GB2177281A

GB2177281A - Plant pots and seed trays

Info

Publication number: GB2177281A
Application number: GB08615615A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anna Stuart Crocket
Original assignee: James Sandilands Crocket
Current assignee: James Sandilands Crocket
Priority date: 1985-07-02
Filing date: 1986-06-26
Publication date: 1987-01-21

Abstract

An impermeable saucer or tray is spaced from an apertured support for plant growth medium by spacers which may be integral with the saucer or tray, Figs. 1 and 3, or with the support, Fig. 2, or which may be separate, Fig. 4. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Growth medium support system The present invention relates to plant growth medium support systems such as plant pots, seed trays and the like.

With conventional plant pots and seed trays the soil or other growth medium extends into substantially direct proximity to the water-tight base so that even with only very slight overwatering which is only too easy to effect, the soil and plant roots become waterlogged and the plant exposed to the risk of disease and/or impaired function.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid or minimize one or more of the above disadvantages.

The present invention provides a plant growth medium support system comprising a waterproof tray; and a support device having a base panel provided with drainage aperture means for supporting plant growth medium above the base of said tray, at least one of said support device base panel and said tray base having downwardly or upwardly extending, respectively, spacer means formed and arranged for supporting said base panel at at least three non-rectilinearly spaced apart points at a predetermined height above said tray base, whilst providing drainage passage means through and around said spacer means.

Thus with a system of the present invention the plant growth medium can drain freely into the tray in which it is contained and a substantial amount of liquid be contained in said tray without any danger of waterlogging the plant growth medium and the roots of any plants growing therein.

Further preferred features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description given by way of example of some preferred embodiments illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a first plant pot system of the invention, Figure 2 is a corresponding view of a second plant pot system of the invention, and Figure 3 is a corresponding view of a seed tray system of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a plant growth medium support system 1 comprising a waterproof tray 2 and a support device comprising a conventional plant pot 3 for supporting and holding plant growth medium such as compost 4 in which is being grown a plant 5. The tray 2 is provided with several integrally formed upwardly extending bosses 6 constituting a spacer means for supporting the base 7 of the plant pot clear of the tray base 8 so that in the event of limited overwatering the compost 4 can drain freely via drain apertures 11 the excess water 9 collecting in the tray 2. In this way waterlogging of the compost 4 and plant roots 10 is avoided thereby reducing the risk of disease and/or impaired growth.

In the remaining drawings like parts are identified by like reference indices.

Fig. 2 shows a generally similar plant pot except that in this case the spacer means comprise downwardly projecting spaced apart lugs 12 which extend downwardly from the pot base 7 in continuation of the side wall 13 of the plant pot 3 with drain apertures 14 in between the lugs 12 to allow water 9 to escape into the rest of the tray 2.

In the case of the seed tray 15 the plant growth medium support device is simply in the form of a flat base panel 16 with a plurality of drain apertures 11 therein.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a discretely formed spacer means 17 suitable for use in a system of the invention having a generally flat bottomed conventional plant pot and a tray having a generally flat base, between said plant pot and tray. As shown in the drawing the spacer means 17 comprises three spaced apart support elements in the form of relatively short columns 18 which may be solid or hollow, disposed at the apices of an equilateral triangle and linked together to form a unitary structure by connecting elements 19 having a depth substantially less than that of said columns 18 in order to provide drainage passages 20 in between the columns 1 8.

Naturally other forms of spacer elements and connecting elements may be used as well as different arrangements thereof e.g. in the form of a mesh in which the support elements are disposed at the intersections of the crossmembers.

1. A plant growth medium support system comprising a waterproof tray; and a support device having a base panel provided with drainage aperture means for supporting plant growth medium above the base of said tray, at least one of said support device base panel and said tray base having downwardly or upwardly extending, respectively, spacer means formed and arranged for supporting said base panel at at least three non-rectilinearly spaced apart points at a predetermined height above said tray base, whilst providing drainage passage means through and around said spacer means.

2. A support system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spacer means is in the form of a plurality of upwardly projecting discrete bosses in the tray base.

3. A support system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bosses are in the form of upwardly displaced portions of the tray base.

4. A support system as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said support device is in the form of a perforated panel.

5. A support system as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said support device is in

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Growth medium support system The present invention relates to plant growth medium support systems such as plant pots, seed trays and the like. With conventional plant pots and seed trays the soil or other growth medium extends into substantially direct proximity to the water-tight base so that even with only very slight overwatering which is only too easy to effect, the soil and plant roots become waterlogged and the plant exposed to the risk of disease and/or impaired function. It is an object of the present invention to avoid or minimize one or more of the above disadvantages. The present invention provides a plant growth medium support system comprising a waterproof tray; and a support device having a base panel provided with drainage aperture means for supporting plant growth medium above the base of said tray, at least one of said support device base panel and said tray base having downwardly or upwardly extending, respectively, spacer means formed and arranged for supporting said base panel at at least three non-rectilinearly spaced apart points at a predetermined height above said tray base, whilst providing drainage passage means through and around said spacer means. Thus with a system of the present invention the plant growth medium can drain freely into the tray in which it is contained and a substantial amount of liquid be contained in said tray without any danger of waterlogging the plant growth medium and the roots of any plants growing therein. Further preferred features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description given by way of example of some preferred embodiments illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a first plant pot system of the invention, Figure 2 is a corresponding view of a second plant pot system of the invention, and Figure 3 is a corresponding view of a seed tray system of the invention. Fig. 1 shows a plant growth medium support system 1 comprising a waterproof tray 2 and a support device comprising a conventional plant pot 3 for supporting and holding plant growth medium such as compost 4 in which is being grown a plant 5. The tray 2 is provided with several integrally formed upwardly extending bosses 6 constituting a spacer means for supporting the base 7 of the plant pot clear of the tray base 8 so that in the event of limited overwatering the compost 4 can drain freely via drain apertures 11 the excess water 9 collecting in the tray 2. In this way waterlogging of the compost 4 and plant roots 10 is avoided thereby reducing the risk of disease and/or impaired growth. In the remaining drawings like parts are identified by like reference indices. Fig. 2 shows a generally similar plant pot except that in this case the spacer means comprise downwardly projecting spaced apart lugs 12 which extend downwardly from the pot base 7 in continuation of the side wall 13 of the plant pot 3 with drain apertures 14 in between the lugs 12 to allow water 9 to escape into the rest of the tray 2. In the case of the seed tray 15 the plant growth medium support device is simply in the form of a flat base panel 16 with a plurality of drain apertures 11 therein. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a discretely formed spacer means 17 suitable for use in a system of the invention having a generally flat bottomed conventional plant pot and a tray having a generally flat base, between said plant pot and tray. As shown in the drawing the spacer means 17 comprises three spaced apart support elements in the form of relatively short columns 18 which may be solid or hollow, disposed at the apices of an equilateral triangle and linked together to form a unitary structure by connecting elements 19 having a depth substantially less than that of said columns 18 in order to provide drainage passages 20 in between the columns 1 8. Naturally other forms of spacer elements and connecting elements may be used as well as different arrangements thereof e.g. in the form of a mesh in which the support elements are disposed at the intersections of the crossmembers. CLAIMS

5. A support system as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said support device is in the form of an open-topped frusto conical vessel.

6. A support system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spacer means is in the form of a plurality of downwardly depending leg means projecting from said base panel.

7. A support system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said leg means are constituted by a segmented downwardly depending rim structure.

8. A support system as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 wherein said support device is in the form of an open-topped frusto conical vessel.

9. A plant growth medium support system comprising a waterproof tray; a support device having a base panel provided with drainage aperture means for supporting plant growth medium above the base of said tray; and an integrally formed spacer means having at least three non-rectilinearly spaced apart support portions of predetermined thickness interconnected by connector members having a lesser thickness, for supporting the base panel at a predetermined height above said tray base, whilst providing drainage passage means between said support portions around said connector portions.

10. A plant growth medium support system substantially as described hereinbefore with particular reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.