GB2498387A

GB2498387A - Stackable containers for growing plants

Info

Publication number: GB2498387A
Application number: GB1200596.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Karim Timothy Stilwell Secker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-01-14
Filing date: 2012-01-14
Publication date: 2013-07-17
Also published as: GB201200596D0

Abstract

A container for growing plants comprises a box construction so that at least one side is made of felt or other soft fabric that allows seeds planted inside the soil box to sprout and penetrate the fabric whilst keeping the soil contained, allowing the container to be hung vertically. The top and bottom sides of the container may also be made from felt/other soft fabric. The container may have attachment points allowing several containers to be attached and stacked together. The back may be covered with a waterproof material 2 which may have an overlap 3 that may overlap the container above when in a stacked position. The waterproof material may be detachable.

Description

Vertical Soil box With an increasing demand for locally grown food in urban environments, there arc many innovative techniques being developed to allow small amounts of space to be used to grow vegetables or herbs from compost. These include ways of using vertical space, such as stacking systems. However, it is not usually possible is to make full use of vertical space by turning the plant and its container sideways, as the soil would simply fall out.

To overcome this, the present invention proposes a fully enclosed soil box at least partially composed of a soft fabric such as felt. This would allow the plants to sprout through the felt, pushing holes as they go, to reach daylight. Once the plants have sprouted, the soil box can be hung vertically from a wall or stand. The felt will keep the soil safely enclosed, whilst allowing the plants to grow freely and water and soluble plant food to pass through the walls of the soil box and nourish the plants.

Several of the soil boxes could be attached together so as to cover large areas of wall and watered from a single source at the top.

Each soil box can be given a waterproof covering around the back and sides to protect whatever surface the soil box is on from water damage. This covering would detach, either completely or along one side to allow access to an opening in the back or side of the soil box to allow compost, seeds, old plant matter, ete, to be inserted or removed.

The waterproof covering can be longer than the soil box, providing an overlap at each end to prevent water leakage at the connection points when several soil boxes are connected together.

The overlaps could also be shaped so that they could be folded up over the ends of the soil box while it is horizontal during the initial sprouting period, meaning that the soil box would retain water in a similar way to a conventional plant pot.

After having old soil and plant matter removed and upon washing, the felt should return to its original shape, with the fibres moving back into their original position so that the holes formed by the sprouting plants disappear, allowing the soil box to be reused.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a vertical soil box upside down and open, ready to be filled with soil and seeds.

Figure 2 shows the same soil box lying flat with plants beginning sprout through the felt topside.

Figure 3 shows several soil boxes attached together hanging on a wall with a cup for excess water.

Figure I shows the soil box with the sprouting face I uppermost. The waterproof covering 2 is attached so that it covers both sides and the back. The waterproof covering may be longer than the soil box itsel so as to create an overlap 3 to prevent water leaking onto the wall or surface when several soil boxes arc attached together.

Figure 2 shows the soil box the other way up with the sprouting face downward and where the waterproof covering 2 has been detached along one side to allow access to the opening 4 at the back of the soil box.

Figure 3 shows two soil boxes attached together and hanging vertically on a wall. The felt construction of each soil box allows water to pass freely from one soil box to the one below. A collection cup 5 is attached to the bottom of the lowest soil box to collect any excess water as it drains from the all of the soil boxes above. The collection cup has an outlet spigot 6 so that it can be drained without being removed.

Claims

<claim-text>Claims I. An enclosed soil box where at least onc side is made of a soft fabric such as felt that allows sprouting plants to grow through the flibric whilst keeping the soil enclosed so that the soil box can be hung vertically.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. An enclosed soil box according to claim 1 where the top and boftom sides are also made of soft fabric and that have attachment points, allowing several of them to be attached together and stacked in such a way that allows water to pass from each soil box to the one below.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. An enclosed soil box according to claims I and 2 where the back is covered with a wateiproof material that overlaps the one above when they ate attached together so as to protect the surftcc they aic on from water damage.</claim-text>