GB2280584A - Stake support for potted plants - Google Patents

Abstract

Stake support (10) shown in Figure 1 fits a round or square plant pot (12) and comprises a locating frame (16), in this example generally L shaped with three legs (22) at the extremities which are pushed down into the compost or other growing medium (not shown) to the bottom of the pot in the corners of a square pot. A sleeve (14) of the support in the angle of the frame is split for gripping engagement with a cane or stake (not shown) for supporting a growing plant. <IMAGE>

Description

STAKE SUPPORT FOR POTTED PLANTS This invention relates to stake supports for potted plants particularly for use by commercial growers and nurserymen though the invention is also useful to gardeners and horticulturalists generally.

In growing on long-stemmed plants, particularly climbing plants such as clematis, in pots e.g. for retail sale difficulties are experienced over their adequate staking. The compost or other growing medium usually used does not have great density and there is a relatively small volume in a one or two litre pot, also the depth of such pots is not great. Thus a cane or stake is not adequately supported by simply inserting it into the medium and is liable to lean or become dislodged which may cause damage and consequent wastage of the plant and adds to the labour involved in keeping the plants tidy.

Solutions have been proposed but most of these are found unsatisfactory in practice. One suggestion is to position a socketed base within each pot for receiving the bottom end of a cane or stake but this means that the base and the cane or stake must be positioned before the pot is filled with medium and planted. Another proposal is to use some kind of clip, for example formed from wire, which attaches to the rim of the pot to provide support for a cane or stake. The success of this depends on the form, rigidity and strength of the pot walls, some plastics pots are flexible and/or have thin walls so that rigid support is not provided; and there is the risk of fracturing or breakage of pots formed of nore rigid materials.Also there is wide variation in the profiling of the rims of different pot types and sizes so that several patterns of clip are needed, they are sometimes difficult to attach, and liable to become dislodged.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of stake support for potted plants which is labour-saving, convenient, and effective in use.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a stake support for potted plants comprising a locating frame having a plurality of legs for insertion into the pot and its growing medium at locations spaced from each other along or around the interior wall or walls of the pot, the operatively upper ends of the legs being joined by operatively horizontal members of the frame in an upper region of the pot in use, and an operatively upright sleeve carried on one or more of the horizontal members for receiving and locating a lower end part of a cane or other stake inserted therethrough into the pot.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a stake support for potted plants comprising a locating frame having legs which are or can be operatively spaced for insertion into the pot and its growing medium at or adjacent each of at least three corners of a square pot or at or adjacent the wall of a round pot at least at three positions angularly spaced around 90 degrees apart, the operatively upper ends of the legs being jointed by operatively horizontal members of the frame in an upper region of the pot in use, and an operatively upright sleeve carried on one or more of the horizontal members for receiving and locating a lower end part of a cane or other stake inserted therethrough into the pot.

While more than three legs might be provided three is the preferred number joined by horizontal members of which two are generally at right angles to each other or to a third said member in use so that the frame is Lshaped or Y-shaped in plan, the middle leg being at or adjacent the junction of the members and the sleeve is preferably mounted adjacent the middle leg at or near the angle between the members so that it is spaced outwardly from the center of the pot and near one corner of the latter i square, leaving unobstructed space for the growing plant.

The support may be manufactured with the horizontal members ready positioned at their angular relationship of use; or the horizontal members may incorporate flexure or other hinging, whereby the support is or can be folded substantially flat for transport and storage and the legs can be selectively splayed apart as required in use.

For some applications resilient catch means may be incorporated for retaining horizontal members of a foldflat support at a predetermined angle to each other to deploy the legs, e.g. three legs as referred to above, at predetermined spacing, e.g. the three 90 degree angularly spaced positions referred to above.

The horizontal members may include locating lugs or other formations projecting radially outwardly from the centre of the pot in use for abutment with the inner face of the pot wall in the three corners of a square pot; and/or the legs may be resiliently deformable so that they will conform to and wedge into the downward taper of most plant pots.

It is also preferred that the bottom ends of the legs seat against the bottom of the pot when the support is fully inserted with the horizontal members being at or just above the surface of the growing medium.

Examples of the invention are now more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first form of stake support inserted in a square pot, part of the pot being broken away for clarity, Figure 2 is a plan view of said support and pot, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a second form of stake support in a folded flat condition, Figure 4 is a plan view of the latter support, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a detail thereof.

The first example, shown in Figures 1 and 2, is primarily intended for use with a standard size of square pot, e.g. a one litre capacity pot, as favoured by some commercial growers for most efficient use of growing and transport space. A range of sizes of support may be provided for smaller or larger pots and the identical patterns of support can also be employed in round pots as referred to hereafter.

The support 10 is shown inserted in a square pot 12 which would, in practice, contain compost or other growing medium and a growing plant. These are not shown in the drawings. The plant can be raised from seed or a cutting in or transplanted into the pot in the usual way and no special provision has to be made for staking until the plant is big enough to require it. Thus the nuisance and space taken up by unnecessary stakes or canes at the early stages of growth is avoided.

When the plant needs staking the support 10 is simply inserted into the pot and its growing medium as described hereafter and the cane or stake (not shown in the drawings) is inserted into a locating sleeve 14 of the support which is exposed within the top of the pot as referred to hereafter.

Support 10 is preferably a one piece moulding of tough and durable plastics material and comprises a locating frame 16 including a pair of main horizontal members 18 joined at right angles so that they are Lshaped in plan. The members themselves have a T-section for added rigidity though they also have a degree of flexibility particularly in the horizontal plane.

The continuous top flange of members 18 is angled outwardly at each of their free ends and also projects outwardly along a vertical plan bisecting the angle between members 18 at their junction to provide three outwardly directed locating lugs 20.

Depending downwardly from each lug 20 but somewhat inset from the lug extremities are three tapered legs 22 (Figure 1) which also have a degree of resilience and whose length is substantially equivalent to the depth of the standard pot measured from a position slightly below its outwardly projecting rim.

Sleeve 14 is split into two halves 24 each carried on a short arm 26 projecting inwardly at right angles from each horizontal member 18 spaced a short distance from the junction of the members. A major part of sleeve 14 projects above the level of members 18 and its vertical axis is thus located on the bisecting plane of the angle between members 18 a short distance inwardly of leg 22 i.e. adjacent that corner of pot 12 and away from the centre of the pot.

When support 10 is inserted into pot 12 the legs 22 penetrate the growing medium at the three extreme corners of the pot. As the support is pressed fully home the lower ends of legs 22 are wedged into the downwardly tapering corners of the pot until their ends abut the pot bottom. At the same time lugs 20 are wedged into the corners of the pot immediately below the projecting rim and the vertical flange portions of members 18 and arms 26 will be pressed into the growing medium depending on its level within the pot.

Thus the support 10 is securely gripped within the pot walls and is located substantially rigidly thereby largely independently of the growing medium.

Finally the cane or other stake is inserted into sleeve 14 and pushed home until it reaches the bottom of the pot. The split sleeve will expand to accommodate variations in cane or stake girth as arms 26 can spring apart by flexure of members 18. The cane or stake is positively located and held upright to support the plant and will not readily be disturbed by wind or during handling and transport of the pot and its contents.

The second example, shown in Figures 3 to 5, is also primarily intended for a standard square or round pot.

This support 40 is also a one-piece plastics moulding comprising a locating frame 46 of rather different form to the first example.

It has a pair of horizontal members 48 in close spaced parallel relationship in the unreformed condition shown in Figure 3 and in full lines in Figure 4. The free distal end of each member 48 has a pair of somewhat resilient tapered legs 52 depending downwardly therefrom.

An upwardly projecting sleeve 44, equivalent in form and function to sleeve 14, is in two halves 54 and the proximal ends of members 48 are integrally connected with these by reduced section flexures 55 providing hinging about vertical axes so that members 48 can be splayed to move legs 52 away from each other. A double horizontal member 49 extends from the halves 54 of sleeve 14 on the opposite side to members 48, having two parallel spaced side walls 51 linked by cross webs 53.

These webs are spaced from sleeve 44 so that the two halves of the latter can flex apart. One of the webs 53 is at the extreme distal end of member 49 and forms the upper part of a third leg 52A.

A hook-shaped catch 60 projects from the side face of each member 48 near its flexure 55. When members 48 are splayed to the angular positions shown in ghosted lines in Figure 4 these catches snap-engage with lugs 62 on the respective halves 54 of the sleeve to retain members 48 at near right-angled relationships to double member 49, thus forming a generally Y-shaped frame and spacing the legs 52, 52A to nest into those of the corners of a square pot, or into a round pot as referred to below.

For some applications catches 60 and lugs 62 may be omitted, as the engagement of the legs in the growing medium and/or in the corners of the pot will itself hold members 48, 49 at the required angular relationship.

Also, for some applications, the support 40 might be used in the folded Figure 3 condition e.g. with members 48,49 in rectilinear relationship along one wall or diagonally across a pot, e.g. with leg 52A in one corner and the pair of legs 52 in another corner of a square pot.

The Supports are durable and can be re-used many times. If they accompany the plants and pots to the point of retail sale their usefulness to the purchaser can be mae a sales feature and may justify pricing accordingly which could cover their cost.

The supports described, primarily designed for use in a standard square pot, can also be used in a somewhat larger capacity round pot as indicated diagrammatically with respect to the first example in ghosted lines in Figure 2. The support will nest and wedge securely in a round pot whose rim is generally indicated at 12a of approximately two or three litre capacity, the legs will engage the round wall of the pot at three angular positions spaced about 90 degrees apart and will again provide secure support for a cane or stake with sleeve 14 conveniently off centre and clear of the plant itself.

The second example, with the folding legs, can be used likewise in a square or round pot.

Modifications in the above construction are contemplated within the scope of the invention, for example sleeve 14 or 44 could be a tube or collar not split into two parts, or might only have a single split along its length and/or be split to provide a plurality of resilient gripping fingers to engage the cane or stake. The sleeve could be directly mounted on one of the members 18 or 48 or positioned directly at the junction between members 18 rather than being carried on arms 26; or it might be carried on a single arm or other inward projection from either member 18 or from the junction between them. embers 18 or 48 could be arcuate instead of straight if the support was primarily for use in round pots, and other variations in shape of the legs and/or parts of frame 16 or 46 will be apparent.

Claims (12)

1. A stake support for potted plants comprising a locating frame having a plurality of legs for insertion into the pot and its growing medium at locations spaced from each other along or around the interior wall or walls of the pot, the operatively upper ends of the legs being joined by operatively horizontal members of the frame in an upper region of the pot in use, and an operatively upright sleeve carried on one or more of the horizontal members for receiving and locating a lower end part of a cane or other stake inserted therethrough into the pot.

2. A support as in Claim 1 wherein the locating frame has legs which are or can be operatively spaced for insertion into the pot and its growing medium at or adjacent each of at least three corners of a square pot or at or adjacent the wall of a round pot at least at three positions angularly spaced around 90 degrees apart.

3. A support as in Claim 1 or 2 wherein there are two horizontal members generally at right angles to each other or to a third said member in use so that the frame is L-shaped or Y-shaped in plan, the middle leg being at or adjacent the junction of the members.

4. A support as in Claim 3 wherein the sleeve is mounted adjacent the middle leg at or near the angle between the members so that it is spaced outwardly from the center of the pot and near one corner of the latter if square.

5. A support as in any preceding claim manufactured with the horizontal members ready positioned at their angular relationship of use.

6. A support as in any one of Claims 1 to 4 wherein the horizontal members may incorporate flexure or other hinging, whereby the support is or can be folded substantially flat for transport and storage and the legs can be selectively splayed apart as required in use.

7. A support as in Claim 6 including resilient catch means for retaining the horizontal members at a predetermined angle to each other to deploy the legs.

8. A support as in any preceding claim wherein the horizontal members include locating lugs or other formations projecting radially outwardly from the centre of the pot in use for abutment with the inner face of the pot wall in the three corners of a square pot.

9. A support as in any preceding claim wherein the legs are resiliently deformable so that they will conform to and wedge into a downwardly tapered pot.

10. A support as in any preceding claim wherein the bottom ends of the legs seat against the bottom of the pot when the support is fully inserted with the horizontal members being at or just above the surface of the growing medium.

11. A support as in any preceding claim wherein the sleeve is split for resilient gripping engagement with the cane or other stake.

12. A stake support substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or in Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.