JPH0443007Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the invention] A. Purpose of the invention [Field of industrial application] The present invention relates to a plant growing set consisting of a cultivation bed made of inorganic fiber accumulation blocks and a liquid storage container on which the cultivation bed is placed. Specifically, the object of the present invention is to provide a set for growing plants that can effectively suck up and replenish the nutrient solution stored in a reservoir container to the cultivation bed using columnar water supply bodies filled with granular rock wool cotton.

[Conventional technology]

It is already known to perform plant cultivation by supplying water and nutrient solution from the lower surface of a cultivation bed via a capillary wicking member.

For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 52-42690 discloses a means for replenishing flowing water in a water guide groove into the soil of an upper flower pot by the capillary wicking action of fiber bundles. Japanese Patent No. 19031 discloses a means for supporting a cultivation bed made of an inorganic fiber-accumulated mat with liquid-absorbing blocks and sucking up and replacing a liquid nutrient solution through these blocks.

[The problem that the idea attempts to solve]

In the method of water supply to the cultivation bed using the capillary suction action described above, water is sucked up and supplied to compensate for the decrease in the moisture content of the culture medium, and top irrigation is not required. It is suitable for cultivating plants whose parts are easily damaged.

However, the capillary water suction effect by the fiber bundles and liquid-absorbing blocks described above depends on the height of the bottom surface of the cultivation bed from the water surface, so the water surface level cannot be maintained constant by the liquid circulation flow control device. However, when using a storage container, the water level in the container gradually decreases due to water absorption, and the water surface level decreases when water is replenished. In the case of fiber bundles or liquid-absorbing blocks with weak capillary action, the amount of water sucked into the cultivation bed will fluctuate significantly, especially in the case of inorganic fiber-accumulated block media with low water-absorbing and diffusive properties. However, there was a problem that the upper layer tends to lack moisture and the lower layer tends to be over-humidified, making it difficult to obtain good root growth.

B. Structure of the invention [Means for solving the problem] The present invention has a simple structure consisting of a simple liquid storage container that does not use a nutrient solution circulation flow control device and a cultivation bed of inorganic fiber accumulation blocks placed on the top surface of the container. In this set for growing plants, the above-mentioned problems have been solved by using a columnar water absorbing body filled with rock wool granular cotton which has particularly excellent capillary suction and water supply properties.

In other words, the present invention is a columnar water absorbent body in which a large number of rock wool granules are filled into a long bag-like porous envelope in through-holes formed in the vertical direction of an inorganic fiber accumulation block whose circumferential surface is covered with a light-shielding film. a cultivation bed A fitted so that its lower end extends and hangs down from the lower surface of the block; and an opaque liquid storage container B with an open upper surface and a peripheral wall capable of closely supporting the lower surface.
The gist of this invention is a set for growing plants characterized by the following.

In the above, the inorganic fiber accumulation block of cultivation bed A is made of commonly used rock wool, glass wool, slag wool, etc., with a density of 60 to 120 kg/ ^m3, and has dimensions of about 5 to 12 cm in length, width, and height. What you have will be used.

The through hole drilled in the block is a circular or polygonal hole extending from the upper surface to the lower surface of the block, and is usually provided near the center of the block.

The area of the through hole varies depending on the size of the block and cultivation conditions, but in the case of a circular hole, it is usually 2 to 4 mm in diameter.
A range of cm is appropriate.

The long bag-shaped porous envelope that forms the outer covering of the columnar water absorbent body is made of synthetic fibers, inorganic fiber nets, nonwoven fabrics, gauze, porous plastic film tubes, etc., and has an open upper end and a lower bottom. used.

The rock wool granular cotton filled in the porous envelope is made by disintegrating and finely dividing ordinary rock wool mats and granulating them into approximately spherical shapes, and has a particle size of 3 which has a density of at least 1.5 times that of the above-mentioned inorganic fiber accumulation block. Use one with a diameter of ~10 mm. Then, a columnar water absorbent body is formed by manually press-filling a large number of granular cotton into the porous envelope at a density such that the granular cotton is flat and close to each other.

The columnar water absorbing body has a thickness that fits into a through hole drilled in the inorganic fiber accumulation block, and its length is equal to the length of the through hole in the block and the depth of the liquid storage container, which will be described later. As much as added.

The light-shielding film that covers the peripheral side of the block is a colored opaque plastic film made of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, etc., which is wound into a band shape, or formed into a tube shape and heat-shrinked, or molded into the shape of a container with an open bottom. This can be used as a barrier, thereby blocking external light from the periphery of the block, maintaining good root growth, and preventing water evaporation from the periphery of the block.

The liquid storage container B is a container that has a peripheral wall made of colored opaque plastic or ceramic and has a top surface that is entirely or partially open and holds water or a nutrient solution, and the cultivation bed A is placed on top of the cultivation bed B. Cultivation bed A when placed
The lower surface of is closely supported by the upper edge surface of the peripheral wall,
It is sufficient that the lower ends of the columnar water absorbing bodies extending and hanging down from the cultivation bed A are deep enough to come into contact with or come close to the bottom of the container.

[Effect]

According to the plant growing set of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, water is sucked up and replenished through the columnar water absorbing body filled with rock wool granular cotton, which is provided through the inorganic fiber accumulation block that serves as the culture medium. Since the water content inside the plant can be maintained, plants can be grown well.

In other words, the capillary water wicking action of the columnar water-absorbing material used in the present invention, which is made by filling a porous envelope with rock wool granular cotton, is similar to that of conventionally used synthetic fiber bundles, open-cell plastic foam, or inorganic fiber assembly blocks. In comparison, it is extremely superior as shown below.

Water wicking height in water wicking test () Column-shaped water absorbent material made of granular cotton with a diameter of approximately 3 mm filled in a polypropylene nonwoven fabric long bag Approximately 170 mm () Polypropylene felt Approximately 90 mm () Viscose continuous hole sponge Approximately 60 mm Invention Below the above-mentioned water wicking height limit, the columnar water absorbent penetrates and fits into the inorganic fiber accumulation block and comes into contact with it through the porous envelope layer, causing an excessive difference in the water content between the upper and lower layers of the block. This prevents moisture deficiency in the surface layer and over-humidity in the lower layer, resulting in good root growth.

In addition, the circumferential side of the cultivation bed is covered with a light-shielding film to prevent outside light from entering, which prevents problems with root growth.Since the cultivation bed is placed on the top surface and the open part is sealed, the interior of the liquid storage container is also protected. It blocks light and suppresses the growth of harmful algae and bacteria.

In addition, if the plant roots grow in the cultivation bed A and advance into the liquid storage container B through the columnar water absorbing bodies, root rot will occur, causing nutrient solution rot.
In order to avoid this, a microporous film that allows water to pass through the porous envelope of the columnar water absorbing body but does not allow the hair root to pass through.
It is desirable to take appropriate measures such as using a non-woven fabric or providing an unglazed cylinder to fit and cover the outside of the columnar water absorbing body portion extending and hanging from the bottom surface of the block.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view with a part cut away, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, in which 1 is an inorganic fiber integrated block made of rock wool with a density of 80 kg/m ³ ;
It is a cube with width and height of 10 x 10 x 10 cm, and 2 is a light-shielding film that covers the peripheral side of block 1, which is a 0.1 mm thick black opaque polyethylene film in the form of a band with a width of 10 cm and a length of 42 cm. , is wound around the circumferential side of block 1 so as to be slightly tightened, and its both ends are overlapped and fixed, and 3 is a circular hole with a diameter of 2.5 cm that is perforated in the vertical direction through the center of the upper and lower surfaces of block 1. 6 is a columnar water-absorbing body inserted into the through-hole 3, and the water-absorbing body 6 is placed inside a porous envelope 5 made of a long bag made of synthetic fiber nonwoven fabric with an apparent diameter. A large number of rock wool granular cotton 4 with a diameter of approximately 3 mm are filled by hand, and the rock wool granular cotton 4 is slightly compressed and tightly packed.
The columnar water absorbent body 6 has a flexible columnar shape with a length of 2.6cm and a length of 13cm, and the columnar water absorbent body 6 fills the through hole 3 of the block 1, and its lower part extends about 3cm from the bottom surface of the block 1 and hangs down. The cultivation bed A is constructed by being elastically inserted and fitted into the cultivation bed A.

B is a liquid storage container made of colored opaque polypropylene and has external dimensions of length, width, and height of 10.1 x 10.1 x.
It is a rectangular container with an open top surface of 3.2 cm and a wall thickness of 2 mm, and the upper edge of its peripheral wall is provided with a step into which the lower peripheral edge of the cultivation bed A is fitted.

The above plant growing set is constructed by storing water or nutrient solution in an opaque liquid storage container B to a depth of about 2 cm, and then placing the cultivation bed A on top of it. In such a way that the lower end 7 of the columnar water absorbing body 6 extending and hanging down from the lower surface of A comes into contact with the bottom 10.
When immersed in the liquid, the porous envelope 5 draws water up to its upper end due to its excellent capillary wicking action.
The water supply action continues until the liquid in the liquid reservoir B runs out so as to maintain the water-containing state of the surrounding inorganic fiber accumulation block 1 through the liquid storage container B.

Then, when the surface of the inorganic fiber accumulation block 1 becomes dry, pull up the block 1 and
By replenishing the liquid reservoir B by injecting the liquid, the above-mentioned water suction and replenishment action can be repeated and cultivated.

C. Effects of the invention Since the plant growing set of the invention has the above-mentioned structure and function, moisture supply within the cultivation bed is well maintained in the upper and lower layers of the bed, and the sides of the cultivation bed are shaded from light. Good seeding and seedling growth can be achieved by preventing water evaporation from this surface and preventing spoilage of the nutrient solution in the liquid storage container.The structure is simple, inexpensive, and easy to handle. Extremely superior practical effects can be obtained compared to those using conventional nutrient solution circulation and flow means.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1 being a partially enlarged perspective view and FIG. 2 being a sectional view. A...Cultivation bed, B...Liquid storage container, 1...Inorganic fiber accumulation block, 2...Shading film, 3...Through hole, 4...Rock wool granular cotton, 5...Porous envelope, 6 ...Columnar water absorber, 7...Lower end, 10
……bottom.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A columnar water-absorbing material is formed by filling a long bag-shaped porous envelope 5 with a large number of rock wool granular cotton 4 in a through-hole 3 formed in the vertical direction of an inorganic fiber accumulation block 1 whose circumferential surface is covered with a light-shielding film 2. A cultivation bed A fitted with a body 6 such that its lower end 7 extends and hangs down from the lower surface of the block 1, and an opaque upper surface having an open peripheral wall 11 that can closely support the lower surface of the cultivation bed A. A set for growing plants, characterized by comprising a liquid storage container B.