JP7417268B2 - Method for manufacturing pot sole stones - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a pot bottom stone carrying a fertilizer component, a method for manufacturing the pot bottom stone, and a method for cultivating plants using the pot bottom stone.

When a plant is grown in a cultivation container, a pot bottom stone may be placed on the bottom of the pot. There is usually a hole in the bottom of the cultivation container for drainage, and the stone at the bottom of the pot prevents the cultivation soil from flowing out from the bottom of the pot, improves the drainage of the soil, and maintains air permeability. used for a purpose. As the pot bottom stone, gravel, pumice, charcoal, or glass foam made by firing and foaming waste glass is often used. BACKGROUND ART Pot bottom stones made of glass foam are porous and have excellent air permeability, so they are preferably used as pot bottom stones.

Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose inventions in which such porous glass foams are made to support functional components to impart specific functions.
Patent Document 1 discloses a foamed material in which glass powder, a foaming agent, and a product of microorganisms (EM bacteria) are mixed and fired. Patent Document 2 discloses an insect repellent material in which silicon dioxide carrying an insect repellent is mixed and fired with polyethylene resin powder.

By the way, when cultivating plants, it is usually necessary to use an appropriate fertilizer depending on the cultivation conditions. Fertilizers include slow-release solid fertilizers that are mixed into the soil and immediate-release liquid fertilizers that can be applied as part of watering.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-335391 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-165301

Plants require different ingredients depending on their growth stage, so the amount of fertilizer applied needs to be changed depending on the growth stage. Conventionally, in order to provide the necessary fertilizer in the later stages of growth, methods have been used to provide appropriate fertilizer components by mixing slow-release solid fertilizer into the soil in advance, or by applying additional fertilizer as needed. ing.

However, most of the fertilizers used are water-soluble, and the fertilizer components gradually dissolve out due to rain or watering, so the fertilizer's effects do not last. In addition, even with slow-release chemical fertilizers that have been coated, the higher the temperature, the faster the dissolution of the fertilizer components, and the fertilizer may run out before its full effect is achieved. Ta. As described above, even when conventional fertilizers are slow-release fertilizers, sufficient fertilizer effects may not be exhibited in the latter stages of the growth stage when flowers mature.
Further, it is time-consuming to add solid fertilizer or the like after planting, and in particular, plants planted in cultivation containers have a small soil area, making it laborious to mix in fertilizer.
There was also the problem that if the timing of topdressing was incorrect, it would actually harm the growth of the plants.

In view of these problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a pot bottom stone that can release fertilizer components into the soil at an appropriate timing by simply placing it once during planting or replanting.

The present invention, which solves the above problems, is a pot bottom stone carrying a fertilizer component.
The pot bottom stone of the present invention can be used as fertilizer simply by placing it on the bottom of the pot.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pot bottom stone has a porous structure.
This type of pot bottom stone not only improves air permeability and drainage inside the cultivation container, but also allows solutions such as water and root acids to penetrate into the inside of the pot bottom stone, and efficiently releases fertilizer components.

In a preferred form of the invention, the fertilizer component is soluble in root acids.
By using such a fertilizer component, once the plant has grown to a certain extent and its roots have extended to the vicinity of the pot bottom stone, the fertilizer component contained in the pot bottom stone is released by the root acid. As described above, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to apply fertilizer components at appropriate timings according to the growth of plants.
In addition, the outflow of the fertilizer components contained in the pot bottom stone can be slowed down, and the fertilizer effect can be continued for a long period of time.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fertilizer component contains one or more selected from phosphoric acid, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and boron as active ingredients.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the maximum diameter of the pot bottom stone is 0.5 to 8 cm.
By adopting this form, the stone at the bottom of the pot performs its original function of maintaining air permeability and good drainage, and the roots of the plant come into contact with the stone at the bottom of the pot, allowing the plant to absorb fertilizer components efficiently through the roots. can be absorbed into.

Further, the present invention is a method for producing pot bottom stone, which is characterized by mixing raw materials for pot bottom stone and fertilizer components, and firing and foaming the mixture.
By using such a manufacturing method, pot bottom stones containing fertilizer components can be easily manufactured.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the raw material of the pot bottom stone is glass powder.
By using such a manufacturing method, pot bottom stones containing fertilizer components can be easily manufactured.

The present invention also provides a method for cultivating plants using a cultivation container, which includes a step of arranging a pot bottom stone carrying a fertilizer component on the bottom of the cultivation container, and placing cultivation soil on the top of the pot bottom stone. The method includes a step of arranging a plant, and a step of planting a plant in the cultivation soil.
By using such a cultivation method, it is possible to obtain the same effect as applying solid fertilizer or the like simply by placing a stone in the bottom of the pot when planting the plant.

In a preferred form of the invention, the fertilizer component is soluble in root acids.
By adopting such a form, the plant can dissolve the fertilizer components with root acid and absorb the fertilizer components when the plants have grown to a certain extent and the roots have extended to the vicinity of the bottom stone of the pot. That is, it becomes possible to apply appropriate fertilizer components according to the growth of plants.

According to the pot bottom stone of the present invention, it is possible to provide a pot bottom stone that can release fertilizer components into the soil just by placing it once on the bottom of a cultivation container.
Furthermore, according to the method for cultivating plants of the present invention, it is not necessary to mix in additional solid fertilizer or the like at the time of planting, and plants can be sufficiently fertilized simply by placing stones in the bottom of the pot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic diagram which shows one form of the method of cultivating a plant using the pot bottom stone of this invention. Photographs comparing the growth status of viola one week after seedling planting, (a) shows Comparative Example 1 grown using natural stone as the pot bottom stone, and (b) shows the pot bottom with phosphorus supported. Example 1 in which cultivation was performed using stones is shown. These are photographs comparing the growth status of viola three months after seedling planting, in which (a) shows Comparative Example 1 grown using natural stone as the bottom of the pot, and (b) shows the bottom of the pot carrying phosphorus. Example 1 in which cultivation was performed using stones is shown. These are photographs comparing the growth state of viola several days after the observation in Figure 3, in which (a) shows Comparative Example 1 grown using natural stone as the pot bottom stone, and (b) shows the pot bottom with phosphorus supported. Example 1 in which cultivation was performed using stones is shown.

The pot bottom stone of the present invention carries fertilizer components.

Fertilizer ingredients include inorganic ingredients such as phosphoric acid, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, boron, sulfur, iron, copper, silicic acid, zinc, molybdenum, etc., or oil cake, fish meal, bone meal, rice bran, plant ash, etc. Organic components etc. can be used. In addition, amino acids such as valine, leucine, isoleucine, purine, and methionine, vitamins such as vitamin B1 and choline, humic substances such as fulvic acid and humic acid, and various plant revitalizing agents such as extracts from animals and plants. The active ingredient can be the fertilizer component of the present invention.

Fertilizers containing inorganic components include urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrate, lime nitrate, monomonophosphate, diammonium phosphate, superphosphate lime, heavy superphosphate lime, welded phosphorus fertilizer, and welded magnesia. Examples include phosphorus fertilizer, potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, potassium nitrate, potassium silicate, sulfuric acid magnesium, slaked lime, calcium carbonate, magnesium magnesium lime, and the like.

Fertilizers used for growing plants include soluble fertilizers that dissolve with acids such as citric acid, soluble fertilizers that dissolve with weak acids such as root acids, and water-soluble fertilizers that dissolve with water. Soluble fertilizers and soluble fertilizers become absorbable only when they come into contact with acids such as root acids.In general, soluble fertilizers are easily dissolved by root acids, and soluble fertilizers are slowly dissolved by root acids. .

In the pot bottom stone of the present invention, it is preferable that the fertilizer component is soluble in root acid. As such fertilizer components, for example, soluble fertilizer components such as soluble phosphoric acid and soluble potassium, soluble fertilizer components such as soluble magnesium soil, soluble silicic acid, soluble lime, soluble manganese, and soluble phosphoric acid are used. It is preferable.
Further, a fertilizer containing the above-mentioned root acid-soluble fertilizer component can also be used as a fertilizer component in the present invention, such as molten phosphorus fertilizer containing soluble phosphoric acid (Yorin). Preferred examples include potassium silicate containing soluble potassium, heavy superphosphate lime containing soluble phosphoric acid, and the like. Further, any fertilizer component coated with a root acid so as to be soluble may be used as the fertilizer component in the present invention.

Fertilizer components soluble in such root acids have slow outflow and disappearance, so the fertilizer components are carried on the pot bottom stone body for a long period of time. As a result, the pot bottom stone can maintain the effect of fertilizer components for a long period of time.

In addition, when using fertilizer components that are soluble in root acids, the roots of the plants extend to the vicinity of the stone in the bottom of the pot, and the fertilizer components are dissolved by the root acids secreted by the roots before they can be absorbed by the plants. . Therefore, by including the soluble fertilizer components necessary in the late growth stage (flowering and fruiting), fertilizer components can be given to plants at the appropriate timing in the late growth stage, without the need for additional fertilization.

The pot bottom stones of the present invention include, for example, glass foam, pumice, perlite, zeolite, charcoal, styrofoam, vermiculite, paper (pulp), wood (including bark), and petroleum-derived resins such as polypropylene or polyethylene. Raw materials commonly used as pot bottom stones can be used.

The method of supporting the fertilizer component on the pot bottom stone is not particularly limited, and examples include a method of impregnating the pot bottom stone with the fertilizer component, a method of applying the fertilizer component to the pot bottom stone, and a method of using a raw material of the pot bottom stone such as glass powder. It is possible to adopt a method of dispersing the fertilizer components inside the pot bottom stone by mixing the fertilizer components and firing and foaming the mixture.

Moreover, it is preferable that the pot bottom stone of the present invention has a porous structure.
With such a structure, the pot bottom stone of the present invention not only fully exhibits the original function of the pot bottom stone, such as improving ventilation and drainage inside the cultivation container, but also allows the pot bottom stone to penetrate into the inside of the pot bottom stone. Since the medium for dissolving fertilizer components such as water and root acid penetrates, the fertilizer components can be efficiently dissolved.

A pot bottom stone with such a porous structure can be obtained by mixing raw materials for the pot bottom stone, fertilizer components, and optionally additives, and firing and foaming the mixture. Moreover, it can be manufactured using a firing furnace, a cooling device, etc. used for manufacturing existing glass foams (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3628556).

Specifically, first, raw materials for pot bottom stones and fertilizer components are mixed using a mixer to produce crushed raw materials.
As raw materials for the pot bottom stone, raw pearlite stones such as obsidian, perlite, and pinestone, glass powder, diatomaceous earth, and the like can be used.

It is preferable to use glass powder as the raw material for the pot bottom stone.
Moreover, it is preferable to use glass powder that has been pulverized to a particle size of preferably 500 μm or less, more preferably 250 μm or less.

As the glass powder, waste glass obtained by pulverizing waste materials such as bottle glass and window glass can be used. These waste glasses are distributed in large quantities and can be obtained at low cost. Furthermore, these waste glasses soften when the temperature exceeds about 650 to 700°C.

Such waste glass generally contains alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ), calcium oxide (CaO), magnesium oxide (MgO), sodium oxide (Na 2 O) _, and potassium oxide in addition to silica (SiO ₂ ) as the main component. (K ₂ O), and trace amounts of ferric oxide (Fe ₂ O ₃ ), titania (TiO ₂ ), manganese dioxide (MnO ₂ ), diphosphorous pentoxide (P ₂ O ₅ ), and sulfur trioxide (SO ₃ ) etc.

When producing the pulverized raw material, additives may be added together with the raw material of the pot bottom stone and fertilizer components.
As such additives, blowing agents such as silicon carbide, carbon, dolomite, boron nitride, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, sodium carbonate, limestone, etc. can be used.

Among these additives, foaming agents such as limestone generate carbon dioxide gas and/or carbon monoxide gas when heated and oxidized or thermally decomposed. For example, limestone decomposes at temperatures above 820°C and dolomite releases carbon dioxide at temperatures above about 900°C.

The mixing ratio of the raw material for the pot bottom stone and the fertilizer component is preferably 1:0.01 to 1:0.3, more preferably 1:0.02 to 1:0.25, particularly preferably 1 :0.03 to 1:0.2.
With such a blending ratio, it is possible to produce a pot bottom stone that is sufficiently effective as a fertilizer.

The crushed raw material may be mixed with a powdered inorganic agent, such as borax, verculite, volcanic rubble, expanded slag, expanded shale, etc.
By mixing such an inorganic agent in powder form, the air permeability, water retention, and hardness of the pot bottom stone can be improved.

Existing equipment can be used for firing and foaming the pulverized raw material.
That is, a pulverized raw material is placed on a firing conveyor installed in a firing furnace, the pulverized raw material is fired and foamed while the firing conveyor passes through the firing furnace, and then the obtained foam is rapidly cooled in a cooling device. .

The temperature at which the pulverized raw material is fired can be changed as appropriate depending on the raw material, but when glass powder is used as the raw material, it is preferably 600 to 1000°C, more preferably 700 to 800°C.
By setting the temperature within such a range, it is possible to obtain a pot bottom stone having appropriate voids without losing the effect of the fertilizer components. Note that the firing temperature can be set by adjusting the heating power for heating the pulverized raw material.
Further, the time for firing the raw material pulverized product may be any temperature at which the raw material pulverized product is completely foamed, and the firing time can be controlled by adjusting the running speed of the firing conveyor.

After quenching, the resulting foam is coarsely pulverized using a pulverizer to obtain a pot bottom stone. The maximum diameter of the pot bottom stone is preferably 0.5 to 8 cm, more preferably 0.5 to 6 cm, even more preferably 1 to 5 cm, particularly preferably 2 to 5 cm.
By setting the maximum diameter of the pot bottom stone of the present invention within the above range, the pot bottom stone can remain at the bottom of the cultivation container without being mixed into the soil, and the original function of the pot bottom stone is to maintain air permeability. can demonstrate. In addition, when a fertilizer component that is soluble in root acid is used, the roots of the plant can easily get entangled in the gaps between the stones in the bottom of the pot, so the fertilizer components contained in the stones in the bottom of the pot can be easily dissolved. Can be absorbed.
Note that the maximum diameter in the present invention refers to the maximum value of the Feret diameter.

The maximum diameter of the pot bottom stone of the present invention can be measured using calipers or sieves with various mesh diameters.

Hereinafter, regarding the method of cultivating plants using the pot bottom stone of the present invention, a pot bottom stone carrying a soluble or soluble fertilizer component that is dissolved in plant root acids as a fertilizer component contained in the pot bottom stone will be described. The following is an example of using .
The pot bottom stone of the present invention can be used in the same way as conventional pot bottom stones.

FIG. 1(a) shows a schematic diagram of a plant planting stage (initial growth stage) in the plant growth method according to the present embodiment. The pot bottom stone 20 of the present invention is arranged on the bottom surface of the cultivation container 10. At this time, it is preferable to arrange so as to cover the entire bottom surface of the cultivation container 10.
Subsequently, cultivation soil 30 is placed on the bottom stone of the pot. Here, the pot bottom stone plays a role of providing air permeability as a pot bottom stone, so it is not mixed into the cultivation soil.

Subsequently, after placing the cultivation soil 30 in the cultivation container 10, the plants 40 are planted in the cultivation soil 30. The plants 40 may be planted by seeding, or seedlings that have grown to a certain extent may be used.

The pot bottom stone 20 containing soluble or soluble fertilizer components dissolves the fertilizer components in the pot bottom stone 20 into the cultivation soil 30 by root acids secreted from the roots of the plants 40, and as a result, the plants 40 become fertilized. Allows ingredients to be absorbed. That is, before the roots of the plant 40 reach the lower part of the cultivation container 10, the pot bottom stone 20 does not exert its effect as a fertilizer, and only after the plant 40 has grown and its roots have sufficiently elongated, does it become fertilized. Can be absorbed. At the early stage of growth shown in FIG. 1(a), the fertilizer component of the pot bottom stone 20 is not dissolved and is supported on the pot bottom stone 20.

FIG. 1(b) shows a schematic diagram at a stage when the plant 40 has grown to a certain extent.
In this embodiment, even at this stage, the root acid does not reach the pot bottom stone 20, or only a very small amount reaches the pot bottom stone 20, so the fertilizer components of the pot bottom stone 20 are hardly dissolved, and most of the fertilizer components are It is in a state where it is supported by the stone 20.

FIG. 1(c) shows a schematic diagram at a stage when the roots of the plant 40 have reached the pot bottom stone 20. At this stage, the roots of the plant 40 reach the pot bottom stone 20, and the root acids released by the roots dissolve the soluble or soluble fertilizer components contained in the pot bottom stone 20. Then, the fertilizer components are dispersed in the cultivation soil 30, and the plants 40 can absorb the dispersed fertilizer components through their roots.

In this manner, in this embodiment, the pot bottom stone 20 releases the fertilizer component when the roots have grown to a certain extent, so that the fertilizer component can be given to the plant 40 at an appropriate timing.

Due to these characteristics, the fertilizer component of the present invention is preferably phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid is not a component required in large amounts during the early stage of plant growth, but is an essential component for the maturation of flowers and fruits during the late stage of growth. Rather, the presence of excess phosphoric acid during the growth period may be a factor that inhibits growth.
However, if the pot bottom stone contains soluble or soluble phosphoric acid, even if a certain amount is placed at the bottom of the pot, the plant will not suffer any growth problems in the early stages of growth and will still need phosphoric acid. Phosphate becomes available for absorption only in the later stages of growth. In addition, the effect of phosphorus fertilizer lasts until flowering and fruiting, eliminating the need for additional fertilization.

In addition, if you use a pot bottom stone containing soluble or soluble phosphoric acid, there is no need to separately prepare a conventional mixed fertilizer as a base fertilizer, and you can simply place the pot bottom stone at the bottom of the pot. can be fertilized.

On the other hand, in the growth method of the present invention, the fertilizer component is not limited to phosphoric acid. For example, even if a fertilizer component is required during the middle growth stage, the fertilizer component can be adjusted to be released at an appropriate stage by appropriately adjusting the height of the cultivation container and the height of the cultivation soil.

It may also contain fertilizer components necessary at all stages of growth, such as nitrogen and potassium. In this case, sufficient fertilizer components can be given to the plants in the late growth stage when fertilizer components tend to be depleted, without additional fertilizing or mixing base fertilizer into the cultivation soil in advance.

Further, the fertilizer component may be a water-soluble fertilizer component. In this case, by adding water, the fertilizer components can be dissolved and released into the cultivation soil.

Plants used in the cultivation method of the present invention are not particularly limited, but plants suitable for cultivation in a cultivation container such as a planter are preferred. Such plants include tomatoes, bell peppers, paprika, shishito peppers, chili peppers, eggplants, broccoli, strawberries, watermelons, pumpkins, green beans, snap peas, cucumbers, leaf lettuce, mizuna, komatsuna, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, etc. Examples include vegetables such as leafy vegetables, root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes, flowers such as petunias, marigolds, begonias, roses, daily herbs, violas, and pansies, herbs, fruit trees, and ornamental plants.

Here, when using phosphoric acid as a fertilizer component, real vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, green peppers, paprika, and shishito peppers, flowers such as petunias, marigolds, begonias, roses, daily grasses, violas, pansies, kiwis, and grapes. It can be suitably used for cultivating fruit trees such as , mandarin oranges, and cherries.

Phosphoric acid was added as a fertilizer component to a mixture of pot bottom stone raw material and foaming agent whose main component was glass powder, and the mixture was fired and foamed at a temperature of 600°C or higher. The obtained glass foam was coarsely pulverized using a crusher to produce pot bottom stone carrying phosphoric acid as a fertilizer component (hereinafter referred to as phosphorus-supported pot bottom stone). In addition, as the phosphoric acid as a fertilizer component, "Yorin", which is soluble in root acid, was used.

The obtained phosphorus-bearing pot bottom stone was placed in a planter, and viola seedlings were cultivated under the following conditions (Example 1). For a comparative experiment, a planter in which a natural stone made of andesite or the like was placed as a pot bottom stone was prepared, and viola seedlings were cultivated under the same conditions (Comparative Example 1). Note that no additional fertilizer was applied under each cultivation condition.
(Cultivation conditions)
・Soil: Cultivating soil (including Akadama, peat moss, vermiculite, etc.)
・Cultivation container: Square 650 type planter ・Capacity of placed pot bottom stone: 2L
・Plant species: Viola ・Test location: Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture
・Test period: Early January to late April 2020

Figures 2 to 4 show the growth over time of violas grown in a planter with natural stones placed on the bottom of the pot (Comparative Example 1) and violas grown in a planter with phosphorus-bearing pot bottom stones placed on the bottom of the pot (Example 1). The results are shown below.

Figure 2 shows the growth status of viola one week after planting the seedlings. In Comparative Example 1, the leaves grew well, but the number of flowers was small, and about 20 flowers were observed per planter (Figure 2(a)). On the other hand, in Example 1, the number of flowers was large, and formation of about 50 to 60 flowers per planter was confirmed (FIG. 2(b)). Note that the number of flowers was counted only for those that had already bloomed.
From this result, it became clear that the pot bottom stone of the present invention sufficiently exerts the effect of the fertilizer component simply by placing it on the bottom of the pot.

Figure 3 shows the growth status of viola three months after planting the seedlings. Example 1 formed a large number of flower buds and had a large number of blooming flowers (Figure 3(b)), but Comparative Example 1 had fewer flowers than Example 1 (Figure 3(a)). . This result shows that in the viola of the comparative example, flower buds were not formed due to phosphorus deficiency, and only leaves grew.
Moreover, when several days had passed since the observation in FIG. 3, the number of flowers did not decrease in Example 1 and the amount of flowering was large, but no increase in the number of flowers was observed in Comparative Example 1 (FIG. 4).

Furthermore, from Figures 3 and 4, when using phosphorus-bearing pot bottom stones, water blight is less likely to occur and the firmness of leaves and flowers is not lost, but when natural stones are used as pot bottom stones, It has become clear that water shortage causes leaves and flowers to wilt. It is thought that because water is retained in the voids of the glass foam, the water retention capacity of the soil in the pot is improved as a result.

Viola is a flowering plant that continues to bloom for several months or more, so it tends to lack the phosphorus necessary for flower formation. Therefore, it is necessary to apply fertilizers containing phosphorus according to the flowering period, and it is common to apply slow-release fertilizers every other month or quick-release liquid fertilizers every other week. . However, it has been revealed that by using the pot bottom stone of the present invention, the fertilizer effect is exerted just by placing the pot bottom stone once on the pot bottom, and the effect continues for a long period of three months or more. . In Example 1, it is thought that the fertilizer effect continued for several months because phosphoric acid was gradually eluted by root acids secreted from the plants.

From the above results, the pot bottom stone of the present invention can continuously supply fertilizer components to plants by simply placing it at the bottom of the pot while ensuring its functions as a pot bottom stone such as water retention. One thing became clear.

10 Cultivation container 20 Pot bottom stone 30 Cultivation soil 40 Plant

Claims (5)

A method for producing pot bottom stone, which comprises mixing raw materials for pot bottom stone and soluble or soluble fertilizer components, and firing and foaming the mixture. 2. The method for manufacturing a pot bottom stone according to claim 1 , wherein the raw material of the pot bottom stone is glass powder. The method for producing pot bottom stone according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fertilizer component contains one or more selected from phosphoric acid, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and boron as an active ingredient. The method for producing a pot bottom stone according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein after firing and foaming, the obtained foam is coarsely pulverized to a maximum diameter of 0.5 to 8 cm. The method for producing a pot bottom stone according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mixing ratio of the raw material of the pot bottom stone and the fertilizer component is 1:0.01 to 1:0.3.