WO1993020684A1

WO1993020684A1 - Means for protecting young plants

Info

Publication number: WO1993020684A1
Application number: PCT/FI1993/000152
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ilpo Mattila; Esko Tarvainen
Original assignee: Oy Agrame Ab
Priority date: 1992-04-10
Filing date: 1993-04-08
Publication date: 1993-10-28
Also published as: FI921628A0; FI921628A; AU3892793A

Abstract

The invention relates to a plant protector (1) intended to be placed over a plant after planting. The protector comprises a body portion (2) with elongated openings at its sides and gripping means (4) at its lower end. The body portion is conical and made of biodegradable material. The elongated openings (3) facilitate the splitting of the plant protector as the plant grows. In the winter, the protector also protects the plant against load caused by snow and against snow-scorch.

Description

Means for protecting young plants

The invention relates to a means for protecting young plants especially after planting. Traditionally, young plants have been protected by various cage and net structures, which, however, have been very difficult to handle. They are suitable for use in garden conditions only; although they protect effectively e.g. tree plants about which they are placed, it is not usually possible to remove them after a few years of growth so that various non-bio¬ degradable plant protectors have remained in the forest. It is also to be noted that such traditional structures have not protected plants against load imposed by snow so that plants have been damaged by the weight of snow or by snow-scorch in the winter.

In greenhouse conditions, plants have often been supported by protectors which can be reused, because the plants grow in controlled conditions. Such protectors are not suitable for growing trees in the forest as they remain in the forest, thus littering the environment. Plant protectors made of biode¬ gradable paper pulp material can be used in controlled conditions, whereas small rodents, such as moles and hares and bigger animals, such as elks, easily bite the plant protector into bits in the forest so that the protector is no longer appropriate.

The object of this invention is to provide a means for protecting tree plants, which avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages and allows plants planted in natural conditions to be protected easily and without littering. This object is achieved by a protecting means according to the invention, which is characterized in that it comprises a cup-like body portion widening from the top to the bottom and intended to be placed over a plant; that the protect¬ ing means is substantially open at the end to be positioned against the ground; that an opening is provided at the top of the protecting means, and a plurality of openings are provided at the sides for the entrance of light, moisture and air; that the lower edge of the body portion is provided with gripping means to be inserted in the ground; and that the body portion is made of biodegradable material. The invention is based on the idea- that the plant protecting means is made of a slowly bio¬ degradable material which, however, is such that animals harmful to the plant, such as rodents and other vermin, do not eat it. Another essential idea is that the plant protector can be dyed so that the plant with its protector is easy to distinguish from its surroundings. The surface of the protector should be as smooth as possible in order that vermin could not climb over the edges of the protector. In the winter the snow cover spreads more evenly due to the shape of the protector so that the sprays of the plant will not be broken by snow; accordingly, a conical, triangular¬ ly conical or pyramidical shape or some other cup-like shape widening from the top to the bottom is to be preferred. An essential advantage of the invention is that no plastic products littering and contaminating the environment remain in the forest as the material to be used degrades under the influence of UV radi¬ ation, water or temperature changes. Colour codes can be used to code plants of different species, each colour corresponding to a predetermined species of plant. As plastic-like biodegradable material is used, the surface of the protector is very smooth, and so insect pests or the like are not able to climb along the surface of the protector up to the plant. Narrow elongated vertical openings in the sides of the protector prevent undervegetation from causing the plant to be mildewed and choked; in other words, fresh air flows freely about the plant. As the plant grows, the openings facilitate the splitting of the protector so that it will not prevent the natural growth of the tree or plant. In addition, moisture is discharged through the openings in the wintertime so that the plant will not be destroyed by snow-scorch. Various gripping means provided in the protector prevent the protector from being displaced under varying natural conditions. Biodegradation can be achieved by a plastic-like material mixture containing e.g. poly¬ propylene and tall oil. The invention will be described in more detail in the attached drawings, in which

Figure 1 shows a protector according to the invention in a vertical position;

Figure 2 is a top view of the protector accor - ing to the invention;

Figures 3a to 3c are top views of preferred embodiments of the protector according to the inven¬ tion.

A plant protector 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises a body portion 2, openings 3 and gripping means 4.

Figure 2 shows the plant protector from the top; the reference numerals correspond to those of Figure 1. Figure 2 f rther shows a reinforcing ring 5 at the top of the protector. When a plant is put in the ground, the ground at the root of the plant is usually compacted. The plant protector is then placed over the plant so that the gripping means 4 are inserted in the ground and retain it in position. The plant gets light through the openings 3 in the plant protector, and the sunlight warms the plant within the protector. The plant gets water both through the openings 3 and a top opening 6 while air is able to flow freely, thus maintaining a suitable moisture for the plant. The gripping means 4 prevent the plant protector from falling in windy and/or rainy weather as the wind or rain may press the protector on one side. In the winter the conical shape protects the plant from snow while the snow spreads evenly outside the protector. Moisture is able to evaporate through the openings so that the plant will not be damaged by snow-scorch.

Figures 3a to 3c show different embodiments of the plant protector from the top. Figure 3a is a top view of a triangular plant protector very suitable for protecting small tree plants. The top view of Figure 3b shows a quadratic protector suitable for protecting shrubs; the rainfall that the plant receives is thus greater as the area of the top opening is large. The plant protector of Figure 3c, which splits into two parts, is particularly suitable for protecting plants planted close to the wall of a house. However, it is to be noted that the shape of the plant protector to be used depends mainly on the size of the plant; accordingly, the different plant protectors can be used with any species of plant. With long plants, it is possible to use a protector comprising two or more portions interconnected at the edges. It is also to be noted that environmental conditions may require a certain kind of special plant protector.

The drawings and the description related to them are only intended to illustrate the idea of the invention. In its details the plant protector accord¬ ing to the invention may vary within the scope of the claims. Accordingly, the shape of the plant protector as such may indicate the species of the plant in certain cases. Furthermore, the gripping means need not be triangular but other shapes are also possible, such as rods which can be used when the ground is very soft so that it can be ensured that the plant will be retained in position. The width of the openings may vary, depending on the species of plant; for instance, their width may be greater for tree plants than for small shrubs. Similarly, the number, shape and posi¬ tion of the openings at the sides of the protector and in the direction of height may vary.

Claims

Claims:

1. Means (1) for protecting a plant particularly after planting, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises a cup-like body portion (2) widening from the top to the bottom and intended to be placed over a plant; that the protecting means (1) is substantially open at the end to be positioned against the ground; that an opening (6) is provided at the top of the protecting means (1), and a plurality of openings (3) are provided at the sides for the entrance of light, moisture and air; that the lower edge of the body portion (2) is provided with gripping means (4) to b& inserted in the ground; and that the body portion (2) is made of biodegradable material.

2. Protecting means (1) according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the body portion (2) is triangular in cross-section.

3. Protecting means (1) according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the openings (3) at the sides of the protecting means (1) are elongated and narrow, and that the openings (3) are almost of the same length as the body portion (2).

4. Protecting means (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the protecting means (1) comprises two halves of the body portion (2), the halves being interconnected at one edge.

5. Protecting means (1) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the protecting means (1) comprises two or more portions interconnected at the edges.

6. Protecting means (1) according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the material of the body portion (2) contains poly¬ propylene and tall oil.

AM_ )E_⁾ Cl rVEMS

[received by the International Bureau on 7 September 1993 (07.09.93) • original claim 6 cancelled ; original claims 1 and 4 replaced by amended claim 1 -_r claim 5 renumbered as claim 4 other claims unchanged ( 1 page)]

1. Means (1) for protecting a plant particularly 5 after planting which comprises a cup-like body portion (2) widening from the top to the bottom and intended to be placed over a plant, the protecting means (1) which is substantially open at the end to be positioned against the ground, an opening (6) which is

10 provided at the top of the protecting means (1) , and a plurality of openings (3) which are provided at the sides for the entrance of light, moisture and air, the lower edge of the body portion (2) which is provided with gripping ^" eans (4) to be inserted in the ground,

15 and the body portion (2) which is made of biodegradable material, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the protecting means (1) comprises two halves of the body portion (2) , the halves being interconnected at one edge to each other..

20 ^• 2. Protecting means (1) according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the body portion (2) is triangular in cross-section.

3. Protecting means (1) according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the openings (3)

25 at the sides of the protecting means (1) are elongated and narrow, and that the openings (3) are almost of the same length as the body portion (2) .

4. Protecting means (1) according to any of the preceding claims l to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in

30 that the protecting means (1) comprises two or more portions being positioned on the top of the other, which are interconnected at the edges.