JPS62275620A - Seedling growing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention 3. Detailed Description of the Invention] (Technical Field) The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for raising seedlings, and particularly to a method and apparatus for raising seedlings suitable for raising tree seedlings.

(Prior art) Conventionally, in order to grow tree seedlings for the purpose of planting, a medium for the seedlings is formed in a pot with drainage holes at the bottom, and the pot is placed on the ground, a shelf, etc., and the seedlings are grown under this condition. Watering and fertilization are carried out until the seedlings have grown enough to be transplanted. The depth of the pot should be such that tap roots and lateral roots of sufficient length and thickness are formed to support the above-ground part of the seedling after transplanting, and the depth of the pot can be adjusted depending on the type of seedling. It is set as follows.

According to the conventional seedling raising method, the tap roots and lateral roots of the seedlings continue to grow and elongate even after reaching the open bottom of the pot. That is, when the pot is placed on the ground, the taproot and lateral roots extend underground through the pot's drainage holes, and when the pot is placed on a shelf,
The elongation of the main root and lateral roots is inhibited by the seed plate,
The elongation growth is not stopped, the elongation direction is changed, and the elongation growth continues along the inner circumferential wall of the side or bottom of the pot.

By the way, in order to improve the rooting and subsequent growth of seedlings after transplantation, it is important that the fine roots of the seedlings at the time of transplantation are well developed and the amount of growth is large.

According to the conventional seedling raising method, as the taproot and lateral roots extend outward from the drainage hole of the pot, or elongate by winding within the sides and bottom, fine roots also germinate.

However, the roots, which are made up of tap roots, lateral roots, fine roots, etc. that have extended outside the bottom of the pot, are usually cut off and thrown away without being dug up, in order to make it easier to transplant the seedlings. In addition, the roots that extend in a circular shape along the inner wall surface of the sides and bottom of the pot grow while maintaining this circular state after planting, resulting in poor compatibility and being prone to being blown over by wind. Also, since it causes poor growth, it is removed prior to transplantation.

In addition, in the conventional seedling raising method, since the pot is placed in contact with the ground or a board, it is easy for pests and pathogens (protozoa, bacteria, viruses), etc. to enter the pot through the drainage hole of the pot. Therefore, seedlings are susceptible to these damages.

(Objective of the Invention) Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a seedling-raising method and a seedling-raising apparatus that can obtain good seedlings having exclusive fine roots and minimize damage caused by pests and diseases. be.

(Structure, operation, and effects of the invention) The present invention provides a method for growing seedlings in a medium in a container having an open top and an open bottom, wherein during seedling raising, roots reaching the open bottom of the container It is characterized in that the container is held in air so that its open bottom can be exposed to light and air in order to limit its outward extension.

According to the method of the invention, in the case of seedlings, especially tree seedlings, the taproot or lateral roots of the seedling, which extend through the medium in a container held in air towards the open bottom of said container, extend from said bottom to the outside thereof. When exposed to light and air, its growth almost stops.

The main roots or lateral roots do not extend further downward, nor do they change direction of elongation and coil and elongate inside the container.

The energy that would have been spent on the growth of the taproot or lateral roots is then diverted to the growth of fine roots in the container, making it possible to obtain seedlings with a relatively large amount of fine roots.

Furthermore, by holding the container in the air, it is possible to effectively prevent pests from entering the container from the ground through the open bottom of the container. Thereby, damage to seedlings caused by pests, pathogens, etc. can be minimized.

A seedling raising device according to the present invention includes a container having an open top and an open bottom, in which a medium for seedlings is formed, and at least one protrusion extending from the open top toward the open bottom on the inner surface; A base plate for suspending the container and provided with a hole in which the container can be locked, and a plurality of leg members attached to the base plate at intervals and supporting the base plate. It is characterized by comprising a pedestal having a.

According to the device of the present invention, it is possible to suspend the container from the pedestal by passing the container through the hole in the base plate of the pedestal and locking it to the base plate. When installed, sunlight, or when installed indoors, for example, electric light can illuminate the bottom of the suspended container through the legs.

In addition, the protrusions formed on the inner surface of the container are
The taproots and lateral roots of the seedling that are oriented vertically during seedling serve to guide the taproot and lateral roots of the seedling to grow vertically towards the open bottom of the container. After transplanting, it can grow underground in an almost natural state. Thus, when using the device of the invention, seedlings with longitudinally oriented taproots and lateral roots and abundant fine roots can be obtained. The seedlings obtained in this way have a good balance between the root thread and the ground part, and have extremely good rooting after planting.

Furthermore, by providing a large number of holes in the base plate, it is possible to suspend a large number of containers on a single stand, which allows many plants to be grown at once in a small amount of space, and also to hold containers. When multiple pedestals are stacked and installed three-dimensionally, it is possible to grow a large number of seedlings.

(Embodiments) The features of the present invention will become clearer from the following description of the illustrated embodiments.

In the seedling raising method according to the present invention, during seedling raising, the open bottom of the container is exposed to light and air in order to suppress the extension of roots that reach the open bottom of the container to the outside as the seedlings grow. It is held in air, that is, in a space other than in a liquid, so that the

The seedling raising method of the present invention can be carried out using a seedling raising apparatus 10 according to the present invention shown in FIG.

The seedling raising device 10 has a culture medium 14 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) for seedlings 12 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) formed therein. At least one container 16 having an open top 16a and an open bottom 16b, and a pedestal 1 for suspending the container.
8.

The seedlings 12 are seedlings that were sown in the medium 14 and rooted and germinated in the medium, transplanted seedlings that were transplanted from other places to the medium 14, or seedlings that were cut into the medium 14 and rooted in the medium.
Consists of cuttings, etc. transplanted from other media. The culture medium 14 can be made of a material that has extremely low numbers of pests and pathogens and has good aeration, drainage and water retention properties, for example, a mixture of beet moss and vermiculite in a mixing ratio of 1:1. In the illustrated example, the mixture is filled from the open bottom 16b to a level slightly below the open top 16a. Other example mixtures include combinations of two or more of the following: beet moss, vermiculite, perlite, Kanuma soil, compost, urethane foam, rice husk smoke, etc.; Some consist of a combination of soil that has been treated with high temperatures or that has been disinfected.

The illustrated container 16 may be formed of, for example, a plasti-2 material and comprises a cylindrical body tapering in diameter from its open top 16a to its open bottom 14b, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. , the rate of gradual decrease in the diameter changes at a position slightly further away from the open bottom portion 16b. This results in
It is possible to suppress the length of the cylindrical body 16 to a relatively short length so that the culture medium 14 can easily accumulate in the cylindrical body 16, and it is possible to obtain a bottom surface 16b having a relatively wide area. A flange portion 15 surrounding the top portion of the cylindrical body 16 is formed integrally with the cylindrical body 16, and the north surface of the flange portion defines the top surface of the cylindrical body 16. The cylindrical body 16 may have a polygonal cross section instead of the one illustrated.

The dimensions of the container, that is, the cylindrical body 14 (length, thickness, diameter), etc., are determined depending on the type of root thread of the seedling to be grown. The cylindrical body 14 shown in FIG. 4 is suitable for growing seedlings of trees such as forest trees, green trees, and fruit trees.

Since the main root 12a of the tree seedling 12 has the property of growing relatively straight and long (deep rooting), the cylindrical body 14 is relatively thin and relatively long.

On the other hand, the cylindrical body 14 shown in FIG. 5 is relatively thick and relatively short in length. Therefore, this cylindrical body 14 has the property that the main root (or side root) 12b extends in the horizontal direction ( Suitable for growing petal seedlings of plants and shrubs that have a seed-dipping property. Each of the cylindrical bodies is set to have at least such dimensions as to form tap roots and lateral roots of sufficient length and thickness to support the above-ground part of the seedling after transplantation. .

As shown in FIG. 8, the pedestal 18 includes a base plate 20 and a plurality of (four in the illustrated example) leg members 22 spaced apart from each other and supporting the base plate.

The base plate 20 can be made of plastic material and generally rectangular in shape, for example, and has at least one hole 24.
is provided. The six holes 24 have a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the top of the cylindrical body 16 and smaller than the outer diameter of the flange 15. Therefore, when inserting the cylindrical body 16 into the hole 24 from the bottom to suspend it, the flange portion 15 engages with the edge of the hole 24. It is also possible to use a cylindrical body without a flange. In this case, by forming the top portion 16a so that its outer diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the hole 24, this cylindrical body can be mounted on a frame. Can be hung.

At the four corners of the rectangle of the base plate 20, each circumferential surface 20a intersects with each other.
A chevron-shaped slit 26 is formed extending along both edges at a slight distance from the center.

Each of the illustrated leg members 22 is made of a plastic material and is entirely formed into an angle shape, and has upper and lower end portions 22a, 22b that can be fitted into the slit 26, and an intermediate portion 22c therebetween.
and a pair of step portions 22d between each end portion and the intermediate portion 22c,
22e.

If the part of the angle-shaped leg member that is orthogonal to each other partially surrounds the inner side and the opposite side is the outer side, then the upper and lower ends 22'a and 22b are on the inside with respect to the middle part 22c. and 0 extending upward and downward parallel to this
The base plate 20 and the leg members 22 may be made of a metal material instead of the plastic material, and instead of having the slit in a chevron shape, the slit may have a circular, rectangular, triangular, etc. shape, Accordingly, the leg member can have a circular, rectangular, or triangular cross-sectional shape.

The height of the dowel screw 22a of the field plot 22 is larger than that of the lower end 22b, and the sum of the heights of the upper and lower ends is equal to the thickness of the base plate 20 (the depth of the slit 26). The step portion 22d that is approximately equal to the upper end portion 22a and the step portion 22e that is connected to the lower end portion are similar to the slit 26 and the base plate 2.
0 and the circumferential surface 20a. Therefore, in order to assemble the frame 18,
When the upper end portion 22a of the leg member 22 is inserted into the slit 26 from below the base plate 20, the lower surface of the base plate 20 contacts and engages the step portion 22d on the other side. At this time, the upper end 22a of the leg member 22 inserted into the slit 26 and the base plate 2
A space, which is a part of the slit 26, remains between the upper surface of the slit 26 and the upper surface of the slit 26. This space substantially constitutes a groove, and when a plurality of pedestals 18 are used in a stacked manner (see FIG. 2), the lower end portion 22b of the leg member 22 of the pedestal located above is received, and the lower end portion 22b of the leg member 22 of the pedestal located above is received. The stepped portion 22e contacts and engages one surface of the base plate 20. In addition, in order to prevent wobbling between the leg member 22 and the base plate 20, a plurality of protrusions 28 are formed on the inner surface of the end portion 22a of the single leg member, so that the upper end portion is tightly fitted into the slit 26. It is desirable that the frame 18
Considering that a large load is applied to the single leg member 22 when the two are stacked on top of each other, a plurality of reinforcing members 30 can be attached to the inner side of the intermediate portion 22c.

The height dimension of the pedestal 18 is set to be larger than the length dimension of the cylindrical body 16 so that the cylindrical body 16 can be suspended. As a result, when the seedling raising device 10 is installed outdoors to grow seedlings, a space is created between the ground, the board, etc. on which the pedestal 18 is placed, and the open bottom portion L6b of the cylindrical body 16.
Sunlight can enter this space, and when installed indoors, the installation surface of the pedestal 18 and the open bottom L6b of the cylindrical body 16
A space is created between the cylindrical body 16 and the opening 11, into which sunlight or electric light can enter.
16b is maintained so that it can be exposed to light and atmosphere. The height of the space can be set arbitrarily, but pests entering culture #14 through the open bottom part 16b of the cylindrical body,
In order to make it difficult for pathogens to enter, the height is approximately 3C.
It is preferable that the thickness of the layer be less than 1.

The seedlings 12 held in the cylindrical body 16 held in this way are watered with h4J return water while growing them in the medium 14 until they are suitable for transplantation, that is, during seedling raising, and II! Fertilization is carried out using a fertilizer, preferably a culture fertilizer.

Seedling raising using the devices 10 can be carried out by placing each device sideways as shown in FIG. 3, instead of the example shown in FIG. 2 in which the devices 10 are stacked one on top of the other. In the former example of stacking the devices 10, more seedlings can be grown in a smaller space than in the latter example of arranging them on a tree.

The latter example is particularly advantageous for growing seedlings indoors.

During seedling raising, the taproot 12a and lateral roots 12b of the seedling 12 sequentially grow and elongate in the medium 14 and reach the open bottom 16b of the cylindrical body, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. but,
When these roots are exposed to light and air,
Due to its backlight nature and lower humidity in the air than in water or underground, it does not grow further or its growth rate is significantly reduced. As a result, the large amount of growth energy normally required for the growth of these roots becomes surplus energy, and this surplus energy causes
Rooting of fine roots that branch out from lateral roots is significantly promoted. In this way, extremely abundant fine roots are produced during seedling cultivation.

Furthermore, since the medium 14 has good air permeability, drainage ability, and appropriate water retention, root rot hardly occurs during seedling raising.

As is clear from the foregoing, the light that is the factor that almost stops the growth of the main root or lateral roots that try to further extend from the open margin 16b may be sunlight or electric light. Also, other people T
The extent to which the growth of the main root or lateral roots is stopped depends on the illuminance and humidity under the open portion 16b of the container. That is, if the illuminance is high and the humidity is low, a larger amount of the surplus energy will be generated to the extent that the growth of plants is not inhibited. The illuminance is changed by changing the length of the single leg member 22,
Alternatively, in the case of electric light, it can be changed by changing the position of the light source. Moreover, the humidity can be changed by using a dryer, a dehumidifier, etc. when growing seedlings indoors.

In addition, when growing seedlings by suspending a large number of cylindrical bodies 16 on the pedestal 18, it becomes difficult for the light that enters from between the single leg members 22 to reach deep inside, and the illuminance at the open bottom of each cylindrical body varies. may occur.

Furthermore, when a plurality of mounts 18 are stacked as in the example shown in FIG. In some cases, the passage of the incoming light becomes too bright. In such a case, the space between the outer cylindrical body 16 and the mounting surface of the pedestal 18 or between the pedestals 18 may be It can be forced to illuminate. Or again,
By making the legs 22 of the device 10 thicker in height, the height of the space can be increased, thereby increasing the amount of light entering the space, thereby increasing the illuminance. In this way, variations in illuminance on the open end surface of each cylindrical body 16 can be alleviated, thereby making it possible to obtain seedlings of substantially uniform quality. Not only in cases like
This can be done arbitrarily as needed.

The inner surface 16a of the cylindrical body is provided with at least one protrusion 30 (in the illustrated example, four protrusions spaced at equal intervals in the circumferential direction) extending from the top surface 16a or the vicinity thereof toward the bottom surface 16b. There is. The protruding ridges 30 serve to guide the taproot so that it extends downward in a straight line in order to provide the taproot with the straightness required for seedlings with deep roots.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the roots including the main root and lateral roots that continue to grow in the medium 14 extend laterally and abut against the inner surface 16c of the cylindrical body 16.
Since the tubular body 16 is formed to be constricted and the ridges 30 are formed, the roots that hit the cylindrical body 16 grow downward.

It is desirable to form the inner surface 16c of the cylindrical body smooth so that the roots can more easily extend downward, and so that the seedlings can be easily taken out at the time of transplantation. It is best for the seedlings to have roots that extend downward throughout, allowing for good rooting after transplanting and for subsequent growth.

Suspending the cylindrical body 16 improves the air permeability within the medium 14 between the open top and open bottom, which contributes to preventing root rot of the seedlings 12 during seedling raising. It is desirable to drill at least one ventilation hole 32 in the top side wall of the cylindrical body 16 in order to improve the ventilation permeability.Improving the permeability of the medium also improves the Contributes to more outbreaks. Furthermore, by suspending the cylindrical body 16, that is, holding it in the air, it is difficult for pests living on the ground or underground to enter the cylindrical body 16, thereby preventing pests, pathogens, etc. from destroying seedlings. Damage can be reduced.

When the seedlings have grown to the point where they are suitable for transplanting, use the cylindrical body 16 shown in FIG.
When the seedling reaches ~30c+*, the seedling 12 is pulled out from the cylindrical body 16 and planted or temporarily planted for further growth. Since the cylindrical body 16 has a tapered shape as a whole and has a smooth inner surface 16c, the seedling can be easily pulled out by pushing out from the open bottom without damaging the roots. When transplanting to well soiled soil, the seedling 12 is removed from the cylindrical body 16 at the transplanting site, and then the cylindrical body 16 is pressed against the soil to easily form a hole. The roots of the seedling hold the medium 14 and have a shape approximately equal to the shape of the portion of the cylindrical body 16 excluding the flange portion, so that they fit into the hole.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show another example of a container 34, which has a flange portion 36 at the top that opens upward, and a cylindrical surface with a drain hole 38 at the bottom. The cylindrical body has a pair of half bodies 34a and 34b removably joined with their inner surfaces facing each other.
Consists of. This container can also be suspended from the pedestal 18 via the flange portion 36.

On the abutting surfaces of both halves, there are convex portions 40 that can be engaged with each other.
and a plurality of recesses 42, respectively, and the container 34 is assembled by aligning and pressing the two halves together to engage the projections and recesses. A medium similar to that described above is formed in the container 34. In addition,
The convex portion and the concave portion may extend continuously from the abutting surface. Further, instead of providing the protrusions and recesses, the two halves, which do not accommodate the protrusions and recesses, can be joined together by wrapping them with a rubber band, vinyl tape, or the like.

The container 34 is disassembled by pulling both hands apart to release the engagement. Thereby, the seedlings grown in the container 34 can be taken out from the container 34 without pulling out their roots and thus without damaging the roots.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show another example of a seedling-raising device 44 capable of implementing the method of the present invention.

This seedling raising device consists of a cylindrical container part 46 and a cylindrical support leg part 48 that are integrally formed on the top and bottom. Container part 46
has an open top 46a and an open bottom 46b provided with a drain hole 50, and the diameter gradually decreases from the top 46a to the bottom 46b. Further, the support leg portion 48 has a uniform diameter in the vertical direction, and a plurality of openings 52 communicating between the inside and the outside are provided in the peripheral wall thereof. Light enters the support leg 48 through the aperture 52 and the open bottom 46 of the container portion 46.
b can be illuminated. A medium for growing seedlings is formed inside the container portion 46 . It is desirable that the medium be formed from the same mixture as described above.

Instead of the illustrated example, the container portion may be formed into a cylindrical or prismatic tube shape, and the support leg portion may be formed into a cylindrical shape whose diameter gradually increases downward or into a prismatic tube shape.

In addition, although a type of container in which one seedling is grown per container is shown, the container part is, for example, a box-shaped container (not shown) with a relatively large opening area at the open top, and the inside thereof is A large number of seedlings can be grown with one seedling raising device by dividing the grid into grids, providing drainage holes at the bottom of each grid section, and forming a medium in the sections. in this case,
The support leg includes a skirt-like wall extending downward from the periphery of the container and provided with a plurality of openings, as in the illustrated example;
Alternatively, it may be constructed of a plurality of short pillars extending downward from the bottom of the box-shaped container and spaced apart from each other.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a seedling raising device according to the present invention, Figures 2 and 3 are elevational views showing an example of how the seedling raising device is used, and Figures 4 and 5 are two different types of cylindrical bodies. 6 and 7 are perspective views and cross-sectional views showing the cylindrical body partially cut away; FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the pedestal; FIGS. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another example of the container and a cross-sectional view taken along the line 10-10 of FIG. 9, and FIGS. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 of the figure; FIG. 10: Seedling raising device, 12 two seedlings, 14: Medium, 16°34:
Cylindrical body (container), 16a, 16b: open top and open bottom of cylindrical body, 18: frame, 20: base plate, 22: leg member.

Claims (13)

[Claims] (1) A method for growing seedlings in a medium in a container having an open top and an open bottom, the method being to suppress the growth of roots reaching the open bottom of the container from the open bottom to the outside during seedling growth. , a method for raising seedlings, wherein the container is held in air so that its open bottom can be exposed to light and air. (2) The seedling raising method according to claim (1), wherein the seedlings are seedlings that have been sown in the medium and grown. (3) The seedling raising method according to claim (1), wherein the seedlings are transplanted seedlings from another medium. (4) The method for raising seedlings according to claim (1), wherein the seedlings are cuttings grown in the medium. (5) The method for raising seedlings according to claim (1), wherein the seedlings are cuttings transplanted from another medium. (6) at least one container having an open top and an open bottom, in which a medium for seedlings is formed, and at least one ridge extending from the open top toward the open bottom on the inner surface; a base plate for suspending a container, the base plate being provided with at least one hole into which the container can be locked, and a plurality of legs attached to the base plate at intervals and supporting the base plate. a frame having a member;
Seedling raising equipment. (7) The seedling raising device according to claim (6), wherein the medium is made of a mixture of beet moss and vermiculite. (8) The seedling raising device according to claim (6), wherein the container is a cylindrical body whose opening area gradually decreases from the open top to the open bottom. (9) The seedling raising device according to claim (8), wherein the cylindrical body has a flange portion defining an open top portion thereof and capable of being engaged with a base plate of the pedestal. (10) The seedling raising device according to claim (8), wherein the cylindrical body has a smooth inner surface. (11) The seedling raising device according to claim (8), wherein the cylindrical body has at least one hole provided in its peripheral wall. (12) The seedling raising device according to claim (6), wherein the container is comprised of a pair of halves that can be joined to each other with their inner surfaces facing each other. (13) The seedling raising device according to claim (6), wherein the base plate has a groove corresponding to each leg member that can partially receive the leg member for stacking the mounts.