GB2430856A - Vertically arranged plant containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A series of plant containers mounted vertically on a stand 12 which may be freestanding or wall mounted. Each container has an integral trough 3. Water from the trough is conducted to the soil ball 1 through a capillary acting material wick 5. Excess water overflows through pipe 4 into a lower container, and eventually into a tank 8. From here water is conveyed using pump 10 to the uppermost container through a pipe 11. The level of water in the tank is controlled by a ballcock and valve 9.

Description

Vertically arranged plant containers.

This invention relates to plant containers arranged vertically each with their own watering system.

Plants grown in the conventional manner in beds require a lot of space and constant attention to watering, and nearly always waste a lot of water through evaporation or watering areas of soil which do not need it. Also conventionally grown plants are vulnerable to aUaek from pests which fmd them easy to reach.

The present invention proposes to overcome these problems by stacking each identical container at an angle on a vertical support structure, and containing the water within the system.

This will enable greatly increased plant density to be achieved.

Preferably the water can then be delivered at chosen time intervals via an automatic system. Many pests can be kept at bay by the ease with which the present invention can be isolated from the sources of these pests.

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1. shows a cross section through a typical container.

Figure 2. shows across section through a typical container with means to adjust the level of the water in each individual container.

Figure 3. shows a typical container with means to guide the flow of water.

Figure 4. shows an arrangement of some containers placed on an attached vertical structure with a water supply and tank, Figure 5. shows a freestanding support structure, containers, water supply and tank.

Each container has a trough of water 3 as an integral part which is fed by an overflow pipe 4 from the one above it. This process is repeated until the water reaches the bottom of the stack. This is achieved by an overflow pipe 4 which deposits water onto the top of the container below. The water then runs down the top of the lower container into that containers trough by means of an opening 13 at the lower end of that top. The container at the top of the stack is fed water by means of a pipe 11 attached to a pump 10, or sometimes directly from a hosepipe.

Preferably at the bottom of the stack there is a tank 8 into which the overflow from the bottom container drains, thus making sure that there is no wastage. Water is fed into this tank from outside.

The level of the water in this tank is controlled by a balicock 9, or similarly acting, valve, and in it there is a pump 10 which pumps the water to the top of the stack.

Preferably the depth of water in each trough is adjusted to suit different plants by means of additiOnal lengths of pipe 6 attached to the top of the overflow pipe 4.

The water in each container is introduced to the soil in that container by means of a capillary acting material 5 led from the trough into the soil 1.

The stack of containers and their supporting structure are either a freestanding unit 12 (fig. 5) or placed against a vertical structure such as a wall or fence 12 (fig. 4).

Each container is a separate unit which is removable from the stack for replanting or maintenance without jeopardising the flow of water down the stack.

Claims (6)

Claims.

1. A plant container adapted to be placed at an angle and including an integral water trough.

2. A container as according to claim 1, to including a capillary material joining the water trough to the planting region.

3. A plant container according to claim 1 or claim 2, which is placed on support structure in such a way as to allow water to flow into it from a similar or substantially identical container placed above it on the support structure.

4. A structure for use with the container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and adapted to supporting two or more containers as referred to in the preceding claims to inôlude a tank wherein in use water which can be pumped to the top container in such a way as to allow water to flow by means of an overflow to the container below, and then allow excess water to return to the tank referred to above.

5. A plant container substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A structure substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.