GB1405125A - Plant propagation - Google Patents

Abstract

1405125 Planting seeds; plant substrates; growing plants E A H NAUE KG 27 Sept 1972 [21 Oct 1971] 44638/72 Headings AID and A1E [Also in Divisions B8 and Cl] A growth substrate for plants, cuttings or seeds, which substrate is in the form of a sheet or strip and comprises a plurality of individual growth units each of which is integrally and detachably connected around the edges of its base to adjacent growth units and each of which is provided with means for receiving a plant, cutting or seed, said growth substrate being formed of a material comprising an open-celled, chemically neutral, hydrophilic, elastomeric polyurethane foam which is decomposable in the growth process, may be obtained by an apparatus (see Figs. 4 to 7) comprising means for providing longitudinal incisions in a continuous sheet of cellular plastics material, means for providing transverse incisions and means for transversely severing the sheet to form individual growth substrates. The cellular material 71 is passed between a roller shaft 73g having cutting blades 62, 63, and a counter-roller 74, and then passes via a conveyor-belt past transverse cutter 76 which subdivides the sheet into cubes and severs it in the region of the incisions 55. An automatic seed planting drum 75 positioned in front of cutter 76 opens incisions 23 and deposits seeds therein. Subdivided sheets may be compressed and sealed between foils 77a and 77b. A mechanical sower for use in connection with the above substrates, is illustrated with reference to Figs. 8 to 13 and comprises means for prising apart the material around the incisions to form openings and means for introducing seeds into the openings formed. A rubber sheet 95.2 is attached to a hollow drum 95.1 which rotates on the surface of the growth substrate. Projections 95.20 have a recess 95.22 for receiving seed 92.41 which is held in position by means of the vacuum in the internal chamber 95.12. When the drum reaches its lowest point the bore 95.21 in projection 95.20 becomes connected to pressure chamber 95.3 and the seed is ejected into incision 22. A seed feeding drum 95.7 is of similar design to drum 95.1 and is fed by seed pan 95.8. When only a small number of substrates are to be produced the apparatus of Figs. 10 to 13 is used. The principle of operation is as with that of Figs. 8 to 9a but the drum 95.1 is replaced by a vacuum plate 126 suspended from air cylinder 125 and may be moved along a guide rail 123 or pivoted about column 123a so that it is alternately lifted out of seed pan 127 and lowered into growth substrate 31. The seed slots are opened by projections 95.23 (see Fig. 13). The growth substrates may be assembled with heating elements interposed between the rows of plants, seeds, &c.