GB2277858A

GB2277858A - Artifical mulch

Info

Publication number: GB2277858A
Application number: GB9408550A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard George Prince
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-05-14
Filing date: 1994-04-29
Publication date: 1994-11-16
Also published as: GB9309978D0; GB9408550D0

Abstract

The mulch for covering ground used for the growing of crops comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending opaque, e.g. black plastics, sheets 10, 11, 12, each having at least one, preferably both, of its longitudinal edges 13 formed with a series of potential apertures 3 of generally semi-circular or semi-elliptical shape having a preformed weakened perimeter, such that in use the sheets may be placed side by side with longitudinal edges 13 overlapping so that by removing the material from overlapping potential apertures 3 at desired locations, there are formed corresponding actual apertures 7 in which the desired crop can be grown. As seen, the sheets are fixed together with bridge pieces 14 and fixing bars 15 having holes 15 to be positioned over nipples 18 on sheets. Other fixing arrangements are indicated. Strengthing ribs (19) may be provided on the lower surface of the sheet (Figure 4). <IMAGE>

Description

ARTIFICIAL MULCH This invention relates to an artificial mulch.

It is known to use black plastics sheeting as an artificial mulch to cover ground being used for growing crops, for example vegetables or flowers. However, such artificial mulches normally require the user to make holes in the plastics sheeting, for example by punching, burning or cutting, in positions corresponding either to the locations of the individual plants over which the mulch is to be placed, or to the desired positions of the plants or seed that will be positioned in the soil through the preformed holes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved artificial mulch which can be readily adapted for use with rows of plants having varied spacing between the adjacent plants of each row and which can be adjusted in use to accommodate increases in size of the plants as they grow.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an artificial mulch composed of a plurality of longitudinally extending sheets of opaque material, for example black plastics sheets, each individual sheet having at least one, preferably both, of its longitudinal edges formed with a series of potential apertures of generally semi-circular or semi-elliptical shape, each having a preformed weakened perimeter, the arrangement being such that in use at least two of said sheets may initially be placed in contiguous relationship with said longitudinal edges overlapping so that by removing the opaque material from overlapping potential apertures at desired locations, there are formed corresponding generally circular or eltiptical actual apertures at desired locations required for a particular plant crop, and by increasing the distance between said longitudinal edges the size of each actual aperture may be increased so as to allow for the gradually increasing size of the plant crop.

Thus the invention provides in accordance with another aspect thereof the use as an artificial plant mulch of a plurality of longitudinally extending sheets of opaque material each having formed along at least one of its longitudinal edges a series of generally semi-circular or semi-elliptical potential apertures having preformed weakened perimeters such that in use, with the sheets initially placed in contiguous relationship with said longitudinal edges overlapping, any or all of the potential apertures can be converted into actual generally circular or elliptical apertures by removal of the opaque material from selected overlapping potential apertures as required for a particular plant crop.

The sheets are advantageously oblong rectangular in shape.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, both of the longitudinal edges of each sheet are provided with said series of potential apertures, so that three or more sheets may be placed side by side in order to cover a desired area of ground. Likewise each sheet may be placed end to end with a further sheet so as to extend longitudinally the area of ground covered by the artificial mulch.

The artificial mulch may be formed from any suitably opaque sheet material which has sufficient rigidity provided either from the thickness or form of the material or from strengthening means such as cross-bracing ribs.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the artificial mulch is formed from black U.V. treated plastics sheeting having a thickness of, for example, from 0.5 to 2 mm., such as black U.V. stabilised polyethylene. The sheeting may be strengthened by means of ribs positioned on the lower facing side of each sheet, or by crimping of the sheet material.

Each of the sheets forming the artificial mulch of the invention may be, for example, from about 45 to 100 cm.

long, advantageously 45 to 50 cm. long, and about 25 to 35 cm. wide, advantageously 28 to 30 cm. wide, with the potential apertures being of a size such as to be capable of providing an actual aperture of, for example, about 4 cm radius when the perforated perimeters are severed. The potential apertures may be spaced apart along each longitudinal edge in a manner such that the centres are positioned, for example, about 5.5 cm apart.

The artificial mulch may be maintained in position on the ground on which it is placed by means of a plurality of ground spikes situated at appropriate locations. The overlapping contiguous opaque sheets may be held fastened together by bridging pieces under which are positioned longitudinal fixing pieces.

The requisite number of suitabty aligned sheets may be laid over the ground adjacent existing rows of plants,apertures being formed in the sheets at locations corresponding to the position of the plant stems. In this case the advantage of having the apertures formed in two halves in adjacent sheets is that these can be formed and fitted around the plant stems. Alternatively, the ground may be covered by the sheets prior to sowing of the plants, seedlings or seeds, which are sown in line with the apertures formed in the sheets at requisite locations.

All of the sheets can be laid down prior to sowing and complete apertures can be formed in adjacent sheets through which seeds or seedlings are respectively sown or planted.

The object of using a mulch is to keep covered as much of the ground as possible and for the aperture to be of the minimum size to permit sowing. However, in order to provide access for sowing, complete apertures would normally have to be larger than desirable leaving larger areas of the ground uncovered. The invention makes it possible to overcome this disadvantage, since advantageously the sheets can be laid sequentially, the first sheet being laid and the necessary part-circular apertures being formed, and then the seeds or seedlings are sown adjacent to the longitudinal edge in line with the part-circular apertures with the adjacent uncovered ground providing access for sowing. Then the companion sheet with matching part-circular apertures is laid down.

In this way, minimum size apertures can be obtained for sowing. As the plants grow, the apertures can be enlarged to accommodate them.

In order not to leave marginal areas of ground uncovered, it is preferred that the longitudinal edges of the sheets should overlap to a chosen variable extent so as always to maintain ground cover. The degree of overlap can be adjusted and to permit this , the part-apertures formed along the longitudinal edges of each sheet are, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, slightly larger than semi-circular, i.e. semi-elliptical in shape. Thus, when the sheets are overlapped, the actual complete apertures which can be formed are either substantially circular or elliptical, so that as the sheets are relatively adjusted, they remain overlapped to ensure continuous ground cover.

Where there is a longitudinal series of sheets, the arrangement may be such that the relative spacing of cooperating pairs of sheets can differ from one another so as to permit plants of differing sizes to be grown through the mulch formed by selected co-operating pairs of sheets.

In this case, longitudinal adjacent sheets would not be held fastened together, but would instead be affixed by ground spikes extending through transverse slots formed in the adjacent ends of the longitudinally extending series of sheets. The slots can be extended along the edges to permit relative adjustment of co-operating pairs of sheets transversely whilst remaining overlapped.

A particular advantage of the artificial mulch of the invention is the capability of adapting and re-using the sheets from season to season.

The artificial mulch may be used to assist in the growing of, for example, flowers or vegetables such as onions, shallots, spring onions, radishes, carrots, lettuces, beetroots, parsnips, potatoes,peas,beans,spinach etc.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example,to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of part of an artificial mulch; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the artificial mulch of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of part of another artificial mulch; and Figure 4 is an underside view of a single plastics sheet forming part of an artificial mulch.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, an artificial mulch comprises a pair of two black U.V. treated plastics sheets 1 and 2 which have been positioned adjacent to each other so as to allow for crop expansion as the plants gradually grow bigger. Alternate potential apertures 3 have been retained as such, while the remainder have been converted into actual apertures 4 by removal of the plastics material by severing the perforated perimeter 5 of the respective potential apertures 3. The sheets 1 and 2 are provided with small apertures 6 through which ground spikes can be positioned in order to retain the sheets in position on the ground.

In Figure 2, the two plastics sheets 1 and 2 have been positioned overlapping each other so as to form substantially circular actual apertures 7. In order to accommodate the length of crop to be grown, several pairs of plastics sheets 1 and 2 have been positioned end to end so as to provide'the required length of artificial mulch.

These sheets are retained in position by means of the ground spikes 8.

In Figure 3 of the drawings, three plastics sheets 10, 11 and 12, each having both longitudinal edges 13 formed with a series of potential apertures 3 of generally semicircular shape, are positioned in longitudinal abutment with a slight overlap after removal of the plastics material from all of the abutting apertures 3, so as to provide two rows of generally circular actual apertures 7 in which the desired crop can be grown. The three sheets 10, 11 and 12 are longitudinally extended by being fixed end to end in overlapping relationship to a futher set of three sheets 10', 11' and 12' respectively, which can in turn be similarly extended until the desired length of artificial mulch has been reached. Likewise, the breadth of the mulch may be increased by fixing further sheets to the outer free edges of the sheets 10, 10' etc. and 12, 12' etc.

The adjoining plastics sheets are fixed together by a combination of bridge pieces 14 and fixing bars 15. The bridge pieces 14 can be formed with circular bores 16 through each of which a ground spike can be pushed to retain the position of the bridge pieces 14 and fixing bars 15. The sheets 10,10' etc connected lengthwise may be retained in position by bridge pieces 14 and fixing bars 15 having holes 17 formed near each end thereof which can be positioned over nipples 18 formed on the surface of the plastics sheets.

In an alternative embodiment, the bridge pieces and fixing bars may be replaced by transverse slots in the end portions of the sheets through which ground spikes secure the sheets, permitting differential spacing of cooperating pairs of sheets.

Figure 4 shows a view from below of a plastics sheet 11 having both longitudinal edges 13 formed with a series of potential apertures 3, which is provided with crossbracing strengthening ribs 19 held in position by bridges 14, some of which are provided with bores 16 through which ground spikes can be inserted.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An artificial mulch composed of a plurality of longitudinally extending sheets of opaque material, each individual sheet having at least one of its longitudinal edges formed with a series of potential apertures of generally semi-circular or semi-elliptical shape, each having a preformed weakened perimeter, the arrangement being such that in use at least two of said sheets may initially be placed in contiguous relationship with said longitudinal edges overlapping so that by removing the opaque material from overlapping potential apertures at desired locations, there are formed corresponding generally circular or elliptical actual apertures at desired locations required for a particular plant crop, and by increasing the distance between adjacent longitudinal edges the size of each actual aperture may be increased so as to allow for the gradually increasing size of the plant crop.

2. An artificial mulch as claimed in Claim 1, wherein both of the longitudinal edges of each sheet are provided with said series of potential apertures, so that if desired three or more sheets may be placed side by side in order to cover a desired area of ground.

3. An artificial mulch as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the mulch is formed from black plastics sheets.

4. An artificial mulch as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the sheets are formed from black U.V. stabilised plastics sheeting having a thickness of from 0.5 to 2 mm.

5. An artificial mulch as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each sheet is strengthened by means of strengthening ribs positioned in use on the lower surface of the sheet.

6. An artificial mulch as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the plastics sheets has a length of from 45 to 100 cm and a width of from-25 to 35 cm.

7. An artificial mulch as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the potential apertures have a radius of about 4 cm and the centres of adjacent apertures are spaced apart by about 5.5 cm.

8. For use in an artificial mulch as claimed in any preceding claim, a longitudinally extending sheet of opaque material having at least one of its longitudinal edges formed with a series of potential apertures of generally semi-circular or semi-elliptical shape, each potential aperture having a preformed weakened perimeter.

9. The use as an artificial mulch of a plurality of longitudinally extending sheets of opaque material each having formed along at least one of its longitudinal edges a series of generally semi-circular or semi-elliptical potential apertures having preformed weakened perimeters such that in use, with the sheets initially placed in contiguous relationship with said longitudinal edges overlapping, any or all of the potential apertures can be converted into actual generally circular or elliptical apertures by removal of the opaque material from selected over lapping potential apertures as required for a particular plant crop.

10. An artificial mulch substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 3 and 4, of the accompanying drawings.