GB2427114A

GB2427114A - Process and installation for promoting plant growth

Info

Publication number: GB2427114A
Application number: GB0512383A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pauline Margaret Gattley; Michael Saywell
Original assignee: GF GB Ltd; RANIK Ltd
Current assignee: GF-GB LIMITED
Priority date: 2005-06-17
Filing date: 2005-06-17
Publication date: 2006-12-20
Also published as: GB0512383D0; WO2006134371A1

Abstract

The process comprises placing on a supporting surface a support member 11 in the form of a fabrication of plastics material formed with an upper region 12 adapted to support a load and a lower region 13 on which the support member can seat, the fabrication being such that the resulting spacing between the upper and lower regions is substantially greater than the thickness of the plastics material from which the support member is fabricated so that the overall shape is corrugated. The supporting member having one or more holes (17) extending there through to provide for the passage of liquid through the support member from the upper side thereof to the lower side. At least one container holding a mass of a plant growing/supporting medium is then located on the supporting member.

Description

PROCESS AND INSTALLATION FOR PROMOTING PLANT GROWTH

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a process and installation for promoting plant growth.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known for horticultural and domestic plant growing to make use of a bag of plant growing medium whith medium can also contain plant nutrients. To make use of the bag it is laid on the ground or in a container and its upper face cut, to a greater or lesser extent, to reveal growing medium into whith one or more plants can be embedded in a conventional maimer. The plant is then appropriately irrigated and cultivated. Such a method of cultivation provides a number of advantages over ground cultivation including the provision of fresh disease-free plant growing medium appropriate to the plants to be grown.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a process for promoting plant growth comprising the steps of: placing on a supporting surface a support member in the form of a fabrication of plastics material formed with an upper region adapted to support a load and a lower region on which the support member can seat, the fabrication being such that the resulting spacing between the upper and regions is substantially greater than the thickness of the plastics material from which the support member is fabricated; the prefabrication providing a configuration for the member including channels which extend from a first boundary of the support member to a second boundary thereof; the member having one or more holes extending there through to provide for the passage of liquid through the support member from the upper side thereof to the lower side; [2] locating on the support surface by means of the support member at least one container holding a mass of a plant growing/supporting medium; and planting a plant in the mass of medium for subsequent cultivation.

According to a first preferred version of the first aspect of the present invention at least part of a side or an underside of the, or each, container is perforated to provide for liquid from within the container to flow from the container onto the support member.

According to a second preferred version of the present invention or of the first preferred version thereof the support member is disposed on the support surface and the support member is configured to provide for at least one channel defined by the upper face of the support member said channel or channels being adopted to receive liquid from the or each container on the upper support face.

According to a third preferred version of the present invention or of any preceding preferred version thereof the support member is placed on a sloping support surface so that liquid having passed from a container on the support member onto the support member and having passed through one or more the holes in the support member falls onto the support surface and thereafter away from the underside of the support member.

According to a fourth preferred version of the present invention or of any preceding preferred version thereof the, or each, container is one or more of the group comprising: a cultivating bag, a trough, a pot.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a plant growing installation utilising the process for promoting plant growth according to the first aspect or of any preferred version thereof.

* S * S *SS * S S S S S S S S * S * S S 555 5 5 S S. S S *S S S S S S S S S S * S S.. C 55 5 S [3] In the present disclosure reference is made to a plant' being cultivated. However the invention is also to be taken as including not only a plant as such but also a source of a plant such as a seed or bulb.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing of a component for use in the process and an installation of the present invention and a diagrammatic representation of which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a component for use in the process and installation; Figure 2 a sectioned elevation on Section 11-Il of Figure 1. side view; Figure 3 shows the component of Figures 1 and 2 in use; Figure 4 shows an installation making use of the component of Figures 1 -3.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Figure 1 and Figure 2 These variously show a support member ii in the form of a sheet of plastics material of given thickness prefabricated so that the member 11 defines an upper support boundary 12 and a lower support boundary 13 spaced from one another by a distance D at least ten time the thickness T of the sheet material from which member 11 is fabricated. The member 11 is moulded to provide a configuration for the member including two sets of parallel channels, such as channels CU and CD, which extend from first side of the support member 11 to an opposite side to the first side thereof.

Channel CU is directed upwardly and channel CD downwardly. In this embodiment the channels form a regular zigzag pattern across the member 11. The walls of the channels are corrugated so as to add to the overall stiffness of the member 11. [4]

The member 11 has holes (typically hole 17) spaced along each channel extending to provide for the passage of liquid through the support member 11 from the upper channels such as CU to the lower channels CD.

Figure 3 This shows the support member 11 in use. The member 11 is located on a support surface 31 and serves to space a cultivating bag 32 of plastics material clear of surface 31.

The bag 32 contains a mass 33 of a plant growing/supporting medium. In a known manner there is provided an opening 34 in upper side 35 of the bag 32 to reveal a part of the mass 33. A plant 36 is located with roots 37 in the mass 33 for subsequent cultivation.

The support member 11 serves to locate the bag 32 clear of the support surface 31 so that any liquid passing out, or around, the bag 32 passes onto the support member 11 and into channels CU and similarly configured channels facing upwardly from the member 11. The liquid gathered in this way by means of the upward facing channels passes through the member 11 by way of hole 17 (and other corresponding holes in the member 11) onto the support surface 31 and so away from the vicinity of the underside of bag 32.

Commercially available bags similar to bag 32 are known having at least part of their underside of a porous or perforated material providing for liquid from within the flexible container to flow from the underside of such a perforated or porous bag onto a support member corresponding to member 11 and thereafter through the member as described earlier. [5]

By making use of support member 11 in this way to space the bag 32 from the surface 31 the underside of the bag 32 can be kept free of liquid so serving to prevent a build up of a stagnant liquid or of moisture in which fungus or other undesirable features could develop or be sustained. The support member 11 also serves to enable the region beneath the bag 32 to be positively flushed through when required further serving to remove any pests sheltering beneath the bag 32.

The form and configuration of channels in the support member can be selected at will.

The channels are formed to provide for stiffening the plastics sheet material from which the member 11 to ensure the member 11 is not crushed by the weight of the bag placed on it. The specific design of a support member can be optimised depending on the type of cultivating bag to be supported.

Figure 4 This shows an installation utiising a number of support members described above in connection with Figures 1 to 3 providing for the process for promoting plant growth on a substantial scale in a protective enclosure. In this case bags, typically bag 41, corresponding to bag 32 of Figures 1 to 3, are laid out in rows on support member 42 which is in tarn laid out on a sheet 43 of plastics material on a floor 44 within the enclosed area in which the bag 41 and its neighbours are housed. The sheet 43 is not a feature of the present invention and can be dispensed with. Cultivation of plants is undertaken in each bag as described above in connection with Figure 3.

The floor 44 has a slight slope from the right hand side as shown in Figure 4 down to the left hand side. This provides a gradient by means of which liquid initially directed into the interior of bag 41 which has passed through the growing medium in the bag is enabled to pass out of the bag 41 by means of holes, such as hole H, of which series are provided in the side walls and base of bag 41. The remaining bags around bag 41 are [6] similarly provided for drainage with holes. Liquid having passed onto the support member 42 pass along upwardly facing channels in the support member 42 corresponding to channels CU (described earlier in relation to Figures 1 and 2). The liquid in the channels CU drains down through holes corresponding to hole 17 ( described earlier in relation to Figures 1 and 2) to fall onto plastics sheet 43. Thereafter the drained water follows the floor gradient and passes away from the vicinity of the underside of the bag 41 and surrounding bags.

The installation described in connection with Figure 4 makes use of containers in the form of bags for growing plant. However it is envisaged that other types of container can be used such as pots, troughs or trays for plant supporting/growing material and any plants contained in the material.

The support member 42 serves to displace liquid from the vicinity of the container.

This liquid can have arrived on the support member 42 having passed through the container. However it can also arrive on the support member without passing through the container such as arises when local watering of the plants is occurring and water fails to contact plants or container.

It will be apparent that the present invention provides for the controlled irrigation of plants as well as for an environment in the vicinity of the plants (but outside their containment means) inhibiting the creation of stagnant liquid or damp regions in the vicinity of a container which could serve as a source of, or growth area for, fungal or other undesirable matter adverse to required plant cultivation.

The installation does not prevent the supply of water or other liquid supply to the or each, container.

* * S * *** * * S S S S S S S * S a S S *S* 4 * * S. a S 55 S S S a a * * * S S 5** 5 ** a S [7] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILIn' The process and installation of the present invention provides for the controlled irrigation and improved cultivation of plants in bags or other containers by providing a more clearly defined path than heretofore for liquid applied to the plants. Surplus liquid is caused to pass away from the vicinity of the container concerned to avoid the creation of stagnant liquid or damp regions in the vicinity of a container which could serve as a source of, or growth area for, fungal or other undesirable matter adverse to required plant cultivation.

* * * * *** * * $ I S * I S S * S S S I III I I S *. s S *i * S * * $ S I I S S S S.. S *S S * [8]

Claims

1 A process for promoting plant growth comprising the steps of: placing on a supporting surface a support member in the form of a fabrication of plastics material formed with an upper region adapted to support a load and a lower region on which the support member can seat, the fabrication being such that the resulting spacing between the upper and regions is substantially greater than the thickness of the plastics material from which the support member is fabricated; the prefabrication providing a configuration for the member including channels which extend from a first boundary of the support member to a second boundary thereof; the member having one or more holes extending there through to provide for the passage of liquid through the support member from the upper side thereof to the lower side; locating on the support surface by means of the support member at least one container holding a mass of a plant growing/supporting medium; and planting a plant in the mass of medium for subsequent cultivation.

2 A process as claimed in Claim 1 wherein at least part of a side or an underside of the, or each, container is perforated to provide for liquid from within the container to flow from the container onto the support member.

3 A process as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the support member is disposed on the support surface and the support member is configured to provide for at least one channel defined by the upper face of the support member said channel or channels being adopted to receive liquid from the or each container on the upper support face.

* 0 0 S **S * . S S I S S S * * S S S I *SI * * S ** I S IS * S S * S I * S S S e S.. * *S S S [9]

4 A process as claimed in any preceding claim in which the support member is placed on a sloping support surface so that liquid having passed from a container on the support member onto the support member and having passed through one or more the holes in the support member falls onto the support surface and thereafter away from the underside of the support member.

A process as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6 A process as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the, or each, container is one or more of the group comprising: a cultivating bag, a trough, a pot.

7 A plant growing installation providing for the process for promoting plant growth of any preceding claim.

8 A plant growing installation as claimed in Claim 7 adapted to provide for the controlled irrigation of the contents of the, or each, container.

* * * S *SS * * S S * S S S S * I * S S 555 S S * S S II S * S S * S S 5 S S S.. S *S S S