GB2290933A

GB2290933A - Watering device

Info

Publication number: GB2290933A
Application number: GB9413704A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Leonard Figgins; Yvonne Rosemarie Figgins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-07-07
Filing date: 1994-07-07
Publication date: 1996-01-17
Also published as: GB9413704D0

Abstract

A watering device (10) allows water to be introduced below the surface of a growing medium in a plant container. The device comprises a perforated pipe (12), for positioning at least partly below the surface of the growing medium, which is provided with an inlet (16) to enable water to be introduced into the pipe (12). The inlet (16) may have a hopper or funnel (20) which may be provided with closable lid, and with means for holding soluble plant food. The hopper or funnel may be of a capacity to act as a temporary reservoir for water introduced into it. The watering device may be configured to suit the shape of the container with which it is to be used e.g. circular, part-circular, or linear. The perforated pipe (12) may be made of plastics material, and the perforations (14) arranged along the sides and/or base of the pipe. The watering device (10) may be a component intended to be introduced into the container when the container is being filled with the growing medium, or may form part of the container. <IMAGE>

Description

Method and Means for Watering Plants The present invention relates to a method and means of watering plants planted-out in plant containers, in a growing medium such as compost.

Such containers may include hanging and wall-mounted baskets and troughs.

When planted-up, such containers, in particular baskets, can lose moisture rapidly, calling for frequent watering. Should the growing medium become dry it is difficult to re-wet and water applied to its surface will normally run off, unless the growing medium is thoroughly re-moistened, which may require the basket to be removed from its mounting and submerged into a container of water, a tedious and time-consuming procedure. Even then it is not possible to know whether the growing medium has been moistened right through, or only superficially.

The present invention provides a method and means for overcoming such problems, enabling plants planted out in containers to be more readily watered than hitherto.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, means for enabling the watering of plants in a growing medium within a plant container, comprises a perforated pipe or the like, adapted to be positioned at least partially below the surface of the growing medium, and provided with an ingress for water, thereby enabling water to be introduced into the growing medium below the surface thereof.

The perforated pipe may be arranged in a configuration appropriate to the plant container with which it is to be used. For example it may be configured in the form of a circle or part-circle, for a hanging or wall-mounted basket respectively, or linearly for a trough.

The perforated pipe is provided with water ingress means which may be provided with a funnel or hopper, which protrudes above or lies level with the surface of the growing medium, and which may have a capacity enabling it in conjunction with the ingress means and the perforated pipe to act as a temporary reservoir for the water introduced. The water ingress means may also be used for the introduction of water-soluble plant nutrients to the growing medium and hence to the plants.

The funnel or hopper may be closed with a flap or lid to prevent the ingress of growing medium from the surface of the container into the perforated pipe.

The pipe may be of perforated plastics material, with the perforations arranged at the sides and/or on the base of the pipe.

A watering device in accordance with the invention may form part of a planting container, or may be inserted as a discrete device into the growing medium at the time of filling and planting-up the container.

From another aspect the invention consists in a method for watering plants in a growing medium within a container comprises the steps of providing a perforated pipe or the like at least partially within the body of the growing medium, and introducing water into the pipe, whereby water so introduced flows into the growing medium, below the surface thereof.

The invention will described by way of example with reference to the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of which; Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device in accordance with the invention for use with circular containers such as hanging baskets; Figure 2 shows a cross-section through a planted-up circular container with a device as shown in Figure 1 in position in it; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a further device in accordance with the invention for use with rectangular containers such as troughs.

Referring to Figure 1, a watering device 10 in accordance with the invention comprises a circular loop of hollow plastics pipe 12, having perforations 14 disposed along its length.

An inlet pipe 16, which may be of the same material and of the same diameter as the pipe 12, is attached to the pipe 12 at its lower end 18, and is shaped to form, or has attached thereto, a funnel or hopper 20 at its upper end 22.

The funnel or hopper 20 may be closed by means of a flap lid, not shown.

In use the device 10 will be set out in the growing medium of a circular plant container, such as a hanging basket, at the time the container is being filled with the growing medium and planted-up.

The container will typically be filled with moistened growing medium to approximately half its depth, the device 10 placed into the container with the filler pipe 16 upright, and the remainder of the growing medium then placed on top of device 10, leaving the mouth of the funnel or hopper 20 level with or, preferably, slightly above the surface of the growing medium.

Plants may then be planted out into the growing medium in the container.

The growing medium may subsequently be kept moist, to keep the plants watered, by periodically introducing water into funnel or hopper 20. Water so introduced will fill perforated pipe 12, filler pipe 16, and funnel or hopper 20, which together will act as a temporary reservoir. The water will then gradually percolate through the perforations 14 into the growing medium. Provision of a hinged lid to the funnel or hopper 20 on pipe 16 will minimise the chance of growing medium entering the device 10 and possibly blocking the perforations 14.

Water soluble plant nutrient material in the form of pellets can be introduced into the funnel or hopper 20, as can liquid plant food in appropriate quantities, for even distribution into the growing medium in the region of the roots of the plants set out in it.

Perforated pipe 12 may be of circular or other crosssection, for example elliptical, with the major axis of the ellipse set vertically, parallel to the principal axis of the filler pipe 16.

The perforations 14 of perforated pipe are preferably arranged around the sides of pipe 12, to allow water introduced into the pipe to be distributed within and without the ring formed by the pipe, thereby providing the most effective distribution of the water within the growing medium. Some additional perforations may also be provided on the lower side of pipe 12, to ensure that most or all of the water introduced into pipe 12 finds its way into the growing medium in which device 10 is set.

For a circular basket 14" in diameter, device 10 would typically be 10" in diameter, pipe 12 would be 1.25" to 1.50" in diameter, and funnel or hopper 20 have a mouth 3" to 4" in diameter.

Device 10 may be fabricated by welding together pipe 12 and pipe 16, which may be shaped to have an integral hopper 20, or have a funnel or hopper element 20 welded to it.

Alternatively device 10 may be assembled from appropriate lengths of pipe, perforated and unperforated, using a T-connector to join the two ends of perforated pipe 12 to form a ring and to couple filler pipe 16 to it, with a separate hopper or funnel 20 a push-fit into pipe 16.

Device 10 may be fabricated of materials other than plastics, for example of metal elements.

Device 10 may also be formed either as a discrete component for insertion into a plant container at the time of filling and planting, or integrally with a plant container.

Referring to Figure 2, a cross-section is shown of a device 10 set into a circular hanging basket 30, containing plants such as 32, set out in growing medium 34.

Referring to Figure 3, a watering device in accordance with the invention for use with a plant container in the form of trough is illustrated, and comprises a perforated pipe 40, of a length suitable for the length of container in which it is to be inserted. Pipe 40 is closed at one end 42 and has a filler pipe 44 at the other end, suitably terminated by a funnel or hopper 46 into which water is introduced. The filler pipe 44 may be set midway, or in any other desired position along perforated pipe 40.

Use and fabrication of the device of Figure 3 is, mutatis mutandis, as described with relation to the device of Figure 1.

It will be apparent that modifications may be made to the devices described with reference to the drawings without exceeding the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Plant watering device to enable the watering of plants in a body of growing medium within a plant container, comprising a perforated pipe or the like, adapted to be positioned at least partially below the surface of the growing medium, and provided with an ingress for water, thereby enabling water to be introduced into the growing medium below the surface thereof.

2. A device in accordance with Claim 1 in which the perforated pipe or the like is configured at least in part appropriately to the configuration of the plant container.

3. A device in accordance with Claim 2 in which the perforated pipe or the like is configured at least in part as a circle, or part-circle.

4. A device in accordance with Claim 2 in which the perforated pipe or the like is configured at least part in part linearly.

5. A device in accordance with any preceding claim in which the water ingress is provided with a funnel or hopper, adapted to lie level with or protrude above the surface of the growing medium, when the device is in position in the plant container.

6. A device in accordance with Claim 5 in which the funnel or hopper has a capacity such as to enable it to act as a temporary reservoir for water introduced into it.

7. A device in accordance with Claim 5 or Claim 6 in which the funnel or hopper is provided with means for holding a water-soluble plant nutrient material.

8. A device in accordance with Claim 5, Claim 6 or Claim 7 in which the funnel or hopper is provided with a closable flap or lid to prevent the ingress of growing medium or other extraneous material into the perforated pipe or the like through the water ingress.

9. A device in accordance with any preceding claim in which the perforated pipe or the like is made plastics material.

10. A device in accordance with any preceding claim in which the perforations in the perforated pipe or the like, are arranged at the side and/or on the base of the pipe or the like, as disposed within the container.

11. A device in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 10, in which the device forms part of the container.

12. A device in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 10 in form of a discrete device adapted to be introduced into the body of growing medium at the time of filling the container.

13. A device as described herein with reference to FigureS 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A device as described herein with reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A method of watering plants arranged in a body of growing medium within a plant container, comprising the steps of introducing a perforated pipe or the like into the growing medium to lie at least partly below the surface thereof, and introducing water into the perforated pipe or the like, thereby to moisten the growing medium below the surface thereof.