FR2958494A1 - Growing medium for growing plants, has hydration element exchanging water with storage substrate by hydration element part and branch such that hydration element transports water to medium substrate to irrigate plants in medium substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

The medium (1) has a water storage substrate (2) to store water, where a rigid/semi-rigid reinforcing system i.e. metal rod armature, is extended around the medium. A hydration element (5) is arranged between the substrate and a growing medium substrate (4). The element exchanges the water with the storage substrate by hydration element part and branch (6, 7) that are provided in contact and not provided in contact with the storage substrate such that the element transports the water by capillarity from the storage substrate to the medium substrate to irrigate plants in the medium substrate. The hydration element is in the form of mesh and is made of cotton. The water storage substrate is chosen from a group comprising natural or synthetic sponge, foam for floral composition and sphagnum. An independent claim is also included for a method for fabricating a growing medium.

Description

The present invention relates to a culture support, and in particular to a culture support having an integrated hydration system, as well as to a process for the manufacture of a culture medium. such culture support. Culture systems are known that make it possible to ensure hydration of a plant. These systems are based on the principle of capillarity, or on the regular supply of water through pressurizing or spraying. The first type of hydration system known, operating by capillarity, requires a container with a water tank. Most of the time, this container is made of plastic, and this type of system is therefore consumer of non-renewable materials. In addition, the container is often bulky and unattractive.

The second type of hydration system known regular supply of water by pressurizing or spraying has a complexity of implementation important, and consumes energy to operate, especially for pump operation. This type of hydration system requires regular maintenance to prevent leaks. In general, the known hydration systems are therefore unsightly, consume non-renewable resources and energy, and are not easy to implement and maintain. Another disadvantage of these known systems is that they are complex to adjust according to the needs of the plant grown.

A final disadvantage of these systems is that potting the plant requires a change of the container and therefore a reinstallation of the system. The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, and relates to a universal integrated hydration system, simple to implement, maintenance-free and reusable. The present invention therefore relates to a culture medium, characterized in that it comprises: - a cultivation substrate for cultivating a plant; a water storage substrate capable of storing water; and a hydration element adapted to transport water by capillarity, disposed between the culture substrate and the water storage substrate and adapted to exchange water with the water storage substrate by a portion of the latter in contact with the water storage substrate, another part of the hydration element not in contact with the water storage substrate extending in the culture substrate, so that the hydration element is able to transport water by capillarity of the water storage substrate to the culture substrate to irrigate the plant in the culture substrate, The culture support of the invention has an integrated hydration system and does not require, for the operation of the hydration of the plant, any container. It consumes very little non-renewable materials. The culture support of the invention with integrated hydration system is autonomous, even if it can be integrated into a container. Being autonomous, it can take different forms according to the forms given to the culture substrate and the water storage substrate, have associated accessories and is aesthetically pleasing than the systems of the prior art. In addition, the culture support of the invention requires no energy consumption to operate, the water being transported from the water storage substrate to the culture substrate by capillarity.

Hydration can be easily adjusted by adjusting the size of the water storage substrate and the density of the capillary system. The culture support of the invention is of simple structure, and all these elements are reusable.

The provision of the hydration element under the culture substrate allows hydration of the culture substrate from below, which avoids leaching nutrients into the culture substrate, and promotes the development of the microbial layer on the surface of the culture substrate. culture substrate. In addition, the fact that the culture substrate is disposed on the water storage substrate makes it possible to limit evaporation of the water contained in the water storage substrate, and thus allows prolonged operation of the culture medium of the water storage substrate. the invention. The hydration ensured by capillarity, and not by a pump or spray system, is uniform and prolonged. The system operates autonomously without the required action of an external operator. According to a first particular characteristic of the invention, the hydration element is constituted by a wick or by several wicks which form a mesh.

The hydration element may also be a moisturizing drain, or any element capable of exchanging water by contact with the water storage substrate. According to another particular characteristic of the invention, the part of the element Hydration not in contact with the water storage substrate consists of a plurality of branches or branches that extend into the culture substrate from the portion of the hydration member in contact with the water storage substrate. The different branches make it possible to ensure better hydration of the plant in the culture substrate, the water being transported in the branches by capillarity.

According to another particular characteristic of the invention, the hydration element is made of cotton. Any other material used in horticulture, and ensuring capillarity, can also be used. Strips of cut nonwoven fabrics can be used (Nutrient Film Technic (NFT) type or nonwoven wiping fabric for the industrial sector). According to another particular characteristic of the invention, the water storage substrate is a water-absorbing element, of natural or synthetic sponge type, a foam for floral composition or sphagnum, placed under the culture substrate. In particular, it is possible to use a wettable foam for floral composition that absorbs a quantity of water that is almost equal to its volume, or sphagnum moss or the like. Any material absorbing water without bleeding can be used. In particular, it is possible to use several layers of horticultural felt. These materials are cut to the desired size, depending on the absorption capacity of the material and the hydration requirements of the plant. According to another particular characteristic of the invention, the hydration element comprises connection means for connecting the hydration element to an external source of water. The hydration element operating by capillarity can thus fill the water storage substrate when it is empty, by connection through the connecting means, the hydration element to an external source of water. A portion of the water absorbed by the hydration element will be distributed in the culture substrate, the other surplus portion being stored in the water storage substrate through the contact portion between the hydration element and the water storage substrate. The water storage substrate is therefore refillable with water via the hydration element. According to another particular characteristic of the invention, the culture support further comprises an intermediate substrate disposed between the water storage substrate and the culture substrate, the part of the hydration element in contact with the substrate of storing water at the interface between the water storage substrate and the intermediate substrate, the portion of the hydration member not in contact with the water storage substrate extending from the interface between the water storage substrate and the intermediate substrate, through the intermediate substrate, and in the culture substrate for irrigating the plant.

The intermediate substrate may especially be a nonwoven used in horticultural crops to prevent root expansion. Strips of cut nonwoven fabrics can be used (Nutrient Film Technic (NFT) type or nonwoven wiping fabric for the industrial sector). The intermediate substrate has the advantage of avoiding contact of the roots with the water storage substrate, and limits the vertical path of the roots. According to another particular characteristic of the invention, the culture support further comprises at least one reinforcing system for maintaining assembled the assembly constituted by the culture substrate, the water storage substrate, and where appropriate when it is present the intermediate substrate. The reinforcement system makes it possible to dispense with any container and to give any shape to the culture support of the invention. The reinforcement system also makes it possible to keep the shape given to the culture support. According to another particular characteristic of the invention, the at least one reinforcement system is a net 20 mounted around the assembly formed by the culture substrate, the water storage substrate, and, where appropriate, is present the intermediate substrate. This contention in the form of a net makes it possible to let the substrate breathe. The net may in particular be made of cotton threads. The net is advantageously wettable. It has a role of maintaining the entire culture support. According to another particular characteristic of the invention, the culture support comprises a rigid or semi-rigid reinforcement system, preferably a reinforcement of metal rods, extending around the culture support. The reinforcement must in particular be sufficiently rigid to maintain the cohesion of the assembly formed by the culture substrate, the intermediate substrate if it is present and the water storage substrate. The reinforcement must be deformable to fit on the assembly formed by the culture substrate, the intermediate substrate if it is present and the water storage substrate, but maintain the assembly formed by the culture substrate, the intermediate substrate if present and the water storage substrate once mounted on the culture support of the invention. The reinforcement may also advantageously serve to anchor the plant in the culture substrate. The frame may in particular be aluminum son, flat so as not to sink into the growing substrate. This reinforcement system makes it possible to incline or even to return the vegetable composition obtained without risk of spilling the substrate. Thus, a composition can be made flat and then hang vertically on a wall. The invention also relates to a water supply element for a culture support as defined above, characterized in that it comprises a hydration element capable of transporting water by capillarity, said element hydration device comprising a first free end adapted to be immersed in an external source of water for drawing water by capillarity, and a second end carrying a connection means adapted to cooperate with the connection means carried by the element of hydration of the culture medium, such that when the connection means is connected together, contact between the hydration element of the feed element and the hydration element of the culture support makes it possible to transporting water by capillarity between the feed element and the hydration element.

The hydration element of the water supply element is similar to the hydration element of the culture support. When these are wicks, the connection means of each hydration element may be constituted by the end of the wick, the two wicks being connected by a node between the two wicks or a gripping element, clamp type. The hydration element of the culture support must then protrude from the substrate by a few centimeters to allow a knot or pinch. It is then possible to make a node type conventional listening node between the two hydration elements. This node can easily be untied at the end of feeding. More complex connection systems can be envisaged as a male part and a porous ceramic female part, these parts being crimped around the hydration element. These ceramic pieces can also be replaced by two pieces of tube fitting one into the other, the two hydration elements being connected by end-to-end connection. The materials used can be very varied, but must withstand moisture.

The hydration element of the water supply element is advantageously placed in flexible sealed sheaths to prevent any flow. The diameter of these sheaths is a function of the size of the hydration element, itself depending on the water inputs required. Flexible irrigation capillary tubes can also be used.

The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a culture support as defined above, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: obtaining a water storage substrate; disposing, on the water storage substrate, a hydration member, such that a portion of the hydration member is in contact with the water storage substrate; optionally, disposing an intermediate substrate on the water storage substrate, such that the portion of the hydration member not in contact with the water storage substrate passes through said intermediate substrate; disposing a culture substrate on the water storage substrate or, when present, the intermediate substrate, such that the portion of the hydration member not in contact with the water storage substrate passes through said culture substrate, and preferably extends in the vicinity of plant roots grown in the culture substrate; and optionally, arranging on the culture medium thus formed a reinforcement system.

Advantageously, several culture media according to the invention can be connected to each other. To better illustrate the object of the present invention, particular embodiments will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these drawings, - Figure 1 is a sectional view of the culture support according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the disposition of a hydration element on the water storage substrate of the culture support of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 1 along the line III-III; Figure 3A is a schematic view of a feed member used to supply water to the culture support of Figure 1;

Figure 4A is a perspective view of the culture support according to the invention, with a plant;

Figure 4B is a view similar to Figure 4A, showing a first variant of a reinforcement system 20 of the culture support according to the invention; and

Figure 4C is a view similar to Figure 4A, showing a second variant of a reinforcement system of the culture support according to the invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, it can be seen that a culture support 1 according to the invention comprises, stacked in this order, a water storage substrate 2 of the floral foam or sphagnum type used. in horticulture, a nonwoven intermediate substrate 3 and a culture substrate 4. A hydration element 5 is disposed on the water storage substrate 2, at the interface 10 between the intermediate substrate 3 and the water storage substrate 2. The intermediate substrate 3 being optional, when it is not present, the hydration element 5 is disposed on the water storage substrate 2, at the interface between the culture substrate 4 and the water storage substrate 2. The hydration element 5 is in the form of a wick, for example cotton, and comprises a portion 6 in contact with the upper surface 2A of the substrate water storage 2, allowing a water exchange between the hydration element 5 and the storage substrate 2. An end of the hydration element 5 is divided into several branches 7, which extend through the intermediate substrate 3 and the culture substrate 4 to irrigate the culture substrate 4, preferably neighborhood of the roots of the plant grown in the culture substrate.

The hydration element 5 also comprises a connection element 8, in the form of a hollow tube inside which is introduced in part the end of the hydration element 5 does not divide into branches. The hydration element 5, in the embodiment shown, is arranged in such a way that the connection element 8 is arranged in the vicinity of an edge of the culture support 1 with the hydration element 5 on the upper surface 2A of the water storage substrate 2, the connecting element 8 may or may not be projecting and allowing connection to a water supply element 9 shown in Figure 3A. The water supply element 9 is constituted by a wick of water-absorbing material, one end of which carries a connecting element 10 complementary to the connection element 8, and the other end of which is intended to be immersed. in an external water source 11. The water supply element 9 is surrounded by a sheath (not shown) to prevent the loss of water between the water source 11 and the hydration element 5 When the connecting elements 8 and 10 are connected, the elements 5 and 9 are in end-to-end contact, and water of the external water source 11 is transmitted by capillarity through the elements 9 and 5 to the substrate. water storage 2, which makes it possible to fill the water storage substrate with water. This arrangement allows, when the connection element 8 is not projecting, to conceal the water refilling means of the culture support 1. Other connections can be envisaged between the elements 5 and 9, for example a node between their free ends, if the element 5 is projecting from an edge of the culture support 1 of sufficient length, or a nip between their free ends, the purpose being to allow a water transport by capillarity between these elements, so close contact between these elements. FIGS. 4A to 4C respectively represent the culture support 1 with the implanted plant, a net 12 placed around the culture support 1 to hold the various layers together, and a frame 13 to keep the different layers of the culture support more grouped together 1 of the invention. The net 12 has a hole for passing the plant, and is wettable fabric, cotton yarn type. The armature 13 is made of several metal son, for example aluminum, arranged around the contour of the culture support according to the invention according to a grid. The frame 13 can also be used to anchor the roots and / or the neck of the plant in the culture support.

The metal son of the armature 13 are flat so as not to sink too deeply into the culture support 1 and risk destroying it. The reinforcement systems 12 and 13 described with reference to FIGS. 4B and 4C allow any form to be given to the culture support 1. As can be seen in FIG. 4C, the two reinforcement systems can advantageously be combined. The method of manufacturing a culture support 1 according to the invention comprises the steps of: providing a water storage substrate 2; disposing, on the water storage substrate 2, a hydration element 5, such that a portion 6 of the hydration element 5 is in contact with the water storage substrate 2; Optionally, disposing an intermediate substrate 3 on the water storage substrate 2, such that the portion 7 of the hydration member 5 not in contact with the water storage substrate 2 passes through said substrate intermediate 3; Disposing a culture substrate 4 on the water storage substrate 2 or, when present, the intermediate substrate 3, such that the portion of the hydration element 5 not in contact with the substrate water storage 2 passes through said culture substrate 4, and preferably extends in the vicinity of the roots of the plant grown in the culture substrate 4; and optionally, placing on the culture support 1 thus formed a reinforcing system 12, 13. The culture support of the invention is modular, and it is conceivable to connect several culture supports of the invention to each other, by through their connecting element to an external source of water. The materials forming the water storage substrate and the intermediate substrate can be cut into the desired shape, so that the culture support can take a variety of forms.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS1 - Culture support (1), characterized in that it comprises: a culture substrate (4) for cultivating a plant; a water storage substrate (2), able to store water; and a hydration element (5) capable of transporting water by capillarity, disposed between the culture substrate (4) and the water storage substrate (2) and able to exchange water with the substrate of water storage (2) by a portion (6) thereof in contact with the water storage substrate (2), another portion (7) of the hydration element (5) not contact with the water storage substrate (2) extending in the culture substrate (4), such that the hydration element (5) is able to transport water by capillarity of the substrate of storing water (2) at the culture substrate (4) for irrigating the plant in the culture substrate (4). 2 - culture support (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the hydration element (5) is constituted by a wick or by several wicks which form a mesh. 3 - Culture support (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the portion (7) of the hydration element (5) not in contact with the water storage substrate (2) consists of a plurality of branches (7) extending in the culture substrate (4). 4 - culture medium (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the hydration element (5) is cotton. 5 - culture medium (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the water storage substrate (2) is a water-absorbing element disposed under the culture substrate (4). 6 - culture support (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the hydration element (5) comprises a connection means (8) for connecting the hydration element (5). ) to an external source of water (11). 7 - culture support (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it further comprises an intermediate substrate (3) disposed between the water storage substrate (2) and the substrate of culture (4), the portion (6) of the hydration element (5) in contact with the water storage substrate (2) at the interface between the water storage substrate (2) ) and the intermediate substrate (3), the portion (7) of the hydration element (5) not in contact with the water storage substrate (2) extending from the interface between the substrate storing water (2) and the intermediate substrate (3), through the intermediate substrate (3), and in the culture substrate (4) for irrigating the plant. 8 - culture support (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises at least one reinforcing system (12, 13) for holding together the assembly constituted by the substrate culture (4), the water storage substrate (2), and where appropriate the intermediate substrate (3). 9 - culture support (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the at least one reinforcing system (12, 13) is a net (12) mounted around the assembly formed by the culture substrate ( 4), the water storage substrate (2), and where appropriate the intermediate substrate (3). 10 - culture support (1) according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises a rigid or semi-rigid reinforcement system (13), preferably an armature of metal rods, extending around the culture support (1). 11 - Water supply element (9) for a culture support (1) as defined in any one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that it comprises a hydration element (9) fit transporting water by capillarity, said hydration element (9) comprising a first free end adapted to be immersed in an external source of water (11) for drawing water by capillarity, and a second end carrying a connection means (10) adapted to cooperate with the connection means (8) carried by the hydration element (5) of the culture support (1), so that when the connection means (8, 10) ) are connected together, a contact between the hydration element (9) of the feed element and the hydration element (5) of the culture medium (1) makes it possible to transport water by capillarity between the supply element (9) and the hydration element (5). 12 - Process for manufacturing a culture support (1) as defined in any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: - obtaining a storage substrate of water (2); - arranging, on the water storage substrate (2), a hydration element (5), such that a portion (6) of the hydration element (5) is in contact with the substrate water storage (2); optionally, disposing an intermediate substrate (3) on the water storage substrate (2), such that the portion of the hydration element (5) not in contact with the water storage substrate ( 2) passes through said intermediate substrate (3); disposing a culture substrate (4) on the water storage substrate (2) or, when present, the intermediate substrate (3), so that the portion of the hydration element (5) ) not in contact with the water storage substrate (2) passes through said culture substrate (4), and preferably extends in the vicinity of the roots of the plant grown in the culture substrate (4); and - optionally, placing on the culture medium (1) thus formed a reinforcement system (12, 13).