seedlings can grow in individual cells. A problem with many planting tanks has been the need for long and deep cells to promote root development or to assist replanted seedlings to reach shallow groundwater. From such pots or deep cells, it is not easy to transfer seedlings for training until the roots have filled the entire volume. Since such root-binding is undesirable for garden care, it is useful to use an easy removal method that can treat the entire root and soil clump without damaging it and place it on the training site without any restrictive coatings. The present invention provides the above-mentioned advantage and facilitates the examination of root development without disturbing the root system or straining the trout stem or trunk. It is either a collapsible planter or a device made of two single or multiple halves that can be moved out of the box and easily opened unobstructed along an axial gap that exposes the root system for inspection or easy movement for planting or pruning. The same container with the seedling can then be closed and placed back in the box, which in turn keeps both sides of each container together. Although no friction joint slows down the process of opening and closing the container, it has an adhesive joint that provides a long and difficult path for the sensing roots to cross and access adjacent containers.

Longitudinal "troughs are formed in the sides of the walls of the container of the present invention which, as the roots develop, adhere to and hold and prevent rotation, which is the natural tendency of the root to encounter a smooth walled surface. The growth medium must be placed at the bottom of the container. In practice, the roots are allowed to protrude from the bottom of the tank, but the air circulation under the tank prevents them from growing further.The gutters are able to guide the outer roots directly towards this opening and because the roots in them are also straight, their tips wither quickly. It is an object of the present invention to provide a container whose structure is adapted to promote the growth of a thick root system with roots that are frustrated by this, so that the seedling pushes out the root branches which repeat the process. relatively straight.

Another object is to provide a container from which the seedling and rootstock can be removed at any time for planting.

A further popular object of the present invention is to provide a container with a large air-shrinkable opening.

A further preferred object of the present invention is to provide a container with a plurality of cells for growing seedlings.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an easy-to-handle, sturdy container made of a relatively small amount of plastic.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the bottom of the container has a large root pruning opening and a plurality of circumferential downwardly extending root troughs formed by the inner surface of the side wall of the container. The trout roots grow laterally up to the side wall of the tank and then follow the root chutes down into the opening - to come into contact with air, which of course is nutrient-free, the roots wither, resulting in sprouting new roots, thus developing a thick root system.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a container having multiple cells in a single row. It is split lengthwise, and preferably it folds along the edges of its base so that it can be opened and the contents of each half can be seen. To remove the trout from one of the cells, the planter opens the container and holds it in the palm of his other hand, such as when holding a book or placing it in a carrying bag, and uses his other hand to gently raise the exposed root clump. At the same time, he may bend a thin-walled flexible film-plastic container to help remove the root lump. In the greenhouse, the containers are tightly packed in a single row in a trough or box; the walls of the trough or box keep the containers closed. The structure of the container is such that it can be formed of a simple, thin plastic film; the consumption of the raw material during its production has therefore been kept to a minimum.

In mass production, it is more economical to keep the tanks as hinged, opposing “books” that remain closed inside a box with a porous bottom.Many variations of this type, both hinged and without hinges, are possible.In the sale of individual seedlings or in cases where the breeder may want to keep individual seedlings separately, the tubular container is equipped with most of the above-mentioned special features that promote container planting, as well as some other features that are particularly suitable for an individual container.

A common feature of wedding containers is the shape of the side walls of the container, which includes multiple troughs or grooves (more than four) that extend along the entire length of use of the container, guiding the roots to the bottom opening. When each container is full of growth medium, the seedlings grow roots, which, are directed directly towards the bottom, because they are located in these gutters or between the edges of the grooves. The term "service life" refers to that part of the container which contains the growth medium.

Another common feature of these containers is their combination into a box or tray, which keeps them in a suitable position for filling, either by having a porous bottom in the box or tray that does not allow growth medium to pass (but allows roots to penetrate) or prevent folded "books" from opening or both.

Among other things, the common feature of these containers is their substantially permanent cross-section over the entire length of use, which gives the roots as unrestricted space as possible and helps keep the tight container stack vibrating, with the box or trough acting as a fastener with vertical parallel sides and tightly placed in the box.

A special feature of the collapsible container is its hinged shape, which allows the hinged container (detached from the mounting box or tray) like a book to be opened and closed so that the progress of fertilization can be examined. In the early development of plants, during climatic changes that produce more or less moisture or more or less heat, plant development may not be compatible with the chosen fertilization method. In one example, where a designed fertilizer and naphthalene crystals have accumulated in the tanks, the roots may rot unless the excess fertilizer dosage is rinsed off with ordinary water. Such conditions are not easy to notice unless the condition of the roots can be checked. In other containers, it is difficult to move the "lump" of growth medium without damaging the structure of the root. For this reason, it is important to be able to open the container by means of a hinge and close it again without disturbing the bar, and the present invention provides an easily openable container, without latches, fasteners or friction locks.

The present invention comprises a) a combination of several containers for growing seedlings, each of said containers comprising two first and second wall members, each formed of a thin-walled, flexible, substantially impermeable plastic film, each said wall member comprising a series of spaced-apart, inwardly projecting "protrusions" connected by partitions, which protrusions and partitions together form a series of parallel, inwardly opening grooves extending downwardly from a portion of the upper edge of the wall member, a series of open cells at the top, bounded by protrusions and connecting partitions, which are closed along their entire length, the lower parts of each opposite pair of partitions and the partition the protruding protrusions together form an opening in the bottom of each cell, each septum forming a plurality of inwardly opening root grooves between their side edges extending downwardly and longitudinally relative to each cell of said container to control root growth towards the bottom opening, and to each other; and b) a box with a porous bottom for retaining the growth medium in the cells in which said containers are placed, said containers being arranged adjacent to each other and to the walls of the box, said containers filling said box.

For a more detailed description of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example various objects of the present invention, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a form of container; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the container shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of the opened container of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side view of the container of Figure 1; Fig. 5 is a top view of the container of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the container of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of an open, flat container; Fig. 8 is a top plan view of one wall of the container shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a side view of one end of the container shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is a partially cut-away perspective view of the containers of Fig. 7 closed; Fig. 11 is a partially broken perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a closed container; Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a single cell, similar to those shown in the interconnected device of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a partially broken perspective view showing a container comprising separate wall members; Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a container as shown in Fig. 11 housed in a lattice-based box; and Fig. 15 is a pictorial interpretation in perspective of a typical growing seedling showing a root system developed using a container according to the present invention.

Referring to Figures 1-6, the described container 1 comprises two vertical, opposite, generally parallelepiped-shaped wall members 2, 3 which pivot horizontally along the edge of their bottoms by means of a parallelepiped-shaped hinge member 4. The wall and hinge members 2, 3, 4 are formed of a simple, thin-walled, flexible, impermeable plastic film, thus providing a unit comprising three inseparable parts.

Each wall member 2, 3 comprises a series of spaced, inwardly projecting, tapered protrusions 5, 6 connected to each other by curved partitions 7, 8. The projections 5, 6 and the partitions 7 »8 together delimit two parallel, open at the top, inwardly opening, downwardly extending trough rows 9, 10 with a semicircular cross-section. The protrusions 5 of the wall member 3 are mutually opposite to the protrusions 6 of the wall member 2, whereby the container 1 is closed, they together delimit the separate compartments or cells 11 of the row.

In a popular specialty, the protrusions 6 are sharp and the protrusions 5 have toothing 13. When the wall members 2, 3 are pressed together, the edges 12 engage the toothing 13 and provide tight, elongate closures between adjacent cells.

The protrusions 5, 6 and the partitions 7, 8 are tapered and curved and provide corrugated parts 14, 15, respectively, at the bottom of the chutes 9, 10. Semicircular openings 16, 17 are formed in the corrugated parts 14, 15 · When the container 1 is closed, the openings 16, 17 together form openings 30 for drying and air reduction.

One or more inwardly opening, longitudinal root troughs 18, 19 are formed in the partitions 7, 8. These troughs 18, 19 lead down to the bottom openings 16, 17 and guide the growth of the root in that direction.

10 60631

Tapered recesses 20 are formed adjacent to the tops of a few protrusions 5, 6; the pins 21 projecting from the opposite edge engage the recesses 20 by frictional connection when the container 1 is closed. Together, these factors keep the container 1 closed in most conditions and prevent the wall members 2, 3 from moving vertically relative to each other.

Towards the hinge member 4 a series of openings 22 corresponding to the openings 30 are made. In addition, the hinge member 4 is formed to provide a series of downwardly extending protrusions 23. These protrusions raise the container 1 above the trough floor (not shown) so that roots penetrate through the openings 30 and 22.

In use, a plurality of containers 1 are stacked in one sealed upright space in a tray or box. Peat litter or other suitable growth medium is packed in cells 11 and seed is planted in each. Irrigation allows the seed to germinate and grow into a seedling. As its roots lengthen, the troughs 18, 19 guide them downwards into the openings 30. As the roots penetrate out of the growth medium and come into contact with air, their tips wither. The seedling then sprouts more roots and the cycle repeats.

In this way, a rich, relatively straight root system gradually develops. The combination of the protrusions 12 and the toothing 13 prevents the root of each trout from entering the adjacent cell. As a result, the roots of adjacent seedlings do not become entangled. When the seedlings need to be planted, the sealed containers are packed in boxes and taken to the fields. There, each container is opened to expose the trout and root clump. These are removed as previously described and the empty container is re-reserved for use.

According to one manufacturing method, the container is thermoformed from a 0.25 mm thick raw material, highly impact-resistant polystyrene.

This plastic strip is placed in a hydraulic press with a perforated heated mold table equipped with a closure ring limiting its work surface. The press presses the plastic against the corresponding ring on the side of the mold, while closing the work surface of the plastic. The mold is suitably perforated for the passage of air. The plastic is pre-stretched and the air fed through the mold forces a mold table heated against the plastic, the vacuum side of which is fitted with a vacuum. A vacuum is then placed on the dormant side of the mold and air is allowed through the fashion table to press the plastic into the mold where it cools to rigid. The press is then opened and the plastic 11 60631 is lifted from the mold and transferred to a tearable press. The clamp makes the necessary holes and cuts out the parts except for the connecting pins. The material is then transferred to a cutting knife and the units are separated.

Figures 7 * 10 show an alternative embodiment of the container. In this type, the opposing protrusions are designed to form overlapping joints that keep the cells apart even when the walls of the container are pressed slightly apart, which may occur when the growth medium is introduced into the cells. As mentioned above, separation of the cells is desirable to prevent mixing of the plant roots.

More specifically, the container 50 comprises opposite first and second wall members 51, 52, each having protrusions 53, 54. The left sides of the protrusions 53 are lowered to define troughs 55; the left sides of the protrusions 54 are lowered to define the troughs 56. The troughs 55, 56 terminate below the upper ends of the protrusions 53, 54. Short troughs 57, 58 are formed at the left and right edges of the protrusions 53, 54, respectively. It should be noted that the protrusions 53, 54 of the wall 51 are mutually opposite to the protrusions 5, 53 of the wall 52. It follows that the non-lowered portions 59, 60 of the protrusions 53, 54 settle in the troughs 57, 58 of the protrusions 54, 53 with the walls 52, 51 closed to provide overlapping joints. Thus, a locking system is provided which reduces the distortion and twisting of the protrusions when the container is used.

This embodiment of the container shown in Figure 7 is based on a series of hinge members 62, each of which is independently formed of two adjacent opposite projections of the container 50 and a partition wall connecting them, which hinge members are collapsible along a hinge line 63. Referring to Figure 7, in the state, the hinge members rise relative to the corrugated side walls of the cavities like a plateau, but are below the level of the sharp edges 60a, 60b of the protrusions 53, 54. A relatively wide and low channel-like recess 64 is formed between the boundary pair of each hinge member 62 and also between the opposite protrusions of the container 50 and the partitions connecting them. The shape of the hinge parts 62 and the channel-like recesses 64 is as shown in Figures 7 and 10. During the container manufacturing process, the channel-like recesses 12,60631 are split in the direction of the hinges so that when the hinge is folded, the incision widens and provides a large drying opening (not actually shown in Figures 7-10) for each cavity, at 67. The container is closed as shown in Figure 10. each half of the hinge members 62 resembles a winged delta-like triangle.

In another embodiment, shown in Figures 11 and 12, the container 70 is formed with protrusions 71, 72 and partitions 73 extending downward generally vertically, while providing a cell 7a having a substantially constant cross-sectional area along its entire length. To prevent peat litter or other growth medium from dripping from the bottom opening, the substantially horizontal, opposing, finger-like members 75, 76 extend inwardly from the lower edges of each opposite pair of partitions 73 and form a growth-retaining barrier extending across the opening and divided into smaller openings 77 , the ends of the members 75, 76 are preferably joined to form a hinge. The lower parts of the protrusions are also connected to each other by horizontal members 78 - the members 75, 76, 78 together form hinge members connecting the two wall members 79 ·

In another embodiment, shown in Figure 13, the container 80 comprises separate wall members 8, 82 that can be placed in a lattice-based box 83, as shown in Figure 11a. When the box 83 is filled, the wall members 8l, 82 of the container remain upright. According to the presentation, a slightly different overlapping joint is used.

Using this latter embodiment, the roots grow downwards along the root chutes 8a into the opening 85. Here they extend through the lattice base 86 and are pruned by the air. The lattice base members pass across the bottom opening of each cell, helping peat litter (or other growth medium) to remain in the cell.

Another special feature of the collapsible hinged container according to the present invention is the design of the side wall troughs. The cell or unit in each tank has alternating longitudinal ridges and troughs both outside and inside, as can be seen by looking at the drawings. Each brush on the outer wall of the container is located directly opposite the trough on the inner wall of the same container, i.e. the side walls of the container are corrugated. Each such 60631 trough (referred to herein as troughs 18, 19 of Figure 1, troughs 68, 69 of Figure 7 and troughs 8 * 0 of Figure 13 is configured to communicate with a respective ridge of a similar outer wall of a container positioned parallel to it so that when a second "book", i.e. a collapsible hinged container, is placed next to it, the longitudinal ridges of the outer walls of such a container engage with the corresponding longitudinal grooves of the outer walls of the nearest container so as to prevent the containers from sliding sideways relative to each other.

Another distinguishing feature of a collapsible hinged container according to the present invention is that the tops of the wall members 51, 52 (Figures 7, 10) extend vertically slightly above the operating surface of the container length as edges 51a, 52a (Figures 7, 10). Referring here to Figures 7 and 10 of the drawings, along the length of the wall members 51, 52, edge members 53, 5 * 1 projecting perpendicular to the plane of the wall members 51, 52 protrude at predetermined clearances. The walls of the tanks are vertical when in use, so that the protrusions protrude horizontally. Each pair of wall members and protrusions retains in one container cell the growth medium in which the individual seedling is placed. The upper surface of the protrusions 53, 5 ** forms strips 53a, 5 * + a (see Fig. 10) which, when the protrusions join to form an overlapping joint, as previously described, form a strip extending across the container. The vertically extending edges 51a, 52a and the slats 53a, 5 * 4a are smooth and straight rather than trough or corrugated like the walls of the tank, so that when the slats fit together, the possibility of growth medium getting between adjacent cells of the tank and adjacent hinged tanks is substantially blocked; and also the fact that excess growth medium could get on the cells of the tank and later be pressed into the cells of the tank. The moldings also standardize the surface by smoothing out excess filler during the filling phase. A further purpose of these slats is to protect the bait from excessive water and fertilizer spraying in its fluffy phase, and by capturing and directing such spraying into gutters, while attracting roots between soakings towards the last moist place near the outer wall of the tank.

A particular feature of the collapsible hinged container of the present invention is the shape of the latch between the cavities or cells, which is similar to the adhesive latch and forms a high portion on one side and a low portion on each side of the cavity 1460631, which invariably fits like two real or two left hands to shake hands, each facing the opposite half of the cavity. When closed, the cavity has closure lines, which thus deviate from the hinge centerline by half the depth of the adhesive latch. The locking parts of this adhesive latch are similar to the thumbs of two right hands (or two left hands) and close at the depth of the main adhesive latch. Transverse movement from side to side is done by opening as little as possible to prevent the slightest possibility of the roots getting between the cavities. This smallest possible opening is achieved by making the intersection edges at an angle of 45 ° to the dividing line so that the joint has only one small point of contact. The joints are thus kept as close as possible to the top of the cavity, again to reduce root migration.

In use, a plurality of containers according to the present invention, for example, such as containers 50 shown in Figures 7-10 or containers 70 shown in Figure 11 or containers 80 shown in Figure 15, are stacked together in an upright position in a tray or box. The containers are then filled with a growth medium such as modified litter, ground bark, vermiculite, foam perlite, sterilized soil or sand. After growing and pressing, the tanks are sown. A vacuum-based seed drill should be used, which only pulls the seed from storage into small holes arranged according to the pattern of the cavities. The drill is then placed on top of the trough and the vacuum is released, allowing the seeds to fall into each cavity. The cover, then sand or limestone crumbs, is then sprinkled to cover the seeds. The trays are placed in a suitably warm place and covered with a polyethylene film during the germination of the seeds. Over-insemination is often done to ensure 100% benefit so that thinning forms part of the subsequent work step.

Germination usually takes place in humid air at 21-25 ° C. A thin polyethylene film is wrapped around the planted irrigated trough batch. The heat generated during this time must be monitored to obtain the best temperature. When the temperature of the seeds exceeds 27 ° C, their germination ratio may decrease. It has been found that the early growth of each seedling is extremely sensitive to changes in the environment and it is desirable to keep the seedlings in a greenhouse for at least 8 weeks after sowing, for their particularly good growth start.

The containers of this invention are very useful during these first 8 weeks.

During trout growth, "air pruning" techniques are used to promote root growth. Normal root growth follows the path of least resistance and, as such, follows the aforementioned gutters that attempt to guide most of the roots that touch the sidewall toward the bottom of the tank. The biological compulsion that causes the root to grow is frustrated by the air that the protruding, growing root encounters when it finds its way out of the base and just withers. This compulsion causes the roots in the tank to continue to branch, and more and more new roots then follow the troughs and brushes at the bottom, where the action repeats itself.

Throughout the growth of the trout, the development of its root must be checked.

All you need to do is take a filled container containing a growing trout (which, because it can be opened like a book, is referred to as the "book" hereafter), open the "book", and visually look at the root clump (lump). If desired for this purpose, the root cluster can be easily removed from the container and held as shown in Figure 15. The evolution of trout 88 (referring to that figure) and in particular the evolution of its roots 90 can be seen at a glance. After inspection, the root cluster 92, which comprises the rootstock of the trout in dense growth medium, is only placed back in the individual cell of the container from which it was taken and the "book" is sealed.

While inspecting the development of the trout root, the inspector can tell from the color of the growth medium whether there are problems with drought or excessive irrigation. In these early stages of development, root development can be studied without damaging the stump.

Once the seedling has developed to the point where it is large enough to be trained, the seedling is transferred in its tank to a half-controlled outdoor area or a small unheated greenhouse - the so-called "cold platform" where the trout is used or "hardened" to outdoor conditions.

When transferred to cold pallets or open storage, the troughs and their containers are placed above ground level. This facilitates the events of the "weather". "Air pruning" is actually a method of grabbing trout cage 60631 to form side roots. When the trout roots reach the open bottom of the tank, they wither in the air. This temporary stoppage of growth is biologically signaled to the seedling and this triggers the development of new side-root growth. Since the gutters in the walls of the tank guide most of the roots directly to the bottom, the operation is accelerated by using the tanks according to the present invention. Usually, a seedling seedling placed on a seedbed next to its partners develops very long but numerically sparse roots. Long roots cannot be replanted in such a way that they have to be cut off and at the same time "shock" the training. In contrast, the roots of seedlings grown in the containers of this invention are intact when replanted, so they can be replanted at any time, even when in full growth. are outside, awaiting entry into the new soil and spread fan-like evenly in all directions, forming an ideal root system that prevents wilting at a later stage of growth.

The seedling can then be taken directly to the training area and removed from the container by the same simple method previously outlined here in connection with the examination of early seedling growth.

Replanting can be performed using standard standard methods, but the troughs are sturdy and are often used to carry seedlings directly to the site. A hoe, planting stick, talso-ax, double-edged chopper, shovel or planting tube can be used. All methods have been successfully tried in the field, and the judgment of the planting foreman decides the choice.

The container of the present invention has a number of important advantages, summarized as follows: 1. The container can be made in any desired size to accommodate a wide variety of seedlings of different qualities.

2. Minimum storage and transport costs.

3. Tanks are easy to load, fill, sow, thin out and dry.

4. Tank gutters accelerate root development, reduce twisting, promote healthy growth of contact roots, i.e., roots that are the first to come into contact with new soil when replanted.

17 60631 5. The containers of this invention allow consideration of each growth stage. The “book” can be easily brought up, opened and the development of the trout root can be “read”.

6. The container according to the present invention allows the trout to be removed at each stage of growth and the removal is very easy. Opening the tank is all milli needed. Smooth, hard walls, a hinged bottom and straight troughs make the transfer easy. No time is wasted replanting directly from the box to the field.

7- The containers of this invention allow almost the highest possible density in the bench, however, should be thinned by leaving space for the leaves of the later stages of development, without losing the advantage of multiple treatment of these stages.

8. The containers of this invention can be utilized in a variety of ways in horticultural techniques; in the rooting of cuttings, in the sprouting of root cuttings, in the "air pruning" of various, very rooted seedlings, and in a wide variety of seedlings, from trees to wild grasses, shrubs, vegetables.

9. Seedlings that are easy to train grow in the containers of this invention. No special equipment is required, however, they are easily suitable for the most complex replanting machines.

10. The manufacture of the containers of this invention is relatively inexpensive.

Since preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, which is limited by the appended claims.

Claims (12)

18 60631 A container for growing seedlings, which container in normal use is vertical and consists of a pair of walls comprising first (2, 51 »8l) and second (3, 52, 82) walls, each formed of a thin, flexible, substantially impermeable plastic and each containing a plurality of spaced apart, elongate, inwardly extending shoulders (5, 6, 53, 54, 71, 72) interconnected by profiles (7, 8, 73) with the first wall shoulders opposite the second wall shoulders and the opposite shoulders provided with interlocking members (20, 21, 55, 56, 78) so that, when the walls are pressed together, a plurality of top-opening cells (11; 74) are formed from the shoulders and the profiles (7, 8, 73) connecting them, which for most of their length are closed, with the cells formed together by the shoulders and profiles being parallel to each other, facing inwards, and the shoulders (5, 6, 53, 54, 71, 72. internally relatively wide and deep, the cells extending vertically downwards from the upper end edge of the walls, the lower end edges of opposite pairs of profiles and their associated shoulders together forming a base for each cell with a hole formed in the bottom smaller than the opening in the top of the cell; from the side walls of the container (1) and each opposite pair of profiles forms the side walls of each individual cell, characterized in that the cell profile is grooved in its longitudinal direction, the grooves (18, 19, 68, 69, 84) inside the cell walls extending downwards towards the bottom hole (22), and forming a plurality of root grooves (18, 19, 68, 69, 84) to direct root growth toward the bottom hole (22). Container according to Claim 1, characterized in that the lower end portions of each opposite pair of profiles (7, 8) are bent inwards and that the respective end portions of the pair of shoulders belonging thereto taper inwards. A container according to claim 1, characterized in that a pair of substantially horizontal, opposing finger-shaped portions (75, 76) are adapted to protrude from the lower portions of each opposite pair of profiles to form a rod extending over the hole and retaining the growth medium in place. 19 60631. Container according to Claim 3, characterized in that the shoulders and profiles extend substantially vertically downwards, thereby forming cells with a substantially constant cross-sectional area (7 * 0. Container according to claim 3, characterized in that the opposite shoulders are constructed in such a way that they provide an overlap joint (59, 60, 57, 58) for most of its length when compressed, which overlap adjacent cells and prevent the roots of different cells from entangling each other. Container according to claim 5, characterized in that - each first shoulder (53) is recessed to form a first groove (5 5) along the edge and that the second shoulder (5 **) is bevelled to form a second groove (56) on the opposite edge along, wherein the non-beveled portion of the first shoulder fits into said second groove and the non-beveled portion of the second shoulder fits into said first groove with the walls in the closed position forming an overlap joint. A container according to claim 6, characterized in that the first (55) and second (56) grooves terminate immediately below the upper ends of the shoulders (53, 5 * 0) so that the first shoulder is bevelled along its remaining edge by a short groove ( 57) to form at its upper end that the second shoulder is biased along its remaining side edge to form a short groove (58) at its upper end, and that the non-beveled upper edge (59) of each shoulder fits into the short groove (57, 58) of the opposite shoulder with the container closed; to form a locking member that reduces shoulder distortion and deformation when the container is in use. Container according to Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the upper parts of each wall of the container extend vertically 1 to 1 distance above the upper edge of the shoulders and form a pair of opposite flanges, the upper edges of the shoulders forming a strip extending over the container when the shoulders engage each other. being smooth and straight. 20 60631 A container according to claim 1, characterized in that the walls are connected by hinge members (10 at the lower end of the walls. Container according to claim 9, characterized in that the hinge members consist of a plurality of hinges (62), each formed in one piece with a pair of adjacent shoulders and associated profiles, and in that there is a relatively wide, shallow, channel-like recess (6) between each pair of adjacent hinges. 1) having a slit along the bending line of the hinge so that when the container is closed and thus the hinge is bent, the slit widens to form a drying and root cutting opening in the bottom of the cell. Container according to Claim 1, characterized in that the size and shape of the root grooves are such that, as the roots grow, they point directly towards the opening (30) in the shortest path. Container according to claim 3, characterized in that the horizontal devices (78) connect the shoulders to each other from their lower part and that these devices (78) together with the finger-shaped parts (75, 76) form hinges connecting the walls (79) to the container at the bottom.