Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G9/00—Cultivation in receptacles, forcing-frames or greenhouses; Edging for beds, lawn or the like
  • A01G9/02—Receptacles, e.g. flower-pots or boxes; Glasses for cultivating flowers
  • A01G9/029—Receptacles for seedlings
  • A01G9/0295—Units comprising two or more connected receptacles
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01G—HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING
  • A01G22/00—Cultivation of specific crops or plants not otherwise provided for
  • A01G22/35—Bulbs; Alliums, e.g. onions or leeks

Definitions

• Plant tray and cultivation system provided with such a plant tray.
• the present invention relates to a plant tray according to the preamble clause of Claim 1.
• a plant tray of this type is disclosed in EP 0 758 524 Al . Tulip bulbs, but also other plants, are grown in such trays.
• Netherlands Laid Open Application 9200641 describes a plant tray wherein the bottom of each of the accommodations is closed. Bulbs are placed in these accommodations through insertion openings made at the top and water is then supplied. This water collects at the bottom and root growth occurs here. Because this water does not circulate, slime formation takes place, which is disadvantageous for the further development of the bulb and, moreover, causes stench and rotting.
• a tray consisting of an essentially open container having a base surface from which a number of spikes or nails protrude onto which the bulbs concerned are pushed. There are thus no boundaries between the bulbs.
• Water is transported continuously or intermittently through a container of this type, as a result of which the problem of slime formation, stench and rotting is eliminated.
• the bulbs are arranged freely adjoining one another and it has been found that as a result of appreciable root formation and spread the bulbs can no longer be removed as individual items because the roots of adjacent bulbous plants become appreciably mtert ⁇ vined. This latter system is used in particular for long-term cultivation, for example ten weeks. The root development during such a long period can be appreciable.
• the construction described in EP 0 758 524 Al comprises square accommodations, each of which is always provided with finger-like retaining elements half way up the boundary walls. Each tray is open at the bottom.
• the aim of the present invention is to provide a plant tray with which the production of slime in the water in which the roots are standing is prevented, with which it is precluded that plants can no longer be removed because the roots of adjacent plants grow into one another and with which it is possible to carry out both a long cultivation (for example 10 weeks) and a short cultivation (for example 2 weeks).
• clamping means Stable positioning of the bulbous plants in the accommodations can be promoted by fitting clamping means.
• clamping means consist of plates which preferably extend perpendicularly to the periphery of the accommodations and delimit a tapered opening for such a bulbous plant. That is to say, the bulbous plant can be pushed firmly into the clamping means. No damage to the bulbs during further growth has been observed, such as has been found in the case of systems with which the roots are skewered on pins and the like. Fixing of the bulbs is facilitated if such plates are provided with a sharp cutting edge.
• the edges of the plates can have been chamfered.
• the plates it is possible to fix the plates only at the top or bottom of the tray, as a result of which the plates are able to move resiliently to and fro.
• means can be fitted to determine the depth at which the bulbs have to be introduced over the plates, so that all bulbs are at the same height.
• the accommodations are made hexagonal and arranged in a honeycomb pattern. It has been found that optimum utilisation of the surface area of the tray is obtained in this way. With an embodiment of this type the clamping plates preferably extend from one or more of the corners of the hexagons.
• the wall thickness of the trays and more particularly close to the cutting edge is preferably between 0.5 and 2.5 mm. In this way adequate strength is combined with the ability to cut the relatively soft root material.
• the actual cutting edge of the plates is preferably made thinner and is less than 2.5 mm.
• the invention does not relate exclusively to tulip bulbs, but other plants, such as hyacinths and narcissi, can also be cultivated using the invention.
• the plant tray described above is preferably used in combination with a cultivation system with which it is ensured that the roots of the bulbs come into contact with water.
• a water level must be chosen as a function of the depth to which the bulbs are pressed into the trays.
• the various features are implemented in such a way that the tray is placed in a container into which water is introduced, which water circulates continuously or periodically.
• an ebb/tide system can be used.
• Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a tray according to the invention
• Fig. 2 shows a partially exposed side view of a detail of the tray according to Fig. 1 ;
• Fig. 3 shows a cross-section along the line 3 - 3 in Fig.l in combination with a cultivation system
• Fig. 4 shows, diagrammatically, in cross-section, an alternative method for clamping the bulbous plant.
• Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a tray for cultivating tulip bulbs. This tray is indicated by 1.
• this tray is approximately 60 x 40 cm, but it must be understood that such dimensions are not of essential importance for the inventive concept.
• 90 - 150 accommodations for holding tulip bulbs have, for example, been made in the tray. This number will be different for other plants.
• Fig. 3 shows a combination of trays 1 with an ebb/tide system.
• the latter consists of a liquid-tight container provided with a water feed 10 and water discharge 11, the water level at the particular point in time being indicated by 9.
• the tray and/or the containers are provided with spacers.
• the plant is indicated by 6 and it can be seen from the drawing that the roots thereof are in the water 9. By this means optimum growth of the plant can be achieved. Slime formation and rotting is prevented by regular or continuous circulation of water 9. Crop protection agents, fertilisers and the like can optionally be added to the water.
• the plant, and more particularly the bulb thereof, is clamped between the clamping plates or clamping walls 4.
• the cutting edge indicated by 12 is, in particular, made sharp so that simple clamping is achieved and possible damage is restricted to a very small region.
• the clamping plates it is possible for the clamping plates to be of stepped construction or constructed in another way in order to provide a height stop for the bulbs.
• FIG. 4 A variant of the tray according to the invention is shown in Fig. 4.
• the components which correspond to those in Figs 1 - 3 have been provided with the same reference numerals.
• the clamping plates in this embodiment have been indicated by 14 and consist of strips of material fixed only at the top of walls 3.
• the plant can be resiliently clamped.
• the edge indicated by 15 it is not necessary for the edge indicated by 15 to be sharp.
• This edge is now made chamfered, so that no cutting into the bulb to be placed in the tray takes place. It must be understood that such a chamfered edge 15 can also be used with the embodiment shown previously, whilst the construction described above with sharp edge 12 can be used in the embodiment under consideration.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Botany (AREA)
• Hydroponics (AREA)
• Cultivation Receptacles Or Flower-Pots, Or Pots For Seedlings (AREA)
• Farming Of Fish And Shellfish (AREA)
• Breeding Of Plants And Reproduction By Means Of Culturing (AREA)
• Cultivation Of Plants (AREA)
• Steam Or Hot-Water Central Heating Systems (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=19767399

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (11)

Cited By (3)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1998
  • 1998-06-30 NL NL1009527A patent/NL1009527C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1999
  • 1999-06-30 AU AU46600/99A patent/AU4660099A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-06-30 EP EP99929969A patent/EP1091639B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-06-30 DK DK99929969T patent/DK1091639T3/da active
  • 1999-06-30 AT AT99929969T patent/ATE222688T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-06-30 PT PT99929969T patent/PT1091639E/pt unknown
  • 1999-06-30 ES ES99929969T patent/ES2179662T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-06-30 WO PCT/NL1999/000405 patent/WO2000000014A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-06-30 JP JP2000556610A patent/JP2002519002A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-06-30 DE DE69902666T patent/DE69902666T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-06-30 CA CA002336318A patent/CA2336318C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (2)

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