GB2419797A

GB2419797A - Plant watering and feeding device

Info

Publication number: GB2419797A
Application number: GB0424317A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Anthony Bell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-11-03
Filing date: 2004-11-03
Publication date: 2006-05-10
Also published as: GB0424317D0

Abstract

There is provided a plant feeding device 1 arranged to be supported above a plant container. The device 1 comprises a container 10 for holding a charge of water 2. The container 10 has a first opening 11 at its upper end 12 for receiving water and a second opening 13 at its lower end 14 for discharging water. The device 1 further comprises a flow control member 20 comprising a porous material for restricting the rate of discharge from the second opening 13. The porous material may be a sponge.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO WATERING AND FEEDING OF

PLANTS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to plant feeding devices and to methods of watering and feeding plants.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is known to decorate the exterior of buildings with containers of plants and especially flowering plants.

Such containers include hanging baskets which are generally suspended from brackets.

Whilst these containers may improve a buildings appearance they have a number of disadvantages. The soil held by the containers generally dries out relatively quickly and the containers may thus need daily watering in warm weather.

When such containers are watered it is often the case that some water passes straight through the soil within the container and leaks from the container. In the case of hanging baskets this can results in water, which is likely to be dirty, dripping onto the person watering the basket.

There are known a number of devices for feeding water or water and nutrients to plants over a period of time.

However, these are generally complex in construction and/or unsuitable for use with plants held within a suspended container.

Accordingly, preferred embodiments of the present invention aim to address at least one disadvantage associated with known plant feeding devices whether discussed herein or otherwise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a plant feeding device arranged to be supported above a plant container, wherein the device comprises a container for holding a charge of water, said container having a first opening at its upper, in use, end for receiving said charge of water and a second opening at its lower, in use, end for discharging water to said plant container and wherein the device further comprises a flow control member comprising a porous material located at the lower, in use, end of the container for restricting the rate of discharge from the second opening.

Suitably, the device comprises support means by which it can be supported, preferably suspended, above a plant container.

Suitably, the device consists of a container, flow control member and support means.

A device according to the present invention may thus be simple in construction. Surprisingly it has been appreciated that such a simple construction may allow water to be supplied to a plant container in a controlled manner. Thus the risk of water dripping onto a user from a plant container may be substantially avoided. The wastage of water may also be substantially avoided with substantially no water leaking from the container.

Suitably, the device is arranged such that having been fully charged the container takes at least 5 minutes to discharge. Preferably, the container takes at least 10 minutes to fully discharge. The container may take between 10 minutes and 2 hours to fully discharge, preferably between 30 minutes and 80 minutes, for example between 45 and 60 minutes.

Suitably, the container has a capacity of between 1 and 4 litres, preferably between 2 and 3 litres, for example 2.5 litres.

Suitably, the container is arranged to discharge around 2.5 litres in around 45 to 60 minutes.

The device may thus be arranged such that water is supplied to the plant container more slowly than if a user provided the water directly to a plant container from a hose or watering can. A user may thus have time to move away from the plant container after supplying a charge of water before any water begins to drip from the plant container and may thus avoid becoming wet. Suitably, water may be supplied to the plant container at a rate equal to or less than that at which soil and plants within the container can absorb the water such that substantially no water drips from the plant container.

Suitably, the device is arranged such that it can supply nutrients as well as water to a plant container.

In use, water and nutrients may be pre-mixed to provide a water and nutrient mixture which is charged into the container. Alternatively, water and nutrients may be charged into the container separately and may form a water and nutrient mixture within the container. In either case a water and nutrient mixture may be discharged from the second opening.

The nutrients may comprise particles which may comprise granules.

Suitably, the first opening is dimensioned to allow easy charging of the container with water using a watering can or hose.

Suitably, the first opening has a diameter of between 5 and 15cm, preferably between 8 and 12cm, for example around 10cm.

Suitably, the second opening is smaller than is the first.

Suitably, the second opening has a diameter of between 0.5 and 5cm, preferably between 1 and 3cm, for example around 2cm.

Suitably the second opening is of such a size that it can not be blocked by nutrient particles.

Suitably, the flow control member comprises a sponge. The sponge may be a synthetic sponge. Alternatively, the sponge may be a natural sponge.

Suitably, the flow control member is arranged to "plug" the second opening such that water must pass through the flow control member to discharge through the second opening.

Suitably, a portion of the flow control member is arranged to lie within the container. Suitably, a portion of the flow control member is arranged to protrude externally of the container.

Suitably, the flow control member is arranged such that it does not become blocked by nutrient particles.

Suitably, the flow control member is of a porous nature which means it does not become blocked by nutrient particles.

The second opening may be located at a lowermost point of the container. Alternatively, the second opening may be located slightly above a lowermost point of the container.

In the latter case any un-dissolved nutrient particles may sit at the bottom of the container below the second opening reducing the risk of the flow control member and/or second opening becoming blocked.

The plant feeding device may comprise a plurality of second openings at its lower, Jn use, end each having a flow control member comprising a porous material associated therewith for restricting the rate of discharge.

The plant feeding device may comprise a plurality of second openings and a corresponding number of flow control members.

The plant feeding device may comprise 1, 2, 3 or 4 second openings. If the device comprises only one second opening the arrangement of the flow control member and second opening may be effective at preventing a discharge path via the second opening from becoming obstructed. A device having two or more second openings may however have a redundancy such that in the event (which may be rare) that a discharge path via a second opening becomes obstructed, there may remain an alternative discharge path via another second opening.

Suitably, the support means comprises an aperture in the wall of the container at the upper, in use, end of the container.

Suitably, the support means comprises a connecter for passing through said aperture and connecting to a support, such as a bracket, for suspending the device above a plant container.

Suitably, the connection means comprises a cable clip (or cable tie) Suitably, the container is generally tubular and has a greater diameter midway along its extent than at its lower end. Suitably, the container is generally tubular and has a greater diameter midway along its extent than at either its upper or lower end. This construction may allow the device to be positioned above a plant container holding plants such that the device can be surrounded by plants and hidden from view.

A device not having such a bulbous mid portion may not be able to hold the required volume of water without either being so tall it is visible above the plants or so wide at points, in particular its second end, that it restricts the usable area of the plant container.

Suitably, the container of the device has a "camouflage" surface covering such that if it is used with a plant container in which plants are establishing and thus do not hide the container of the device, the device blends in with the plant container and plants.

Alternatively, the container of the device may comprise a substantially transparent plastics material. For example the container may comprise a substantially transparent plastics material. The container may thus blend in with its surroundings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plant watering device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As illustrated by Figure 1 the plant watering device 1 comprises a container 10 for holding a volume of up to 2.5 litres of water 2.

The container 10 comprises a first opening 11 at its upper, in use, end 12 and a second opening 13 at its lower, in use, end 14.

The second opening 13 is plugged by a flow control member 20. The flow control member 20 comprises an artificial sponge sized to fill opening 13 such that it surrounds the periphery of the opening 13 on the inner side 15 of container 10 and such that a portion 21 of the flow control member protrudes through the opening 13 to the exterior of the container 10.

The device 1 further comprises a securement means 30 by which it can be supported above a plant container (not shown) . The securement means 30 comprises an aperture 31 provided in the wall of the container 10. A connector 32 which comprises a cable clip (or cable tie) passes through aperture 31 and forms a loop. This loop may be used to hang the device from a bracket attached to a building (not shown) In use, the device is suspended from a bracket (not shown) by the connector such that it hangs above a plant container (not shown) . The plant container comprises a hanging basket which is also suspended from the bracket.

The device is spaced from the plant container such that the lower end 14 of the container lies a centimetre or so above the plant container. The device is left in position above the container and as plants in the container become established it is disguised from view by the plants.

A user can charge the container 10 with water 2 by pouring water through opening 11. This can be done using a hose or watering can. The user can also charge nutrients, for example granular plant feed, or water comprising nutrients into the container through opening 11 at their option.

The second opening 13 which provides the discharge opening together with the flow control member 20 is arranged to release water from the container onto a plant container above which the device is suspended over a period of time.

Accordingly, a user can deliver 2.5 litres of water to the device at any one time and because the water is released by the device to a plant container over a period of time the water will not pass straight through the container and drip onto the user.

It will be appreciated that preferred embodiments of the present invention may allow for a plant container to be watered in a substantially controlled manner such that a user can avoid having water drip onto them.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features

disclosed in this specification (including any

accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

Claims 1. A plant feeding device arranged to be supported above a plant

container, wherein the device comprises a container for holding a charge of water, said container having a first opening at its upper, in use, end for receiving said charge of water and a second opening at its lower, in use, end for discharging water to said plant container and wherein the device further comprises a flow control member comprising a porous material located at the lower, in use, end of the container for restricting the rate of discharge from the second opening.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises support means by which it can be supported above a plant container.
3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the device consists of a container, flow control member and support means.
4. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the container is generally tubular and has a greater diameter midway along its extent than at its lower end.
5. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the container is generally tubular and has a greater diameter midway along its extent than at either its upper or lower end.
6. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the flow control member comprises a sponge.
7. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the flow control member is arranged to plug the second opening such that water must pass through the flow control member to discharge through the second opening.
8. A device according to claim 7, wherein a portion of the flow control member is arranged to lie within the container and a portion of the flow control member is arranged to protrude externally of the container.
9. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the container has a capacity of between 1 and 4 litres.
10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the device is arranged such that having been fully charged the container takes at least 5 minutes to discharge.
11. A plant feeding device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.