GB2300100A

GB2300100A - Seed sowing device

Info

Publication number: GB2300100A
Application number: GB9508561A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeremy Nicholas Hunt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-04-27
Filing date: 1995-04-27
Publication date: 1996-10-30
Also published as: GB9508561D0

Abstract

A seed planting device shown generally at 10 comprises a structure which provides an array of locations at which seeds 16 may be secured to the structure. The structure is formed from a plurality of flexible strips such as biodegradable cardboard. The device can therefore be sold in compact form with seeds attached, and stretched across a seed tray (as shown) to space the seeds by a desired distance. Handling of individual seeds is not necessary.

Description

Seed Sowing The present invention relates to seed sowing.

It is common practice for gardeners to plant seeds in seed trays to germinate into seedlings which are then transplanted from the seed tray. This allows economic use of space. However, it is important that seeds are not set too close together, which could prevent satisfactory propagation.

Some gardeners experience difficulty in planting seeds in this way. For instance, those with poor eyesight or arthritic or otherwise disabled hands may find it difficult to handle individual seeds or ensure their correct spacing.

The present invention provides a seed planting device comprising a structure which provides an array of locations at which seeds may be secured to the structure, there being seeds attached to the structure at some or all of the locations, wherein the spacing of the locations corresponds, in use, to the spacing required for planted seeds, whereby the device may be buried to plant the seeds at the required spacing.

The structure is preferably extendable and collapsible, whereby the structure may be stored in a collapsed condition with the seeds relatively closely spaced, and extended for use, to space the seeds at the required spacing.

Preferably holding means are provided, operable to hold the structure in an extended condition. The holding means may be operable to attach the structure to a fixed structure, such as a seed tray. The holding means may be adhesive and may comprise double-sided adhesive. The double-sided adhesive may be a tape attached to the structure and having a cover layer which may be removed to allow the structure to be attached as aforesaid.

Preferably the structure comprises a plurality of strips of material attached together to form cells which expand as the structure expands, there being a seed attached to the structure within each cell.

The strips are preferably flexible. The strips may extend alongside each other and be attached to neighbouring strips at positions spaced along their length, each strip being attached alternately to one neighbouring strip and to the other neighbouring strip.

The strips may form a honeycomb structure.

Preferably the seeds are attached by means of water soluble fixing means. The water soluble fixing means may comprise a water based adhesive.

Preferably the structure is made of biodegradable material. The structure may be made substantially wholly of cardboard. Preferably the structure is impregnated with a nutrient for the seeds.

The invention also provides a method of seed planting, in which seeds are attached to a structure which provides an array of locations for seeds, the spacing of locations corresponding, in use, to the spacing required for planted seeds, and wherein the device is buried to plant the seeds at the required spacing.

Preferably the structure is extendable and collapsible and is stored in a collapsed condition with the seeds relatively closely spaced, and is extended for use, to space the seeds at the required spacing. The structure may be held in the extended condition by operation of holding means. Preferably the structure is attached to a fixed structure, such as a seed tray, to hold the structure in the extended condition. Preferably adhesive means, such as double-sided adhesive, is used to hold the structure in the extended condition. The double-sided adhesive may be a tape attached to the structure and having a cover layer which may be removed to allow the structure to be held as aforesaid.

Preferably the seeds are attached to the structure by means of a water-soluble fixing means, such as a water-based adhesive.

Preferably the structure is made of a biodegradable material, such as paper, cardboard or similar material, and is preferably impregnated with nutrient for the seeds.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device according to the present invention and in the extended condition; Fig. 2 shows the device of Fig. 1 in the collapsed condition; Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an initial stage of using the device of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 at an intermediate stage; and Fig. 5 corresponds to Figs. 3 and 4 and shows a final stage of the process.

Fig. 1 shows a seed planting device shown generally at 10, comprising a structure 12 which provides an array of locations indicated at 14 at which seeds 16 (shown at an exaggerated scale) may be secured to the structure 12.

Seeds are attached to the structure at some or all of the locations 14. The spacing of the locations corresponds, in use, to the spacing required for planted seeds. Thus, the device 10 may be buried to plant the seeds 16 at the required spacing.

In more detail, the structure 12 comprises a plurality of strips 1BA,B,C,D,E of flexible and preferably biodegradable material such as cardboard, paper or a similar material. These strips are attached together to form cells 20 which can expand or contract with the structure 12, as will be described. Each cell 20 contains a seed 16 attached to the structure 12. The strips 18, which are cardboard in this example extend alongside each other in zig-zag fashion, running generally from the top of Fig. 1 to the bottom. Strips are attached by glue to neighbouring strips at positions 22. Each strip is attached alternately to the neighbouring strip to one side and then to the neighbouring strip to the other side. Thus, the strip 18B is alternately attached to strip 18A and strip 18C.

Strip 18C is alternately attached to strips 18B and 18D.

Glue at each position 22 is spread along a length of the strip 18, the length being approximately equal to the spacing between adjacent glue positions 22. The result is a honeycomb structure in which each cell 20 is approximately hexagonal in shape.

The seeds 16 are attached to the strips 18 by a water-based adhesive, for reasons which will become apparent.

The structure 12 is shown in its extended condition in Fig. 1, with each strip 18 flexed between each glue position 22. The structure 12 may be collapsed to a collapsed condition (Fig. 2) by allowing the strips 18 to straighten (at least partially). It is to be appreciated that the structure 12 is very much more compact in the collapsed condition of Fig. 2 than in the extended condition of Fig. 1.

The end-most strips 18 carry on their outer surfaces a strip of double-sided adhesive tape (not shown in Figs. 1 and 2) attached to the strips 18 by one of the adhesive faces. The other face carries a cover layer to protect the adhesive prior to use.

The device 10 may be used in the manner now to be described, with particular reference to the remaining figures.

Fig. 3 shows a seed tray 24 in which a layer of compost, soil or other appropriate medium 26 has been placed. The compost 26 does not fully fill the tray 24, but leaves above the compost 26 a depth at least equal to the thickness of the device 10.

The device 10 is now placed in the tray 24 against one end wall 28, on top of the compost 26. That brings one of the ends strips 18 against the end wall 28. Prior to this, the cover layer of the double-sided adhesive tape of that strip 18 is removed so that the strip adheres to the end wall 28.

The device 10 can now be extended by stretching it across the top of the compost 26. The device is prevented from contracting by adhesion to the end wall 28. The other end of the device 10 is then attached to the opposite end wall 30, again by removing the cover layer on the double-sided adhesive tape 31 and securing the end strip 18 to the end wall 30.

It can be seen by comparing Figs. 3 and 4 that as the device 10 is stretched across the compost 26, the cells 20 expand to move apart the seeds 16 (shown schematically as dots). In order to ensure that the final seed spacing corresponds to the spacing required for the seeds once planted, the configuration of the device 10 is preferably chosen in accordance with the type of seed and size of tray 24. In general, the final spacing will increase if the number of strips 18 is reduced (for a given size of tray). The glueing arrangements can also be modified to have some effect on the final spacing.

While in principle it might be thought that the need to adjust the spacing in accordance with the nature of the seed and the size of the tray might lead to a very large number of possible combinations, it is found in practice that seed tray sizes are standardised to a very small number of sizes and that a spacing of approximately 25mm can be used for a very large number of types of seed. However, it will be appreciated that a wide range of spacings can be achieved by varying the degree of extension of the device.

Once the device 10 has been stretched across the compost 26 and secured, the final stage is to complete the burial of the device 10 by covering in further compost 26, as shown in Fig. 5. The result is to bury the device 10 and so plant the seeds at the required spacing.

Once the device 10 has been buried, moisture in the compost 26 will begin to dissolve the adhesive which attaches the seeds 16 to the strips 18, so releasing the seeds into the compost. Moreover, it may be desirable to impregnate the strips 18 with nutrients, fertilizer etc.

which will be released into the compost after burial.

Indeed, the material of the structure 12 itself may be biodegradable to break down and feed the seeds 16.

It is envisaged that the structure 12 can be sold with seeds attached, so that instead of buying a packet of loose seeds, a gardener would buy a device 10 which incorporates the desired seeds and would then plant the seeds by using the device in the manner described above.

So long as the device is used in a tray of appropriate size, and is evenly stretched when being installed, the gardener can be confident that the seeds have been planted at an appropriate spacing. At no stage is the gardener required to handle individual seeds, which is of great assistance to those with poor eyesight or disabled fingers.

Many variations and modifications can be made to the apparatus described above, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In particular, many other designs of structure to provide an array of seed locations could be adopted and many other arrangements could be chosen for expanding and contracting the device. The device could be used not only with seeds, but also with other forms of propagation material, such as spore or cuttings.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. A seed planting device comprising a structure which provides an array of locations at which seeds may be secured to the structure, there being seeds attached to the structure at some or all of the locations, wherein the spacing of the locations corresponds, in use, to the spacing required for planted seeds, whereby the device may be buried to plant the seeds at the required spacing.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the structure is extendable and collapsible, whereby the structure may be stored in acollapsed condition with the seeds relatively closely spaced, and extended for use, to space the seeds at the required spacing.

3. A device according to Claim 2, wherein holding means are provided, operable to hold the structure in an extended condition.

4. A device according to Claim 3, wherein the holding means is operable to attach the structure to a fixed structure, such as a seed tray.

5. A device according to Claim 3 or 4, wherein the holding means is adhesive.

6. A device according to any of Claims 3 to 5, wherein the holding means comprise double-sided adhesive.

7. A device according to Claim 6, wherein the double-sided adhesive comprises a tape attached to the structure and having a cover layer which may be removed to allow the structure to be attached as aforesaid.

8. A device according to any of Claims 2 to 7, wherein the structure comprises a plurality of strips of material attached together to form cells which expand as the structure expands, there being a seed attached to the structure within each cell.

9. A device according to Claim 8, wherein the strips are flexible.

10. A device according to Claim 8 or 9, wherein the strips extend alongside each other and are attached to neighbouring strips at positions spaced along their length, each strip being attached alternately to one neighbouring strip and to the other neighbouring strip.

11. A device according to any of Claims 8 to 10, wherein the strips form a honeycomb structure.

12. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the seeds are attached by means of water soluble fixing means.

13. A device according to Claim 12, wherein the water soluble fixing means comprise a water based adhesive.

14. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the structure is made of biodegradable material.

15. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the structure is made substantially wholly of cardboard.

16. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the structure is impregnated with a nutrient for the seeds.

17. A method of seed planting, in which seeds are attached to a structure which provides an array of locations for seeds, the spacing of locations corresponding, in use, to the spacing required for planted seeds, and wherein the device is buried to plant the seeds at the required spacing.

18. A method according to Claim 17, wherein the structure is extendable and collapsible and is stored in a collapsed condition with the seeds relatively closely spaced, and is extended for use, to space the seeds at the required spacing.

19. A method according to Claim 18, wherein the structure may be held in the extended condition by operation of holding means.

20. A method according to Claim 18 or 19, wherein the structure is attached to a fixed structure, such as a seed tray, to hold the structure in the extended condition.

21. A method according to any of Claims 18 to 20, wherein adhesive means is used to hold the structure in the extended condition.

22. A method according to Claim 21, wherein double-sided adhesive means is used to hold the structure as aforesaid.

23. A method according to Claim 22, wherein the double-sided adhesive comprises a tape attached to the structure and having a cover layer which may be removed to allow the structure to be held as aforesaid.

24. A method according to any of Claims 17 to 23, wherein the seeds are attached to the structure by means of a water-soluble fixing means, such as a water-based adhesive.

25. A method according to any of Claims 17 to 24, wherein the structure is made of a biodegradable material.

26. A method according to Claim 25, wherein the structure is made of paper, cardboard or similar material.

27. A method according to any of Claims 17 to 26.

wherein the structure is impregnated with nutrient for the seeds.

28. A seed planting device substantially as described above with reference to the accompanying drawings.

29. A method of seed planting substantially as described above with reference to the accompanying drawings.

30. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention asany of the preceding Claims.