RU2086102C1 - Plant growing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: agriculture. SUBSTANCE: method involves forming casing from the bottom to the top in proportion with plant growing rate; discharging nutrient soil around plant, with space between plant stem and casing wall being increased at each casing formation stage. Apparatus has containers 1,2,3 telescopically mounted one within the other and having open top and bottom ends. Lower container has bottom 5 with drain opening 4. Casing is formed by successively moving containers upward. Height of containers is reducing from lower to upper container. EFFECT: increased efficiency, simplified method and construction of apparatus. 3 cl, 4 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to agriculture, in particular to crop production.

 A known method of growing plants, including preparing a nutrient layer of soil in a container with an open top and a soil holder, sowing seeds in a soil layer, their germination in two stages, in the first of which the seeds are germinated until two or three leaves, apical bud and stem, and on the second soil holder with a nutrient layer and seedlings are lowered into containers down to the level of outgrowth of the lower leaf from the stem, which is covered with an additional nutrient layer of soil. A device for implementing this method comprises a container with an open top, inside of which a holder with a shelf is installed with the possibility of reciprocating movement along the container (PCT application WO 94/10830, class A01G 9/00, 05.26.94).

 The disadvantages of the known method and device include the fact that the capacity for growing can only have a constant height and shape of the cross section and be quite high. This leads to a deterioration of soil aeration conditions in the lower and middle parts of the tank due to the fact that with increasing soil column height its surface area remains constant. On the other hand, shifting down the shelves and moving the lump of soil relative to the walls of the tank leads to damage to the thinnest and most active roots of the plant, reaching the walls of the tank and shelf, which delays the growth of the plant and weakens it.

 The closest technical solution to the invention is a method of growing plants, comprising preparing a nutrient layer of the soil, sowing seeds in it, growing plants and forming from below in several stages of formwork with the lower part of the soil sprinkled at each stage. A device for implementing the method comprises a series of vertically mounted containers with open ends and having the same dimensions and cross-sectional shape (US Pat. No. 4,115950, class A01G 1/00, 1978).

 A disadvantage of the known method and device is also the poor aeration conditions for plant roots in the middle and lower soil layers in the tank, which leads to the death of the roots, and also worsens the irrigation conditions.

 The aim of the invention is to improve the conditions of plant growth.

 The goal is solved in that, according to the method, at each stage of formwork formation, the distance between the stem and the walls of the formwork is increased compared to the formwork of the previous stage, while the formation of each stage of the formwork is carried out after the formation of aerial root buds on the stems, raising the formwork above the upper formation , and the soil is filled up to the upper edge of the formwork.

 This problem is solved in accordance with the proposed device in that the size of the cross-sections of the containers increases from the lower tank to the upper, and the tanks are placed one in the other in the form of a telescopic connection. In addition, the containers have a conical or pyramidal shape and face up with a large base.

 The method of growing plants is as follows.

 Prepare a nutrient mixture of the soil, for example a mixture of compost, sheet soil and sand in equal proportions, moisturize it and sow the seeds of the crop in the soil. After seed germination, they monitor the growth of plants, conducting standard agrotechnical measures. After the entire initial volume of the nutrient soil is braided by the roots of the plant, rudiments of aerial roots will begin to form on the lower part of the stems. At this moment, an individual formwork is formed around the stem of each plant or a common formwork around the stems of a number of plants. As the formwork can be used sheet material - boards, plywood, hardboard, metal or plastic sheets or flexible material wrapped around a rigid frame. Ready-made containers with open top and bottom sides can also be used. The formwork is raised to a level above the upper formation of the root primordium. Then, in the formed space between the stem and the walls of the formwork, the nutrient soil mixture is poured to the upper edge of the formwork. After that, normal plant care is continued until the next stage of formation of aerial roots, after which the described methods for formwork formation are repeated and the soil is covered. There can be several such stages.

 In FIG. 1 shows a General view of the device for growing plants in section in the initial position; in FIG. 2 the same in an intermediate position; in FIG. 3 the same in the final position; in FIG. 4 version of the device with a conical or pyramidal shape.

 The device contains a number of containers 1, 2, 3, the lower 1 of which has the form of a glass with a drainage hole 4 in the bottom 5, and the intermediate tank 2 and the upper tank 3 are made in the form of pipe segments with open lower and upper ends. The size of the cross section of the containers increases, and their height decreases from the lower tank 1 to the upper 3. Tanks 1, 2, 3 are placed one in the other in the form of a telescopic connection. Tanks 1, 2, 3 can also have a conical or pyramidal shape, with their larger base facing up.

 The device operates as follows.

 In the initial position of the tank 1, 2, 3 are inserted one into the other and their lower ends lie in one horizontal plane. Soil is poured into a container 1, moistened, and seeds sown. When the roots of the plant are completely braided by a lump of earth in the container 1, and the beginnings of aerial roots begin to form on the lower part of the stem, the container 2 is pushed up and fixed in a position in which the upper edge of the container 2 is above the upper level of the formation of aerial roots. Then, soil is poured into container 2 and moistened. The soil is covered in such a way as to cover all the rudiments of the roots on the stem. After the emergence of the roots of aerial roots above the container 2, the container 3 is pushed up and all operations are repeated. The device may have an arbitrary number of containers of at least two. In case it is necessary to take out the plant together with a lump of earth without damaging the roots of capacity 2 and 3, lower it in the reverse order, and then the lump braided by roots is knocked out of capacity 1.

 The application of this method and device will significantly improve the conditions of plant growth, since an increase in the surface area of the soil with the rise of the formwork can improve the conditions of aeration and moisture when watering the entire lump of soil from top to bottom. On the other hand, increasing the distance from the stem to the edge of the formwork with an increase in its height makes it possible to more fully use the physiological characteristics of plants, since the volume and size of plant roots increase from bottom to top.

Claims (3)

 1. A method of growing plants, including preparing the nutrient layer of the soil, sowing seeds in it, growing plants and forming from the bottom up in several stages of formwork with the soil being sprinkled on the bottom of the stem at each stage of formwork formation, characterized in that at each stage of formwork formation, the distance between the stalk of the plant and the walls of the formwork are increased compared to the formwork of the previous stage, while the formation of each stage of the formwork begins after the formation of aerial root buds on the stems th, raising it above the upper formation, and the soil level is raised to the upper edge of the formwork.  2. A device for growing plants, containing a number of vertically placed open containers, the lower of which is made with a bottom having a drainage hole, and the rest without a bottom, while the containers are placed one into the other in the form of a telescopic connection and the size of the cross sections of the containers increases from the bottom capacity to the top, characterized in that the height of the containers decreases from the lower capacity to the upper.  3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the containers have a conical or pyramidal shape and face up with a large base.

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