GB2157143A - Horticultural holders - Google Patents

Abstract

A plant pot is formed to have a vertical back wall (10) with means (11) for holding firmly a plant support stick (15) which lies along side the back wall. The pot has side walls (13, 16) and front wall (14) which slope inwardly. The pot may be hooked to a wall mounting bracket with an integral tray. Two similar plant pots can be held back-to-back and may be hung to give a hanging basket effect. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Horticultural holders This invention relates to horticultural holders such as plant pots.

The invention is concerned with the matter of providing improved pots for climing plants.

Current general practise for pot growing climbing plants is that of providing a stick or similar support inserted into the approximate centre of growing medium in the pot. Whilst this is generally satisfactory the present invention provides pots having significant advantages - referred to later when compared with pots currently in use.

The essentials of the invention are to be seen in a pot having: a nominally vertical back wall; means on the back wall offering support for an upright plant support member; a base; and side and front walls.

The side and front walls are preferably inward sloping.

The base may be flat.

The means on the back wall may be a looped web which is an integral part of the back wall so as to expose an aperture behind the web.

The means on the back wall may be of multiple loop form.

There may be a hole or aperture in the back wall which is engaged by a hook on a structure which includes a tray in which the base of the holder is located.

The structure may be a wall-mountable bracket.

The invention includes such a holder in back-toback relationship with a similar holder. The two holders may be held by virtue of a suspension hook passing through in-line holes in the back walls of the holders. The two holders may be held together at members, which also serve to hold together the side and back walls.

The or each holder may be formed from a lamina of plastics material weakened along fold lines so that, by appropriate folding at those lines, the pot is formed and the walls lock with each other at the instant of forming the pot shape.

The invention will now be described further with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pot according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation showing a pot like that shown in Figure 1 but located in a wallmounted tray; and Figure 3 is a side elevation of two similar pots each like that shown in Figure 1 arranged back to back.

Figure 1 shows a pot having a vertical back wall 10; a looped web 11 integral with the wall 10 for supporting a nominally upright plant support stick 15; a flat base 12; and side walls 13, 16 and front wall 14 which are inward sloping. The dimensions of the pot are not critical but, by way of example, the base 12 could be square with a 10 cms side dimension; the walls 13, 14 and 16 could be 9 cms from base to top; and the top opening could be rectangular 70 cms (front) by 85 cms (side). The bottom end of stick 15 rests on the base 12. The base has a smooth underface.

The pot is preferably made in accordance with the invention of our co-pending application No. 83 18799, that is, it is formed from a lamina of plastics material weakened along fold lines so that, by appropriate folding at those lines, a pot is formed having the base 12; the inclined side and front walls 13, 16 and 14; and the back wall 10 with means provided at the edges of the walls so that adjacent walls lock with each other at the instant of forming the pot shape.

A hole 17 is provided in wall 10 so that the pot can be supported on a hook or other projection and the web 11 is formed so as to expose a further hole or aperture 17A. The rectangular base shape is preferred as it allows similar pots to be located side-by-side on a bench or the ground with no significant space wastage and with any one pot deriving firm location from all contacting adjacent pots.

The back wall 10 may be provided with tabs 18 having holes 18A. These tabe may also serve as locking tabe in the wall 10 to engage apertures in the side walls when the pot shape is formed, so as to hold together the back and side walls.

The inward sloping walls are preferred as these give a pot having greater stability against tipping.

This is important for plants climbing up a stick support as plant growth and the stick tend to raise the centre of gravity and this is now offset by the low centre of gravity of the pot and its filling of growing medium.

The back wall 10 does not have to be truly vertical although this will usually be the case. A slight forward slope could bring the centre of gravity of pot, growing medium and plant more closely to the centre axis through the base with improved stability.

The looped web 11 could take other forms. For example, it could comprise upper and lower looped bands. One or more further loops could be provided below the loop 11. Multiple side-by-side loops could be provided for multiple support sticks or a ladder or lattice form of support 15. Drain holes 19 are provided in the base.

In Figure 2 the pot of Figure 1 is shown with its base 12 on capillary matting 20 in a tray 21 which is integral with a wall bracket 22 having a fixing screw 23. The bracket 22 has a hook 24 which engages in the hole 17 (or hole 17a) of the back wall 10. A climbing plant 25 is shown in the pot and this is supported by the stick 15. The pot can be readily removed from the hook 24 and water added to the tray 21. Alternatively, by exercising reasonable care, the tray can have water added to it without removing the pot and without hazarding water on the wall. This arrangement is very advantageous where the plant, after reaching a certain height, begins to trail. The pot is firmly held even though the plant may upset the centre of gravity of the pot.

In Figure 3 two pots, each like that shown in Figure 1, are arranged back-to-back. A single stick 15 is used to support two climbing plants 25. A hook on a handing chain can be inserted in the in-line holes 17 of the pots. This holds the pots together and a form of hanging basket can be created. Alternatively, the pots can be secured together by a press fastener through holes 17 or 18A in the pots.

The advantages that arise with pots according to the invention are: 1. The support stick 15 is very firmly held-more so than would be the case it the stick was merely inserted in growing medium.

2. The support stick 15 can be inserted before the growing medium is added or, if inserted after, no significant root damage can arise to the plant 25.

Additionally, as discussed above, where the pot is of inverted tapered form as shown in Figure 1 a very stable system is obtained in the context of growing plants. There is scope for obtaining the effect of a balanced hanging basket.

Claims (13)

1. A horticultural holder comprising a pot having: a nominally vertical back wall; means on the back wall offering support for an upright plant support member; a base; and side and front walls.

2. A holder as claimed in claim 1 in which the side and front walls are inward sloping.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the base is flat.

4. A holder as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3, in which said means on the back wall is a looped web which is an integral part of the back wall so as to expose an aperture behind the web.

5. A holder as claimed in claim 1, in which the said means on the back wall is of multiple loop form.

6. A holder as claimed in any preceding claim, having a hole or aperture in the back wall which is engaged by a hook on a structure which includes a tray in which the base of the holder is located.

7. A holder as claimed in claim 6, in which the structure is a well-mountable bracket.

8. A holder as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, held in back-to-back relationship with a similar holder.

9. A holder combination as claimed in claim 8 in which the two holders are held together by virtue of a suspension hook pressing through in-line holes in the back wall of the holders.

10. A holder combination as claimed in claim 8, in which the two holders are held together at members which also serve to hold together the side and back walls.

11. A holder or holder combination as claimed in any preceding claim, formed from a lamina of plastics material weakened along fold lines so that, by appropriate folding at those lines, the pot is formed and the walls lock with each other at the instant of forming thepot shape.

12. A horticultural holder as claimed in claim 10 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A horticultural holder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figure 1, or Figure 2, or Figure 3, of the accompanying drawings.