GB2083994A - Plant cultivation method and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to cultivate plants such as vegetables, flowers and the like, a restricted cultivation area is established in which the plants are grown from a number of seeds or seedlings to form a group of the plants in the cultivation area. The cultivation area may be defined by apparatus (1) provided with such cultivation portions (2), walls 3 enabling stacking of a plurality of such areas. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION plant eultivation method and apparatus therefor This invention relates to a method and apparatus for plant cultivation.

Usually, in cultivating plants such as vegetables or flowers a number of seeds are scattered uniformly over the cultivation frame. However the roots of the plant cultivated in such a way entwine with each other, so that dividing or parting the entwined roots to remove the plants involves difficulties in loosening or disentangling the entwined roots. Accordingly, the roots are often cut and badly damaged and also a lot of time is spent in carrying out the disentangling.

According to the invention there is provided a plant cultivation method comprising the steps of placing a suitable number of seeds or young plants of vegetables and flowers in a confined area, and supplying water and cultivation materials into the said confined area to cultivate said plants as a cluster.

The invention further provides a'plant cultivation apparatus having cultivation portions for separating said plants into one or more groups.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a plant cultivation apparatus according to this invention; Fig 2 is a side view, partly cut-away, of a plant cultivation apparatus according to this invention; Fig 3 is a perspective view, partly broken and partly cut-away, of an embodiment of the apparatus shown in Fig 1; Fig 4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of this invention; Fig 5is a cross-sectional view of still another embodiment ofthis invention; Fig 6 is a cross-sectional view of still another embodiment of the invention; Fig 7 is a perspective view of a container used for selling the plants cultivated according to the invention; and Fig 8 is a cross-sectional view of the container shown in Fig 7, in which some plants are contained in a part of the container and a lid is applied to the container.

The plant cultivation method and the apparatus for the plant cultivation method is described below by way of example in relation to the cultivation of watercress, with reference to the drawings.

After seeds ofthewatercress are dipped in water for about one day to absorb water sufficiently, some seeds are sown in a restricted area defined in suitable ways, such as forming shapes of boxes, frames, holes or grooves, in orderto cultivate the plants. As shown in Fig 1, the apparatus 1 itself is made of non-water absorbent material, such as a plastics material for example a styrofoam plastics material, or a metal. One cultivation portion 2 or plurality of such portions is formed in the apparatus 1.

The cultivation portions 2 can be made in various shapes and sizes, and they may for example, be square, triangular or oval. In the apparatus of Fig. 1 a number of round holes or depressions are formed and plants are cultivated in the holes.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 can be placed flat on the flsor or a plate, and walls 3 extend upwardly to define a space 4 in which the seeds are cultivated and grew. This space leads to the outside through cut-away portions 5 or holes (not shown) formed in the walls 3, so that sufficient air reaches the seeds or plants in the cultivation portions even when a number of such apparatuses are stacked on each other, the top ends of the walls engaging with engagement portions 6 formed on another cultivation apparatus stacked thereon (see Fig 2).

The number of the seeds sown in each of the cultivation portions 2 depends on the intended use of the plant. For example, if the plants are to be used as ingredients of rolled sushi, about 10-15 seeds are placed in the cultivation portions 2. Where they are used as garnishing served with raw fish and for general use, about 50 to 80 seeds are sown in the cultivation portion atthe same time. Some water is poured into the cultivation portions to the level bathing the seeds, if necessary fertilizer is supplied to them, and one cultivation apparatus or a plurality of stacked apparatus are placed in a dark corner.

Generally speaking, seeds will germinate by the next day, so that it is necessary to add additional water to the portions. After 5 to 6 days, the roots extend sufficiently and stalks grow to about 8 cm in length.

During growing of the roots, they are restricted by the walls of the cultivation portions so that they do not extend outwardly or entwine with each other.

Also the stalks extend upwardly as a group or cluster. After sufficient sunshine is applied to the plant, the buds at the end of plants becomes green and groups of edible watercress are obtained in each cultivation portion.

The stalks of the plants cultivated in the portions are grasped as a bundle and pulled out, washed and if necessary the roots are removed or cut. The plants are then bound in a bundle.

The bundles thus obtained are of substantially the same weight and the same volume and are easily obtained without the troublesome work of separating entwined roots, scattering of stalks, or damaging the stalks and roots. As the roots of the plant of each bundle are entwined, the plants do not scatter. If necessary, a binder 7 such as a rubber band or a tape is used to bind the bundle of plants. For example, a sea tangle or other edible material may be used as the binder 7.

The plants, for example, watercress may be packed in a suitable container such as a corrugated cardboard box, or the container 11 shown in Figs 7 and 8 may be used. The container 11 is made of a styrofoam plastics or other material, and has an opening 10 formed in each of the side walls 9 which define the containing region 8.

The roots of the plant bundles are placed in the containing region 8 so that the stalks are erect. The interior of the container 11 shown in Figs 7 and 8 is divided by a central partition 12 into two portions in which several bundles of plants are placed. If desired each of these portions may itself be divided into a plurality of parts each of which can receive a bundle.

When a lid 13 is applied and engaged to the top of the container 11 the plants are protected sufficiently within the container without breaking the stalks.

Since the plants receive air through the openings 10 and since the plants still have roots, they do not die in a short period and the plants can be distributed and sold in the container. The plants contained in the container can be sold to domestic users and to establishments such as sushi dealers, restaurants and fish shops.

The lid 13 may have a partition extending downwardly, in which case free or non-bundled plants are automaticaliy separated into suitable volumes of plants when the lid is applied to the top of the container. After the container and the plants therein are placed in a shop, water can be poured into the containing portions 8 to wet the roots of the plants, so thattheycan be kept fresh for a long period.

In orderto use or eat the watercress in sushi dealer, a bundle of plants is pulled from the containing portion and rolled as it is with or without roots, or a ball of rice may be rolled with the bundle of plants and with raw fish such as raw tuna. Sushi rolled with the watercress cultivated by the cultivation method of this invention has a particular burning taste, so that the appetite of the eater will be increases as he can enjoy the vitamin C contained in the watercress.

When a container of plants is placed in a refrigerator without any water in the containing portion 8, the plants keep fresh for at least a week.

The cultivation method described above may be carried out in the open air. However, in general, the plant cultivation apparatus according to this invention is placed in a vinyl house or a greenhouse and, if necessary, heat is applied to the house. A test was carried out in which the room temperature was kept at about 1 5-20 C and carbon dioxide was added so as to increase the amount thereof by about 30% more than normal. The result obtained was that the plant grew rapidly.

The water to be supplied to the plant cultivation apparatus is preferably mineralised water, which is made by removing the lime content from tap water and adding soluble minerals thereto. When such water is used and supplied to the plant cultivation apparatus, the mineral content is transferred to the growing plant, so that more nutritious and tasty vegetables are obtained, seeds and water do not rot during cultivation and the cultivation is done easily.

The cultivation portions 2 shown in Fig 3 have flow grooves 14to connect each portion to neighbouring portions to allow water to flow thereth rough. Thus, when a surplus of water is supplied to one portion, water flows through the grooves to other portions, and sufficient water will be supplied to all the portions.

Another form of the cultivation portion is shown in the embodiment of Fig 5 where there is a finely perforated sponge body 15 placed on the bottom of the portion. On the sponge body there is a plate 16 having holes of suitable shape. The holes formed in the plate are used as cultivation portions according this embodiment ofthe invention. Seeds are placed into the holes and water is supplied to the sponge body 15through the holes. During growing and cultivation of the plant, the seeds suck the water contained in the sponge body and the roots cannot enterthe fine perforations, so that the plants are easily pulled out as a cluster from the holes.

In place ofthe plate 16,a lattice frame can be placed on the sponge body 15. Such a lattice frame is shown in Fig. 5 in connection with another embodiment.

In the embodiment of Fig 5 a lattice frame 17 having a considerable height is inserted into the upper portion of the cultivation apparatus 1,young plants are inserted in the cultivation portions 12 defined by the lattice wali and water is supplied to each cultivation portion to cultivate the young plants effectively.

Fig 6 shows another embodiment of the cultivation apparatus of the invention. The lattice frame 17 is placed on the bottom of the cultivation apparatus 1, which is of box shape, and a piece of sponge 15 is situated in each cultivation portion defined by walls of the lattice, in which portions the plants are cultivated.

Using the invention many kinds of plants can be cultivated, in addition to watercress, for example various vegetables such as trefoil, celery, creson, other forms of cress and Chinese cabbage, and various flowers such as pansy, begonia, daisy and marigold.

Claims (11)

1. A plant cultivation method comprising the steps of placing a suitable number of seeds or young plants of vegetables and flowers in a confined area, and supplying water a cultivation materials into the said confined area to cultivate said plants as a cluster.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein said water is mineralised water suitable for cultivating plants.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the said cultivation is carried out in an atmosphere having a carbon dioxide content increased by about 30%.

4. A plant cultivation method substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5. A plant cultivation apparatus having cultivation portions for separating said plants into one or more groups.

6. An apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said cultivation portions are in the form of hollows.

7. An apparatus according to Claims 5 or 6, which has walls defining spaces, in which the plants can grow, the walls enabling the apparatus to be stacked on another such apparatus.

8. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 5 to 7, which is a single unit made of a plastics material.

9. A plant cultivation apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A plant cluster of a group of a suitable number of plants produced by cultivation in said confined area.

11. A plant container substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.